Exploring What's Vital
MEDICAL DETECTIVES USE THESE CLUES TO HELP THEM DISCOVER WHAT MAY BE WRONG WITH A PATIENT. THEY ARE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS RECORDED WHEN SEEING THE DOCTOR.
VITAL SIGNS
THIS VARIABLE TELLS WHAT IS BEING MEASURED IN AN EXPERIMENT.
DEPENDENT VARIABLE.
WHAT IS THE FIRST STEP OF THE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN PROCESS?
IDENTIFY A PROBLEM/QUESTION
THE CLUES THAT DOCTORS USE TO DIAGNOSE A PATIENT ARE CALLED ________________.
SYMPTOMS
TRUE OR FALSE: BACTERIA NEEDS A HOST TO SURVIVE.
FALSE
THIS VITAL SIGN IS RECORDED AS BEATS PER MINUTE. IT INDICATES THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE HEART PUMPS BLOOD IN ONE MINUTE.
PULSE/HEART RATE
ALL GOOD SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS SHOULD BE REPEATABLE AND HAVE MULTIPLE _______________.
TRIALS
WHAT IS THE SECOND STEP OF THE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN PROCESS?
FORM A HYPOTHESIS
WHAT IS A MICROORGANISM THAT DOES RELY ON A HOST IN ORDER TO SURVIVE?
VIRUS
TRUE OR FALSE: BACTERIA ARE TOO SMALL TO BE SEEN WITH A TRADITIONAL MICROSCOPE.
FALSE
THIS VITAL SIGN IS BROKEN INTO TWO PARTS: SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC. THE SYSTOLIC READING IS THE TOP NUMBER AND INDICATES THE PRESSURE IN BLOOD VESSELS WHEN THE HEART CONTRACTS. THE DIASTOLIC READING IS THE BOTTOM NUMBER AND INDICATES THE PRESSURE IN BLOOD VESSELS BETWEEN HEART CONTRACTIONS.
BLOOD PRESSURE
A STUDENT CONDUCTS AN EXPERIMENT TO FIND OUT WHETHER OR NOT SUNLIGHT IS NEEDED TO GROW PLANTS. SHE USES THREE DIFFERENT PLANTS AND COVERS THEM UP WITH DARK PLASTIC TO ALLOW AS LITTLE LIGHT TO GET TO THEM AS POSSIBLE. AFTER 1, 2, AND 3 WEEKS SHE MEASURES THE HEIGHT OF THE PLANT. WHAT IS MISSING?
A CONTROL VARIABLE
YOU SHOULD ONLY BE TESTING ONLY ONE OF THESE IN AN EXPERIMENT.
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
TRUE OR FALSE: IT IS POSSIBLE TO CONTRACT AN ILLNESS FROM AN INSECT SUCH AS A FLEA, TICK, OR MOSQUITO. THIS IS CALLED A VECTOR BORNE ILLNESS.
TRUE
HOW IS A BACTERIAL INFECTION COMMONLY TREATED?
ANTIBIOTICS
THIS VITAL SIGN IS MEASURED IN BREATHS PER MINUTE. A NORMAL READING FOR THIS VITAL SIGN IS BETWEEN 12 AND 16 BPM.
RESPIRATORY RATE
THIS VARIABLE IS CHANGED BY THE EXPERIMENTER. IT IS THE VARIABLE BEING TESTED.
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
WHAT IS THE FINAL STEP OF THE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN PROCESS?
STATING CONCLUSION AND WRITING A SUMMARY
A PATIENT COMES INTO THE OFFICE SAYING THEY GOT SICK SHORTLY AFTER COMING INTO CONTACT WITH SICK PEOPLE AT SCHOOL. HOW IS THE SICKNESS TRANSMITTED?
PERSON TO PERSON
HOW WOULD A FUNGAL INFECTION BE TREATED?
ANTI-FUNGAL MEDICATIONS OR CREAMS.
THIS VITAL SIGN IS MEASURED USING A THERMOMETER. A NORMAL READING IS 98.6 DEGREES. A LOW GRADE OR HIGH GRADE READING OF THIS VITAL SIGN CAN POINT TO POSSIBLE VIRAL OR BACTERIAL INFECTIONS.
TEMPERATURE
THIS VARIABLE IS USED AS A COMPARISON OF NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT VARIABLE, AS IT ALLOWS THE EXPERIMENTER TO COMPARE RESULTS TO A NORM.
CONTROL VARIABLE or CONTROL GROUP
CONTROL
A PATIENT COMES INTO THE CLINIC COMPLAINING OF STOMACH PAINS. IT IS DETERMINED THAT THEY HAVE SALMONELLOSIS. HOW WAS THE BACTERIA TRANSMITTED?
FOODBORNE
HOW WOULD A VIRAL INFECTION BE TREATED?
TREAT THE SYMPTOMS. REST AND HYDRATION.