Scientific Investigations
What is an independent variable?
The variable that is change or manipulated.
What type of circuit allows electricity to flow?
Closed circuit
What is a conductor?
A material that allows electricity to flow.
________ energy will turn into radiant energy when a light is turned on.
Electrical.
When does static electricity occur in nature?
Lightning.
What is a constant in an experiment?
A part of an experiment that always stays to same.
What part of a circuit can quickly make it open or closed?
A switch.
What is an insulator?
A material that does not allow electricity to flow.
When a toaster is used, electrical energy turns into _________ energy.
Thermal.
Why do clothes stick together when they come out of the dryer?
Static electricity.
Johnny is doing an experiment to measure plant growth based on the amount of sunlight it receives. He puts one plant in direct sun outside, one in a closet, and one in his room. He waters each plant with 30mL of water each day and gives them the same amount of fertilizer. Johnny measures the plant growth every three days using a centimeter ruler. What is the dependent variable?
The plant growth.
What is an open circuit?
A circuit that does not allow electricity to flow.
Name three conductors
Coins, wire, paper clip, ring, water, etc.
When you turn on a dryer, ___________ energy turns into __________ energy.
Electrical energy turns into thermal energy.
How do you create an electromagnet?
Coil a conductor around a metal nail and connect it to an energy source.
If a dog weighs two pounds and is 30 inches tall, what type of data is this?
Quantitative
Name two things you need to create a closed circuit.
Wires, energy source, light bulb, switch
If I add a metal paperclip to a gap in a circuit, will the lightbulb light up or stay dark?
The lightbulb will light up.
When a ceiling fan is turned on __________ energy is turned into _____________ energy.
Electrical energy is turned into mechanical energy.
How do you make an electromagnet stronger?
Coil the wire around the nail more times.
Sarah wants to see how far a car will go after changing the type of material it rolls over. She uses fleece, aluminum foil, and a piece of cotton ribbon. She keeps the height of the ramp, the car, and her amount of force to push the car the same. Sarah uses a meter stick to measure how far the car goes. What is the independent variable?
The type of material.
If a teacher turns on the overhead lights, why do they all turn on?
The switch turns an open circuit into a closed circuit, so the lights are able to light up.
Name three insulators
Plastic, wood, cotton t-shirt, paper, glass
When you turn on your computer, electrical energy turns into what three other types of energy?
Thermal, radiant, and sound.
When you turn on an electromagnet, what happens?
The electromagnet becomes a magnet and attracts metal to it.