Vocabulary
Independent Variables and Dependent Variables
Identifying other variables
Hypothesis
General Questions
100
A factor that can influence the outcome of an experiment is called?
What is a variable
100
In the morning I have a large coffee before I go to teach my first class. During the class I have to go to the bathroom 5 times. I want to design an experiment to test whether drinking coffee causes me to have to go to the bathroom more frequently.
Independent Variable: How much coffee I drink, whether or not I drink coffee before class Dependent Variable: How often I go to the bathroom.
100
I do a study to test if how fast people run is related to how much they weigh. What else can influence my study?
Height, training, health, motivation, etc.
100
What is a hypothesis?
A prediction of what the result of the experiment will be.
100
What is the format for writing a hypothesis
If there is a change in the independent variable, then there will be this change in the dependent variable.
200
Define Conclusion
The explanation of the results of an experiment as it applies to the hypothesis being tested. Restates the results and explains why they occurred.
200
I want to see if not scratching mosquito bites makes them heal faster than if I scratch them.
Independent Variable: Whether or not I scratch my mosquito bites Dependent Variable: How long they take to heal
200
I do a test to see if eating an apple a day helps me to stay healthy. What other variables could affect the result of my experiment.
Exercise, sleep, medications, diet, mood, climate, lifestyle, etc.
200
In the morning I have a large coffee before I go to teach my first class. During the class I have to go to the bathroom 5 times. I want to design an experiment to test whether drinking coffee causes me to have to go to the bathroom more frequently.
If I drink coffee then I will have to go to the bathroom more often
200
What is the scientific method?
A process for identifying and studying questions about the world in a systematic way.
300
Define Accuracy
The difference between a measurement and its accepted value
300
I want to test if drinking tea helps to cure my headaches.
Independent Variable: Drinking Tea Dependent Variable: Whether or not my headache goes away
300
I want to see if I can learn more in class then I can on my own. For 1 week I go to class everyday and take notes, for the second week I don't go to class and study by myself during that time. What other variables can influence my results?
Experience of the teacher, activities during the class, how I study at home, classroom climate, study climate at home, etc.
300
I want to test if drinking tea helps to cure my headaches.
If I drink tea then I my headache will go away faster.
300
What are the 5 steps of the scientific method?
Make observations, develop a hypothesis, design an experiment, collect and analyze data, develop a conclusion
400
_________________ these helps us to identify questions that we want to do experiments to study.
What is observations.
400
I notice that when I change my uniform after PE, my classmates are more likely to sit beside me. I want to test whether or not how bad I smell influences if my classmates will sit beside me.
Independent Variable: How bad I smell Dependent Variable: If my classmates sit beside me
400
I want to see if reading improves vocabulary. I design an experiment where I don't read for 1 week and then I take a vocabulary test and then the next week I read everyday for an hour and take a different vocabulary test. Everything else is the same each week: sleep, test difficulty, etc. If I do better the second test, can I conclude that reading improves vocabulary?
Yes because I had a proper control group to control for any other variables. Therefore the results where only a result of the independent variable
400
I notice that when I change my uniform after PE, my classmates are more likely to sit beside me. I want to test whether or not how bad I smell influences if my classmates will sit beside me.
If I change my uniform after PE then more people will want to sit beside me in class
400
Why do experiments need to have a control group?
To make sure that the only variable that is influencing the dependent variable (or the result of the study) is the independent variable which is what you are trying to test.
500
Define Control Group
A group that is exactly identical to the experimental group (the group being tested) except for the independent variable being tested.
500
I notice that when someone is bullied people are more likely to help if they are alone then if they are in a group. I want to test if this is the case.
Independent Variable: If people are in a group or alone Dependent Variable: If people stop and help
500
On Friday I exercise for one hour in the morning and record my mood and on Saturday I don't exercise and record my mood. I find that on Saturday I was happier than Friday. Can I conclude that exercise causes me to be less happy? Why or why not?
No because I was probably doing things differently on Friday (a school day) then on Saturday. There are a lot of other variables that could have influenced my mood: coworkers, students, sleep, classroom environment, activities, etc.
500
I notice that when someone is bullied people are more likely to help if they are alone then if they are in a group. I want to test if this is the case.
If someone is alone when they witness someone being bullied, then they will be more likely to help them.
500
Why is it important to follow the scientific method?
The scientific method helps us ensure the validity of our results by making the process easily repeatable for other scientists.
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