Scientific or Not?
Is this a scientific question?
“Do plants grow taller with more sunlight?”
Yes
In an experiment testing how sunlight affects plant growth, what is the independent variable?
Amount of sunlight
What tool would you use to measure the length of a textbook in centimeters?
Metric ruler
In an experiment testing how water amount affects plant growth, what is the independent variable?
Amount of Water
Is this a scientific question?
“Is chocolate ice cream better than vanilla?”
No
In an experiment testing how sunlight affects plant growth, what is the dependent variable?
Plant growth (height)
Which unit would you use to measure the mass of an apple?
Grams (g)
In an experiment testing how water amount affects plant growth, what is the dependent variable?
Plant growth (height)
Turn this into a hypothesis:
“If a plant gets more water, what will happen?”
If a plant gets more water, then it will grow taller
In an experiment testing how sunlight affects plant growth, what is one controlled variable?
Type of plant, amount of water, soil type, size of pot
What tool would you use to measure the volume of water in a beaker?
Graduated cylinder
What data should be collected to answer:
“Does fertilizer affect plant growth?”
Plant height measurements over time (in centimeters)
Identify the cause and effect:
“If temperature increases, then ice will melt faster.”
Cause = increase in temperature
Effect = ice melts faster
Why do scientists only change ONE variable at a time?
o make sure results are accurate and to know what caused the change.
Which unit would you use to measure the distance across the classroom?
Meters (m)
Two groups got different results in the same experiment.
What should they do?
Compare procedures, variables, and data to determine why results differed.
Is this scientific?
“If the temperature drops below 0°C, will water freeze?”
Yes
A student tests how the amount of fertilizer affects plant growth.
She uses the same type of plant, same soil, and same amount of water.
Question:
What is the independent variable?
Amount of fertilizer
What tool would you use to measure how long it takes for a toy car to travel down a ramp?
Stopwatch
A group is testing how different liquids affect plant growth (water, juice, soda).
Identify:
Independent variable
Dependent variable
One constant
Independent variable: Type of liquid
Dependent variable: Plant growth (height)
Constant: Type of plant, soil, amount of liquid, sunlight, etc.