Hypotheses & Variables
A scientist predicts that plants given more sunlight will grow taller. What is this prediction called?
What is a hypothesis?
A student describes a mineral as "dark gray and shiny." What type of observations are these?
What are qualitative observations?
On which axis is the independent variable placed?
What is the x-axis?
What tool would you use to measure the length of a pencil?
What is a ruler?
How many centimeters are in 2 meters?
What is 200 centimeters?
In an experiment, a student changes the amount of water given to plants. What variable is being changed?
What is the independent variable?
A student records that a rock has a mass of 73 grams. What type of observation is this?
What is a quantitative observation?
On which axis is the dependent variable placed?
What is the y-axis?
What analog tool would you use to determine the mass of a rock?
What is a balance?
How many grams are in 3 kilograms?
What are 3,000 grams?
A student investigates how temperature affects how quickly ice melts. What variable is being measured?
What is the dependent variable?
What type of observation includes numbers or measurements?
What is a quantitative observation?
A student graphs the amount of water given to a plant compared with its height. Which variable belongs on the x-axis?
What is the amount of water?
What tool would be most appropriate for measuring 42 mL of water?
What is a graduated cylinder?
How many liters are equal to 650 milliliters?
What is 0.65 liters?
In an experiment testing different types of fertilizer, the students use the same type of plant, same amount of water, and same amount of sunlight. What are these factors called?
What are constants?
A student writes, "The liquid is clear, has no smell, and has a temperature of 21°C." Which of these observations is qualitative?
What are "clear" and "has no smell"?
A graph has "Days" on the x-axis and "Plant Height (cm)" on the y-axis. Which variable is the dependent variable?
What is plant height?
What tool would be better for measuring the length of a classroom wall, a ruler or a meter stick?
What is a meter stick?
A rectangular object is 6 cm long, 4 cm wide, and 3 cm tall. What is its volume?
What is 72 cm³?
A student wants to test whether the amount of fertilizer affects plant growth. What type of statement could the student write to predict the outcome before beginning the experiment?
What is an If/Then hypothesis?
A scientist records that a mineral is silver-colored, smooth, and 12 centimeters long. Which observation is quantitative?
What is "12 centimeters long"?
Name three features that should be included on a properly made scientific graph.
What are a title, labeled axes, units, an appropriate scale, and correctly plotted data?
What method can be used to determine the volume of an irregularly shaped rock?
What is water displacement?
A graduated cylinder starts at 28 mL. After a rock is placed in the cylinder, the water level rises to 41 mL. What is the volume of the rock?
What is 13 mL?