Testable questions
What is the formula for a testable question?
How will/does the independent variable affect the dependent variable?
How does the brand of bubble gum affect the size of a bubble blown?
What is the independent variable?
brand of bubble gum
What are the controlled, or constant, variables?
Everything in the experiment that stays the same.
What should the title of your graph be?
The testable question
Will music affect the growth of a plant?
Because it can be answered with a yes or no.
How does the height of a ramp affect the distance a ball rolls?
What is the dependent variable?
The distance the ball rolls
Which variable is changed by the scientist?
The independent variable
What type of graph shows how something changes over time?
A line graph
How does the type of paper affect the distance a paper airplane will fly?
What is the independent variable?
The type of paper
Observation or inference?
An educated guess using prior knowledge
Inference
Which variable is measured at the end of the trials?
Dependent variable
What number should your graph always start at?
0
How does temperature affect the growth of a plant?
What are the independent and dependent variables?
Independent: temperature
Dependent: plant growth/height
Which step of the scientific process is similar to cause and effect?
Hypothesis
Data Collection
Analysis
Hypothesis
In the heart rate lab, what was the independent variable?
The exercise performed.
Which variable should be on the vertical axis?
Dependent variable
Write a testable question for this scenario:
A student wants to know how the type of dirt will affect the growth of a plant. He puts two identical plants in separate pots. One has sandy soil and one has potting soil. He puts the same amount of soil in each, waters them the same amount, and puts them in the same location. He plans to measure the height of the plants at the end of every week for a month.
How does the type of dirt affect the growth of plants?
Inference or observation?
Using your 5 senses to collect information
Observation
In the heart rate lab, what was the dependent variable?
The beats per minute.
Which label should go on the horizontal axis?
Independent variable