Science Detectives at Work
This science inquiry skill uses your senses such as seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, or tasting to gather information about an object or event.
What is observation?
This tool is used to measure the length of an object in the laboratory and is usually marked in centimeters and meters.
What is a meterstick?
This piece of laboratory equipment is commonly used to hold, mix, and heat small amounts of liquid during experiments.
What is a test tube?
This type of matter is formed when two or more substances are combined physically but not chemically, and they can still be separated.
What is a mixture?
This type of heat transfer occurs when heat moves through direct contact between particles, such as when a metal spoon becomes hot in a cup of coffee.
What is conduction?
This science inquiry skill involves grouping objects or organisms based on their similarities and differences.
What is classification?
This laboratory tool is used to measure the volume of liquids accurately.
What is a graduated cylinder?
This laboratory container has a wide mouth, a flat bottom, and a spout, making it useful for mixing and pouring liquids.
What is a beaker?
This method of separating mixtures uses a filter paper to separate solid particles from a liquid.
What is filtration?
This type of wave moves with vibrations perpendicular to the direction of the wave’s motion, like waves on a rope.
What is a transverse wave?
In an experiment about how sunlight affects plant growth, the amount of sunlight given to each plant is an example of this type of variable that the scientist changes.
What is the independent variable?
This measuring instrument is used in the laboratory to determine the mass of an object by balancing riders on three beams.
What is a triple beam balance?
This laboratory tool is used to hold a test tube safely, especially when the test tube is being heated.
What is a test tube holder?
This type of mixture contains small particles that settle at the bottom if left undisturbed, like muddy water.
What is a suspension?
A student pushes a heavy box across the floor, causing it to move from rest. The push applied by the student is an example of this interaction that can change the motion of an object.
What is force?
This type of scientific knowledge is a well-tested explanation of natural phenomena that is supported by many experiments and observations.
What is a scientific theory?
When converting in this system, scientists move the decimal point based on this system of units that includes meters, liters, and grams.
What is the metric system?
This tool is used to measure the temperature of substances during laboratory experiments.
What is a thermometer?
This type of mixture appears uniform and does not settle, such as salt dissolved in water.
What is a solution?
This characteristic of a wave refers to the height of the wave from its resting position, which is related to the wave’s energy.
What is amplitude?
Scientists often use these three types of graphs to present and interpret data: one for comparing categories, one for showing parts of a whole, and one for showing changes over time.
What are bar graph, pie graph, and line graph?
These rules in measurement help scientists show the precision of their data and avoid including uncertain digits when recording measurements.
What are significant figures?
This laboratory equipment is used to heat substances using gas in many science laboratories.
What is a Bunsen burner?
This process happens when an acid and a base react to form salt and water, reducing the acidity or basicity of the solution.
What is neutralization?
A student walks 5 meters east and then 5 meters west, returning to the starting point. The total distance traveled is 10 meters, but the displacement is zero.
This is because displacement depends on this factor.
What is direction?