Science Tools
What tool would a scientist use instead of a yard stick?
a Meterstick
Rachel's new car is white with a tan interior. It this qualitative or quantitative?
qualitative
Research question: How much water will help my plant grow the tallest? Which of the following would not be a constant variable: container; soil; water; plant?
water because it is the independent variable
When reading a bar graph about the number of students that prefer certain lunch choices, which of the following information from the graph CANNOT be determined?
1.the total number students 2.the number of different lunch choices 3.the number of different lunches served during the year 4.the total number for each lunch choice
3.the number of different lunches that are served during the year
testable or not testable:
Does adding plant food affect the growth of plants?
testable
A scientist is testing which coffee machine fills the cup the fastest. What science tool would she use to time the experiment?
a stopwatch
Rachel's car can fit 2 baby seats. Is this qualitative or quantitative?
quantitative
Research question: How much water will help my plant grow the tallest?
What is the dependent variable?
plant growth
A bar graph has an incomplete key. What should be entered for "1/2 of a plant =____"?
one whole plant = 4 points
1/2 of a plant =___
2 points would be half of a plant
How many variables can be changed in order for an experiment to be considered a fair test (valid)?
one
What would be the best way for a scientist to make sure his measurement is accurate (correct)?
Take the measurement several different times.
Why isn't this experiment a fair test?
A student begins an experiment on the effect of fertilizer on plant growth. Materials: same plants, same soil, different pots, one plant has fertilizer & the other doesn't.
Changed two things: One was given fertilizer & one was not & different pots.
Can only change ONE variable in an experiment.
What is the step in the scientific method that needs to be completed before conducting an experiment?
form a hypothesis
A scientist collected all the data he needs and wants to record it in a very ORGANIZED way. What should he use to ORGANIZE his data?
a data table
Why do scientists use data tables?
Easy way to ORGANIZE information
Students want to test how fast a ball falls from different heights. What TWO tools would they need to measure the time and height?
stopwatch and meterstick
Sam is analyzing the annual snowfall amounts in St Louis over the past 10 years. What kind of data is he looking for?
quantitative
What step must be done before a scientist can determine if his hypothesis is correct (conclusion)? It is the step between conducting the experiment and making a conclusion.
analyze the data
A line graph shows the temperatures of last week's carnival throughout the day. The scale shows a line between 80o & 85o, but it is not numbered. What degree would that line be if it did have a number?
83o
After making observations of the world around you, what is the next step in the scientific method?
What is the last step in the scientific method?
ask a question & form (draw) a conclusion
Which tool measures by using units in Fahrenheit and Celsius?
a thermometer
If I wanted to find out if water will freeze faster in my new freezer than in my old freezer, which of the following data would not be useful to collect: the temp.; the amt of time wtr in freezer; the amt of wtr put in freezer; or the height/weight of the new freezer.
the height/weight of the new freezer
A scientist analyzes all of the data from her experiment. She is now ready to form (draw) a.....?
.
What was Paula asking him to form (draw)?
conclusion
A scientist wants to compare OVER TIME how long it takes two different brands of soda to absorb the Sun's energy. Which type of graph, bar or line, should be used to show the results?
line graph
Does the amount of sunlight affect a plant's growth?
What is the independent variable?
What is the dependent variable?
IV - amount of sunlight
DV - plant growth