Show:
Scientific Inquiry
Experimental Design 1
Experimental Design 2
Drawing Conclusions and Communicating
Collecting, Displaying & Analyzing Data
100
List the 6 main steps of the Scientific Method
1. State a Problem/Ask a Question 2. Form a Hypothesis 3. Test the Hypothesis 4. Collect and Analyze Data 5. Draw Conclusions 6. Communicate your findings.
100
Frank sets up an experiment to see if students perform better on tests if they are in a pink room, a yellow room, or a green room. What is the independent variable in this experiment?
Room Color
100
– In what form should you write your ‘procedure’?
Numbered Steps
100
Arturo does a test to see whether Mountain Dew or Pepsi will dissolve a tooth faster. His hypothesis predicted that Mountain Dew would dissolve the tooth faster. When he performed the experiment, he found that Mountain Dew completely dissolved a tooth in 15 days, and Pepsi completely dissolved a tooth in 19 days. Was his hypothesis supported by the data, why or why not?
Yes, his data shows that Mountain Dew took less time to dissolve the tooth.
100
What is one common way of recording data in an organized manner?
Data Table
200
What are two ways that scientists can investigate a question or problems?
1) Making Observations 2) Doing Experiments 3) Building and/or Testing Models
200
What is the dependent variable in Frank’s room color/test score experiment?
test score
200
Why is it important that your experimental procedure written in a way that is easy for another person to repeat?
When other people can repeat your experiment, you can compare results. If many different people get the same results, what you learn will be accepted by other scientists.
200
What is meant by the term “Sources of Error”?
Sources of error are factors that you are NOT trying to test that might influence the outcome of your experiment. For example, if you make a mistake measuring.
200
Why is it important to label measurements that you record with the proper units?
Units give meaning to your numbers. One centimeter is WAY different than one meter!
300
What is the difference between and observation and an inference? Give an example of each.
Observations are made using the senses directly or using tools to make measurements. Inferences are indirect conclusions that a person makes based on limited information and previous experiences. For example, Mary looks outside and sees white stuff on the ground. She makes the INFERENCE that it is cold outside. Mary goes outside and finds that a truck load of Styrofoam beads has spilled in the yard. She looks at the thermometer and sees that the temperature is 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
300
What is the difference between a dependent and an independent variable? Be sure to make clear which is which.
The independent variable is the ONE variable that you change on purpose in the different trials. You want to see how this variable affects things (dependent variables). The dependent variable(s) is something that changes in response to the independent variable.
300
Trey sets up an experiment to see if Goldfish spend more time eating when they are in a group or alone. What is the dependent variable in this experiment?
The amount of time that the fish spend eating.
300
Why is it important to discuss possible sources of error in your conclusion?
-If you don't talk about things that might have thrown your results off, you might draw the wrong conclusions, or believe too strongly in your conclusions. - Others might repeat your mistakes. - Other scientists will respect your work more if you talk about possible error upfront.
300
– Why is it important for your data table to have a title?
The title describes what kind of information is contained in the table, and gives and idea of what its purpose is.
400
Do the steps of the Scientific Method have to be done in a specific order? Support your answer with at least 2 reasons.
No! - Researching Background Information might cause you to change to a different question or problem. - The Process of designing an experiment might make you decide to change your question or hypothesis. -Communicating Conclusions/discussion may cause to you to re-examine your data and draw new conclusions.
400
Give an example of at least 3 other variables that Frank needs to keep the same in his room color/test score experiment.
Room size Lighting Temperature Age of test takers Time of Day Kind of test given Number of questions on test
400
Juanita sets up an experiment that compares the speed of model cars with different weights. What is the independent variable? What is the dependent variable?
Independent variable = weight of car Dependent variable = speed
400
Why is it important to describe the patterns that you see in your data when you write up your conclusions?
You are showing how the data backs up your conclusions.
400
What is one reason that you might want to put the data from a data table into a graph?
A graph allows people to see a visual picture of the trends that are recorded in the data table. For most people this is a much easier way to get information.
500
Why is background information important? Give at least 2 examples of background information.
Background information helps you to formulate a good question and a testable hypothesis.
500
– Amy wants to find out if a penny or a nickel falls faster. She believes that the nickel will fall faster. Write a brief procedure that she can use to test her hypothesis. Write you procedure in the form of numbered steps.
1. Find a place from which to drop pennies and nickels safely. 2. Construct a data table in which to record distance dropped, time to fall, speed and average speed for both pennies and nickels. 3. Measure the distance from the place you will drop to the ground. 4. Have one person drop a penny, while another person times how long it takes for the penny to fall. Record the time in your table. 5. Repeat 2 more times with the penny and find the average time and the average speed. 6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the nickel. Record your results.
500
Monica wants to know which brand of chainsaw cuts through logs the fastest, Husqvarna, Makita or Stihl. Write a brief procedure that she can use to test her hypothesis in the form of numbered steps. Be sure to describe at least 3 factors that Monica must keep the same in the different brand trials.
1. Find three logs of the same size/diameter. 2. Set up a safe place to cut a piece off of each log. Be sure to wear eye protection and secure any loose clothing that could get caught in the saw. 3. Have someone time you cutting a piece off of each log with the Makita saw. Do three trials and record the times. 4. Find the average time it takes for a Makita saw to cut through the log. 5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 with the other two brands. Be sure to use the same size/horsepower saw.
500
Tammy wants to see what angle of ramp will allow her to jump the farthest distance on her bike. She sets up three ramps on three different places in a field. One ramp is made of plywood, the other two are made of metal. Tammy has a different friend measure the distance she jumps off of each ramp. She makes her jumps on ramp 1 and ramp 2 on a Monday, and her jump on ramp 3 on a Thursday. List 3 possible sources of error in her experiment.
1) Different locations might cause different results. 2) Different ramp materials " " 3) Different people measuring might get different measurements. 4) Tammy might perform differently on different days.
500
In making a graph that displays data from your experiment, on which axis should you put the independent variable? On which axis should you put the dependent variable?
The x-axis of a graph is always your independent variable and the y-axis is the dependent variable.