Scientific Investigation

Measurement

100

Which tools would be needed to measure the size and the mass of a block of wood?

a. A watch with a second hand and a ruler

b. A graduated cylinder and a thermometer

c. A ruler and a balance

d. A thermometer and a meter stick

C. A ruler and a balance

200

Which tools are best used to determine the speed of a turtle as it walks along a path?

a. Meter stick and graduated cylinder

b. Stopwatch and meter stick

c. Balance and metric ruler

d. Balance and stopwatch

b. stopwatch and meter stick

300

Which of these is needed to measure the mass of a rock?

a. An anemometer

b. A barometer

c. A balance

d. A metric ruler

c. balance

400

Which is the best tool for measuring the temperature of lake water?

a. Meter stick

b. Balance

c. Graduated cylinder

d. Thermometer

d. Thermometer

500

Juan is doing an experiment to see how long it takes an acorn to grow into a 0.5- meter-tall oak tree. Which two instruments should he choose?

a. Thermometer and centimeter ruler

b. Thermometer and calendar

c. Centimeter ruler and pan balance

d. Centimeter ruler and calendar

d. centimeter ruler and calendar

Scientific Process

100

Students notice that in the fall leaves of sugar maple trees turn red, but the leaves of black oak trees turn brown. The students are making —

a. an observation

b. a conclusion

c. a prediction

d. an inference

a. an observation

200

A group of students was preparing an activity to determine whether certain materials will float or sink when placed on water. Before the experiment started, one student said, “I think the sponge will float.” This statement was —

a. a conclusion

b. a fact

c. an observation

d. a prediction

d. a prediction

300

A student designed an investigation to test the effect of light color on plant growth. What was the manipulated (independent) variable in the investigation?

a. Color of light bulb

b. Height of plant

c. Hours of light

d. Size of pot

a. color of light bulb