Scientific Questions
A good scientific question must be __________
testable
something you do using the 5 senses to gather information about something
observation
a prediction based on research and prior knowledge is called a ___________
hypothesis
a variable that remains constant and unchanged during an experiment is called a ________ variable
control
A scientific question can be based on _____________ or previous_______________
observations;experiments
facts that have been uncovered scientifically by experiments
data
before you make a hypothesis you must ____________
ask a question
the variable that you change; it causes a response
independent variable
If a question is testable, that means you can collect _____________ on it
data
During your experiment you should gather ___________ and later ___________ it
data; analyze
to test a hypothesis, you must do an ____________
experiment
the variable that responds to scientific manipulation; the effect can be measured
dependent variable
Which of the following is a GOOD scientific question?
Does the amount of light a plant receives affect its growth?
Is chocolate the best candy in the world?
To find out what is already known about the subject you will be investigating you must do some background:
a. research
b. observing
c. praying
research
like a good question, a good __________ should also be testable
hypothesis
would it make sense to have multiple independent variables or multiple dependent variables?
dependent variables
Come up with a GOOD scientific question for the following observation:
a scientist observed that only some people feel better after taking antibiotics while others remain sick
Do antibiotics only cure some illnesses?
Do all antibiotics work on all illnesses?
this is where you summarize your results and state if your hypothesis is true or not
conclusion
Based on the information given, choose the best hypothesis
When you eat, your cells get energy they need to work more efficiently
a. skipping meals makes you thin
b. if you eat breakfast before a test, you are more likely to get a better grade
c. eating in the morning should be a choice
if you eat breakfast before a test, you are more likely to get a better grade
why are control variables important?
so that the dependent variable can be accurately measured and to ensure that the independent variable is the cause of the response