Vocabulary
the variable that the researcher changes on purpose in an experiment
independent variable
What is the format of the title of a graph?
Hint* ___ vs ___
DV vs IV
What's the first step in any scientific process?
Ask a question
Which of the following is an inference rather than an observation?
a) The cat is lying on the couch.
b) The thermometer reads 22°C.
c) The cat must be tired.
d) The leaves on the plant are green.
c: the cat must be tired
Which of the following is qualitative data?
a) The plant is green.
b) The plant is 15 cm tall.
c) The plant grew 3 cm in a week.
d) The plant has 12 leaves.
a: the plant is green
an educated guess or proposed answer to a problem/question
hypothesis
what variable goes on the x-axis? what variable goes on the y axis?
x-axis: IV
y-axis" DV
what's the last step in the scientific process?
draw a conclusion based on the data
During an experiment, a student says: “The solid dissolved faster because it was crushed into smaller pieces.”
Break this statement into what part is an observation and what part is an inference.
observation: the solid dissolved faster
inference: because it was crushed into smaller pieces
What type of data is this statement: “The solution turned blue after adding iodine”
qualitative data
the final claim, made upon analyzing the experimental data
conclusion
A student wants to see how the temperature of ice changes over time as it melts at room temperature. They place an ice cube in a cup and measure its temperature every 2 minutes for 10 minutes. What type of graph would be used to show this data?
line graph
A student uses eggshells as a model for teeth to see how different drinks affect tooth decay. They place one egg in soda, one egg in juice, and one egg in water. All eggs are left in identical cups for one week. At the end of the week, the student observes and records changes in the eggshells’ appearance.
Question: What is the dependent variable in this experiment?
changes in the eggshell's appearance
Describe the difference between an observation and an inference
An observation involves using your senses and something you can actually see, an inference is using your background understanding to guess at what is happening
A student measures the mass of a rock as 45 grams and describes its texture as rough.
Identify which part is qualitative data and which part is quantitative data.
45 grams = quantitative
texture is rough = qualitative
What is the difference between an inference and an observation?
An observation is what you actually see, hear, measure, or record.
An inference is what you think is happening based on those observations.
Make a data table from this info: A cup of hot water was heated to 80 °C. To see how it cooled, a student measured the temperature every two minutes. After 2 minutes, the water had cooled to 74 °C. At 4 minutes, the temperature dropped further to 69 °C. By 6 minutes, it measured 65 °C, and at 8 minutes it had reached 61 °C. Finally, after 10 minutes, the temperature was 58 °C.
A group of students tests three different brands of paper towels to see which absorbs the most water. The students pour 50 mL of water onto each towel and measure how much is absorbed before dripping begins.
Question: identify 2 controls/constants in this experiment?
same size paper towel
same amount of water poured
same conditions/surface of experiment
A group of students is studying animal tracks in the mud. They note the following:
The tracks are 6 cm long.
There are 4 tracks in a row.
The tracks belong to a dog that was chasing prey.
For this scenario, identify which statements are observations and which are inferences.
observation
observation
inference
Describe the difference between quantitative and qualitative data
Quantitative data is data collected/described involving numbers/quantities. Qualitative data is data collected/described by using your senses.
describe the difference between a positive and negative graphing relationship and give an example of each
a positive relationship graph, both the IV and DV are increasing whereas a negative relationship, the IV increases while the DV decreases
ex: answers may vary
what is the difference between a data table and a graph?
Data Table
Organizes information into rows and columns.
Shows the exact numbers collected during an experiment.
Makes it easy to look up precise values.
Graph
A visual representation of data from a table.
Shows patterns, trends, or relationships more clearly.
Makes it easier to see how one variable changes compared to another.
what has to happen for an experiment to be considered a fair test?
there can only be one IV, one DV, and every other variable controlled
in 12 seconds, observe this room and draw an inference about something/someone in this room
answers may vary
10 seconds
Give 2 qualitative and 2 quantitative observations about this room
answers may vary