Thinking Like A Scientist
Designing An Experiment
Measurement
Vocabulary
Miscellaneous
100
This is what you are doing when you use one or more of your five senses to gather information.
What is observing?
100
This is the part of an experiment where you make inferences based on your data and tell if your experimental results supported your hypothesis.
What is the Conclusion?
100
This tool is used to measure length.
What is a metric ruler or meter stick.
100
This is a measure of the amount of space an object takes up.
What is volume?
100
This is the formula for determining the volume of a rectangular prism.
What is l x w x h?
200
This is what scientists do when they make an educated guess about what might happen in the future, based on their observations and prior knowledge.
What is predicting?
200
This is the first step in the inquiry process.
What is stating a problem or asking a scientific question?
200
An objects that has a density of greater than 1 g/ml will do this in water.
What is sink?
200
This is a factor that could change the outcome of an experiment.
What is a variable?
200
This is the tool used to measure the mass of an object.
What is a triple beam balance?
300
This type of observation might include colors, and descriptions of scents and textures.
What is a qualitative observation?
300
These are the variables that you try to control (keep constant), in an experiment. You try to keep these the same so that you can look for any changes that might result from the variable that you purposely change (the independent/manipulated variable).
What are the controlled variables (constants)? Remember: Controlled variables are NOT changed variables...
300
You would use the water displacement method (subtracting the starting water level from the new water level, after the object is placed in it) to measure the volume of this kind of object.
What is an irregularly shaped object?
300
When designing this type of experiment, you should select one variable to purposely change, and keep the other variables constant, or the same (control them).
What is a controlled experiment?
300
Due to this force, which is factored into your weight, you would weigh less on the moon, or on Mars.
What is gravity?
400
These are explanations based on observations and prior knowledge.
What are inferences?
400
The dependent variable is identified in this part of the hypothesis (If part OR Then part)?
What is the Then part of the hypothesis?
400
When measuring the volume of a liquid using a graduated cylinder, it's important to record the measurement at the bottom of this curved water line.
What is the meniscus?
400
This type of table lists common materials, and could be helpful in determining which materials float, sink, or suspend in water.
What is a density table?
400
This tool is used to measure liquid volume.
What is a graduated cylinder?
500
These are the facts, figures, and other information gathered during an experiment.
What is data?
500
This is what you can do to minimize the effect of experimental error.
What is include several trials.
500
This is a measure of how much mass in contained in a given volume.
What is density? (D= M/V)
500
This is a detailed description of how you will measure a variable.
What is an operational definition?
500
The unit for this measure is either g/ml (for liquids) or g/cm3 (for solids).
What is density?