Designing Experiments Using the Scientific Method Key Words Lesson 1 Scientific Method Hypothesis...
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Transcript of Designing Experiments Using the Scientific Method Key Words Lesson 1 Scientific Method Hypothesis...
Designing Experiments Using the
Scientific Method
Key Words
Lesson 1
Scientific Method
Hypothesis
Experiment
Data
Conclusion
Procedure
Variable
Independent Variable
Dependent Variable
Control Group
Experimental Group
TrialExperimental Error
Bias
Notice the color of our key words.
process answers
stepsproblem question
organizededucated guess
information
Identify the problem
Form a Hypothesis
Create an Experiment
Perform an Experiment
Analyze the Data
Modify the Experiment
Conclusion
Let’s use some of our “key words” in an investigation.
First, our procedure. (Step by step plan)I want to know if warmer temps. cause robin eggs to hatch faster?
Variable Control Group Experimental Group
Variable- Factor that affects results of an experiment.
Number of eggs
Temperature
Humidity
Lighting
There are 2 kinds of variables.*Independent Variable-Factor I change to find out what will happen.
*Dependent Variable- Variable affected by changes in independent variable.
Control Group-Group used for comparison. All variables controlled by me.
4
85 degrees
70%
Low Light
Experimental Group-Group exposed to changes in independent variable. Can you see what I changed in this group?
4
97 degrees
70%
Low Light
Every time we repeat this experiment it is called a Trial.
Temperature
How long it takes the eggs to hatch
Why was my number different than yours!?
• Maybe it was experimental error?
True value of measurement vs. Measured value
l___________l6 mm l___________l7mm
You measured 6mm. Your lab partner measuredthe same seed at 7mm.
Sunflower Seed
Actual measurement was 6.5 mm. Why?
Human Error
But I want my hypothesis to be right!
Bias is a wish or expectation that your experiment will lead to a certain conclusion.
Let’s watch a clip to better understand Bias.
This kind of thinking can cause Bias.
The Bikini Bottom gang loves science class and wants to do a little research. Read the description for each
experiment and use your knowledge of the scientific
method to answer the following questions.
Flower PowerSpongeBob loves to garden and wants to grow lots of
pink flowers for his pal Sandy. He bought a special Flower Power fertilizer to see if it will help the plants
produce more flowers. He plants 2 plants of the same size in separate containers with the same amount of potting soil. He places one plant in a sunny window
and waters it every day with fertilized water. He places the other plant on a shelf in a closet and waters
it with plain water every day.
What did SpongeBob do wrong in this experiment? Explain.How can he test the effectiveness of the fertilizer?
Set up an experiment that tests this .
Super SnailsGary is not the smartest snail in Bikini Bottom and
believes he can improve his brain power by eating Super Snail Snacks. In order to test this hypothesis, he recruits SpongeBob and several snail buddies to help him with an experiment. The snails eat one snack with each meal every day for three weeks. SpongeBob created a test and gave it to the snails before they started eating the snacks as well as after three weeks.
Based on the data, do the Super Snail
Snack work? Explain.
Set up the experiment and list the procedure he
should use.
Snail Before AfterGary 64% 80%
Larry 78% 78%
Barry 82% 84%
Terry 72% 70%
Bubble Time
Patrick loves bubble gum and would like to be able to blow bigger bubbles than anyone else in Bikini Bottom. To prepare for the Bikini Bottom Big Bubble Contest, he bought five different brands of bubble gum and he needs your help to find the brand that creates the biggest bubbles.
Write an experiment to test the bubble power of the bubble gum brands and
help Patrick win the contest.
Discussion Questions
1. What data would lead scientists to accept the hypothesis in the experiment with the robins’ eggs? What results might lead them to reject the hypothesis? What other variables might affect the results?Using the data table in our notes, write out the procedures that should be included in
this experiment.
A farmer believes that fertilizer runoff from a farm is killing the fish in a nearby pond.
1. Set up an experiment to test his hypothesis. Be sure to include
all the procedures he needs to follow.
The farmer measures the amount of fertilizer in the pond each week and counts the number of dead fish. The measurements indicate that, as the fertilizer concentration increases, the number of dead fish increases.
2. Can the farmer confidently conclude that it must be fertilizer from the farm that
is killing the fish? Why or why not?