The Scientific Method Lab

What should your hypothesis represent?

A possible explanation to a problem or observation

Which type of appendage is used by the pillbug to collect sensory information about its environment?

Antennae

Which best describes the pillbug's organ of respiration?

Gills

When pillbugs are placed in a choice chamber, which of the following behaviors indicates a preference for the test substance?

Pillbug spends more time in the chamber with test substance

Suppose you have the speed on the x-axis and braking distance on the y-axis. Which graph would confirm the hypothesis Braking distance is proportional to speed?

Points on a straight line through (0,0) progressing upward and to the right

Which best describes the walking legs of the pillbug?

They are all the same in basic structure and function.

When preparing your experiment for this laboratory exercise, how many substances or conditions should you test at one time?

one

Which of the following are most often included as part of a pillbug's diet?

-Rotting wood -Leaf litter -Plant materials

How many pairs of legs does a pillbug have?

7

If you are testing the effects of an experimental variable that is colorless, odorless liquid, which should you choose as your control?

A liquid like plain water

In an experiment determining the effects of antibiotics on the treatment of pneumonia in mice, two groups of mice with pneumonia are compared. One group, group A receives no antibiotic, and the other group, group B receive 10 mg/kg of body weight of a new antibiotic. Besides the administration of the antibiotic, there are no differences between the two groups of mice. What is the purpose of group A?

To ensure that only the treatment with antibiotics has an effect on the pneumonia

You decide to test your pillbugs' preference for an acidic environment versus a non-acidic environment. On one side of the chamber you place filter paper moistened with water. What is appropriate to place on the other side to test this variable?

filter paper moistened with vinegar

Which type of environment is necessary for optimal respiration in pillbugs?

Moist, damp

Which of the following indicates a positive response from the pillbug?

It moves toward a substance

Which question can you ask yourself to determine the dependent variable of an experiment?

Which will I measure in the experiment?

Let's say you are testing a pillbug's reaction to baking soda. What substance would you choose as a control?

fine sand

How is the control group treated in a scientific experiment?

The control group receives all the same treatments except the experimental variable.

What is the purpose of the control group in scientific experiments?

The control group undergoes a standard or no treatment and serves as a baseline for a group receiving an experimental treatment.

Which of the following is desirable when comparing whether an animal prefers one substance as food versus another substance as food?

The control substance has the same state as the experimental substance (e.g. liquid compared to liquid)

What do you do in the LabSmart experiment phase?

-Carry out the strategy chosen in the hypothesis phase -Collect measurements in the notebook

What do you do in the analysis phase?

-Graph the results -Make calculation based on the raw measurements

Which of the following should you do when using a choice chamber to ovserve pillbug behavior?

-Have a control substance on one side of the choice chamber -Have a test substance on one side of the choice chamber -Place only on test substance in the chamber

What would be natural to do int he experiment phase if the hypothesis is: "The heavier the ball, the faster it falls"?

-Measure the weight and the falling times of different balls -Drop different balls form a fixed height

What would be natural to do int he experiment phase if your hypothesis is: "The braking distance grows linearly with speed?"

-Record the braking distance at different speeds -Measure the distance covered while braking -Accelerate the call to different speeds in multiple trials

Which of these topics belongs in a scientific paper:

-Results -Introduction -Methods (procedures)

According to convention, in the example where the hypothesis is: "The braking distance grows linearly with the speed", what usually will be graphed on the y-axis?

Braking distance

Suppose your hypothesis is: "Braking distance grows linearly with speed. "What is the dependent variable?

Braking distance

In an experiment where two groups are compared, one group has a treatment applied and is called the experimental group; the other group is identical to the experimental group, but has no treatment applied. This second group, with no treatment applied is call the ________ gorup.

Control

You decide to test your pillbugs' preference for moisture. One one side of the chamber you place filter paper moistened with water. What is appropriate to place on the other side to test this variable?

Dry filter paper

What do you do in the LabSmart's hypothesis phase?

Formulate a tentative explanation to your question or observation

Which of the following describes a positive control?

Group that receives treatment known to elicit a positive response

Which best describes the diet of the pillbugs?

Omnivore

Where are the pillbugs organs of small and taste?

On the antennae

Which of the following is a defense mechanism of pillbugs against predation?

Rolling up in a ball

Where can you perform the experiment phase of the scientific method?

Scientific experimentation can occur anywhere, depending upon the problem being examined

The hypothesis is: "The braking distance grows linearly with speed." What is commonly graphed on the x-axis on the graph?

Speed