Scientific Method

Place the four phases of the scientific method in order. a. hypothesis b. analysis c. report d. experiment

a d b c

When determining the scope of an experiment, you need to consider (Select all that apply) a. which data you will collect and plot. b. the outcome you will investigate. c. what results to report. d. the factor that will vary.

b d

Before you begin a scientific experiment, you should (Select all that apply) a. state a hypothesis. b. report on the results. c. decide on a strategy. d. record the data.

a c

Match the action to the appropriate phase of the scientific method a. draw graphs, evaluate the hypothesis b. carry out the strategy, collect measurements c. document results d. formulate a hypothesis and create a strategy 1. hypothesis 2. experiment 3. analysis 4. report

1. d 2. b 3. a 4. c

T/F After a period of time, most of the pillbugs appeared to spend most of their time on the side of the dish with sand, not cornstarch.

F

T/F If the hypothesis in a scientific experiment is not supported, the experiment is considered a complete failure and must be repeated until a satisfactory outcome is reached.

F

T/F In the pillbug experiment, it is important that measurements be taken twice: once at the beginning of the experiment, and once at the end of the experiment.

F

T/F You do not need to pause to record your data as you perform your experiment. You can go back and estimate the values when the experiment is complete.

F

There are two, two-sided dishes in the pillbug experiment. In one dish, you should have placed sand in both sides. In the other dish, you should have placed ______ in one side and ______ in the other. a. sand; cornstarch b. cornstarch; cornstarch c. It does not matter what is placed in the second dish. d. cornstarch; pillbugs e. sand; pillbugs

a

When graphing your data, it is important to a. place the dependent variable on the Y-axis. b. place the dependent variable on the X-axis. c. never try to use a bar graph. d. utilize 3-D effects to enhance the appearance of your graph.

a

According to the results of the pillbug experiment, a. pillbugs did not show a preference when given a choice of substrate. b. pillbugs prefer a wet environment. c. The results of the experiment did not allow me to draw any conclusions about pillbug preferences d. pillbugs tend to prefer cornstarch over sand. e. pillbugs tend to prefer sand over cornstarch.

d

In order to come to reliable conclusions about pillbug preferences, you needed to use the a. modular data method. b. experimental design method. c. hypothetical method. d. pretty graphs and charts. e. scientific method.

e

T/F You should use the graph generated from your data to see if your hypothesis is supported.

T

In the pillbug experiment, an important part of the experimental strategy was to a. make observations at regular intervals. b. make three observations, at 5-minute intervals. c. watch only one pillbug at a time. d. place cornstarch in both sides of each plate. e. place sand in both sides of each plate.

a

In the pillbug experiment, the substance used as the control was a. sand. b. cornstarch. c. water. d. the dish.

a

In the pillbug experiment, if the pillbugs in the experimental chamber would have moved to the side of the chamber with sand instead of cornstarch, what would you have concluded? a. Pillbugs tend to prefer cornstarch over sand. b. Pillbugs tend to prefer sand over cornstarch. c. Pillbugs did not show a preference when given a choice of substrate.

b

When graphing your data, it is important that you a. place the dependent variable on the X-axis. b. place the independent variable on the X-axis. c. always use a line graph. d. use colors that will be attractive in your report.

b

Imagine that you wish to compare two different diets that will be fed to tadpoles raised in a lab. One diet is a meat-based fish food, and the other is the traditional diet of boiled lettuce. You want to see if the meat-based diet will be associated with an increase in the average weight of the tadpoles. In your experiment you keep all other factors, such as tadpole density per pan, temperature, pH, and the amount of food the same. The only difference between your control and experimental groups is the type of food the tadpoles receive. Which is a good hypothesis for this tadpole experiment? a. Tadpoles will be larger if the pH is higher. b. Tadpoles fed a meat-based diet will be bigger, but only if in a tank with low numbers. c. Tadpoles will be larger if fed a meat-based diet. d. Tadpole size will be unpredictable if fed a meat-based diet.

c

In the pillbug experiment, how many pillbugs did you need to use to get good information for the experiment? a. 4 b. 1 c. 10 d. 5 e. 100

c

Some students consume large amounts of caffeinated drinks to help them stay alert when studying. You notice that many who engage in this practice seem to do poorly on exams. Suppose you want to investigate the relationship between caffeine consumption and exam performance. Which of the following statements would be an appropriate hypothesis? a. Caffeine increases alertness but also increases anxiety. b. Many students consume large amounts of caffeine while studying to try to improve their exam scores. c. Students who consume large amounts of caffeine while studying have lower exam scores than students that consume less caffeine while studying. d. Too much caffeine is harmful to your health. e. One should avoid consuming too much caffeine while studying.

c

If you wanted to test whether or not a particular pain reliever was effective in the general population, you would need to design an experiment with an experimental group and a control group. What should be the only difference between these two groups? a. Sex: The control group would be all women but the experimental group would be all men. b. It does not matter what is different between the two groups c. Age: The control group should be all under 40 years old, but the experimental group should be all over 40 d. Treatment: The experimental group should get the pain reliever, and the control group should get a placebo e. Source of pain to be treated: The experimental group should have painful body injuries, but the control group should have headaches

d

Imagine that you wish to compare two different diets that will be fed to tadpoles raised in a lab. One diet is a meat-based fish food, and the other is the traditional diet of boiled lettuce. You want to see if the meat-based diet will be associated with an increase in the average weight of the tadpoles. In your experiment you keep all other factors, such as tadpole density per pan, temperature, pH, and the amount of food the same. The only difference between your control and experimental groups is the type of food the tadpoles receive. What is the independent variable for the tadpole diet experiment? a. tadpole size b. species of tadpole c. lab conditions d. diet

d

In the pillbug experiment, your hypothesis a. was related to the food pillbugs prefer. b. was formulated after you completed the experiment. c. had to be supported by your data (proving your hypothesis was true). d. was related to the environment pillbugs prefer.

d

When utilizing the scientific method, there are two types of variables. They are a. hypothetical and experimental. b. positive and negative. c. X variant and Y variant. d. dependent and independent.

d