Scientific Method Questions
What are the 7 steps to the Scientific Method?
They are to 1)State a Problem 2) Research the Problem (gather information) 3) Develop a Hypothesis (form educated guess) 4) Perform Experiment to test hypothesis (sub-steps: Materials and Procedure) 5) Data Analysis includes qualitative (observations) and quantitative (usually numbers shown in tables and graphs) sections 6) Draw Conclusions (was hypothesis correct?) 7) Repeat the work
Vocab: independent variable
factor that is changed in an experiment.
Vocab; dependent variable
factor that is measured
Controlled variables
factors in an experiment that are kept constant to ensure that the only factor being tested is the independent variable
Vocab: Scientific Problem
Questions that scientists ask when trying to solve a problem
I measured the number of cracks in the melon head and the size of the cracks in the melon head.
Dependent Variable
In my experiment I changed the helmet type.
Independent Variable
Which helmet (football, baseball, or bike) will best protect the melon head?
Scientific Question
baseball helmet, football helmet, bike helmet, 10 melons of the same size, ladder, measuring device, tape measure
materials list
I think the baseball helmet will best protect my melon head.
hypothesis
Vocab: hypothesis
an educated guess to the scientific problem
Vocab: conclusion
completed at the end of the experiment: state whether hypothesis is correct, when you record errors and what further testing might need to be done
I know there were some errors in my experiment. I didn't drop the melon in the helmet the same way each time. The sizes of the melons were NOT always the same. I wonder if a hockey helmet might be safer. Next time I would add a hockey helmet.
conclusion
I was incorrect, the football helmet best protected my melon head. There was only 1 crack in the melon measuring 1/2 inch.
conclusion
In the video, the professor and his student made sure all plants got the same amount of light, they were making sure the experiment had what part of the scientific investigation?
controlled variables
Vocab: control group
group that goes through the experiment but receives no treatment - we haven't talked about this too much yet
