How Science Works Flashcards
Hypothesis
A suggestion for what you think you will observe
Material
The equipment you need for an experiment
Method
The way you are doing an experiment
Observation
What you notice before or during an experiment
Data
The results you collect
Conclusion
A summary and explanation of the results
Fair (valid) test
Only one independent variable which can influence the dependent variable
Control variable
The variable you keep constant
Variable
A factor that can change
Independent variable
The variable you change in an experiment
Dependent variable
The variable that is measured (observed) in an experiment.
Control
Something you compare your results to
Categorical variable
Non-numbers all variable that is descriptive
Discrete variable
Numerical variable that has whole number values
Continuous variable
Numerical variable that can be any value
Which columns do the independent and dependent variables go on in a table?
- Independent variable - left
* Dependent variable - right
Which axis do the independent and dependent variables go in in a graph?
- Independent variable - x axis
* Dependent variable - y axis
Reliable
Results that are consistent (very similar) when repeated
Anomaly
A result that is significantly (very) different from the rest of the results
Accurate
Results that are correct (close to the true value)
When is a bar graph drawn?
If the independent variable is categorical or discrete
When is a line graph drawn?
If the independent variable is continuous
Aim
Purpose of an experiment
