Lab 1: The Metric System & the Scientific Method

Question 1

hypothesis

Answer 1

A proposed explanation for a phenomenon/ an educated guess.

ex: Every time I eat something with peanuts I break out in hives. Therefore, I must be allergic to peanuts.

Question 2

variable

Answer 2

Factors in an experiment

Question 3

experimental group

Answer 3

The group in the experiment that has a changed variable that will later be compared to the control group, to find if the hypothesis is correct.

Question 4

standardized variable

Answer 4

Factors and conditions that you try to keep the same among both the control and experimental groups

Question 5

International System of Units (S.I.)

Answer 5

Another name for the metric system

Question 6

gram

Answer 6

Metric base unit for mass

Question 7

milli-

Answer 7

A thousandth of a base unit

1 meter = 1,000 millimeters

Question 8

exponent

Answer 8

Represents the power of ten

Question 9

kilo-

Answer 9

A thousand of a base unit

1 kilometer = 1,000 meters

Question 10

pipettes

Answer 10

A slender tube attached to a bulb that is used for transferring or measuring out small quantities of liquid (volume)

Question 11

taring

Answer 11

Subtracting the (gross) weight of the substance being measured from the container holding it, in order to get the weight of the substance only.

Question 12

prediction

Answer 12

A statement about what will or may happen during the experiment

Question 13

independent variable

Answer 13

The factor under study

Question 14

control group

Answer 14

The group in the experiment that doesn’t have any variables changed. Used to compare with the experimental group. (placebo group)

Question 15

sampling error

Answer 15

Occurs when you collect data from only part of a population because you only have an estimate of the true value

(ex: You want to know if all chickens can swim, but you tested only 10 chicken and based your observations on the whole chicken population.)

Question 16

S.I.

Answer 16

Internation System of Units

Question 17

Be able to use standardized metric units for volume, mass, and length.

Answer 17

Volume: liters (L)

Mass: grams (g)

Length: meters (m)

Question 18

Erlenmeyer flask

Answer 18

A conical, flat-bottomed laboratory flask with a narrow neck used for measuring volume

Question 19

meniscus

Answer 19

The curved upper surface of a liquid in a tube

Question 20

theory

Answer 20

Underlying principles of science that are sustained by prediction and experimentation.

A theory is respected and generally considered to be “true” if it has been continually tested, but never falsified.

Ex: The theory of gravity

Question 21

dependent variable

Answer 21

The factor that is measured or counted

“Outcome variable”

Question 22

repetition

Answer 22

Obtaining the same results after several different experiments

Question 23

metric

Answer 23

A system of standard measurement used by the scientific and medical community

Question 24

graduated cylinder

Answer 24

A measuring cylinder used to measure the volume of a liquid.

Question 25

pi-pump

Answer 25

A one-handed control pump used on pipets to measure the volume of liquid

Question 26

Explain the process of the scientific method.

Answer 26

1. Observations or measurements
2. Questions
3. Hypothesis
4. Prediction
5. Experiment
6. Substantiated hypothesis
7. New/Revised hypothesis
8. New experiment

Question 27

Identify the dependent, independent and controlled (standardized) variables in experiments.

Answer 27

Dependent variable- the variable that is changed

Independent variable-the variable that is measured

Controlled (standardized) variable- the variable that remains the same throughout the experiment

Question 28

Know the difference between accuracy and precision.

Answer 28

Accuracy refers to how close the measurement you obtained is from the “true” value.

Precision is how often you get that measurement

You can have great precision but not be accurate.

Question 29

Name and describe the standard metric units for volume, mass, temperature, and length.

Answer 29

Volume = liters (L) 
Mass = grams (g)
Temperature = Celsius (°C)

Question 30

Identify the control group in the an experiment and know the difference between a control group and a variable.

Answer 30

Control group is the group in an experiment that does not have a variable (factor) tested and is then used as a benchmark to measure how the experimental group (changed variable) did.

Question 31

Know the meaning of the metric prefixes (centi-, milli-, micro-, and nano-) and use them with metric units.

Answer 31

Centi- is a hundredth of the base unit
(ex: 1 meter = 100 centimeters)

Milli- is a thousandth of the base unit
(ex: 1 meter= 1,000 millimeters)

Micro- is a millionth of the base unit
(ex: 1 meter = 1,000,000 micrometers)

Nano- is a billionth of the base unit
(ex: 1 meter = 1,000,000,000 nanometers)

Question 32

Know the meaning of the metric prefixes (kilo-, mega-, and giga-) and use them with metric units

Answer 32

Kilo- is a thousand base units
(ex: 1 kilogram = 1,000 grams)

Mega- is a million base units
(ex: 1 megagram = 1,000,000 grams)

Giga- is a billion base units
(ex: 1 gigagram = 1,000,000,000 grams)

Question 33

beaker

Answer 33

Glassware used to measure a liquid’s volume

Question 34

Scientific Notation

Answer 34

Is the way that scientists easily handle very large numbers or very small numbers.

Ex. instead of writing 0.0000000056, we write 5.6 x 10-9.

Question 35

meter (m)

Answer 35

Metric unit used to measure length

Question 36

micro-

Answer 36

Micro- is a millionth of the base unit

ex: 1 meter = 1,000,000 micrometers

Question 37

accuracy

Answer 37

How close the measurement is to the true value

Question 38

liter (L)

Answer 38

Metric unit of measurement used for volume

Question 39

degrees Celsius (°C)

Answer 39

Metric unit of measurement used for temperature

0 °C = 32 °F

Question 40

centi-

Answer 40

A hundredth of a base unit

ex. 1 meter = 100 centimeters

Question 41

nano-

Answer 41

A billionth of a base unit

ex. 1 meter = 1,000,000,000 nanometers

Question 42

precision

Answer 42

How consistently a measurement can be reproduced