Scientific Method

Question 1

Independent variable

Answer 1

The only variable changed deliberately in a scientific experiment

Question 2

Dependent variable

Answer 2

The results from changing the IV and is recorded throughout the whole experiment

Question 3

Control variable

Answer 3

Variables that scientists try to keep the exact same in experiments

Question 4

Scientific method

Answer 4

A sequence of steps that scientists use to conduct an experiment to find the answer to a question

Question 5

Testable question

Answer 5

An objective question that can be answered by an experiment

Question 6

Hypothesis

Answer 6

An proposed explanation for something happening based on prior knowledge

Question 7

Valid experiment

Answer 7

An experiment that actually tests what it sets out to test

Question 8

Precision

Answer 8

How close the results are to each other

Question 9

Accuracy

Answer 9

How close the results are to the true value which can be found by averaging the results

Question 10

Control group

Answer 10

Samples that have not been affected by the IV

Question 11

Experimental group

Answer 11

Samples that have been affected by the IV at different degrees

Question 12

Steps of the method

Answer 12

Numbered steps, no personal pronouns, past tense, be specific, include need for repeated trials

Question 13

Repeatability

Answer 13

The levels of precision within one experiment or when done by one person

Question 14

Reproducibility

Answer 14

If the results are consistent with when the experiment are done by others

Question 15

Qualitative data

Answer 15

Described with words (not very, very, extremely). Ordinal means can be ordered. Nominal means exclusive categories with no meaningful order.

Question 16

Quantitative data

Answer 16

Described with numbers. Discrete means it is countable and has a limited amount of data. Continuous means it can meaningfully divided into finer levels and have any numerical value such as height for a child, the speed of a car.

Question 17

Limitation

Answer 17

Anything that impacts the accuracy, precision, validity, reliability or reproducibility of an experiment.

Question 18

Random errors

Answer 18

Affects the precision because they are unpredictable variations in the measuring process and result in a larger spread of results

Question 19

Systematic errors

Answer 19

Cause measurements to be further from the true value but are present in every measurement

Question 20

Uncertainty

Answer 20

Lack of exact knowledge

Question 21

Improvements

Answer 21

1. What is the limitation?
2. How does it impact the results?
3. How can it be reduced?

Question 22

Steps of a scientific method

Answer 22

1. Asking a question on something you observed
2. Doing background research to find out what is already known
3. Construct a hypothesis
4. Experiment to test the hypothesis
5. Analyzing the data
6. Draw a conclusion to share results (only results not the reason why)