Scientific Method

Question 1

What is the order of the scientific method?

Answer 1

1. make observations
2. define a problem
3. formulate a hypothesis
4. conduct an experiment
5. analyze results and draw conclusions
6. report results

Question 2

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 2

Make an educated prediction of what the answer to the scientific question is

Question 3

What is a variable (in terms of experiments)?

Explain independent variable, dependent variable, and control

Answer 3

A variable is anything that can be changed or measured in the experiment. The independent variable is the thing your change while the dependent variable is the thing you measure. Control is the thing that is staying the same the whole time.

Example:
Hypothesis: Which one will help the plant grow the tallest– water or oil?

Independent variable: water or oil

Dependent variable: height of the plant

Control: the type of plant, how much sunlight it gets, temperature

Question 4

What is the difference between a qualitative observation and a quantitative observation?

Answer 4

qualitative observations do not use numbers

quantitative observations do use numbers

for example:

“the walls are blue” –> qualitative
“there are 30 people” –> quantitative
“the chair is 2 ft tall” –> quantitative
“the candy is sour” –> qualitative