Skills in Science

Question 1

What is a variable?

Answer 1

Any factor or condition that can exist in different amounts or types.

Question 2

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 2

Changes in response to the changes in the independent variable in an experiment.

Question 3

What is independent variable?

Answer 3

The only thing that should be changed in an experiment to see if it has an effect.

Question 4

What is controlled variable?

Answer 4

All the variables that are kept the same .

Question 5

What is allergy?

Answer 5

When our bodies’ immune system reacts to certain substances causing skin rashes, runny noses, wheezing or even shock, it is called an allergy.

Question 6

What is asthma?

Answer 6

A type of allergy, which results in breathing difficulties.

Question 7

What is a biohazard?

Answer 7

Something that may cause disease or harm in humans.

Question 8

What is carcinogen?

Answer 8

It is a substance which may cause cancer,if breathed in,swallowed or absorbed via the skin.

Question 9

What is a corrosive substance?

Answer 9

It is a substance that may destroy living tissue, causing burns.

Question 10

What is an explosive substance?

Answer 10

Substances which may explode as a result of heat, fire, friction or shock.

Question 11

What is eye protection?

Answer 11

These include safety spectacles,goggles and face shields.They give better protection against chemical splashes and should always be used for anything which is corrosive or toxic.

Question 12

What are flammables?

Answer 12

These are substances which burn easily. They may be extremely flammable, highly flammable or flammable.

Question 13

What are harmful substances?

Answer 13

Harmful substances are toxic substances.

Question 14

What is an irritant?

Answer 14

A substance which causes significant inflammation (reddening) through immediate, prolonged or repeated contact with the skin or a mucous membrane.

Question 15

What is a mineral absorbent?

Answer 15

Mineral absorbents are nonreactive substances which are used to clear up the spills of certain chemicals. For example sand or clay.

Question 16

What is a mutagen?

Answer 16

It is a substance which may cause genetic defects.

Question 17

What is an oxidizing agent?

Answer 17

It is a substance which helps other substances to burn or explode.

Question 18

What is a pathogen?

Answer 18

It is an organism which causes disease.

Question 19

What are toxic substances?

Answer 19

Substances which, in very small quantities , may cause death or damage to health when breathed in, swallowed or absorbed via the skin, are toxic substances.

Question 20

Give a few examples of flammable substances.

Answer 20

Zinc and aluminium dust,hydrogen gas, ethanol and sodium.

Question 21

Give some examples of oxidizing agents.

Answer 21

oxygen, nitrogen dioxide, chlorine, ammonium nitrate and potassium manganate.

Question 22

Give some examples of toxic substances.

Answer 22

sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, chlorine, barium chloride and most mercury compounds.

Question 23

What is a meniscus?

Answer 23

Some liquids in a measuring cylinder, may not have a flat level. Their levels are measured from the bottom of the curve. This curve is called a meniscus.

Question 24

What is apparatus?

Answer 24

Sets of equipment used for doing experiments are called apparatus.

Question 25

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 25

The statement about what the scientists think will happen, is called a hypothesis.

Question 26

What do scientists mean when they say “fair test”?

Answer 26

This means the experiment was done correctly and followed the proper steps of the scientific method.

Question 27

All scientific tests start with three things. What are they?

Answer 27

1. A question the scientist wants to answer.
2. An aim for how the question will be answered.
3. A statement about what the scientist thinks will happen.(hypothesis)

Question 28

All “fair tests” have three things in common. What are they?

Answer 28

1. Variables need to be controlled.
2. The scientific method needs to be followed.
3. The results need to be repeatable.

Question 29

What is raw data?

Answer 29

Scientists call data that has not been processed into tables and graphs raw data.

Question 30

A graph does not need a title. Scientists can figure out what the graph is about by looking at the ———

Answer 30

axis

Question 31

The ——— variable should be in the x axis.

Answer 31

independent

Question 32

The ——— variable should be in the y axis.

Answer 32

dependent.