The Scientific Method

Question 1

Step 1

Answer 1

Observation- You observe something in the material world, using your senses or machines which are basically extensions of those senses

Question 2

Step 2

Answer 2

Question- You ask a question about what you observe. State the problem or question. “Is a ball’s bounce affected by the height from which it is dropped?”

Question 3

Step 3

Answer 3

Hypothesis- An educated guess about the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. You predict what you think the answer to your question might be. A worded hypothesis should take the form of If… Then… statement. “If a drop the ball from a higher height then the ball will bounce higher.”

Question 4

Step 4

Answer 4

Experiment- To test the hypothesis

Question 5

What is needed in the experiment (1)

Answer 5

Control Group- exposed to the same conditions as the experimental group, the independent variable is NOT changed

Experimental Group- All conditions are kept the same as the control group except for a single condition being tested, the independent variable.

Independent Variable- the manipulated variable, the variable that you change, it’s a factor that’s intentionally varied by the experimenter

Question 6

What is needed in the experiment (2)

Answer 6

Dependent Variable- responding variable, is the factor that may change as a result of changes made in the independent variable. It is the variable being measured. This is your DATA!

Constants- All the factors that the experimenter attempts to keep the same. They are the variables that do not change. (room of oven temperature, etc)

Trials- replicate groups that are exposed to the same conditions in an experiment. How many times an experiment is repeated. For your results to be valid or reliable, your tests should be repeated many times to see if you can confirm your original results.

Question 7

Step 5

Answer 7

Interpreting Data- You do the experiment using the method you came up with and record the results. Once your experiment is complete, you collect your measurements and analyze them to see if your hypothesis is true or false. You repeat the experiment to confirm your results by retesting.

Question 8

Step 6

Answer 8

Drawing Conclusions- You state whether your prediction was confirmed or not and try to explain your results. State if your hypothesis was correct!

Question 9

Step 7

Answer 9

Communicate Your Results- Scientists communicate by publishing their final report in a scientific journal or presenting their results on a poster at a scientific meeting. You, or you and your lab partner might write a report or present your results to the class