Scientific Investigation Practice

What is the effect of the type of ball, a basketball and a soccer ball, on how high it bounces?

Problem:

What is the effect of the type of ball, a basketball and a soccer ball, on how high it bounces?

You control the type of ball You measure the height it bounces

IV – type of ball DV – Height the ball bounces

Independent and Dependent Variables

Height the ball is dropped from Surface the ball bounces on

Both of these things should stay the same so that the results are reliable.

Constant Variables

If a basketball and soccer ball are dropped from the same height, then the basketball will bounce the highest.

Use the format: IF … say the IV being tested … then … predict a result.

Hypothesis

1 basketball 1 soccer ball 1 Meterstick 1 Chair Duct Tape

Materials

Either provide research you have done, or say who you might consider an expert that you could go to for information.

A basketball coachA soccer coach.

Research

1. Gather Materials 2. Position a chair near a wall 3. Determine the height at which you will

drop each ball and mark the spot with a piece of tape on the wall.

4. Have the tester stand on the chair and drop a ball from the marked height.

5. Have the spotter measure how high the ball gets after the first bounce.

6. Record data. 7. Perform three trials for each ball.

Procedure

How the type of ball affects the height it bounces

Type of Ball(IV Label)

Height Dropped

From (meters)(CV Label)

Height Bounced (meters)(DV Label)

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average

Basketball 2 1.3 1.2 1.4 1.3

Soccer Ball 2 1.1 1.15 1.1 1.12

Data Table

Always include at least three trials AND an average column, a title, any units of measure, and write out the IV and DV labels. Do NOT

just put IV, DV, and CV.

Graph

Basketball Soccer Ball1.061.08

1.11.121.141.161.18

1.21.22

How the type of ball affects the height it bounces

Type of Ball

Heig

ht

Bo

un

ced

(m

ete

rs)

Always label your X & Y axis, provide a scale and a title, identify what the columns or lines represent, and draw the graph.

Tell me something that might have gone wrong that could affect the results.

During one drop, the soccer ball bounced sideways. This caused the ball to not bounce as high.

Possible Errors

Tell me what the results of the experiment were, if your hypothesis was supported, and include any additional information you learned.

In conclusion, I found that the basketball did bounce higher than the soccer ball. My hypothesis was supported. I think that the material used to make the basketball helped make it bouncier.

Conclusion

Write a new testable question (or problem), that is similar to what you just did, but with one difference. A good rule of thumb: switch the IV with one of the CV’s.

Which size of basketball will bounce higher, a full size ball or a half sized ball?

Retesting