Scientific Method Notes

Scientific Method The way scientists learn and

study about the world around them

Observe and QuestionObserve- Make notice of things

in the world around you

Scientific Question- A question that is testable through an experiment

How many pennies can a bess beettle pull?

Why do leaves change colors?

What causes cancer?

How could I design a more efficient light bulb that uses less energy and saves money?

What impact does human use of pesticides have on the environment?

Is this Testable?A good scientific question is

testable

Not TestableGhosts?Religion?Feelings or Opinions?

VariablesThe parts of the exp. that ARE changing!

Independent Variable- This is what you are testing or changing in the experimentThere should only be 1 in an experiment

Dependent Variable- This will change because of the independent variable. This is the data/what you measure in an experiment

ConstantsConstants are things that stay the same

between each trail/test. This should be EVERYTHING except for the in depended variable.

Fair TestThere is only 1 independent variable

Constants- everything else in an experiment that should be kept the same

This way you know that the dependent variable changed because of what you were testing and not because of an outside factor

HypothesisDefine- An educated guess for

why what you observed is happening

Should be an IF…. THEN…. statement

Example- If I eat more cookies then I will run faster

Control GroupThe group that is used as a

comparison to the group being tested

ProcedureStep by step description of how

you will do the experiment

What should be included in the procedure?

Data TableA table including the information

that you gather

Present DataChart- arranges information

from the experiment visually, such as in a table

Analysis DataHow you explain your data

Often in the form of a graph

Looking for patterns

Trial Number Seconds to run Trial Number Seconds to run

1 147 12 137

2 122 13 143

3 136 14 185

4 178 15 194

5 157 16 179

6 182 17 188

7 133 18 170

8 156 19 126

9 119 20 189

10 191 21 185

11 134 22 157

What if the answer is not what we are looking for?

THATS OKAY TOO!

It’s just as important to know what doesn’t work as it is to know what does

Thomas Edison- "I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb."

ConclusionWas your hypothesis supported?

Should be written as: My hypothesis was/was not supported because … (this data showed)

Error AnalysisThings in your experiment

that you may or may not have been able to control that affected your experiment.