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Scientific Inquiry

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Arlyn Espera
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23 views

Scientific Inquiry

Uploaded by

Arlyn Espera
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 41

EARTH

SCIENCE

Scientific Method
Adopted from: Eleanor Davis
The world is full of
problems!
Scientific Method

A set of procedures a scientist


would follow in solving a problem!
Scientific Method - Steps

1. Define the Problem


Scientific Method

2. Collect Data on the Problem


What is/are Data?

Information from which conclusions


can be made.
Where Can You Obtain
Data?
3. Draw a Hypothesis
What is a Hypothesis

An Educated Guess!
Choose ALL of the statements
below that are stated as a
hypothesis.
Baking powder is used in biscuits.
The brighter the color of an orange,
the juicier the fruit.
Brass contains copper and zinc.
Most apples are red, but some are
yellow.
The faster a river flows, the greater
the erosion.
Some chickens lay an egg every day. Other
chickens produce few eggs. A study is
planned to examine factors that might
affect the number of eggs produced by
chickens.

Which of the following is NOT a suitable


hypothesis for the study?
• If chickens receive more hours of light,
then they will produce more eggs.
• If more eggs are produced by chickens,
then they lose more weight.
• If the cage for chickens is larger, then
they will produce more eggs.

• If there is more protein in the feed, then


more eggs are produced.
4. Plan & Perform an Experiment
For an Experiment to be VALID, it
needs

A Control Group

A Test Group
Students in a science class placed ice cubes
in a cup. They were studying variables that
affected how long it takes the ice to melt.
Select the variable that would most likely
NOT affect the time it takes the ice to melt.

Size of cup
Number of students
Size of ice cube
Temperature of the room
A student pours 100 mL of hot water
carefully into one beaker and pours 100 mL
of cold water into another beaker. He drops
a lump of sugar into each beaker and times
how long it will take each sugar cube to
dissolve. Will this experiment show the
effect water temperature has on the rate at
which sugar dissolves?
Example

A student pours 100 mL of hot water


carefully into one beaker and pours 100 mL
of cold water into another beaker. He drops
a lump of sugar into each beaker and times
how long it will take each sugar cube to
dissolve. Will this experiment show the
effect water temperature has on the rate at
which sugar dissolves?
To be VALID, there can only be 1 VARIABLE!
Example

A scientist designs an experiment to see if


plants need sunshine to grow. Twenty four
growing plants are placed in a dark closet.
Two weeks later, all the plants are dead.
Does this experiment prove that plants
need sunshine?
To be VALID, there can only be 1 VARIABLE!
There are 2 types of Variables?

Dependent Variable

Independent Variable
Dependent Variable

What you measure in an experiment.

What is being affected during an


experiment.
A group of identical plants are grown with different
nitrogen levels.
What is the dependent variable?

Plant Height
Nitrogen Level
Independent Variable

This is what is changed to test a


hypothesis.
What is causing the affect during an
experiment.
A group of identical plants are grown with
different colors of light.
What is the Independent Variable?
Color of Light
Plant Height
What is the Independent Variable in this
experiment?
Independent Variable = Soil Type
5. Collect & Record Your
Observations
Measurements

Qualitative
Non-Numerical
Can be observed but not measured!
Measurements

Quanitative
Numerical
Can be observed and measured!
Qualitative or
Quantitative?

Mass
Size
pH

Color
Salt deposits form.
Accuracy & Precision

Accuracy refers to the closeness of


measurements to the correct or accepted
value of the quantity measured.
Accuracy & Precision

Precision refers to the closeness of a set of


measurements of the same quantity made
in the same way.
Accurate &/or Precise?
Power of the Graph!

Chart
Graph
Organizes Data ☺
Displays☺
Data ☺ ☺
Predicts Data ☺
6. Draw a Conclusion
Scientific Theory

Represents a hypotheses, or a group of related


hypotheses, which has been confirmed through
repeated experimental tests.
A student decides to set up an experiment
to see if cats preferred skim milk or 2%milk.
She put out a cup of milk and a cup of
2%milk. Both milks were served at the same
temperature. She then measured which
type and how much milk her 5 kittens drank
over the course of a day. The student
discovered that the cats liked the 2% more
than the skim milk.
What is wrong with the experiment?
7. Communicate Your Findings
Scientific Method

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