1

SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Lab 1
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Bio Safety
GENERAL RULES

Conduct yourself in a responsible manner

at all times in the laboratory.

Follow all written and verbal instructions

carefully. If you do not understand a
direction or part of a procedure, ask the
instructor before proceeding.

Never work alone. No student may work in

the laboratory without an instructor
present.

When first entering a science room, do not

touch any equipment, chemicals, or other
materials in the laboratory area until you
are instructed to do so.

Do not eat food, drink beverages, or chew

gum in the laboratory. Do not use
laboratory glassware as containers for
food or beverages.
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Bio Safety

Perform only those

experiments
authorized by the
instructor. Never do
anything in the
Never fool around in
laboratory that is not
the laboratory.
called for in the Read all procedures
Be prepared for your Horseplay, practical
laboratory procedures thoroughly before
work in the laboratory. jokes, and pranks are
or by your instructor. entering the laboratory.
dangerous and
Carefully follow all
prohibited.
instructions, both
written and oral.
Unauthorized
experiments are
prohibited.
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Bio Safety
Know the locations
and operating
procedures of all
safety equipment
Observe good including the first aid
housekeeping kit, eyewash station,
practices. Work areas safety shower, fire
should be kept clean extinguisher, and fire
and tidy at all times. blanket.

Keep aisles clear. Fire alarm and the

Push your chair under exits are located.
the desk when not in
use.
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Be alert and proceed with caution at all times in the laboratory. Notify the instructor
immediately of any unsafe conditions you observe.

Dispose of all chemical waste properly. Never mix chemicals in sink drains. Sinks are
to be used only for water and those solutions designated by the instructor. Solid
chemicals, metals, matches, filter paper, and all other insoluble materials are to be
disposed of in the proper waste containers, not in the sink. Check the label of all
waste containers twice before adding your chemical waste to the container.

Labels and equipment instructions must be read carefully before use. Set up and use
the prescribed apparatus as directed in the laboratory instructions or by your
instructor.
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Keep hands away from face, eyes, mouth and body while using chemicals or preserved specimens.

Wash your hands with soap and water after performing all experiments.

Clean all work surfaces at the end of the experiment.

Return all equipment clean and in working order to the proper storage area.

Experiments must be personally monitored at all times. You will be assigned a laboratory station at
which to work. Do not wander around the room, distract other students, or interfere with the laboratory
experiments of others.
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Students are never permitted in the science storage rooms or

preparation areas unless given specific permission by their
instructor.

Know what to do if there is a fire drill during a laboratory period;

containers must be closed, gas valves turned off, fume hoods
turned off, and any electrical equipment turned off.

Handle all living organisms used in a laboratory activity in a

humane manner. Preserved biological materials are to be
treated with respect and disposed of properly.
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CLOTHING

Any time chemicals, heat, or Contact lenses should not be worn

glassware are used, students will in the laboratory unless you have
wear laboratory goggles/glasses. permission from your instructor.

Dress properly during a laboratory

activity. Long hair, dangling jewelry,
and loose or baggy clothing are a
hazard in the laboratory. Long hair
Lab coats (in general) should be
must be tied back and dangling
worn during laboratory activities
jewelry and loose or baggy clothing
must be secured. Shoes must
completely cover the foot. No
sandals allowed.
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If a chemical splashes
in your eye(s) or on
Report any accident
your skin, immediately
(spill, breakage, etc.)
flush with running
or injury (cut, burn,
water from the
etc.) to the instructor
eyewash station or
immediately, no matter
safety shower for at
how trivial it may
least 15 minutes. Notify
appear.
the instructor
immediately.

If you or your lab

partner is hurt,
immediately yell out to
get the instructor’s
attention.
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• Check the label on chemical bottles twice before removing any

of the contents. Take only as much chemical as you need.

• Never return unused chemicals to their original containers

• Never use mouth suction to fill a pipet. Use a rubber bulb or

pipet pump.

• When transferring reagents from one container to another, hold

the containers away from your body.
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When removing an electrical plug from its socket, grasp the

plug, not the electrical cord. Hands must be completely dry
before touching an electrical switch, plug, or outlet.

Examine glassware before each use. Never use chipped or

cracked glassware. Never use dirty glassware.

Report damaged electrical equipment immediately. Look for

things such as frayed cords, exposed wires, and loose
connections. Do not use damaged electrical equipment.

If you do not understand how to use a piece of equipment,

ask the instructor for help.

Do not immerse hot glassware in cold water; it may shatter.

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Objectives
Science and Religion

• 1. Science vs. Religion - two approaches to

question life

• 2. Skepticism and the Scientific Process

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Objectives
• Components of Scientific Method

• 1. Scientific Method – Definition

• 2. Rationale for Repeatable Experiments

• 3. English vs. Metric system

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Objectives

• The Beard Experiment

• Describe a Scientific Experiment

• Identify the Components of a Scientific Method

• What do we measure?
• State a Hypothesis
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The Scientific Method

• Process outlining a series of steps used to answer
questions.
• It is a hypothetico-deductive method or approach to
problem-solving that involves:

• 1. asking a question and formulating a tentative

answer or hypothesis by inductive reasoning.

• 2. using deductive reasoning to make predictions

from the hypothesis and then testing the validity of
those predictions.
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Hypothesis
• Educated guess proposed as a tentative
answer to a specific question or problem

• Null hypothesis – a hypothesis stated as

negative; always true unless proved
otherwise
• Alternative hypothesis or the hypothesis
 Developing Hypotheses

• Proposed explanations for observed phenomenon are called hypotheses

• A hypothesis is a tentative explanation for an observation or pattern

observed

• The hypothesis must be testable

• It must be possible that the test results do NOT support the explanation

• Even though the hypothesis can be falsified, it can never be proved true

• Evidence from an investigation can only provide support for the hypothesis
 Designing Experiments to Test Hypotheses

• The most creative aspect of science is designing a test of your

hypothesis that will provide unambiguous evidence to falsify or
support a particular explanation

• Determining the Variables

• Identify the variable
• Dependent variable
• Independent variable
• The controlled variable
 Experimental Design
 Independent variable
◦ That which will be varied during the experiment.
◦ This is sometimes the “cause” of something.
◦ A stand alone variable
 Graph on X axis
 Example – age ( unchanged regardless of diet, exercise)
 Dependent variable
◦ Variable that is measured, counted, or observed in response to
experimental conditions.
◦ It depends on other factors
◦ This sometimes the “effect”.
 Graph on Y axis
 Example – exam score ( how much you’ve studied)
 Experimental Design
• Control variables
• Other variables that could influence the dependent variable, but
which are kept constant.
• Positive and negative

• Level of treatment
• Intensity, frequency, etc.

• Control treatment
• The independent variable is held at an established level or is
omitted
 Presenting and Analyzing Results
• Figures including:
• Tables
• Graphs (line graph, bar graph)

• Data is presented as average

• Constructing a correct table

• Title (only capitalize important terms and don’t include a period at
the end)

• Units
 Hypothesis: Increased levels of sulfur
dioxide adversely effect plant growth

Group A placed in filtered air environment (0% sulfur dioxide)

Group B placed in 0.1% sulfur dioxide atmosphere
Group C placed in 0.5% sulfur dioxide atmosphere
Group D placed in 1.0% sulfur dioxide atmosphere
Group E placed in 10.0% sulfur dioxide atmosphere
Plant height is measured at 6 weeks of exposure.

What is the dependent variable?

Height
What is the independent variable?
Concentration of Sulfur Dioxide
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 Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning = Making an inference from a
set of specific observations to reach a general
conclusion.

• Deductive Reasoning = Making an inference from

general premises to specific consequences, which
logically follow if the premises are true.
• Usually takes the form of If...then logic.
• In science, deductive reasoning usually involves predicting
experimental results that are expected if the hypothesis is
true.