SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY Learning to THINK like a SCIENTIST!!!

Designing an Experiment • Designing an experiment starts with what? Observation! What’s an observation? What do we use to make them? We use our Five Senses to make an observation! • Then a question regarding that observation is asked. ThePROBLEM QUESTION • From there you must figure out a way to collect data that will help answer your question.

The PROBLEM QUESTION… • Before you ask this question you must know what VARIABLES you are working with. • Every experiment has two variables: INDEPENDENT and DEPENDENT

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE • This is the variable that you will be controlling (changing) in the experiment. • This is the variable that might effect the results of the experiment.

DEPENDENT VARIABLE • This is what you will be measuring in the experiment. • This is the variable that gives you the data you will be collecting. Let’s Practice with an Airplane lab!!!

Airplane Lab • Each cadet will make their own paper airplane • Then, each will take turns throwing their paper airplane only once • Next, each cadet will make one modification to their airplane • Who has the closest birthday to today? That cadet can make as many modifications as they want

Airplane Lab • Now throw a second time from the same spot as the first time • How did your modification cause your airplane to fly differently? • If you made many modifications which ONE modification caused your airplane to fly differently? • What are some other parts of this lab that changed from the first throw to the second throw?

Airplane Lab • In the airplane exercise we just did, what was the I.V. and D.V.? • I.V.= the different modifications you made to the plane. Because you controlled what changes to make. • D.V. = Distance the plane traveled. Because we can measure how far it traveled.

Let’s Practice… Pepper Lab You want to grow some big peppers this summer, but you do not know which fertilizer will make them grow biggest. Last year you didn’t use any fertilizers, so this year you set up five rows of peppers. Here is what you put on each row: 1. Cow poop 2. Miracle Grow 3. Nitrogen 4. Nothing 5. Compost

Let’s Practice… Pepper Lab You want to grow some big peppers this summer, but you do not know which fertilizer will make them grow biggest. Last year you didn’t use any fertilizers, so this year you set up five rows of peppers. QUESTION: What is the I.V. ? What is the D.V.?

ANSWER… • I.V. = type of fertilizer Because it is what we are controlling/changing. • D.V. = size of the peppers Because this is what we are measuring.

Let’s Practice Some More… Tea Lab You want to know if sugar will dissolve faster in cold or hot tea. QUESTION: What is the I.V. ? What is the D.V.?

ANSWER… • I.V. = temperature of the tea Because it is what we are controlling/changing. • D.V. = time it takes the sugar to dissolve. Because this is what we are measuring.

Setting Up a Data Tables When you make a data table: • the I.V. always goes on the LEFT • the D.V. always goes on the RIGHT I.V. D.V.

The PROBLEM QUESTION… • Now that you know what variables are, you can write the problem question for the experiment!!! • Follow this formula: What is the effect of the _________ on the ________? I.V. D.V.

Let’s Practice… Airplane Lab Write the problem question for the AirplaneLab. ANSWER: What is the effect of the different types of modifications on the distance the plane travels? I.V. D.V.

Let’s Practice… Pepper Lab Write the problem question for the pepper experiment. ANSWER: What is the effect of the type of fertilizer on the size of the peppers? I.V. D.V.

Let’s Practice Some More… Tea Lab Write the problem question for the hot and cold tea experiment. ANSWER: What is the effect of the temperature of the tea on how much time it takes the sugar to dissolve? I.V. D.V.

Designing an Experiment • Starts with an observation. • Then a question regarding that observation is asked. The PROBLEM QUESTION • From there you must figure out a way to collect data that will help answer your question.

Designing an Experiment • Next, you think about what you expect the outcome to be. This is done BEFORE the experiment and is based on your prior knowledge of the situation. (NOT a guess!!!) The HYPOTHESIS: An “Educated Prediction” not a guess! “I don’t care what you think, feel or believe!” Science is about FACTS not opinions!

The HYPOTHESIS… Follow this formula: If _________________________ Then the ___________ will _________________________ State how the I.V. is being changed. D.V. increase, decrease, OR stay the same Choose only one!!!

Let’s Practice Together… Write a hypothesis for the Airplane experiment using the “variable” you chose! ANSWER: IF I use a paper clip on my plane, Then the airplanes distance will increase. I.V. D.V.

Let’s Practice… Write a hypothesis for the pepper experiment. ANSWER: IF the type of fertilizer is cow poop Then the size of the peppers will increase. I.V. D.V.

Let’s Practice Some More… Write a hypothesis for the hot and cold tea experiment. ANSWER: If the temperature of the tea increases Then the time it takes the sugar to dissolve will stay the same. I.V. D.V.

Review You want to know if you will perform better on a science exam if you study for 30 minutes a night instead of the usual 60 minutes. • Write the I.V. & D.V. • Problem question • Hypothesis for the following scenario. • Use your notes to help you!!!

Answers • I.V. = the time you study each night • D.V. How well you perform on the exams • What is the effect of the time I study for my science exam on how well I perform on the science exam? • If I study 30 minutes a night for my exam, than my exam grade will increase.

Designing an Experiment Now you know how to: • Make an Observation • Determine the I.V. and the D.V. • Write a Problem Question • Write a Hypothesis But, there’s more to understand here…

Constants and Controls • In every experiment you can only change one variable. The rest must be held constant. • A constant is something that stays the same throughout the lab. • What was the constant in the Airplane Lab? • Where you stood during your throw! • The control group is… the part of the lab that we use to compare our results to! No changes are made to the control in the lab! (Usually the original) What was the control in the Airplane Lab? TheFirst throw! B/c I can compare the 2 throws!

TheCONTROL GROUP… • You will collect data from this group, BUT it does not have any of the I.V. Challenge… What is the control group in the Pepper experiment??? Answer: The row without any fertilizer!!!

1. Independent Variable 2. Dependent Variable 3. Control Group Identifying Controls and Variables Smithers thinks that a special juice will increase the productivity of workers. He creates two groups of 50 workers each and assigns each group the same task (in this case, they're supposed to staple a set of papers). Group A is given the special juice to drink while they work. Group B is not given the special juice. After an hour, Smithers counts how many stacks of papers each group has made. Group A made 1,587 stacks, Group B made 2,113 stacks.

Answers… • I.V. which group gets the special juice • D.V. how many stacks of papers each group has made. • Control is Group B because they did not get the special juice. We can compare the results to this group!

1. Independent Variable 2. Dependent Variable 3. Control Group Identifying Controls and Variables Homer notices that his shower is covered in a strange green slime. His friend Barney tells him that coconut juice will get rid of the green slime. Homer decides to check this out by spraying half of the shower with coconut juice. He sprays the other half of the shower with water as always. After 3 days of "treatment" there is no change in the appearance of the green slime on either side of the shower.

Answers… • I.V. which side of the shower was sprayed with what substance. • D.V. the appearance of the green slime in the shower • Control the side of the shower that was sprayed with water.

Independent Variable Dependent Variable 3. Control Group Identifying Controls and Variables Bart believes that mice exposed to microwaves will become extra strong (maybe he's been reading too much Radioactive Man). He decides to perform this experiment by placing 10 mice in a microwave for 10 seconds. He compared these 10 mice to another 10 mice that had not been exposed. His test consisted of a heavy block of wood that blocked the mouse food. He found that 8 out of 10 of the microwaved mice were able to push the block away. 7 out of 10 of the non-microwaved mice were able to do the same.

Answers… • I.V. Which mice were microwaved or not. • D.V. If they could move the heavy wood block or not. • ControlThe mice that were non-microwaved.

Experimental DesignMission

Your Mission… For each of the following experiments write: • The independent variable • The dependant variable • A problem question • A hypothesis 5. Control group

Breakfast Experiment #1 A study is being conducted to find out if students who eat a healthy breakfast before school perform better academically. One group of students is given no breakfast. A second group is fed junk food, and a third group is fed a healthy breakfast. The students are then given a test.

Breakfast Experiment #1 • The independent variable- The different types of breakfast consumed • The dependant variable- test scores • A problem question/statement- What is the effect of the different types of breakfast consumed by students on their test scores? • A hypothesis- If a student eats a healthybreakfast then their test scores will increase. 5. Control group- No breakfast

Air Freshener Experiment #2 I see a commercial on T.V. that claims this product removes Jon’s bad odors better than any other. I decide to try the product and see if it really works on Jon’s bad odors. For the first week I used Febreeze on Jon, for the second I use Stink-B-Gone on Jon, for the third week I used Why-B-Stinkin’ on Jon and for the fourth week, unfortunately I used nothing on Jon!

The Air Freshener Experiment #2 • The independent variable- Different types of air freshener • The dependant variable- the amount of odor removed • A problem question/statement- What is the effect of the different types of air freshener on the amount of odor removed? • A hypothesis- If the air freshener used is Febreeze then the amount of odor removed will increase. 5. Control group- No air freshener

Flashback Questions • What is the difference between a control and a constant? • A constant is something that stays the same throughout the lab. • The control group is the part of the lab that we use to compare our results to! No changes are made to the control in the lab! (Usually the original) • Why is the control so important in a lab? • It allows us to compare the variables in the lab!

Writing a conclusion to an experiment… A conclusion is how you will share the overall results of your experiment. Every conclusion needs to have the following FOUR items… • The PURPOSE of the experiment • The HYPOTHESIS 3. What the data showed (results statement) Use at least 2 examples of Data (numbers) to support the results statement. 4. If the data supported or did not support my hypothesis.

Writing a PURPOSE… Use the formula: The purpose of the experiment was to determine the effect of the (I.V.) on the (D.V.). Write a purpose statement for the pepper lab The purpose of the experiment was to determine the effects of the different fertilizers on the size of the peppers.

My Hypothesis: If I use cow poop, then the size of the peppers will increase. Pepper Lab Data Choose a fertilizer and write a hypothesis.

Pepper Conclusion Example 1. The purpose of the experiment was to determine the effects of the different fertilizers on the size of the peppers. 2. My hypothesis was if I use cow poop, then the size of the peppers will increase. 3. The data showed that as I used cow poop, the peppers increased from 3 inches with no fertilizer to 4 inches in size. 4. The data did support my hypothesis.

Breakfast Lab Write a conclusion for the Breakfast Lab using this data. I.V. types of breakfast D.V. test scores 72% 84.3% 94.5%

Breakfast Conclusion The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of the different types of breakfasts on the test scores.My hypothesis was that if I eat a healthy breakfast then my test scores will increase.The data showed that with no breakfast the test scores averaged a 72%, but with a healthy breakfast test scores averaged a 94.5%. The data did support my hypothesis.

Air freshener Lab Write a conclusion for the air freshener Lab using this data. I.V. types of air fresheners D.V. days he smelled good

Air freshener Conclusion The purpose of this experiment was to find the effect of the different types of air fresheners on the amount of days he smelled good. My hypothesis was that if I use frebreeze on him then his stink would decrease. The data showed that with no air freshener he smelled good zero days, but with frebreeze he smelled good for four days. The data did support my hypothesis.

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY