Scientific Method

Page
2

For example, suppose you want to figure out the fastest route to walk home from school.

You will try several different routes and time how long it takes you to get home by each one.

Since you are only interested in finding a route that is fastest for you, you will do the walking yourself.

Slide 16

What are the Variables in Your Experiment?

Varying the route is the independent variable

The time it takes is the dependent variable

Keeping the same walker throughout makes the walker a control variable.

Slide 17

One more thing… it is best to make several trials with each independent variable.

Slide 18

Valid Experiments

Slide 19

Remember: To be a Valid Experiment:

Two groups are required --- the control & experimental groups

There should be only one variable

Slide 20

Data

Results of the experiment

May be quantitative (numbers) or qualitative

Slide 21

Data

Must be organized

Can be organized into charts, tables, or graphs

Slide 22

Conclusion

The answer to the hypothesis based on the data obtained from the experiment

Slide 23

Retest

In order to verify the results, experiments must be retested.

Slide 24

Review

Slide 25

Solving a Problem

1)Identify a Problem

2) State Observations about the problem

3) Form a Hypothesis about the problem (if…then…)

4) Design an Experiment to test the hypothesis

5) Collect Data

6) Form a Conclusion

7) Retest