Scientific enquiry

The Scientific

Method involves a

series of steps that

are used to find an

answer to a

problem.

Do you remember the

steps of the scientific

method?

1)Observation

AH—Look at this!

Observe a problem or

anything around you

Example:

Observe the 2 pennies in front

of you.

Record your observation.

Observation Penny 1 Penny 2

Color Dull Shiny

2) Question

Develop a question or

problem that can be

solved through an

experiment.

Q) Will lemon juice clean

the dull coin?

3) Research

After you search the internet

and the books for information

you find out that:

Lemon, vinegar and tomato sauce

can be use to clean silver and

metal objects

Can you guess an answer to

your question?

After you made your

research,

3) Hypothesis

An educated guess.

Lemon juice can be

used to clean the dull coin.

NOW, lets test

whether our

hypothesis is right

or wrong.

4) ExperimentMake a test to test

whether the hypothesis

is correct.

1) Put the coin in the

lemon juice.

2) Wait for 5 min. and

record the results.

5) Record results

Dull coin

After 5 min.

in the lemon

juice

Shiny

In tables, graphs.

6) ConclusionThe answer to the

question (you state

whether your hypothesis

was right or wrong).

The lemon juice cleans

the dull coin.

Any experiment has

Variables

WHAT ARE

Variables?

Variables

Variables are things that

vary and change

In any experiment there are 3 variables:

Independent

variables

Dependent

variables

Controlled

variables

Let’s look at each type….

Independent (input) variable

This is the thing that you decide to change.

Example 1:

Investigating how a weight

affects the length of an elastic band.

You decide the weight to put,

so:

Weight is the independent

variable.

Example 2:

Investigating how the rate of cooling of a

beaker depends on the initial temperature.

You decide the initial temperature,

so:

initial temperature is the

independent variable.

Students of different ages were given the

same jigsaw puzzle to put together. They

were timed to see how long it took to finish

the puzzle.

Example 3:

You decide the ages of the students,

so:

Different ages of the students is the

independent variable.

The higher the temperature of water, the

faster an egg will boil.

Example 4:

You decide the temperature of water,

so:

Different temperatures of water is the

independent variable.

The temperature of water was measured at

different depths of a pond.

Example 5:

You decide the depth of water,

so:

Depth of water is the independent

variable.

This is the variable that changes as a result.

It is the variable that you measure.

Example 1:

Investigating how a weight

affects the length of an elastic band.

You measure the resulting length

of the elastic band, so:

Length is the dependent

variable.

Dependent (outcome) variable

Example 2:

Investigating how the rate of cooling of a

beaker depends on the initial temperature.

You measure the temperature

every minute as it cools, so:

temperature is the dependent

variable.

Students of different ages were given the

same jigsaw puzzle to put together. They

were timed to see how long it took to finish

the puzzle.

Example 3:

You measured time, so:

Time taken to finish the puzzle is the

dependent variable.

The higher the temperature of water, the

faster an egg will boil.

Example 4:

You measure the time the egg takes to

boil, so:

Time is the dependent variable.

The temperature of water was measured at

different depths of a pond.

Example 5:

You measure the temperature,

so:

Temperature is the dependent

variable.