Testable Questions and
Hypotheses in Controlled
Experiments
Pre-AP Biology
• Scientists have long wondered whether life exists beyond
Earth. One of the planets we have focused our attention on is
Mars. When scientists conduct any research whether it be on
distant planets or on planet Earth, they ask testable questions.
Explain what a testable question means to you.
2
Objectives
• Demonstrate appropriate observational skills
• Compose testable questions
• Assess how each question could be tested
• Define hypothesis
• List characteristics a hypothesis should include
• Write well-developed hypotheses to testable
questions
Importance
• There are many questions in life but not all can be
tested and not all can be tested within a controlled
experiment or environment.
• The goal of a scientist is to develop questions that are
testable and from which a hypothesis can be
developed.
Key Terminology
• Hypothesis
• Scientific Theory
Developing Testable Questions
• When developing questions ask yourself does
T.E.R.M. apply? Does it involve an experimental
treatment (T), is it ethical (E), is it replicable
(R), and is it measurable (M).
Alka Seltzer Observation
1. Get into groups of 2-3.
2. Get a alka seltzer tablet and place
in a small beaker of water.
3. Write down what you observe
happens with the alka seltzer
tablet.
Alka Seltzer Observation
4. Relate you observation with the
alka seltzer tablet to something
you observed previously (your
prior knowledge) by completing
the following sentence
The dissolving alka seltzer tablet is
like__________ because
_______.
Development of Testable
Question
• Based on your observation, develop 3
testable questions about alka seltzer that
you could answer by conducting an
experiment .
• Be ready to share
Each group will
• Select one question that was
testable, and design a way to
test the question by identifying
the experimental group, the
control group, fixed variables,
independent variable, and
dependent variable
• Be ready to share.
Is your question testable?
Remember T.E.R.M.
Conduct T.E.R.M. Checklist Self
Assessment to determine if you
have all of the components of a
testable question.
Definition of Hypothesis
• Tentative answer to the biological question
that can be tested by experimentation
A good hypothesis should
contain
• Experimental Treatment
• Predicted Result
• Rationale – Explain why you expect the
result
Hypothesis should be in the
form of
• If …. then ….because………..
• First blank = experimental group
• Second blank= predicted result
• Third blank = rationale
Example of a Good Hypothesis
• If the amount of fertilizer is increased then the seeds will
grow faster because they have more nutrients to use.
• Circle the key components• experimental group
• Predicted result
• Rationale
With your Group
• Write 3 hypotheses based on the testable questions you
created on alka-seltzer observations.
• Underline, circle or make a box around the three components
of a hypothesis for each hypothesis you wrote
• Be ready to share
Think-Pair-Share
Write down on your note-taker what you
think the difference is between a
hypothesis and a scientific theory.
Share with a partner.
3
Definition of Scientific Theory
• Explanation for something that has occurred in nature that
has been tested by many different experiments and many
different experimenters.
• This is different from a hypothesis that has been tested by
only one experiment
Thumbs up- scientific theory / Thumbs
down-hypothesis
Is the explanation of evolution by natural selection a
scientific theory or a hypothesis?
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Characteristics of Scientific
Theory
• Best possible explanation to a certain question based on
experiments and data collected
• Not the absolute truth
• Tentative – theory can be altered, revised or completely
abandoned as new data becomes available
• Example of Theory: Dinosaur extinction is a result of a huge
asteroid that struck the Earth 65 million years ago.
Think-Pair-Share
Why is the theory on dinosaur
extinction not set in stone? Write
your answer on your notetaker.
Share with a partner
3
Exit Ticket
On a 1/2 sheet of paper
Keeping the experiment that your group
designed
mind, list
some
reasons
why
Pick 2inproducts
you
wrote
down.
the question you chose was testable and
could generate a hypothesis
Turn your responses in.
PROPERTY OF PIMA COUNTY JTED, 2010