Name
Scientific Method Practice #1
Date
Life Science
Problem: Humming birds
A humming bird enthusiast has 15 humming bird feeders. She just purchased 5 purple feeders and was
given some new humming bird liquid with the new feeders. She noticed that the humming birds do not
come very much to the new feeders with the new liquid. They are still coming to her old feeders with
her homemade humming bird feeders.
Problem –
Observations -
Hypothesis –
Experiment Design –
Control group –
Experimental group –
Independent variable –
Dependent variable –
Controlled variables –
Name
Problem: Hot water
Date
A man has noticed that since a factory has been adding treated warm water to a stream and marshland
near his home he has noticed that number of mosquitos have decreased. He thinks it has been caused
by the warm water.
Hypothesis –
Experiment Design–
Control group –
Experimental group –
Independent variable –
Dependent variable –
Controlled variables –
Name
Date
Scientific Method Practice #2
Life Science
Question: Are bats affected by too much CO2 in the air of their cave?
Data: Here is some data.
The levels of CO2 in the air and potential health problems in humans are:






400 ppm: average outdoor air level.
400–1,000 ppm: typical level found in occupied
spaces with good air exchange.
1,000–2,000 ppm: level associated with complaints
of drowsiness and poor air.
2,000–5,000 ppm: level associated with headaches,
sleepiness, and stagnant, stale, stuffy air. Poor
concentration, loss of attention, increased heart rate
and slight nausea may also be present.
5,000 ppm: this indicates unusual air conditions
where high levels of other gases could also be
present. Toxicity or oxygen deprivation could occur.
This is the permissible exposure limit for daily
workplace exposures.
40,000 ppm: this level is immediately harmful due to
oxygen deprivation.
Figure 1: http://www.carbonvisuals.com/blog/400-ppm
Hypothesis: Write a hypothesis based on information above.
Test/Experiment: You are going to have to do observational experiments at Cave State Park. The results after nine days of measuring
CO2 levels at three different caves.
Badger Cave
Day 1
Day 3
CO2 – 400 ppm
Day 6
CO2 – 450 ppm
Day 9
CO2 – 500 ppm
CO2 – 850 ppm
Name
Date
Fox Cave
Day 1
Day 3
CO2 – 600 ppm
Day 6
CO2 – 900 ppm
Day 9
CO2 – 1200 ppm
CO2 – 3000 ppm
Old Hollow Cave
Day 1
Day 3
CO2 – 1000 ppm
Day 6
CO2 – 3000 ppm
Day 9
CO2 – 5000 ppm
CO2 – 15000 ppm
Analyze Results: You are to make some observations about the three caves and what happened over the 9 days.
Observations
Graph
Name
Date
Name
Date
Draw Conclusions – What do think about your hypothesis and test. Write at least 4 things.
Communicate Results – Share your results with others what did they think of your results and what do think of theirs.