SNC2P1: The Scientific Method
 Science is best learned through _____________.
 The
is a series of steps
that is used to answer a question or solve a problem. It is a
________________________________ process.
Steps of the Scientific Method
1) _____________________________________: scientists observe a phenomena or something
you would like to learn more about.
2) _____________________________________: which is a possible explanation for what you
have observed
- written in a “If ______________then ______________” statement.
3) _____________________________________: Design a controlled experiment. A good
experiment tests only ________________________________ at a time. The rest need to be
_________________________.
4) _____________________________________: collected from the experiment.
5) _____________________________________: step where you __________________ or
___________________ your hypothesis based on the data collected.
6) _____________________________________: share your findings with the science community.
What is a variable vs. a control?
 A ________________________ is anything that changes in a scientific experiment.
 The ______________________ is what you use to compare the results to in the end of the
experiment.
Control Group vs. Experimental Group
 Control Group - Group used to compare to the experimental group. Group that is set under
______________________________________
 Experimental Group – Group that is going to be tested. This is the group that has the
______________________________________
What is the difference between the Independent and Dependent Variable?
•
•
Independent Variable - Variable that is _________________ by the scientist (the “I” change)
Dependent Variable – Variable that is __________________ or being _____________ (the
data)
The Independent Variable goes after the “If”
The Dependent Variable goes after the “then”
If the amount of fertilizer is increased,
then the height of the plant will increase.
Examples:
If you spend more time studying, then your grade will improve.
Independent Variable = ___________________________________________________
Dependent Variable = ____________________________________________________
If the temperature of the room is increased, then the bacteria will grow faster.
Independent Variable = ___________________________________________________
Dependent Variable = ____________________________________________________
Scientific Theory
 A unified _________________________ for a broad range of hypothesis and observations that
have been ___________________________________ is known as a _________.
 As a theory continues to be ______________________________________ it then can be
referred to as a _____________________________________.
Scientific Method Examples
An experiment was set up to test effect of light on plant
growth. Two seeds were planted in two different pots. Both
plants were given the same amount of soil and water. One
plant was placed on a window to receive sunlight and the
other was placed in a closet to receive no light.
Plant heights were measured each day for 3 weeks’ time
1) Identify a possible hypothesis.
2) What was kept constant?
3) Identify the independent variable.
4) Identify the dependent variable.
5) Identify the control.
.
John's parents would not let him study while listening to music in his
room. They told him that he could not concentrate with the background
noise. He decided to test this idea with an experiment on his class. Each
Friday his English class took a vocabulary quiz on 25 new words learned
that week. John got his teacher's permission to try his experiment. On
the first Friday there was a test, he played a rock song in the classroom
while the class took the test. The following Friday the class took the test
with the normal quiet atmosphere of a classroom. John calculated the
average score on the two vocabulary tests.
1) Independent variable
2) Dependent variable
3) Experimental Group
4) Control Group
5) Constants