Review Sheet Scientific Method Quiz
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The first step of the scientific method is to identify a problem to investigate
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Then the scientist formulates a hypothesis. A hypothesis is an if …, then…, because… statement that predicts what the scientist thinks will happen based on research and prior knowledge. A good hypothesis also justifies the reason for the prediction.
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An experiment is a fair test of a hypothesis.
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All of the variables in an experiment must be controlled except for the independent variable so that the scientist can be certain of the results.
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A variable is something that can change. The independent variable is the variable that is purposely changed. The independent variable is located on the horizontal axis ( x- axis) of a graph.
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The dependent variable is what the scientist is measuring. The dependent variable is located on the vertical axis ( y - axis) of a graph.
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If a scientist is testing how sunlight affects plant growth, the independent variable is the amount of sunlight that each plant receives. The dependent variable is the height of each plant.
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Scientists graph their data to analyze the data collected. They can see patterns easily when the data is graphed.
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Line graphs are used to see how data changes over time.
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Bar graphs are used to compare data.