Respiratory System
Learning Goal: To disprove the hypothesis that breathing is a limiting factor in exercise.
Part I
Materials: Human subject, CO2 sensor, logger pro
1. State the hypothesizes being tested
Aspect of model
The hypothesis to be
The hypothesis stated has
identification.
tested is stated in a
minor omissions or vague
(hypothesis/research confusing manner.
details.
question)
The hypothesis is clearly stated.
2. Draw and label the CO2 sensor and describe how it works and why it is being used as opposed to an O2
sensor.
Experimental
Student is unfamiliar
All materials given are
A proper evaluation of which materials to use
Materials
with use of
used regardless of
has been made, and details of how to use
experimental
relevancy, and/or details these materials are clearly provided.
materials and unable of how to use these
to describe how they materials is vaguely
are used.
provided.
3. Draw and describe your experimental design to test the hypothesis – CO2 production is greater during
steady state exercise than at rest.
Experimental
The experiment
The experiment may
The experiment will produce data that will
Design
designed has many
yield data that might
answer the research question.
flaws and will not
answer the research
yield answers to
question.
research questions.
4. Make a prediction based on the hypothesis
Prediction vs.
A decision about the
A reasonable decision
Outcome
agreement/disagreement about the
of the prediction is made agreement/disagreement
that does not
is made in reference to
incorporate the results of the results, but does not
the experiment.
incorporate experimental
uncertainties.
A reasonable decision about the
agreement/disagreement is made
that incorporates results, and
experimental uncertainty.
5. Draw and describe your experimental design to test the hypothesis – CO2 production is greater during
high intensity exercise than steady state exercise.
Experimental
Design
The experiment
designed has many
flaws and will not
yield answers to
research questions.
The experiment may
yield data that might
answer the research
question.
The experiment will produce data
that will answer the research
question.
6. Make a prediction based on the hypothesis
Prediction vs.
A decision about the
A reasonable decision
Outcome
agreement/disagreement about the
of the prediction is made agreement/disagreement
that does not
is made in reference to
incorporate the results of the results, but does not
the experiment.
incorporate experimental
uncertainties.
A reasonable decision about
the
agreement/disagreement is
made that incorporates
results, and experimental
uncertainty.
7. Perform the experiments and save all appropriate data.
8. Did your outcome agree or disagree with the prediction – what does this say about your hypothesis
(include uncertainties)
Judgment to disprove A judgment is made that A reasonable judgment
A reasonable judgment
or not disprove
is not consistent with the about the hypothesis
using appropriate scientific
Hypothesis
experiment.
made. However
language is made about the
unscientific or
hypothesis that
inappropriate language is
incorporates assumptions.
used.
9. After you have measured CO2 production during high intensity exercise on a spate graph measure the
CO2 production of the individual while resting now – compare this with your original resting base line? Is
it higher or lower
10. Design a model to explain these findings
Revision of
Hypothesis
A revision is made to the
model that is not
consistent with the
outcomes of the
experiment.
A revision to the model is
made that is only
consistent with the
outcomes of the
experiment.
A revision to the model is
made that is consistent with
the conclusions of the
experiment and other
relevant evidence.
11. List any assumptions and their impact on the outcome of the experiment
Assumptions
Most relevant
Most relevant
All relevant assumptions are
identification
assumptions are
assumptions are
identified.
missing, vaguely
correctly identified.
described, or
incorrect.
Assumption impact
The student did not The effect of relevant
The effect of relevant assumptions
link the relevant
assumptions in relation
in relation to the experimental
assumptions with
to the experimental
procedure and outcome is correctly
the experimental
procedure and outcome evaluated.
procedure or
is evaluated with some
conclusion.
missing pieces.
Analysis
1. Why is it important to attempt to disprove, rather than prove a hypothesis
2. Why can you never prove a hypothesis 100%
3. If nothing in science can be proven 100% what constitutes a scientific theory?
4. Is it possible for two identical experiments to yield different data? Why or why not?
5. How can similar conclusions be drawn from different values of the data?
6. How can different conclusions be drawn from identical data values?
7. What is the importance of uncertainties and assumptions?
8. Is it possible to avoid the use of assumptions in an experimental design? If not, what can be done to
limit their impact?