Will Cleveland
10/10/09
Period 1
Scientific Method
Purpose
 To practice the steps of the Scientific Method
 To learn how to use an OnLine Lab simulation
 To determine which environmental variables influence how fast a cricket chirps
 To practice constructing data charts and graphs.
Hypothesis:
Cricket chirps are affected by temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure.
Materials:
Lab report template
OnLine Scientific Method Website
Procedure:
1. Go to https://www.gc.maricopa.edu/biology/glacier/scientific_method/
2. Click continue
3. Follow instructions below for how to get into the site
4. Do the tutorial on scientific method first if you want to review the steps (optional)
5. Follow the instructions for investigating the role of environmental variables on cricket chirps.
6. Write your results in the data charts below
Values in red are the baseline (control values)
For your investigation, choose values that are higher and lower than those indicated in red.
You may add rows to the data chart as needed.
You need to record as you go because this OnLine site does not work well if you use the
back button!
7. Graph your results using Create-a-Graph (http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/graphing/) or by hand.
Hint: Cricket Chirp Rate is the dependent variable and will be on the y-axis on all graphs!
Results: (Data Charts and Graphs) Bottom of Page
Discussion:
After conducting 5 experimental trials on each of the variables the hypothesis that cricket
chirps are affected by air temperature, atmospheric pressure, and humidity was proved to be only
partially correct. It was proved that only air temperature affects the rate at which crickets chip per
minute. Each variable was tested 5 times as shown by the graphs. The graphs also show that air
temperature is the only variable in the cricket’s rate of chirps per minute. Since this lab was done
online, the only source of error I can find is if who ever keyed in the data for the chirps for minute
was wrong and we would not be able to tell if they were wrong or not.
Conclusion:
After completing the experiment, it was proved that only air temperature had an affect on
the cricket’s chirps per minute.
Reflection:
I enjoyed doing the virtual lab as it made learning the rules of the scientific method fun
and easy to do. Trying to conduct this in the real world would have been extremely difficult and
time consuming so completing the experiment in this was a much wiser choice. I learned how to
conduct an experiment using the scientific method. I also learned that temperature is the only
variable in the amount of times a cricket chirps.
Data Chart A: Effect of Air Temperature on Cricket’s Chirps
Temperature
Cricket Chirp Rate
(oC)
(Chirps/Minute)
5
4
15
25
35
45
76
148
220
292
Data Chart B: Effect of Atmospheric Pressure on Crick Chirps
Atmospheric Pressure
Cricket Chirp Rate
(mm Hg)
(Chirps/Minute)
680
700
740
760
790
148
148
148
148
148
paste your graph here
Data Chart C: Effect of Humidity on Crick Chirps
Humidity
Cricket Chirp Rate
(%)
(Chirps/Minute)
10
15
40
60
80
148
148
148
148
148
Data Chart D: Effect of Wind Speed on Crick Chirps
Wind Speed
Cricket Chirp Rate
(m/sec)
(chirps/minute)
0
2
148
148
4
148
6
7
148
148