SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Section 1.2 & 1.3
Warm-Up
A bird watcher sees birds migrating and
records their environment. What is this
called?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Theory
Law
Observation
Hypothesis
Warm-Up 2
Living things change during their lives
through_________________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Environment
Growth and development
Making responses
Adaptation and organization
Approaches to Solve a Problem





Observation leads to a question (or problem)
Hypothesis
Experiment
Results
Conclusions
An experiment must be capable of being
repeated and producing substantially similar
results.
Problem Statement

Identify a question
Hypothesis

A possible answer to the problem based
on knowledge or research
Experiment




Procedures used to support or reject a
hypothesis
Independent Variable – item being tested or
changed (Controls the dependent var., x axis)
Dependent Variable – changes due to the
procedures performed on the independent
variable (what ever is being measured, y axis)
Control – comparison point or group
Results
Data obtained as a result of the
experiment
 Presented in a table or a graph

Conclusion

Using results to support or reject the
hypothesis, thus answering the original
question
Vocab
Theory – tested repeatedly with same
results
 Qualitative Data – observations, research
 Quantitative Data – Numbers, Charts &
Tables

Practice Problem


Water Depth
0
10
20
30
40
50
Temperature 0C
20
18
15
12
10
7



1. Write down a problem
from this information.
2. State an appropriate
hypothesis for this investigation.
3. Identify the independent
variable.
4. Identify the dependent
variable.
5. What is the control in this
investigation.
Lab Today—the fizz experiment




Does Water temperature affect how fast a tablet
dissolves?
Materials: fizzy tablets, stopwatch, cup of hot
water, cup of cold water
Do 4 trials at each temperature (simply hot or
cold). Record on Worksheet.
Complete Worksheet and Lab Report (due Tues.)
Lab Write-Up

See Handout

Due Tuesday