Scientific Method
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What is the Scientific Method?
• The Scientific Method is steps that
scientist use to answer questions and
solve problems.
What is the Scientific Method?
The scientific method is the only scientific
way accepted to back up a theory or
idea. This is the method on which all
research projects should be based. The
Scientific Method is used by researchers
to support or disprove a theory.
Steps of the Scientific Method
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Ask a Question
Form a Hypothesis
Test the Hypothesis
Analyze the Results
Draw Conclusions
Communicate Results
Ask Fred To Act Dramatically Cool
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A- ask
F- form a hypothesis
T- test hypothesis
A- analyze the results
D- draw conclusions
C- community
Ask a Question
• An observation is any use of the senses to
gather information.
• To ask a question you must first make an
observation.
• Ask a question about what you
have observed.
Form a Hypothesis
• A hypothesis is basically a guess.
• It is the answer to your question.
Test the Hypothesis
• How do I test my answer?
• Basically, by doing an experiment.
• See if there is a way that you can test your
answer.
• Maybe you have to grow a few plants for
example.
Analyze the Results
• What did your experiment show?
• You need to record your data to keep track
of what is happening in your experiment.
• This can be through charts, graphs, or
data sheets.
Draw Conclusions
• At the end of the investigation, you must
draw a conclusion.
• Determine what the experiment has told
you by looking at your collected data.
• You may have to reform your hypothesis,
and retest your answer
Communicate Results
• One of the most
important step in any
investigation is to
communicate your
results.
• You can write a
scientific paper, make a
presentation, or create a
Web site.
Science Method Scenarios
Test you knowledge by visiting the Scientific
Scenarios and see if you can identify the steps
of the scientific method. Click the titles below to
visit the scenario.
The Water Consumed by Perennial and Annual Flowers
The Differences in Copper Mass Included
in Pennies Minted After 1982
Attempting to Teach Fish Through Association
Learning About Sea Life
Acids and Bases
Breakfast Cereal Iron
The Water Consumed by Perennial and
Annual Flowers
Two students in biology wanted to find out
which plant required more water, an
annual or a perennial flower. They decided
to use a dandelion as the annual and a
rose as the perennial. In three separate
test tubes they placed equal amounts of
water. In the first two test tubes they
placed the dandelion and the rose, leaving
the third test tube without a flower as a
control. Before placing the flowers in the
test tubes they cut the stems at an
angle. After two days they recorded the
amount of water left in the test tubes
Attempting to Teach Fish Through
Association
Ellen wanted to see if fish could “learn” by
association. She set up three identical ten-gallon
aquariums. The walls and tops were covered with black
construction paper to prevent light from entering. Ten
feeder guppies were added to each aquarium as test
subjects. A small corner of each aquarium was left open,
and a small reading light is placed over it. Each day, the
light is turned on over the aquarium, and thirty seconds
later, a small amount of food is added to two of the
aquariums. The third aquarium is a control, and no food
is added at this time. Every five days for twenty days, the
number of fish that come to the light before the food is
offered is recorded.
Learning About Sea Life
In Mr. Miyagi’s fifth grade Science class the students had been
reading about different salt water sea creatures. After reading they
began to ask questions on how they survive in the ocean. Mr.
Miyagi decided to do an experiment to help the children learn more
about ocean life. He found it best if the students were divided into
five groups. Group A observed a horseshoe crab. Group B
observed a sea urchin. Group C observed a snail. Group D
observed a spider crab. Group E observed a star fish. After each
group had observed the sea organism for 15 minutes, they were
asked to record the information about what they discovered. Data
included size, shape, color, protection from predators, and how they
eat and move. After they had recorded the information, each group
was asked to share with the rest of the class what they learned
about their creature. The students finally discussed how each sea
organism was alike and different.
Acids and Bases
Billy wanted to find out if certain liquids were
acids or bases. He used lemon juice, water, and
glass cleaner for samples. The water was used
as the control. He placed two tablespoons of
each liquid into separate beakers. Then he took
three strips of red Litmus paper and dipped one
into each beaker then laid them out to dry. When
they dried, he then recorded the color of the
paper and whether it was an acid or a base. A
positive base test is blue, a positive acid test is
red, and in a neutral test the paper does not
change.
The Differences in Copper Mass Included
in Pennies Minted After 1982
Bubba wanted to know approximately how much
copper is present in pennies minted after the
year 1982. First, Bubba chose his penny and
filed a small notch on either side of the coin. He
then proceeded to weigh the penny. Bubba, with
the help of his science teacher, measured out 20
ml, or 6 cm, of hydrochloric acid into a 50-mL
beaker. Bubba then poured the acid into the
beaker, covering the penny. He left the cup
sitting over night, and removed the penny with a
pair of tongs on the next day. Bubba then
washed the pennies in water to remove all of the
acid and dried them thoroughly. He then
weighed the penny again to determine the
amount of copper left.
Breakfast Cereal Iron
Natalie wants to know how much iron is
contained in a cup of two popular
breakfast cereals. She put a cup of Total
and a cup of water into a bowl. She then
put a cup of Corn Flakes and a cup of
water into another bowl. She let each bowl
set for 24 hours. The next day Natalie
inserted a magnet into each cup and
stirred it around. She measured the
amount of iron filings in milligrams from
each cereal.