Science - Practice of Science Parts of an Experiment

Practice of Science - Day 3

​SC.5. N.1.2 Explain the difference between an experiment and other types of scientific investigation.

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​SC.5.N.1.4 Identify a control group and explain its importance in an experiment.

Multiple Choice

What is the difference between an INVESTIGATION and an EXPERIMENT?

• Experiments blow stuff up, while investigations do not

• Investigations are all about control and experiments are all about observations

• Investigations are more about observations, and experiments control variables

• Experiments do not have variables, while investigations do have variables

​PRACTICE of SCIENCE

3 Parts of PRACTICING SCIENCE

1.Experiments

2.Knowing the difference between and experiment and an investigation

3.Control groups

​Now, let's take a look at CONTROL GROUPS!

CONSTANTS - DO NOT CHANGE!

Controlled Variables Stay the SAME in an experiment

For example: same soil, same amount of water, same amount of light are constants when given to all test subjects

Multiple Choice

A group of plants receives the same amounts of sunlight BUT different amount of water at the different times each day. What is the constant or controls?

• water

• amount of sunlight

• times of the day

Experimental Group

Receives treatment or test material For example: One plant receives fertilizer Fertilizer is the test material, so this plant is the experimental group.

Multiple Choice

Jim loves tomatoes & beans. He believed that fertilizer will make the plants grow faster, so he treated one plant with fertilizer and the other plant did not receive fertilizer. They both received the same amounts of water & sunlight. Which one is the experimental group?

• plant receiving fertilizer

• plant not receiving fertilizer

• tomatoes

• both plants

Control Group

Does not receive the treatment or test material For example: One plant does not receive fertilizer & the other does. Not receiving the fertilizer makes this plant the control group because it gets no treatment or it not manipulated.

Multiple Choice

Michael loves lettuce & lima beans. He believes that fertilizer will make the plant grow faster, so he treated one plant with fertilizer and the other plant did not receive fertilizer. They both received the same amounts of water & sunlight? What is the control group?

• plant receiving fertilizer

• plant not receiving fertilizer

• lima beans

• both plants

Multiple Choice

Michael loves lettuce & lima beans. He believes that fertilizer will make the plant grow faster, so he treated one plant with fertilizer and the other plant did not receive fertilizer. They both received the same amounts of water & sunlight? What is the controls or controlled variables?

• fertilizer

• water & sunlight

• water only

• lima beans

Multiple Choice

Anita wants to know how different activities will affect her heart rate. First, she measures and records her heart rate while she is standing still. After walking quickly for two minutes, she measures and records her heart rate again. After letting her heart rate return to normal, Anita does jumping jacks for two minutes, then measures and records her heart rate again. After letting her heart rate return to normal, Anita jogs for two minutes, then measures and records her heart rate again.

Which of the following is the control in this experiment, to which Anita compares her results?

• Anita's heart rate when she is doing jumping jacks

• Anita's heart rate when she is standing still

• Anita's heart rate when she is jogging

• Anita's heart rate when she is walking quickly

Multiple Choice

Pierre wants to find out if a plant grows taller when given a new fertilizer called EverGrow. He plants seeds in pots and adds the proper amount of fertilizer according to the directions. What else should Pierre do to find out if EverGrow really does make plants grow taller?

• provide more light to his plants

• put the plants in windows in different rooms

• grow some seeds without fertilizer

• water some of the plants at the end of the two weeks