Unit 1 Lesson 1: Scientific Methods

Multiple Choice

Careful studying of what happened during the experiment - using your five senses (when safe).

• problem

• hypothesis

• experiment

• observation

• conclusion

Open Ended

Some people suffer from hair loss as they age. Scientists are designing an experiment that will test the effects of Rogaine (a type of medicine) on hair growth. State a possible hypothesis for this experiment.

Open Ended

During the summer months, some people complain about excessive sweat. Scientists are conducting an experiment on the effect of high temperatures on the amount of sweat produced. State a possible hypothesis for this experiment.

Multiple Choice

The one variable that I am changing in the experiment.

• dependent variable

• independent variable

• constants

Multiple Choice

The things that need to be kept THE SAME for each trial.

• dependent variable

• independent variable

• constants

Multiple Choice

In the example on the previous slide, the different routes to school that you test would be the...

• Dependent Variable

• Independent Variable

• Control

• Constant

Multiple Choice

The time it takes to walk each route to school would be the...

• Dependent Variable

• Independent Variable

• Control

• Constant

Multiple Choice

To make sure our results are consistent, we want to use the same walker to test every route. This walker would be considered a...

• Dependent Variable

• Independent Variable

• Control

• Constant

​(descriptive qualities)

Developing a Theory

●Once a hypothesis has been supported in repeated experiments, scientists
can begin to develop a theory, A scientific theory is a well-tested explanation
for a set of observations or experimental results.

Theories will try and explain why something happens.

Scientific Laws

●After repeated observation or experiments, scientists may arrive at a scientific
law. A scientific law is a statement that summarizes a pattern found in
nature.

●A scientific law describes an observed pattern in nature without attempting to explain it. It provides the "what" withoutnecessarily providing the "why".