Working and Thinking like a Scientist Unit 1 Test

What is an independent variable?

• WHAT YOU ARE ARE CHANGING ON PURPOSE

• WHAT IS BEING MEASURED

• WHAT YOU KEEP THE SAME THROUGHOUT THE EXPERIMENT.

Mr. Smith wanted to see if the color of light shined on a plant had an effect on the number of leaves it had. He gathered 2 groups of the same species of plants, gave them the same amount of water, and did the test for the same amount of time. On one group of plants he used white light. On the second group he changed the light color to red.

IDENTIFY THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

• THE WHITE LIGHT

• TYPE OF LIGHT USED

• THE RED LIGHT

Mr. Smith wanted to see if the color of light shined on a plant had an effect on the number of leaves it had. He gathered 2 groups of the same species of plants, gave them the same amount of water, and did the test for the same amount of time. On one group of plants he used white light. On the second group he changed the light color to red.

IDENTIFY THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

• DID THE PLANTS GROW OR NOT GO

• THE EFFECT ON THE NUMBER OF LEAVES

• IF THE PLANT WOULD TURN INTO AN ALIEN

Mr. Smith wanted to see if the color of light shined on a plant had an effect on the number of leaves it had. He gathered 2 groups of the same species of plants, gave them the same amount of water, and did the test for the same amount of time. On one group of plants he used white light. On the second group he changed the light color to red.

IDENTIFY THE CONTROLLED VARIABLES

• SPECIES OF PLANTS, AMOUNT OF WATER, SAME AMOUNT OF TIME ON EACH TEST.

• SPECIES OF PLANTS AND AMOUNT OF WATER.

• SPECIES OF PLANT

What is a dependent variable

• WHAT YOU ARE CHANGING ON PURPOSE

• WHAT IS BEING MEASURED

• WHAT YOU KEEP THE SAME THROUGH OUT THE EXPERIMENT

You are managing a large feed lot of cattle. A pharmaceutical company wants you to try a new antibiotic to treat shipping fever in newly arrived cattle. You are currently not using any antibiotic to treat shipping fever in your cattle. The company claims that it is more effective and will save you money using this antibiotic. You will use the same feed, water and conditions of the cattle. You will measure the temperature of the cattle’s fevers to see whether or not the new antibiotic works on treating shipping fever.

IDENTIFY THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

• SAVING MONEY

• THE NEW CATTLE

• THE AMOUNT OF ANTIBIOTIC

You are managing a large feed lot of cattle. A pharmaceutical company wants you to try a new antibiotic to treat shipping fever in newly arrived cattle. You are currently not using any antibiotic to treat shipping fever in your cattle. The company claims that it is more effective and will save you money using this antibiotic. You will use the same feed, water and conditions of the cattle. You will measure the temperature of the cattle’s fevers to see whether or not the new antibiotic works on treating shipping fever.

IDENTIFY THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

• IF THE ANTIBIOTIC WORKED OR NOT

• TESTING COWS FOR SHIPPING FEVER

• THE ANTIBIOTIC

You are managing a large feed lot of cattle. A pharmaceutical company wants you to try a new antibiotic to treat shipping fever in newly arrived cattle. You are currently not using any antibiotic to treat shipping fever in your cattle. The company claims that it is more effective and will save you money using this antibiotic. You will use the same feed, water and conditions of the cattle. You will measure the temperature of the cattle’s fevers to see whether or not the new antibiotic works on treating shipping fever.

IDENTIFY THE CONTROLLED VARIABLES

• THERE ARE NONE

• SAME FEED, WATER, AND CONDITIONS

• SAME WATER

What is a controlled variable?

• WHAT YOU ARE CHANGING ON PURPOSE

• WHAT IS BEING MEASURED

• WHAT STAYS THE SAME THROUGHOUT THE EXPERIMENT

What is a constant?

• ANY LETTER THAT IS NOT A, E, I, O, U

• SOMETHING THAT REMAINS THE SAME

• A WORD IN SCIENCE