Nature of Science Review

Adrian would like to investigate the effect of temperature on the amount of food birds eat. 

What should he do first to begin his investigation?

• develop a question 
• conduct background research
• design an experiment
• come up with a theory

Logan writes down his hypothesis that more salt will dissolve in cold water than in warm water.  He adds salt to different temperatures of water and records his observations including the amount of undissolved salt.  He finds that there is more salt dissolved in warm water than cold water.  What should Logan do next to make sure that his conclusion is valid?

• do another investigation with sugar
• repeat his investigation using a different liquid than water
• repeat his investigation using the same procedure

• change his hypothesis to match his results

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

Which question would be best to answer using a scientific investigation?  

• Why are people afraid during thunderstorms?
• How easy is it to shovel snow?
• Are some clouds prettier than others?
• Does temperature affect the amount of rain?

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Scientists who study hurricanes sometimes fly into the hurricanes to take readings from inside the storm.  How does this differ from most scientific research?

• Hurricane scientists cannot control variables.
• Hurricane scientists cannot collect data.
• Hurricane scientists cannot draw conclusions.
• Hurricane scientists cannot make hypotheses.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

A group of people trained to climb a mountain.  As they practice in high altitudes, Elise, a researcher, measured changes in their lung strength.  Why is it important that Elise's study has a control group?

• to ensure that everyone in the group was strong enough to climb a mountain

• to test equipment for measuring lung strength
• to share her research with as many people as possible
• to compare typical lung strength with the effects of training

Jace is studying states of matter by heating water in a pan.  Which statement from his notebook is an observation?

• It is hard to estimate the size of the bubbles.
• Tiny bubbles form on the bottom of the pan.
• The bottom of the pan must be very hot.
• I think there is air in the bubbles.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

How many variables should be changed and tested in a simple experiment?

• 5
• 3
• 1
• 6

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Lanie says a baseball and a basketball will fall at the same speed.  Hannah disagrees. 

Which of these is the best way for them to find out who is correct?

• drop both balls from a high place and compare how fast they fall
• ask an adult which one is right
• explain their reasons to each other
• ask twenty different people on the playgroup what they think

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Estes wanted to find out which of his friends was the strongest.  He asked each of his friends to come to his house three different times and lift some weights.  Estes wrote down how much weight each person could lift. 

How was his investigation different from an experiment that precisely follows the scientific method?

• Estes did not test a hypothesis.

• Estes did not make any observations.

• Estes did not repeat his tests.

• Estes did not collect any data.

Alexander and Jaxen are studying how bears kept in zoos behave.  Which of these would be the best control group?

• bears in the wild
• bears kept as pets
• lions kept in zoos

• lions in the wild