Scientific Skills Experimental Literacy Quiz

What is the independent variable in an experiment?

• The thing you measure

• The thing you keep the same

• The thing you change

• The size of the toy car

How do you work out a mean?

• Subtract the lowest number from the highest number

• Multiply all the numbers together

• Add all the numbers up together and divide by the number of numbers

• Take the highest number in the set

What is an anomaly in an experiment?

• A number that fits the trend

• A number that doesn’t fit the trend

• The smallest number in the set

• The average of the numbers

What is the dependent variable in an experiment?

• The size of the toy car

• The thing you change

• The thing you keep the same

• The thing you measure

What is the difference between accuracy and precision?

• Accuracy is how close a measurement is to its true value, while precision is how close measurements are to each other

• Accuracy is how close measurements are to each other, while precision is how close a measurement is to its true value

• Accuracy is how close a measurement is to its true value, while precision is how far measurements are from each other

• Accuracy is how far measurements are from each other, while precision is how close a measurement is to its true value

What is the control variable in an experiment?

• The thing you keep the same

• The size of the toy car

• The thing you measure

• The thing you change

How can you improve precision in an experiment?

• Use a tape measure to measure the distance in cm or mm

• Repeat at each temperature at least three times and work out a mean

• Minimise random error by repeating and calculating a mean

• Use smaller measurements / intervals (eg. measure in mm not cm)

What is the valid data in an experiment?

• Data that is reliable as it is only affected by one independent variable

• Data that doesn’t fit the trend

• Data that has a lot of spread about the mean value

• Data that is close to the true value

How can you make an experiment more accurate?

• Control the volume of acid, control the concentration of acid, control the mass/length of metal, control the temperature of the reaction (in a water bath), repeat with each combination at least three times and calculate a mean

• Minimise random error by repeating and calculating a mean

• Use a tape measure to measure the distance in cm or mm

• Repeat at each temperature at least three times and work out a mean

What is the random error in an experiment?

• Errors caused by inaccurate equipment, equipment that doesn’t zero properly or by problems with a method

• Errors caused by factors we can’t control, like tiny temperature changes in a room

• Errors caused by pushing the stopwatch button too early

• Precise measurements that are very close together and have very little spread about the mean value