Free Printable Nature of Science - Experimental design

1.

The part of the experiment that does not contain the independent variable. Used for comparison.

a)

Control Group

b)

Experimental Group

c)

Results

d)

Data

2.

What are all the things that are kept the same in an experiment?

a)

controls

b)

data

c)

constants

d)

independent variables

3.

What is the effect of salt water on the average of the height of the 3 tallest blades of grass?
What is the independent variable in the above question?

a)

salt water

b)

height

c)

average

d)

effect

4.

What is an if....then statement that predicts the outcome of an experiment or how the Independent variable effects the dependent variable?

a)

Conclusion

b)

Materials

c)

Hypothesis

d)

Problem

5.

An explanation of why something occurs in the natural world

a)

theory

b)

law

c)

hypothesis

d)

predicition

6.

2 ways that scientific investigations can be retested are:

a)

measurement and control

b)

repetition and replication

c)

defining a problem and hypothesizing

d)

concluding and analyzing

7.

Carmen conducted an experiment to determine if listening to different types of music would affect a person’s pulse. Her hypothesis was that pulse rate would change with different types of music. Each person listened to seven different selections of music for 30 seconds each. Each person’s pulse was taken before the music and then after each 30-second interval of music. The pulses were taken again after the music selections were completed. Based on her experiment, Carmen concluded that a person’s pulse rate changed when the person listened to different types of music. What is Carmen missing from her experiment?

a)

a question

b)

a hypothesis

c)

a control group

d)

a description of the experiement

8.

When experimenting with the growth of a plant, a scientist uses three (of the same type of) plants, two different fertilizers, equal light, and equal water. What type of variable is the fertilizer?

a)

Dependent

b)

Independent

c)

Control

d)

Constant

9.

Should experiments be repeated over and over to see if the results are the same each time?

a)

yes

b)

no

10.

a procedure of steps carried out under controlled conditions to test a hypothesis/answer a question

a)

model

b)

investigation

c)

experiment

d)

research

11.

a factor that is not changed in an experiment; all the parts that stay the same to keep the experiment fair and consistent

a)

variable

b)

control group

c)

constant

d)

evidence

12.

Which of these questions would be part of a true scientific experiment?

a)

What happens when you add Mentos to coke?

b)

Does the type of salt affect the fluffiness of the cake?

c)

What is the best soda brand?

d)

How do you make homemade play-doh?

13.

Which is the best scientific question?

a)

Who prefers multicolored bouncy balls over solid colored bouncy balls?

b)

What makes a ball bounce?

c)

Why do some bouncy balls bounce higher than others?

d)

Does increasing the temperature of a bouncy ball change the height it bounces?

14.

The factors that are different because they are responding to the experiment, not because the person experimenting changed them are:

a)

Controls

b)

Independent variables

c)

Observations

d)

Dependent variables

15.

Ms. Frizzle wanted to know what color flower attracted the most butterflies. She already had white flowers planted, but she added red and purple flowers to her garden. Every day she watched the flowers from 10 -11 in the morning and counted how many butterflies landed on each colored flower. Each flower was planted in the band courtyard and was watered at 3:30 every day.

Number of butterflies is the ______________

a)

independent variable

b)

constant

c)

dependent variable

d)

control

16.

Ms. Frizzle wanted to know what color flower attracted the most butterflies. She already had white flowers planted, but she added red and purple flowers to her garden. Every day she watched the flowers from 10 -11 in the morning and counted how many butterflies landed on each colored flower. Each flower was planted in the band courtyard and was watered at 3:30 every day.

Red and Purple flowers is the ______________

a)

independent variable

b)

constant

c)

dependent variable

d)

control

17.

How many independent variables should be tested at a time in a scientific investigation?

a)

none

b)

one

c)

two

d)

three

18.

A testable idea or explanation that leads to a scientific investigation is called (can be stated as an if/ then statement)

a)

conclusion

b)

experiment

c)

hypothesis

19.

The factor that you make different for the purpose of experimenting is:

a)

Dependent variable

b)

Constant

c)

Control

d)

Independent variable

20.

Ms. Frizzle wanted to know what color flower attracted the most butterflies. She already had white flowers planted, but she added red and purple flowers to her garden. Every day she watched the flowers from 10 -11 in the morning and counted how many butterflies landed on each colored flower. Each flower was planted in the band courtyard and was watered at 3:30 every day.

Time of watering is the ______________

a)

independent variable

b)

constant

c)

dependent variable

d)

control

21.

Ms. Frizzle wanted to know what color flower attracted the most butterflies. She already had white flowers planted, but she added red and purple flowers to her garden. Every day she watched the flowers from 10 -11 in the morning and counted how many butterflies landed on each colored flower. Each flower was planted in the band courtyard and was watered at 3:30 every day.

White flowers is the ______________

a)

independent variable

b)

constant

c)

dependent variable

d)

control

22.

Tom is creating an experiment to see what food his pet lizard likes the best. He creates an experiment in which he offers his lizard a choice of crickets or mealworms. He records how much of each choice is eaten each day. At the end of two weeks, Tom finds the lizard has eaten a few more mealworms than crickets. What is the independent variable?

a)

type of food

b)

type of lizard

c)

how much the lizard ate

d)

which food the lizard liked best

23.

When a another scientist does someone's experiment to see if the results are valid?

a)

repetition

b)

replication

c)

experimental method

d)

controlled variable

24.

Scientists frequently repeat the experiments of others scientists. Why is this important in science?

a)

Scientists often ask each other for help in performing experiments.

b)

Replication of experiments helps to confirm and verify results.

c)

Scientists frequently perform other scientists’ experiments in order to practice their technique.

d)

Repeating experiments is an effective way to make sure a laboratory is in optimal condition.

25.

Caira reads in a science journal that replication and repetiton are so important, but she did not understand the difference between them. Which of the following best explains the two terms?

a)

Repetition is when a scientist repeats an experiment; replication is when a scientist conducts an experiment on genetic material.

b)

Repetition is when a scientist does the same experiment a number of times; replication is when other scientists reproduce a scientist’s experiment.

c)

Repetition is when a scientist publishes in more than one scientific periodical; replication is when another scientist reproduces another scientist’s results.

d)

Repetition is when a scientist commits an error in an experiment the first time and must repeat it; replication is when a scientist repeats an experiment to make sure it is valid.

26.

Dr. Smith has been reading about another scientist’s research in a physics journal. He plans to do these experiments himself and see if he gets the same result.

a)

repetition

b)

replication

27.

Josue goes to Silver River each week for 4 weeks and collects 5 samples of water to test the pH.

a)

repetition

b)

replication

28.

An environmental group contacts Nina to get her procedures so that they can check her results.

a)

repetition

b)

replication

29.

Kevin was mixing a batch of glue and borax solution to make silly putty and discovered a new substance that glows in the dark. He gave Ja'nay his specific amounts of ingredients and the steps of his procedure. He asked Ja'nay to try the experiment to see if she gets the same results.

a)

repetition

b)

replication

30.

Haylena baked chocolate chip cookies that wound up looking like muffins. She asked Lunelka to use the same directions and see if her cookies also look like muffins.

a)

repetition

b)

replication

31.

Ms. Spiers has taught Mini Bear to run a maze. She thinks that the hamster will go faster if she puts its favorite treat at the end. She has the hamster run the maze ten times with the favorite treat and ten times with a regular food pellet. She uses a stopwatch to measure how long it takes for the hamster to get to the reward.

a)

repetition

b)

replication

32.

Ryan is testing golf balls. He drops three different brands of balls from 40 cm and measures how high they bounce. He drops each ball 10 times.

a)

repetition

b)

replication

33.

Anthony was given a set of 5 metal cubes. He calculated the densities of each to determine the type of metal in each. The densities were really close to each other, so he asked his friend Robert to do the same experiment and see if he gets the same results.

a)

repetition

b)

replication

34.

When experimenting with the growth of a plant, a scientist uses three (of the same type of) plants, two different fertilizers, equal light, and equal water. What type of variable is the fertilizer?

a)

Dependent

b)

Independent

c)

Control

d)

Compound

35.

Research Question: Does the type of gasoline put in a car effect how fast the car can drive. What is the independent variable?

a)

Type of gasoline

b)

which car the gas is put into

c)

how fast the car can drive

d)

how much gas is put into the car

36.

Ms. S set up an experiment to see how the mass of a ball affects the distance it rolls off a ramp. Identify the independent variable.

a)

Distance traveled by the ball

b)

Height of the ramp

c)

Mass of the ball

d)

Who set up the experiment (Ms. S, etc)

37.

An experiment is being done to determine how light affects the growth of small zinnia plants. One plant is placed in full sunlight, the second in a shaded area, the third in an unlit closet. The hypothesis of this experiment could be:

a)

Plants grow differently under different conditions.

b)

Zinnia plants in direct sunlight grow taller than zinnia plants in little or no sunlight.

c)

Many things, including sunlight, affect the growth of a plant.

38.

An experiment is being done to determine how light affects the growth of small zinnia plants. One plant is placed in full sunlight, the second in a shaded area, the third in an unlit closet. What is the independent variable in the zinnia experiment?

a)

The plant growth

b)

The amount of sunlight

c)

The length of time needed to conduct the experiment

d)

The amount of water given daily

39.

What observations might you make about a nearby cat?

a)

The cat is black and white.

b)

The cat is hungry.

c)

The cat is lost.

40.

What can you infer about the cat you observed eating?

a)

The cat is black and white.

b)

The cat is fat.

c)

The cat is hungry.

d)

The cat is eating.

41.

What can you infer about the cat you observed eating?

a)

The cat is black and white.

b)

The cat is fat.

c)

The cat is hungry.

d)

The cat is eating.

42.

Mr. S. sets up an experiment to see how the mass of a ball affects the distance it rolls off a ramp. Identify the independent variable.

a)

distance traveled by the ball

b)

height of the ramp

c)

mass of the ball

d)

weight of the ball

43.

Laws are usually mathematically defined.

a)

True

b)

False

44.

A scientific ____________ is a statement that describes what always happens under certain conditions in nature.

a)

law

b)

theory

c)

method

d)

variable

45.

A scientific ____________ is a broad explanation for events that is widely accepted as true.

a)

law

b)

theory

c)

observation

d)

method

46.

Laws tells us that it happens but doesn’t describe how or why.

a)

True

b)

False

47.

A possible explanation to a problem that has not yet been tested.

a)

data

b)

theory

c)

hypothesis

d)

fact

48.

Force = mass x gravity

a)

Hypothesis

b)

Theory

c)

Law

49.

Humans will live on Mars after 50 years.

a)

Hypothesis

b)

Theory

c)

Law

50.

Another word for prediction or educated guess is: ________________

a)

hypothesis

b)

conclusion

c)

experiment

d)

data

51.

Germs cause diseases in living organisms.

a)

Hypothesis

b)

Theory

c)

Law

52.

Kalinda was trying to explain to her friend the difference between a theory and a law in science. She used the theory of plate tectonics and the law of superposition as examples. Kalinda explained the difference by using nonscientific language. Which statement did Kalinda use to correctly describe the difference between a theory and a law in science?

a)

A theory describes a natural event, while a law explains it.

b)

A theory explains a natural event, while a law predicts it.

c)

A theory explains a natural event, while a law describes it.

d)

A theory predicts a natural event, while a law explains it.

53.

A scientific ____________ is a statement that describes what always happens under certain conditions in nature.

a)

law

b)

theory

c)

method

d)

variable

54.

A scientific ____________ is a broad explanation for events that is widely accepted as true.

a)

law

b)

theory

c)

observation

d)

method

55.

An explanation a scientist makes that IS 100% proven based off multiple investigations is called a ___________.

a)

hypothesis

b)

theory

c)

law

d)

question

56.

If I increase the amount of fertilizer a bean plant receives, the plant will grow taller.

a)

Hypothesis

b)

Theory

c)

Law

57.

Evolution is the widely held notion that all life is related and has descended from a common ancestor: the birds and the bananas, the fishes and the flowers
-- all related That is, complex creatures evolve from more simplistic ancestors naturally over time.

a)

Fact

b)

Theory

c)

Law

58.

Once a theory has been tested and confirmed it cannot be changed.

a)

True

b)

False

Nature of Science - Experimental design

Total questions: 58

Worksheet time: 2hrs 7mins

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