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The Mad Science Inquiry Skills Quiz

Total questions: 55

Worksheet time: 33mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

An experiment test the effect of light on sprouting of beans.

One beaker with sand is put in light for 24h.

Another beaker is in a dark room.

Both beakers were given 30 ml of water.

______________________________________

The seed in the dark could be best described as :

a)

Control

b)

Experiment

c)

Placebo

d)

Variable

2.

An experiment test the effect of light on sprouting of beans.

One beaker with sand is put in light for 24h.

Another beaker is in a dark room.

Both beakers were given 30 ml of water.

______________________________________

What was the factor which was changed on purpose?

a)

Amount of light

b)

The water

c)

The temperature

d)

The place the seed was put in

3.

An experiment test the effect of light on sprouting of beans.

One beaker with sand is put in light for 24h.

Another beaker is in a dark room.

Both beakers were given 30 ml of water.

______________________________________

What factor was measured?

a)

Amount of light

b)

Time taken to sprout

c)

The temperature

d)

The place the seed was put in

4.

An experiment test the effect of light on sprouting of beans.

One beaker with sand is put in light for 24h.

Another beaker is in a dark room.

Both beakers were given 30 ml of water.

______________________________________

At the start, the scientist said "the bean in the light will sprout the fastest" -- this is an:

a)

Inference

b)

Observation

c)

Prediction

d)

Conclusion

5.

An experiment test the effect of light on sprouting of beans.

One beaker with sand is put in light for 24h.

Another beaker is in a dark room.

Both beakers were given 30 ml of water.

______________________________________

There is a mistake in this experiment -- which was to:

a)

use 30 ml of water in both beakers

b)

put one beaker in the dark

c)

not turning off the light at night

d)

use cotton wool instead of sand

6.

Your friend: "My basket ball bounces higher than yours".

You: "Prove it!"

What should your friend do?

a)

Drop both balls from the same height and check which bounces higher

b)

Throw both walls against a wall and check which bounces furthest

c)

Drop the balls from different heights and check which bounces higher

d)

Throw the balls to the ground and check which bounces higher

7.

When reading a scale on a measuring cylinder, you must (choose all that apply):

a)

Read at the centre of the meniscus

b)

Keep eyes at water level

c)

Read at the edge for higher accuracy

d)

Read at room temperature

8.

What is the mass on day 13?

a)

46 g

b)

48 g

c)

50 g

d)

Not possible

9.

A teacher noticed the following points about a student doing a test.

---

What is an example of an INFERENCE?

a)

The student was silent

b)

The student was scratching her head

c)

The student was sighing

d)

The student obviously did not study

10.

A Bunsen Burner unattended for a long time should be:

a)

turned on highest setting so that the flame does not go out

b)

turned on Yellow flame

c)

turned off

d)

leave it

11.

A student measured how long 5 blue candles burnt.

He then measured how long 5 red candles burnt.

He took the average of each experiment and compared both.

---

What question did the student try to answer?

a)

Does the colour of a candle affect how hot it burns?

b)

Does the number of candles tested affect the average burning time?

c)

Do all candles of the same colour burn at the same rate?

d)

Do coloured candles burn at a different rate from plain candles?

12.

What is the reading on the scale?

a)

0.6

b)

0.75

c)

1.0

d)

1.5

13.

What is a fair test?

a)

one variable is changed and all other conditions are kept the same

b)

all variables are changed and exactly one condition is kept the same

c)

change as many variables as possible in the test

d)

change only the control variables

14.

You test whether the YELLOW or BLUE flame of a Bunsen burner heats up water faster.

---

List 2 factors that influence the results of your experiment:

a)

1: water temperature

2: time of day

b)

1: water purity

2: beaker size

c)

1: flame distance to water

2: amount of water

d)

1: Bunsen position

2: water colour

15.

You test whether the YELLOW or BLUE flame of a Bunsen burner heats up water faster.

---

What equipment do you need?

a)

Bunsen burner, tripod, gauze mat & beaker

b)

Bunsen burner, tripod, gauze mat & distillation apparatus

c)

Bunsen burner, tripod, gauze mat & evaporation dish

d)

Bunsen burner, tripod, gauze mat & funnel

16.

You've measured whether hot or cold water is able to dissolve sugar better. In your discussion it says:

"I couldn’t have made anything better"

---

What is wrong with this discussion?

a)

The discussion should discuss results

b)

The discussion should include the method

c)

The discussion should include the hypothesis

d)

The discussion should include the setup

17.

You've measured whether hot or cold water is able to dissolve sugar better. Your results reads:

"Sugar 2 -- Hot 4"

---

What is wrong with the presentation of results?

a)

Units are missing

b)

Results are just fine

c)

Results must contain the independent variable

d)

Results should state the hypothesis

18.

Look at the table -- when you graph the data, it should contain labels for the axis. What label is appropriate for the HORIZONTAL axis?

a)

Container

b)

Volume (ml)

c)

Suffocating time (sec)

d)

Independent Variable

19.

Look at the table -- when you graph the data, it should contain labels for the axis. What label is appropriate for the VERTICAL axis?

a)

Container

b)

Volume (ml)

c)

Suffocating time (sec)

d)

Dependent Variable

20.

Look at the table -- the Volume (ml) data goes on the horizontal axis. Your axis steps are 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600

---

Is this acceptable?

a)

Yes, sure!

b)

No way!

21.

Look at the table -- the Suffocating time (sec) data goes on the vertical axis. Your axis steps are 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35

---

Is this acceptable?

a)

Yes, sure!

b)

No way!

22.
What is a factor that can change in an experiment?
a)
Claim
b)
Variable
c)
Scientific Inquiry
d)
Hypothesis
23.
What variable in an experiment is the manipulated variable?
For example: keep bread at room temp, and keep another one in the refrigerator- here you are changing the temps on purpose to see what happens. 
a)
Operational Definition
b)
Control Variable
c)
Dependent Variable
d)
Independent Variable
24.
What variable in an experiment is measured? - it is also called the responding variable.
For example: measuring the amount of mold on bread 
a)
Dependent variable
b)
Operational Definition
c)
Independent Variable
d)
Control Variable
25.
The variable that causes a change is the
a)
constant
b)
independent variable
c)
dependent variable
d)
control
26.
You are doing an experiment recording the growth of plants under different amounts of sunlight. What is the dependent variable?
a)
The sunlight
b)
The growth
c)
The experiment
d)
The amounts of photons
27.
A student wants to test the effects of type of exercise on heart rate.  What is the dependent variable?
a)
heart rate
b)
type of exercise
c)
amount of exercise
d)
time of day exercise occurs
28.
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
29.
An experiment is performed on plants to see how different liquids affect plant growth. Each plant in the experiment is given a different liquid; water, apple juice, or milk. Each plant has the same amount of soil, sunlight, and listens to the same music. In this investigation, what is the dependent variable?
a)
Type of plant
b)
Water, apple juice, milk
c)
Plant growth
30.
Information that you gather with your senses is called
a)
an opinion
b)
a question
c)
a belief
d)
an observation
31.
Which of these is a qualitative observation?
a)
The boy is 5 feet tall.
b)
There are six birds in the tree.
c)
The birds are tiny.
d)
There are more blue birds than black birds. 
32.
Which of these is NOT a scientific observation?
a)
All birds have feathers.
b)
Some birds have colorful feathers.
c)
There are many different types of birds.
d)
Birds are a great pet.
33.
What type of tool would you use to make a qualitative observation? 
a)
telescope
b)
ruler
c)
thermometer
d)

rain gauge

34.
What statement is an inference?
a)
There are two fish in the bowl.
b)
They are eating their food.
c)
They like their food.
d)
Both fish are blue.
35.
What are the steps in the Scientific Method?
a)

Observation/Question, Make a Hypothesis, Do Background research, Conduct an Experiment, Analyse your data, Report your results. 

b)

Observation/Question, Make a Hypothesis, Analyse your data, Do Background research,  Conduct an Experiment,  Report your results. 

c)

Observation/Question, Do Background research, Make a Hypothesis, Conduct an Experiment, Analyse your data, Report your results. 

d)

Observation/Question, Do Background research, Conduct an Experiment, Make a Hypothesis, Analyse your data, Report your results. 

36.

Which senses are used in the laboratory (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)

a)

Smell

b)

Sight

c)

Hearing

d)

Taste

37.

How to best measure the mass of a cool drink in a bottle?

a)

Place the bottle of cool drink on a digital balance

b)

Use a graduated cylinder

c)

Measure the mass of the same volume of water.

d)

Measure the mass of the full and empty bottle -- then find the difference

38.

What graph is best suited to show the number of petals* for different flower types (*petal = coloured leaves of a flower).

a)

Pie graph

b)

Line graph

c)

Bar graph (or column graph)

d)

Line graph (or column graph)

39.

Which description best defines a "hypothesis"?

a)

A hypothesis is a record of what we actually see.

b)

A hypothesis is an expression of what we think is happening

c)

A hypothesis is a description which needs to be followed in order to obtain results.

d)

A hypothesis is a general statement or explanation which can be tested by an experiment.

40.

A student measured the heights of four other students in the class. The heights recorded

were 1.40 m, 1.35 m, 1.50 m and 1.30 m. The average height of the students was:

a)

1.30 m

b)

1.35 m

c)

1.40 m

d)

1.45 m

41.

Which piece of equipment should you use to measure out liquids?

a)
b)
c)
d)
42.

The table shows the measurements of plant growth during one week. The measurements show that:

a)

plant height increases each day

b)

the plant reached its greatest possible height on Friday

c)

the plant started to grow thicker on Thursday

d)

the rate of growth was greatest later in the week

43.

The table shows the temperature data of a water kettle and how long it takes to heat up 500 ml of water. To display the data it is best to use a:

a)

line graph

b)

a bar graph or a column graph

c)

a bar graph or a line graph

d)

a line graph or a column graph

44.

You have the following values for a variable:

4, 9, 12, 18, 22, 27

For a line chart, you choose the following range & interval

a)

from 4 to 27, interval = 3

b)

from 5 to 25, interval = 5

c)

from 0 to 30, interval = 5

d)

from 0 to 100, interval = 5

45.
In a controlled experiment, how many independent variables can be worked with at a time? 
a)
one
b)
none
c)
two or more
d)
how ever many makes sense.
46.

You'll design an experiment to investigate which Coffee cup material is best to keep the heat. What are 2 CONTROL VARIABLES?

a)

size of cups

b)

amount of hot coffee

c)

temperature of coffee

d)

time in minutes

47.

What do all graphs have? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)

a)

A title

b)

Axes labels

c)

Equal axis intervals

d)

Data units

48.

You'll design an experiment to investigate which Coffee cup material is best to keep the heat. The DEPENDENT VARIABLE is:

a)

material of coffee cup

b)

amount of hot coffee

c)

temperature of coffee

d)

time in minutes

49.

You'll design an experiment to investigate which Coffee cup material is best to keep the heat. The INDEPENDENT VARIABLE is:

a)

material of coffee cup

b)

amount of hot coffee

c)

temperature of coffee

d)

time in minutes

50.

The table shows the temperature data of a water kettle and how long it takes to heat up 500 ml of water. What is an appropriate title for this table.

a)

The Effect of Heating Time on Temperature of 500 mL of Water

b)

Temperature vs Heating Time

c)

The Effect of Temperature on Heating Time

d)

Does heating time affect the temperature of water?

51.

An hypothesis is "If you increase the amount of fertiliser given to tomatoes plants then they will produce more tomatoes".

The data showed that the control group produced 2.2 kg of tomatoes on average, while adding 20 grams of fertiliser resulted in 3.4 kg of tomatoes on average.

What is a suitable conclusion?

a)

“The hypothesis has been supported. An increase in amount of fertiliser did increase the amount of tomatoes produced. Plants getting no fertiliser produced 2.2 kg of tomatoes; with 20 grams of fertiliser 3.4 kg of tomatoes were produced on average.”

b)

“The hypothesis has been supported as shown by the data."

c)

The experiment showed that fertiliser affects the growth of tomatoes."

d)

“The hypothesis was that if you increase the amount of fertiliser given to tomatoes plants then they will produce more tomatoes. Whether the tomatoes were edible could not be determined by the experiment. The experiment was overall valid and reliable and fun too."

52.

What are the 3 main ways to ensure experimental data is fair?

a)

1) Ensure the experiment is valid and reliable

2) Include prior knowledge in planning

3) Discuss patterns and trends in data

b)

1) Include a question and observation.

2) Include background and a preliminary study.

3) Write a proper hypothesis.

c)

1) Having a control and an experimental group.

2) Controlling as many variables as possible.

3) Large sample size & averaging results.

d)

1) Having an independent and dependent variable.

2) Having an appropriate title for your graph.

3) Ensure to write a proper method.

53.

How do you make sure an experiment is reliable and valid?

a)

Repeating the experiment with modified parameters and adjusting the equipment used.

b)

Repeating the experiment and making sure the equipment & method are fit for purpose.

c)

Repeat with different equipment at least 5 times and take the average.

d)

Write down a hypothesis and a method and test the hypothesis.

54.

You are to design an experiment that test the absorbency of various paper towel brands. What you really want to know is if more expensive brands also absorb better. Phrase a hypothesis for this question that can be tested with a suitable experiment.

a)

Do more expensive paper towel brands absorb more water?

b)

I believe that more expensive paper towel brands can absorb more water because they are more expensive.

c)

When paper towel brands absorb more water then they must be more expensive because they use better quality material.

d)

If paper towels are more expensive, then they absorb more water.

55.

What type of graph would be suitable for the data table shown?

a)

Bar graph with Paper Towel as Independent Variable and Amount of Water Absorbed as the Dependent Variable

b)

Bar graph with Paper Towel as Dependent Variable and Amount of Water Absorbed as the Independent Variable

c)

Line chart with Paper Towel as Independent Variable and Amount of Water Absorbed as the Dependent Variable

d)

Line chart with Price per Sheet as Independent Variable and Amount of Water Absorbed as the Dependent Variable