Geoscience

Lab: Using the Scientific Method

Introduction:

The scientific method as a systematic way of answering questions about the natural world. There are many different ways to learn about the world around us, but in our class we will continue to use science as our tool for understanding. You have already learned about the scientific method. Today we will use what you have learned to see if we can answer a question. We will use whatever background knowledge that we have to create a hypothesis. We will then design an experiment that we can use to test our hypothesis. During our experiment we will take both qualitative and quantitative observations. After our experiment we will create a graph to help us analyze our results. At the end of our experiment we will need to write a conclusion about whether we can accept our hypothesis, reject our hypothesis, or need to modify our hypothesis. At the end of our experiment we will most likely not have all the answers, and new questions will arise as the cycle starts all over again!

Instructions:

  1. At the top of your paper please copy the question below. (Copy it just as it is below “Question: …”)

Question: Will an Ice cube melt faster in fresh water or salt water?

  1. Beneath your question write your hypothesis. Make sure that your hypothesis is a statement! There is no need for phrases like “I think…” in a hypothesis. State what you will believe will happen as a fact. We will be testing this statement in our experiment. Make sure that you skip a line or two and keep your writing very neat and organized!

**remember to label your statement (Hypothesis …)

  1. Beneath your hypothesis write out the procedure you will be using to test your hypothesis. It can just be a list of steps, but make sure not to skip anything! Somebody should be able to repeat your experiment by just reading your procedure so all information must be included, but make sure to keep each step as simply as possible! There is no need for extra words like “first you need to….” Just write what to do!

**Continue labeling (Procedure…) for all sections

  1. While you are waiting for your experiment to finish you will need to create a data table in which you can record some of your observations. This is where you will record any numerical data that you measure during the lab. Data tables must be neat and organized. An example of an appropriate data table is given below:

Table 1: Number of times a coin comes up heads or tails after 100 flips

Result of Coin Flip / Number of times result occurred
Heads / 56
Tails / 44

**Notice that the data table has a title and a number! Notice that it is neatly done with straight lines!!! (Use a ruler)

** The section your data table is in should be labeled “Results”

  1. During any experiment there will always be more going on than can be directly measured. Create a section in your lab report called “Observations” and record anything else that you notice during this lab which may be important. This information is not something that can be described with numbers, but other things that we notice using one or more of our senses. Make sure to make observations and not inferences!
  2. After the experiment is completed we will use our data table to create a graph that compares the numbers we recorded. Make sure to remember the five things that every graph needs to include!
  3. The final thing to do in our experiment is to use our observations and graph to come up with a conclusion about our hypothesis. Our conclusion should start off by saying… “In our experiment we were trying to find out…..” Followed by…”Our results support/refute our original hypothesis….” After this you should quickly summarize your results and observations and provide an explanation as to why you got the results that you did. Any potential errors you made should also be addressed in your conclusion. (You will need to write a short paragraph)
  4. Please answer the discussion questions on the back of this page.

Discussion Questions: (Answer in complete sentences)

  1. Use your class notes to define “independent variable.”
  2. What was the independent variable in this lab?
  3. Use your class notes to define “dependent variable”
  4. What was the dependent variable in this lab?
  5. Use your class notes to define controlled variables.
  6. What were some variables that we needed to control in this lab?
  7. In your data table were your recording qualitative or quantitative observations? Explain what that means!
  8. In your observations section were you recording quantitative or qualitative observations? Explain what that means!
  9. Use your notes to list the five things that all graphs must have. Double check your graph for these five things!
  10. Our conclusion was what we wrote at the end or our experiment, but the end of an experiment is certainly not the end of the scientific method! Write a new question that conducting this experiment made you think of. Perhaps we will come across the answer later in our class!
  11. In a few sentences summarize what the scientific method means to you!