Scientific Method Variables (Teach)

Moira Whitehouse
Moira WhitehouseTeacher retired at home
SCIENTIFIC
            METHOD
                          Complemented by
                          my slideshow
                          Scientific Method
                          Procedures
By Moira Whitehouse PhD
The scientific method is
1. One way scientists find out
about the world around us.

2. Also a procedure scientists
use to answer specific questions.
In order to understand the
Scientific Method, we first
need to understand what a

      VARIABLE
           is
A variable is

anything in an experiment
that can change.
Here you see a car sitting on top of a ramp.
You want to design a car that will roll down
a ramp really fast.
So you need to know what things affect
how fast a car will roll down a ramp.
What could you change
about this car or ramp
that might affect its
speed?
Yes, what could you change or
do to make the car go faster.


These ideas all make up
something we call:
variables
There are three main kinds of
    variables
1. The change variable
2. The responding variable
3. The control variables
Let’s look more closely at
these three kinds of variables
 Remember the first is called

     the change variable.
1. The change variable is:
• There can only be one change
variable in any experiment.
• The variable that the
experimenter changes on
purpose.
• May also be called the
independent variable. (two names for the
same variable)
In the experiment on the next
page, identify the change
variable—what is the one thing
the experimenter changed with
plant 1, 2 and 3?
Water             Water
                 every             every
                 day               day
No Water
                     20 mL             40 mL




Plant 1    Plant 2           Plant 3
Yes, the experiment changed
the amount of water that
the plant receives each day.
The second type of variable is

2. The responding variable
2. The responding variable is

• What is measured or observed
by the experimenter to see if
the change variable caused a
different result.
The responding variable is
sometimes called the dependent
variable. (again, two names for the same variable)
How this variable responds (goes
faster, grows taller, warms up more, etc.)
depends on the change (or
independent) variable.
Let’s look again at the experiment
where the amount of water each
plant received was changed.

What could the experimenter
observe or measure to see if the
amount of water made a
difference to the health of the
plant?
Water             Water
                 every             every
                 day               day
No Water
                     20 mL             40 mL




Plant 1    Plant 2           Plant 3
The experimenter could have, for
example, counted the number of
green leaves on each plant or he
could have measured the height of
the plants after 14 days.
Some examples of responding variables in
different experiments—things to be
observed or measured are:
The amount of water absorbed by two
different brands of paper towels.
How far a ball rolls from different
ramp angles.
The amount of feed eaten at a bird feeder
in response to the type of seed in the
feeder.
Whenever possible the experimenter
should measure, instead of just
observing, the responding variable.


In order to measure the responding
variable the experimenter uses tools
such as
a metric ruler or meter stick




To measure how far something moved.
balance scale




to measure the mass of
something
thermometer


To measure how
hot or cold
something is
What might the change variable be in this
experiment on water evaporating?

without fan                    with fan that
                               moves the air




What could be the responding variable in this
experiment? Remember you should measure.
PLASTIC        STYROFOAM
         CUP OF         CUP OF
          HOT            HOT
          WATER          WATER

What might the change variable be in this
experiment on keeping water hot?

What might be the responding variable in this
experiment? Remember you should measure.
What would the    What could be the
change variable   responding
be in this        variable in this
experiment on     experiment?
how much heat     Remember you
different soils   should measure.
absorb?
To use the scientific method to
answer questions, we set up an
experiment that changes just one
thing and then we measure how
that one change affects what we
are interested in.

The question is always “what is
the effect of change variable on
responding variable”?
For example, in the case of our
watering plants experiment, the
question might be:

How does the amount of water
you give a plant (change variable)
affect how tall the plant grows.
(responding variable)?
But there is more. In every
experiment there is a third
kind of variable called
the control variable.
Control variables are all
those things in an
experiment that you do not
let change.
• A control variable is any other
variable (other than the change variable)
that might affect the outcome of
the experiment.
• There may be many control
variables in any experiment
• Control variables must be
kept constant between trials.
Think back to our experiment
asking the question: “How does
the amount of water affect how
tall the plant grows in 14 days?”

What variables, other than the
amount of water, could affect
how tall the plant grows?
Water             Water
                 every             every
                 day               day
No Water
                     20 mL             40 mL




Plant 1    Plant 2           Plant 3
Things that might affect how
tall the plant grows could
include:
1. the amount of light
2. the temperature of the air
3. the kind of soil
What would be the problem if
we changed both the amount
of water and the type of soil
the plant is growing in at the
same time?
Sure, you wouldn’t know if the
growth was due to the water or
the type of soil.
Water                   Water
                         every                   every
                         day                     day
No Water                          Potting soil
Sandy soil   Clay soil
                          20 mL                   40 mL




Plant 1       Plant 2              Plant 3
Suppose the plant in the potting
soil that was given 40 mL of
water daily grew the tallest after
14 days?
Could we know whether the 40
mL of water or planting the plant
in potting soil had caused the
results?
Probably not: In order to make
correct conclusions when doing
experiments we must:
• have only one change
variable and
• control all other variables
that might affect the results—
keep them constant through out
the experiment.
Yes, you would have to plant
all plants in the same potting
soil, use the same kind of
pot, expose all plants to the
same amount of light and
keep the air temperature the
same.
So let’s look at that toy car on the
ramp again.
Now, you want to find out if making
the angle of the ramp higher would
make the car coast further.
So your question is:
Will increasing the angle of the
ramp make my car roll further?
•What would your change
variable be?
•What would your
responding variable be?
•What would
some of your
control
variables be?
Control variables?.
What’s wrong with this
picture?              MADE OF PLASTIC




                        MADE OF
                         WOOD
MADE OF PLASTIC




  MADE OF PLASTIC
Think you have it! To use the
scientific method to solve a
problem, you set up an
experiment to answer the
question:
What is the affect of the
change variable on the
responding variable?
Review
1. Change variable—the thing the
experimenter changes on purpose.
2. Responding variable-- what the
experimenter observes or measures to
see if the change variable is making a
difference.
3. The control variable—the other things
that could cause the responding variable
to change—must be kept the same.
1 of 45

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Scientific Method Variables (Teach)

  • 1. SCIENTIFIC METHOD Complemented by my slideshow Scientific Method Procedures By Moira Whitehouse PhD
  • 2. The scientific method is 1. One way scientists find out about the world around us. 2. Also a procedure scientists use to answer specific questions.
  • 3. In order to understand the Scientific Method, we first need to understand what a VARIABLE is
  • 4. A variable is anything in an experiment that can change.
  • 5. Here you see a car sitting on top of a ramp. You want to design a car that will roll down a ramp really fast. So you need to know what things affect how fast a car will roll down a ramp. What could you change about this car or ramp that might affect its speed?
  • 6. Yes, what could you change or do to make the car go faster. These ideas all make up something we call:
  • 8. There are three main kinds of variables 1. The change variable 2. The responding variable 3. The control variables
  • 9. Let’s look more closely at these three kinds of variables Remember the first is called the change variable.
  • 10. 1. The change variable is: • There can only be one change variable in any experiment. • The variable that the experimenter changes on purpose. • May also be called the independent variable. (two names for the same variable)
  • 11. In the experiment on the next page, identify the change variable—what is the one thing the experimenter changed with plant 1, 2 and 3?
  • 12. Water Water every every day day No Water 20 mL 40 mL Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3
  • 13. Yes, the experiment changed the amount of water that the plant receives each day.
  • 14. The second type of variable is 2. The responding variable
  • 15. 2. The responding variable is • What is measured or observed by the experimenter to see if the change variable caused a different result.
  • 16. The responding variable is sometimes called the dependent variable. (again, two names for the same variable) How this variable responds (goes faster, grows taller, warms up more, etc.) depends on the change (or independent) variable.
  • 17. Let’s look again at the experiment where the amount of water each plant received was changed. What could the experimenter observe or measure to see if the amount of water made a difference to the health of the plant?
  • 18. Water Water every every day day No Water 20 mL 40 mL Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3
  • 19. The experimenter could have, for example, counted the number of green leaves on each plant or he could have measured the height of the plants after 14 days.
  • 20. Some examples of responding variables in different experiments—things to be observed or measured are: The amount of water absorbed by two different brands of paper towels. How far a ball rolls from different ramp angles. The amount of feed eaten at a bird feeder in response to the type of seed in the feeder.
  • 21. Whenever possible the experimenter should measure, instead of just observing, the responding variable. In order to measure the responding variable the experimenter uses tools such as
  • 22. a metric ruler or meter stick To measure how far something moved.
  • 23. balance scale to measure the mass of something
  • 24. thermometer To measure how hot or cold something is
  • 25. What might the change variable be in this experiment on water evaporating? without fan with fan that moves the air What could be the responding variable in this experiment? Remember you should measure.
  • 26. PLASTIC STYROFOAM CUP OF CUP OF HOT HOT WATER WATER What might the change variable be in this experiment on keeping water hot? What might be the responding variable in this experiment? Remember you should measure.
  • 27. What would the What could be the change variable responding be in this variable in this experiment on experiment? how much heat Remember you different soils should measure. absorb?
  • 28. To use the scientific method to answer questions, we set up an experiment that changes just one thing and then we measure how that one change affects what we are interested in. The question is always “what is the effect of change variable on responding variable”?
  • 29. For example, in the case of our watering plants experiment, the question might be: How does the amount of water you give a plant (change variable) affect how tall the plant grows. (responding variable)?
  • 30. But there is more. In every experiment there is a third kind of variable called the control variable. Control variables are all those things in an experiment that you do not let change.
  • 31. • A control variable is any other variable (other than the change variable) that might affect the outcome of the experiment. • There may be many control variables in any experiment • Control variables must be kept constant between trials.
  • 32. Think back to our experiment asking the question: “How does the amount of water affect how tall the plant grows in 14 days?” What variables, other than the amount of water, could affect how tall the plant grows?
  • 33. Water Water every every day day No Water 20 mL 40 mL Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3
  • 34. Things that might affect how tall the plant grows could include: 1. the amount of light 2. the temperature of the air 3. the kind of soil
  • 35. What would be the problem if we changed both the amount of water and the type of soil the plant is growing in at the same time? Sure, you wouldn’t know if the growth was due to the water or the type of soil.
  • 36. Water Water every every day day No Water Potting soil Sandy soil Clay soil 20 mL 40 mL Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3
  • 37. Suppose the plant in the potting soil that was given 40 mL of water daily grew the tallest after 14 days? Could we know whether the 40 mL of water or planting the plant in potting soil had caused the results?
  • 38. Probably not: In order to make correct conclusions when doing experiments we must: • have only one change variable and • control all other variables that might affect the results— keep them constant through out the experiment.
  • 39. Yes, you would have to plant all plants in the same potting soil, use the same kind of pot, expose all plants to the same amount of light and keep the air temperature the same.
  • 40. So let’s look at that toy car on the ramp again. Now, you want to find out if making the angle of the ramp higher would make the car coast further. So your question is: Will increasing the angle of the ramp make my car roll further?
  • 41. •What would your change variable be? •What would your responding variable be? •What would some of your control variables be?
  • 42. Control variables?. What’s wrong with this picture? MADE OF PLASTIC MADE OF WOOD
  • 43. MADE OF PLASTIC MADE OF PLASTIC
  • 44. Think you have it! To use the scientific method to solve a problem, you set up an experiment to answer the question: What is the affect of the change variable on the responding variable?
  • 45. Review 1. Change variable—the thing the experimenter changes on purpose. 2. Responding variable-- what the experimenter observes or measures to see if the change variable is making a difference. 3. The control variable—the other things that could cause the responding variable to change—must be kept the same.