Sponge Bob conducted an experiment to test his hypothesis that fish exposed to microwaved food would swim through a maze faster. He microwaved food for 20 seconds for one group of 10 fish and gave regular food to another group of 10 fish. After a week, he recorded the times for each fish to swim through the maze. The results showed that most fish in both groups had faster times in the second trial but there was no clear difference between the groups, indicating microwaved food did not affect maze swimming speed.

1. Name: ______________________________________________________________________ Hour: ___________
Earth Science - Scientific Method
1. Sponge Bob Squarepants believes that fish that eat food exposed to microwaves
will become smarter and would be able to swim through a maze faster. He
decides to perform an experiment by placing food in a microwave for 20
seconds. He has the fish swim through a maze and records the time it takes for
each one to make it to the end. He feeds the special food to 10 fish and gives
regular food to 10 others. After 1 week he has the fish swim through the maze
again and records the times for each.
Special Food Group (time in seconds)
Fish 1 2 3 4 5
Trial 1 time 66 144 124 135 87
Trial 2 time 60 80 117 140 80
Regular Food Group (time in seconds)
Fish 1 2 3 4 5
Trial 1 time 69 105 120 90 88
Trial 2 time 68 90 125 83 84
a) What was Sponge Bob’s hypothesis?
b) What fish are the control group?
c) What is the independent variable?
d) What is the dependent variable?
e) Look at the results in the charts. What should Sponge Bob’s conclusion be?
2. Look at the following questions. Can they be answered using the scientific method?
Support your answer.
a) Given three different types of chocolate chip cookie, determine which is the
best
b) What kind of gas gets you better gas mileage; regular, mid-grade or
premium?

2. 3. Use the graph below to answer the following questions:
4. Look at the pictures below and label them as precise (P), accurate (A), both (B)
or neither (N).
5. A botanist wants to do an experiment testing what color light plants grow the
best under. What factors must she be aware of to make sure that the color light
a) What is the independent variable?
b) The dependent variable?
c) Describe what the graph is showing you.
d) What is the temperature in December?
e) What is the temperature range found at Elk
Creek Station 6?

3. the plant is being grown under is the only variable being tested?
6. Why is it important to recognize sources of error in an experiment?