Scientific Method Study Guide

Fill in the blank: Use the following words to fill in the blanks:

Procedures Materials Experiment

Experimental Group Control Group Data Safety Goggles

1. A ______includes the part or parts of an experiment that are left unchanged.

2. The most important piece of lab safety equipment is ______.

3. An ______is a test designed to answer the question stated in the purpose.

4. ______is a record of the results of an experiment that is later organized into a graph to make information easy to read and analyze.

5. An ______includes the part of parts of an experiment that are changed and tested.

6. A list of items needed to conduct an experiment is called ______.

7. ______are step-by-step set of directions for testing the hypothesis.

Multiple Choice

Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

8. A ______is used to show percentage or fractions of the whole.

a. / Circle Graph / c. / Bar Graph
b. / Pictograph / d. / Line Graph

9. Warmer water temperature will increase the heart rate of a fish.

Which type of variable correctly describes “warmer water”?

a. / Constant Variable / c. / Dependent Variable
b. / Independent Variable

Use this graph to answer questions 10 and 11.

10. Use the graph to choose the correct conclusion based on the data given in the graph.

a. / The greater the volume of water, the less time it takes to boil. / c. / The greater the volume of water, the longer it takes to boil.
b. / The amount of water does not affect the time it takes the water to boil. / d. / Water will always boil in 20 minutes.

11. Looking at the graph above, how long did it take for 1500 milliliters of water to boil?

a. / 40 minutes / c. / 20 minutes
b. / 30 minutes / d. / 10 minutes

12. More light will increase the movement of mealworms.

Which variable correctly identifies “movement of meal worms”?

a. / Independent Variable / c. / Dependent Variable
b. / Constant Variable

Use this graph below to answer questions 13, 14 and 15.

13. When the ball had 8 PSI of pressure, how high did ball bounce?

a. / 40 cm / c. / 67 cm
b. / 125 cm / d. / 80 cm

14. How much air pressure did the basketball have if it bounced 67cm?

a. / 8 PSI / c. / 6 PSI
b. / 4 PSI / d. / 12 PSI

15. Use the graph above to choose the correct conclusion based on the data given in the graph.

a. / The higher the air pressure is, the higher the ball will bounce. / c. / Air pressure does not affect the height of a ball’s bounce
b. / The lower the air pressure amount, the higher the ball will bounce. / d. / You cannot make a conclusion from this graph.

16. A graph that uses bars to compare results that are totals such as time, width, distance, temperature,

height and length is called a:

a. / Bar Graph / c. / Line Graph
b. / Line Plot / d. / Circle Graph

17. What characteristics must be true of a good purpose?

a. / All of the above / c. / It must be clearly written
b. / It can be answered by measuring something / d. / It should start with the verb “does”

18. After a scientist has analyzed the data from their experiment, they then must summarize the results to help explain their findings. This step of the scientific method is called:

a. / Conclusion / c. / Analysis
b. / Research / d. / Procedure

19. A type of graph that is used to show how data changes over time is called a:

a. / Bar Graph / c. / Pie Chart
b. / Circle Graph / d. / Line Graph

20. Read the following research question and identify the correct constant variable.

Which type of soda has more sugar: Brand X, Brand Y or Brand Z?

a. / Type of soda / c. / The color of the soda
b. / Amount of sugar / d. / Amount of soda

21. Which of the following topics would be considered a “good” topic and NOT too general?

a. / Volcanoes around the world / c. / Water conservation
b. / Meal worms / d. / Best brand of batteries

22. Read the following research questions and identify the correct dependent variable.

What amount of sunlight makes pea plants grow tallest?

a. / Amount of sunlight / c. / Type of plant
b. / Amount of soil / d. / Height the plant grows

23. Which of the following shows the six steps of the scientific method in order from first to last?

a. / Procedure, Research, Purpose, Hypothesis, Analysis, Conclusion / c. / Procedure, Research, Hypothesis, Purpose, Analysis, Conclusion
b. / Hypothesis, Procedure, Research, Conclusion, Analysis, Purpose / d. / Purpose, Research, Hypothesis, Procedure, Analysis, Conclusion

24. After a scientist completes his/her experiment they examine their data in detail and look for patterns that will help them answer their “Big Question”. This step of the scientific method is called:

a. / Analysis / c. / Conclusion
b. / Procedure / d. / Purpose

Matching

a. / Scientific Method / d. / Research
b. / Scientific Inquiry / e. / Hypothesis
c. / Purpose / f. / Variables

25. _____ All the factors that can change in an experiment, possibly affecting the results

26. ____A series of steps scientists use to design and conduct investigations to explore possible answers to questions.

27. _____ The “Big Question” that explains what the scientist wants to learn from his/her investigation.

28. _____The process scientists use to find answers to questions they have about the world around them

29. _____The gathering of information that will help a scientist form a prediction about what will occur in his/her experiment

30. _____An educated guess or prediction about what will happen in an experiment.

Make sure you know:

How to operate a fire extinguisher?

What are the main branches of Earth Science?

Know the basic lab safety rules.

Scientific Method Study Guide

Answer Section

COMPLETION

1. ANS: control group

PTS: 1

2. ANS: mean

PTS: 1

3. ANS: Experiment

PTS: 1

4. ANS: data

PTS: 1

5. ANS: Experimental Group

PTS: 1

6. ANS: materials

PTS: 1

7. ANS: procdures

PTS: 1

MULTIPLE CHOICE

8. ANS: A PTS: 1

9. ANS: B PTS: 1

10. ANS: C PTS: 1

11. ANS: B PTS: 1

12. ANS: C PTS: 1

13. ANS: B PTS: 1

14. ANS: C PTS: 1

15. ANS: A PTS: 1

16. ANS: A PTS: 1

17. ANS: A PTS: 1

18. ANS: A PTS: 1

19. ANS: D PTS: 1

20. ANS: D PTS: 1

21. ANS: D PTS: 1

22. ANS: D PTS: 1

23. ANS: D PTS: 1

24. ANS: A PTS: 1

MATCHING

25. ANS: F PTS: 1

26. ANS: A PTS: 1

27. ANS: C PTS: 1

28. ANS: B PTS: 1

29. ANS: D PTS: 1

30. ANS: E PTS: 1