Name ______Stimulus and Response MYP Summative 2.3: Criterion C Processing and Evaluating

Name ______Stimulus and ResponseMYP Summative 2.3: Criterion C Processing and Evaluating

Adapted from

In science, we collect, process and interpret data, and explain conclusions that have been reached. In this experiment, we will measure how various factors affect reaction time in order to do the following:

present and transform collected data in the form of data tables
interpret data and describe results using what you know about the nervous system
discuss the validity of your hypothesis based on the outcome of the investigation
describe improvements or extensions to the method

Problem Which sense do you think is faster for a ruler drop: visual, auditory, or tactile?

Materials *Meter sticks *Calculators

Vocabulary Check Point

______internal or external change that causes a response(e.g. hot pot/antigen on pathogen/ increase in blood glucose)

______a reaction caused by a stimulus(e.g. drop the pot/ immune response/ insulin release)

______the interval of time between application of a stimulus and detection of a response

Hypothesis My fastest sense is ______because ______

______

Procedure

1) You will be working in pairs: the experimenter will hold the top of the ruler (near the highest number) and the subject will place his/her fingers just below the 0 mark on the ruler, but not touching the ruler.

2) The ruler will be dropped and the subject must try to catch it as fast as possible. Record the distance the ruler traveled in centimeters (cm).

3) Repeat the procedure 4 times for a total of 5 times and record the data on your formative practice sheet.

4) Repeat the procedure 5 times with each modification. Record the data on your formative practice sheet.

Modification 1: Auditory

Subject catching the ruler has their eyes closed. Experimenter who is dropping the ruler is going to say ‘drop’ as they release it.

Modification 2: Tactile

Subject catching the ruler has their eyes closed. Experimenter who is dropping the ruler is going to slightly touchthe subject as they release it.

5) Switch roles and repeat the procedure. Record the data on your formative practice sheet.

6) Average your data and then average your partner’s data. Record this data in the table provided.

Pause for the Cause: Call your teacher over to do some formative practice. Teacher’s initials ___

7) Convert your average centimeters data into time in seconds using the given conversion chart. If the average centimeters are not listed on the chart, you can calculate it using the following formula: t= √ [2(cm)/980]. Record this data in the table provided.

Formative Practice Sheet for Data Table Rough Draft

Data

Average Reaction in Centimeters
Subject 1: Subject 2:
Visual / Auditory / Tactile / Visual / Auditory / Tactile
Average Reaction Converted from Centimeters to Time (seconds)
Subject 1: Subject 2:
Visual / Auditory / Tactile / Visual / Auditory / Tactile
Centimeters / Time (seconds) / Centimeters / Time (seconds)
3.0 / 0.08 / 10.0 / 0.14
4.0 / 0.09 / 11.0 / 0.15
5.0 / 0.10 / 12.0 / 0.16
6.0 / 0.11 / 13.0 / 0.16
7.0 / 0.12 / 14.0 / 0.17
8.0 / 0.13 / 15.0 / 0.17
9.0 / 0.14 / 16.0 / 0.18

Conclusion

Questions related to the scientific method:

Use quantitative data to describe the effect of the independent variable on reaction time (the dependent variable).
Was your hypothesis supported or refuted? Explain.
In your opinion, what was effective about the method of testing that you used?
In your opinion, what wasn’t effective about the method of testing that you used? Where did you notice experimental error?
What are three ways that you could increase the validity/reliability of your results?

Questions related to our unit on cellular communication:

Explain what processes happened in your body in order for you to catch the ruler.
What’s another variable we could test with a ruler drop experiment?

______

Teacher notes:

It would be easy to allow this experiment to be more inquiry based. All students could complete the control portion of the experiment in the same way. Then, instead of testing auditory and tactile prompts, they can pick their own independent variable. Some ideas are:

Using their non-dominant hand to catch

Catching with 2 different fingers instead of thumb and pointer

Spinning around in a circle 5 times and then catching

Catching while also holding their tongue straight out

Catching while humming at the same time

Snapping first and then catching

The possibilities are endless! Let me know how it goes!

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SUMMATIVE 2.3 CHECKLIST

My final copy data tables each have a descriptive title.

I am displaying data for both me and my partner on my final copy page.

All my numbers have a tenths place (e.g. 13.0, 52.7) except for my final average reaction times which go to the hundredths place (e.g. .14 ).

All my numbers are either labeled cm or sec.

My averages are displayed as part of my final copy data tables. I averaged by adding up the five numbers and dividing by 5.

In the “Average Reaction in Centimeters” chart that is below my final copy data tables, I put all the data in the correct spot.

I did all the conversions twice on the calculator to be sure I didn’t make an error.

My conclusion contains our final average reaction times in seconds.

Examples to Get You Started

Subject 1 had the fastest reaction rate (.17 seconds) to the auditory stimulus but subject 2 had the fastest reaction rate (.14 seconds) to the tactile stimulus.
Both subject 1 and subject 2 had the fastest reaction to the visual stimulus (.14 seconds and .17 seconds, respectively).