Scientific Method

Steps in the Scientific

 Gathered
through your
senses
 A scientist
notices
something in
their natural
world
 Observations
 An example of an
observation might
be noticing that
many salamanders
near a pond have
curved, not
straight, tails
 Hypothesis
 A suggested
solution to the
problem.
 Must be testable
 Sometimes written
as If…Then…
statements
 Predicts an
outcome
 Hypothesis
 An example of a
hypothesis might
be that the
salamanders have
curved tails due to
a pollutant in the
moist soil where
they live.
 Experiment

 A procedure
to test the
hypothesis.
 Experiment

Variable –
factor in the
experiment
that is being
tested
 Experiment

A good or
“valid”
experiment
will only have
ONE
variable!
Controls and Variables
Scientific Experiments Follow
Rules
 An
experimenter
changes one
factor and
observes or
measures what
happens.
The Control Variable
The experimenter makes a
special effort to keep other
factors constant so that they
will not effect the outcome.
 Those factors are called

control variables.
What is the Purpose of a
Control?

 Controls are NOT being

COMPARISON
 Other Variables
 The factor that is changed is
known as the independent
variable.
 The factor that is measured or
observed is called the dependent
variable.
 Example of Controls &
Variables
 For example, suppose you want to figure out
the fastest route to walk home from school.
 You will try several different routes and
time how long it takes you to get home by
each one.
 Since you are only interested in finding a
route that is fastest for you, you will do
the walking yourself.
What are the Variables in
Your Experiment?
 Varying the route is the
independent variable
 The time it takes is the
dependent variable
 Keeping the same walker
throughout makes the walker a
control variable.
One more thing… it is best
to make several trials with
each independent variable.
Valid Experiments
 Remember: To be a Valid
Experiment:
 Two groups are required ---
the control & experimental
groups
 There should be only one
variable
 Data
 Results of the
experiment
 May be
quantitative or
qualitative
 Data
 Must be
organized
 Can be
organized into
charts,
tables, or
graphs
 Conclusion

 The answer to
the hypothesis
based on the
data obtained
from the
experiment
 Retest

In order to
verify the
results,
experiments
must be
retested.
Review
 Solving a Problem
1)Identify a Problem
2) State Observations about
the problem
3) Form a Hypothesis about
the problem (if…then…)
4) Design an Experiment to
test the hypothesis
5) Collect Data
6) Form a Conclusion
7) Retest
Scientific Case Study #1
 Scientific Method Case Studies #1 Oil Spill Case
Study In 2010, an explosion on an oil rig caused a
terrible oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. As oil started
washing up on shore, the area wildlife was
drastically affected. A scientist wonders how do
different amounts of water pollution affect the
height of radish plants? He thinks that the plants
with the most pollution will not grow as tall. He
plants ten seeds in dirt in separate cups and gives
them water every day. He has mixed the water
with different amounts of motor oil (as pollution).
He gives each tree a different level of pollution.
He continues this for several weeks, and measures
the height of each plant and finds that the more
pollution the less the plant grew.
Scientific Case Study #2
 A student wondered how hormones affected plant
growth and wanted to test the hypothesis that
rooting hormones will stimulate the production of
new roots at a faster rate than would take place
without rooting hormones. Two stem cuttings of
equal length were taken from a geranium plant.
The cut end of one plant was dipped into the
hormone and then planted in wet sand. The other
cutting was planted in wet sand without dipping
it into the hormone. Both cuttings were given
water and sunlight. After 4 weeks, both cuttings
were removed from the sand and the lengths of
the roots that had developed were measured and
found to be the same