QUIZ: Scientific Methods

QUIZ: Scientific Methods1. The scientific method was developed to help scientists organize the process of solving problems.

TrueFalse2. Which of these is not a step of the scientific method?HypothesisExperimentConclusionPlagiary

3. Which of these words is NOT associated with the scientific methodDisorganizedOrganizedDataControl4. A hypothesis is...A random thoughtAn answerAn educated guessAn experiment5. Which of these would be called results?Counting fruit fliesNumber of fruit fliesSeeing fruit flies on an appleWondering Why fruit flies are on apples6. What do you do to test a hypothesis?GuessCreate a spreadsheet with dataPublish a specific dataDesign an experiment 7. A control group is used as a comparison to the group where things (variables) are changing.TrueFalse8. An independent variable is a factor that changes because of procedures conducted on the dependent variable.TrueFalse9. Experiments are usually conducted one time and by one team to speed up the scientific process.TrueFalse 10. Experiments often test multiple variables.TrueFalseAnswers1. The scientific method was developed to help scientists organize the process of solving problems.

TrueThe scientific method is an objective step-by-step way of studying the world. When scientists have a question about the world around them, they use these methods to explain and answer that question. The scientific method can also be used to confirm or find problems with the statements of another scientist or person. The entire process requires observable and quantifiable evidence and data.2. Which of these is not a step of the scientific method?d. PlagiaryThere are about six basic steps in the scientific method of solving problems. You have to start with a problem or question and then develop a hypothesis that offers an answer to the question. You then develop and perform an experiment and record your results. You finish with an analysis of your results and develop a conclusion that would (hopefully) answer the original question3. Which of these words is NOT associated with the scientific methodDisorganizedThe scientific method creates an organized framework that helps scientists (and everyone) solve problems. As you complete an experiment that tests a variable and has controls in place, you record data and results. When your experiment is over, you analyze the data to see if your hypothesis was correct. From there, you can go on to develop new hypotheses and experiments.4. A hypothesis is...c. An educated guessA hypothesis is an educated guess that offers a possible answer to a problem. An experiment must be developed to prove the accuracy of the hypothesis5. Which of these would be called results?b. Number of fruit fliesThe number of fruit flies is the only choice that provides data and results. Counting fruit flies is a part of your procedures. Seeing fruit flies on an apple might inspire you to wonder why fruit flies are on apples. The choices represent hypothesis, experiment, observation, and results.6. What do you do to test a hypothesis?d. Design an experiment The first step to test a hypothesis is to design an experiment that tests one variable. Experiments work with variables (changing factors) and controls (unchanging factors). You will often use a spreadsheet to organize your observed data. If you have an original experiment with useful results, you might go on to publish your paper for other scientists7. A control group is used as a comparison to the group where things (variables) are changing.TrueThe control group of an experiment is a group that is not experimented on. Only one factor is changed for the experimental group. All of the other factors are the same for both groups. For example, if you wanted to see what happened when you increase UV radiation on plants, you would have a control group that did not have any different UV levels. They would be used as a baseline or static group in the experiment.8. An independent variable is a factor that changes because of procedures conducted on the dependent variable.b. FalseThe opposite is true. A dependent variable is a factor that changes because of procedures conducted on the independent variable. If you were exposing plants to UV light, the independent variable is the exposure to UV light or not. The dependent variable is the death rate or growth rate of the plants9. Experiments are usually conducted one time and by one team to speed up the scientific process.TrueExperiments are performed dozens and hundreds to times before a scientific statement is accepted as a truth. The experiment would be performed using the same procedures. To prove the original hypothesis, the other testing teams must be able to generate the same results using the same procedures.10. Experiments often test multiple variables.b. FalseExperiments test for one independent variable. There can be multiple dependent variables that change during the procedures. You can have an experiment that tests different levels of UV light exposure on plants. That is the only variable you will test. All other factors need to remain the same so that when you look at your results you can say that exposure to UV light led to these specific results.