Scientific Method and Measurement Review

What is the best conclusion for the data shown in the table?

• A. Plants grow best in yellow light.

• B. Plants grow best in white light.

• C. Plants grow the least in blue light.

• D. The color of light has little effect on plant growth.

What is the independent variable in the student’s experiment?

• The pH of the soil.

• The height of the bean sprouts

• The amount of water

• The amount of vinegar-water mixture

What is the dependent variable in the student’s experiment?

• The pH of the soil.

• The height of the bean sprouts

• The amount of water

• The amount of vinegar-water mixture

What is the best explanation for why they did not get the exact same results?

• They did not follow the same steps so neither experiment is valid.

• The steps of the scientific method must be followed in order, the students should repeat their experiments using the same steps.

• The scientific method can have different steps and therefore, the results of both experiments could be valid.

• Since they did not follow the same steps, only one student has valid results.

Which of the following is not a constant in this experiment? Choose all that apply.

• The length of the experiment

• The sunny window sill

• The pH of the soil

• The pots the bean sprouts were placed in

• The amount of water

What is the difference between a theory and scientific law?

• A. A theory has been tested many times; a law has never been tested

• B. A theory is an educated guess that explains phenomena; a law is widely accepted but not always true.

• C. A theory is proven true under all conditions; a law is a simple explanation of phenomena. A theory has been tested many times; a law has never been tested

• D. A theory is a widely accepted explanation; a law is always proven true under certain conditions.

Which of the following is NOT a limitation of using models?

• A. Science is always changing.

• B. They do not always represent the object(s) in complete or correct detail.

• C. Models cannot be used to represent every object or phenomena.

• D. Models are exact replicas of what they represent.

What is the independent variable in the student’s experiment?

• the type of plants

• the vinegar mixture

• the amount of water

• the height of the bean sprouts

What could each student do to improve the validity of their experiment?

• A. Repeat the experiment again, exactly as it was done the first time.

• B. Repeat the experiment using the steps the other student used.

• C. Show the results of their experiment to the teacher.

• D. Repeat the experiment using a different hypothesis.

What is the control in the student’s experiment?

• The sunny window sill

• The pots the bean sprouts were placed in

• The pots that received the vinegar-water mixture

• The pot that received only water