Scientific Inquiry study guide

Read through each sentence carefully. Click on each space and scroll through choices and pick which makes the most sense to complete the sentence. 1. During a scientific investigation, collecting greater amounts of data through repeated trials is better, because that will increase the validityof the results.2. Scientists use tables and graphsto present the data that has been collected.3. What variable can be added to a data table before actually collecting data? manipulated4. The constants in a scientific investigation are variables that may affect the results but we don’t want them to so the experimenter tries to keep them the same.5. If we were conducting an experiment to see if an increased heart rate affected a person’s ability to solve math problems, we can make the assumption that all the test subjects heart rate will increase after two minutes of jogging in place.6. An opinion is statement someone makes without really backing it up with evidence.7. If a scientist was to inject a previously untested drug into a 10 year child with diabetes, such a practice would be considered unethical .8. The number of push ups a student can perform after being given a caffeinated drink would be the dependent or responding variable in the investigation.9. Fossils that have been dug up from layers in the earth, physical molecular similarities between organism is some of the evidence used to support the theory of evolution.10. If a student claims that listening to classical music will increase a person’s math ability, but the resulting data of the investigation shows lower scores, we say the data refutes their hypothesis. 11. Experiments don’t prove a hypothesis, the data collected either supports or refutes the hypothesis.12. In conducting an investigation to see if the ability of mice to learn a maze is affected by lack of sleep, making sure the maze is the same for each group of mice would be a constant .13. Scientific explanations are accepted when they are consistent with experimental and observational evidence.14. In science, data generally refers to the results of trials, or tests, completed during experiments.15. Column headings of a data table need to include units of measurement of the data being recorded.16. The manipulated (independent) variable is labeled on the X- axis of a graph..17. When scaling an axis on a graph it must be done in even intervals, in other words, every space or block must be equal value.18. When taking the data from a table and scaling the axis, it is always helpful to identify the greatest value in the data table column. That value should be located near the end of the axis you are scaling.19. An appropriate first step in designing an experiment would be to research the problem using a variety of credible sources.20. To get valid results in a test to determine if drug A would be effective in treating cancer in white mice, the researcher would inject 1 mL of drug A into 100 white mice with cancer and 1 mL of distilled water into another group of 100 white mice with cancer. 21. “ Environmental conditions affect the pollination of plants” , would be a possible hypothesis of a scientific investigation.22. In a scientific investigation, after the question is defined, the next step is most likely to formulate a hypothesis.23. If conducting an experiment to see how the time of light exposure affects the glucose production of a plant, the time of light exposure is the independent (manipulated) variable.24. Graphs constructed of the data from laboratory investigations are used to observe general trends in data.25. A theory can be described as a general statement that is supported by many scientific observations.26. The control set up in an experiment differs from the other set up groups in the same experiment because it does not receive the experimental treatment (independent variable).27. An assumption is something accepted as true that may or may not actually be true.28. An inference can be made based on the facts or evidence.29. Scientists can use models to explain or demonstrate a process or structure; or can use it to predict what might occur in a new situation.30. The control in an experiment does not receive the experimental application, and used for comparison.31. When constructing a graph you should first label the axes with the appropriate variable and the correct units of measure.32. Peer review is the process by which scientists carefully examine the of other scientists to looks for possible flaws in their experimental design or their interpretation of the results.