UNIT 1: The Scientific Method

DAYSHEET 8: Experimental Design Bouncing Slime Lab Name: _______________________________

Biology I
Date: _______________

BELLRINGER:
Directions: Write a definition for each of the following in your own words (use your notes from last class to help you) 1. Independent Variable: _______________________________________________ 2. Dependent Variable: ________________________________________________ 3. Control Group:_____________________________________________________ 4. Experimental Group:________________________________________________ 5. Constants: ________________________________________________________ Directions: Practice picking out the important parts of an experiment in the example below: Bart believes that mice exposed to microwaves will become extra strong. He decides to perform this experiment by placing 10 female mice in a microwave for 10 seconds. He compared these 10 mice to another 10 female mice that had not been exposed. His test consisted of a heavy block of wood that blocked the mouse food. He found that 8 out of 10 of the microwaved mice were able to push the block away. 7 out of 10 of the non-microwaved mice were able to do the same. Who is running the experiment? _______________________________

The Important Part Is Independent Variable

NOW YOU TAKE OVER!

In The Experiment This Is

Dependent Variable

Experimental Group(s)

Control Group

Constants

Activity 1: Experimental Design Practice EXAMPLE 1: Teacher Demo The Important Part Is Independent Variable In The Demo This Is

Dependent Variable

Experimental Group(s)

Control Group

Constants

EXAMPLE 2: Brainpop The Important Part Is Independent Variable In The Video This Is

Dependent Variable

Experimental Group(s)

Control Group

Constants

EXAMPLE 4:

A student wants to test the effectiveness of a new cleanser against bacteria. In her experiment she divides a countertop in half. She wipes half of the counter with the new cleanser 3 times. She wipes the other half with water 3 times. The student then took samples from each and transferred the sample to a petri dish. The students counted the number of bacterial colonies that grew on each petri dish. Who is running the experiment? _______________________________

NOW YOU TAKE OVER!

The Important Part Is Independent Variable

In The Experiment This Is

Dependent Variable

Experimental Group(s)

Control Group

Constants

Activity 2: Bouncing Slime Lab Problem: What ingredients will make slime that can bounce the highest? Materials: Glue Borax solution Plastic spoons Ruler

Water Corn starch Paper towels Cups

Experimental Design: Your groups job is to try and figure out which combination of ingredients (glue, borax solution, water, and corn starch) will produce slime that will bounce the highest. Remember, in order for this to be a fair test, you can only test _____ factor at a time! 1. Decide which of the factors below your group will test. Circle this factor. Amount of borax solution Amount of glue Amount of water Amount of cornstarch

2. Write your scientific question and hypothesis: How does ___________________________________________________________________ affect______________________________________________________________________?

If __________________________________________________________________________ then_______________________________________________________________________. 3. Identify the independent and dependent variables INDEPENDENT VARIABLE What is being changed on purpose? What is the cause? DEPENDENT VARIABLE What will I measure? What is the effect?

4. Design your groups / set-ups (recipes) *Remember to change only one factor! You should NOT increase any factor by more than double. Ingredients Amount of warm water Amount of Borax Solution Amount of Glue Amount of Corn starch Set-up #1: Original Slime Recipe 6 spoonfuls Set-up #2: Your Recipe

1 spoonful

3 spoonfuls

3 spoonfuls

5. Identify the constants and control group CONSTANTS Which variables (factors) are exactly the same for all the groups or setups? CONTROL GROUP Which experimental setup represents the normal condition that I will compare the others to?

STOP: YOUR TEACHER MUST APPROVE YOUR EXPERIMENT DESIGN BEFORE YOU CAN MOVE INTO LAB! Teachers Initials: _______________

Procedure: Check off each step as you complete it! ____STEP 1: Measure the correct amount of water and put it in your cup ____STEP 2: Measure the correct amount of borax and add it the cup ____ STEP 3: Measure the correct amount of glue and add it to the cup ____ STEP 4: Measure the correct amount of corn starch and add it to the cup ____ STEP 5: DONT STIR RIGHT AWAY! Allow the mixture to sit for 10 15 seconds before you stir it. After waiting, stir the mixture until you can no longer stir. ____ STEP 6: Take the solid slime out and knead it with your hands into a ball for 5 minutes ____ STEP 7: Bounce your slime and use a ruler to measure how high it bounces. Hold the ruler on the counter as shown below. Drop the slime from the height of the ruler. Try to estimate how high the ball bounces in cm. Record it in the data table below. Set-up #1: Original Slime Recipe Height of Slime Bounce (cm) Set-up #2: Your Recipe

Draw Conclusions: Please answer the following in complete sentences! Should you accept or reject your hypothesis? Why? Explain using your data! ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

If you were to do the experiment again, how could you improve it to make your results more reliable? _____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

HW8: More Experimental Design Practice Name: __________________________

Biology I Date: ___________________

A scientist hypothesizes that homing pigeons use their sense of smell to find their way home. She tests this idea on two groups of pigeons. She releases the 10 pigeons in Group 1 and records the direction of their flight. The 10 pigeons in Group 2 are given a substance that blocks their sense of smell for a short time. The scientist then releases them and records the direction of their flight.

In The Experiment This Is The Important Part Is Independent Variable

Dependent Variable

Experimental Group(s)

Control Group

Constants