GCSE Practicals: Key Questions

1. What hypothesis does your practical test?

Key Definition:
Hypothesis - An idea or explanation that you want to test. It is the starting point of any
experiment (practical).

2. What is the independent variable in the practical? How is this measured?

Key Definition:
Independent variable - The variable that is changed by the investigator.

We only change one independent variable at a time. Otherwise, if you measure a change in the
dependent variable, you won't know which variable has caused the change.

3. What is the dependent variable in this practical? How is this measured?

Key Definition:
Dependent Variable - The variable that is measured by the investigator to see how it responds
to changes in the independent variable.

You can measure more than one dependent variable at a time.

4. What are the control variables in your practical? How can they affect the DV?

Key Definitions:
Control Variable - Variables that must be kept constant (the same) during the experiment.

Control variables are kept constant because they could affect the dependent variable and the
outcome of the experiment.

If control variables are not kept constant, you may measure a change in the dependent
variable but you won't know whether it is the independent variable that is causing the change
or the control variable.

If all the control variables are kept constant, we say that the experiment is a 'fair test'.

Fair Test - An experiment where only the independent variable has been allowed to affect the
dependent variable.

This is also known as a controlled scientific investigation.

5. Describe the steps of the practical.

6. What is the purpose of the control?
Key Definitions:
Control - The control experiment is when the experiment is repeated without the independent
variable.

The control experiment demonstrates if any changes observed are truly due to the independent
variable or if there is an alternative explanation for your results.
7. Why are several measurements taken? (if applicable)
Key Definitions:
Repeatable - An investigation is said to be repeatable if similar results are obtained when it is
repeated under the same conditions by the same person (or by the same group scientists).

If you obtain data that does not fit the pattern, it is known as an anomaly.
Repeatable can be more reliable because you can identify anomalies and then calculate your
mean without them.

Anomaly - Results which do not fit the expected pattern. These values are said to vary more
than the variation that you would expect due to random uncertainty.

Anomalous results should be excluded from your mean calculation and repeated, otherwise
your results may not be valid.

Concordant - Results that are similar.

8. Plot a graph (if applicable) to illustrate the findings of the practical.

Key Definition:

Line of best fit - A line which roughly goes through or lies close to all the points on a scatter
plot.

It is used to:
Illustrate the relationship between two variables
Interpolate - Finding values from a graph within the range originally measured
Extrapolate - Finding values from a graph outside the range originally measured. It is
achieved by extending the line on a graph in order to estimate values that lie beyond
the plotted data.

9. Explain the findings of the practical.

10. Are there any particular sources of error in your practical? How can these errors be
minimised?

11. What are the hazards in the practical? What safety precautions are used to minimise/control
for these hazards.
Key Definitions:
Risk Assessment - A risk assessment is a careful examination of what could cause harm to
people during a scientific investigation and planning ways to prevent this harm from
happening.

Hazard - A hazard is a dangerous object. It is any object that has the potential to cause harm
during the course of the experiment.

Risk - Explains how a hazardous object causes harm. It is also used to describe the probability
of a hazard causing harmful consequences.

Control measure - Measures that can be implemented to minimise a risk.

12. How could this practical be extended or altered to test other hypotheses?