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Scientific Method. Steps of Scientific Method. Ask a Question / Identify a Problem Research Make a Hypothesis Design an Experiment Organize & Analyze Data Make a Conclusion Repeat experiment OR Change hypothesis. Experiments. Control D oes not change or not tested
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Steps of Scientific Method • Ask a Question / Identify a Problem • Research • Make a Hypothesis • Design an Experiment • Organize & Analyze Data • Make a Conclusion • Repeat experiment OR Change hypothesis
Experiments • Control • Does not change or not tested • Independent Variable (manipulated) • The thing that is being tested & changed by the researcher • Dependent Variable (responding) • The results or outcome of the experiment
Validity • Sample size • Number of items being tested • Trial • How many times the test is run • Large sample size Less trials • Small sample size More trials • Minimum of 3 trials needed to find an average
Data • Qualitative (quality…is observed) • Cleaner clothes, fresher breath, etc • Quantitative (quantity…is measured) • Height (12”), time (35 seconds) • Data can be recorded in a table
Patty Power • Problem: People have a lot of gas after eating Krabby patties & Mr. Krabs thinks its the special sauce that is causing the gas production so he makes a new sauce and wants to see if it really works. • Hypothesis: “If I substitute the old sauce with the new sauce, then people will not have gas.” • Experiment (100 customers with gas) • 50 (Group A) eat crabby patties with the new sauce. • 50 (Group B) eat crabby patties with the old sauce. • Both groups were told that they were getting the new sauce.
Independent Variable (what is being tested?) • New sauce • Dependent Variable (what are the results?) • Less gas • Control Group (the group that was not being tested) • Group B (Old Sauce)
Results (2 hours after eating crabby patties) • 30 customers in group A reported having fewer gas problems • 8 customers in group B reported having fewer gas problems.
Conclusion (Did he prove his hypothesis?) • Yes…more people reported less gas when they ate the New Sauce • What about the 8 in group B that had the old sauce? • Placebo effect – Occurs when people believe they are experiencing the effect of something even if they did not receive the treatment • In this case, it is possible that the 8 people thought they had less gas
Slimotosis • SpongeBob notices that his pal Gary is suffering from slimotosis, which occurs when the shell develops a nasty slime and gives off a horrible odor. • His friend Patrick tells him that rubbing seaweed on the shell is the perfect cure, while Sandy says that drinking Dr. Kelp will be a better cure. • SpongeBob decides to test this cure by rubbing Gary with seaweed for 1 week and having him drink Dr. Kelp Cola for a week. • After a week of treatment, the slime is gone and Gary’s shell smells better.
Initial Observation? • Gary was covered in smelly slime • Independent Variable • Seaweed AND Dr Kelp Cola • Problem with the design? • 2 variables…he must test them one at a time • Dependent Variable • No more smelly slime (it worked!)
Marshmallow Muscles • Larry was told that a certain muscle cream was the newest best thing on the market and claims to double a person’s muscle power when used as part of a muscle-building workout. • He buys the special muscle cream and recruits Patrick and SpongeBob to help him with an experiment. • Larry develops a special marshmallow weight-lifting program for Patrick and SpongeBob. • He meets with them once every day for a period of 2 weeks and keeps track of their results. • Before each session Patrick’s arms and back are lathered in back are lathered with the muscle cream & SpongeBob is lathered with regular lotion.
Hypothesis? • If muscle cream is applied before each workout, person will become twice as strong. • Independent Variable? • Muscle cream • Control? • SpongeBob (no cream) • Dependent Variable? • Double the strength • Conclusion? • Didn’t double Patrick’s strength. SpongeBob actually tripled his (Maybe exercise alone will increase strength)