Working Scientifically
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What is an observation?
When an object or process is looked at carefully
What is an investigation?
An experiment or set of experiments designed to produce data to answer a specific question or test a theory
What is data?
Words or numbers that you obtain when you make observations or measurements
What can an observation do?
Give you an idea that you can test in an investigation
What questions can be asked about refridgerated tennis balls?
• How does the size of a ball affect how high it bounces? - How does the temperature of a ball affect how high it bounces?
What is a variable?
• Anything that might affect the outcome of an investigation - The things that are affected as a result of the change
What is an independent variable?
A variable you change that changes the dependent variable
What is a dependent variable?
A variable that changes when you change the independent variable
What is a control variable?
A variable that you have the keep the same in an investigation
What is a prediction?
A statement that says what you think will happen that is backed up using scientific knowledge
What should a plan include?
• The scientific question you are trying to answer • The independent and dependent variables • A list of variables to control and how you will do it • A prediction • List of equipment • A risk assessment • What you will use to collect accurate and precise data
What is a plan?
A description of how you will use equipment to collect valid data to answer a scientific question
What is accurate data?
Data that is close to the true value of what you are trying to measure
What is precise data?
Data that gives similar results if you repeat the measurement
What is a spread?
The difference between the highest and lowest measurements of a set of repeat measurements
How much spread does precise data have?
Not much when measurements are repeated as they are closely grouped together
What is uncertainty and why does it occur?
The doubt in a result because of the way that a measurement is made
When is data repeatable?
When an investigation, or measurement, is repeated serveral times but still show similar outcomes
When is data reproducible?
When other people carry out an investigation and get similar results to the original investigation
What is continuous data?
It can have any data, such as length or temperature
What is discrete data?
It can have only whole-number values, such as number of paperclips or woodlice
What is categoric data?
When the data is a word, such as ‘blue’ or ‘hot’
What measurements can you test?
• The biggest and smallest - this is the range - How many different measurements you can test
What is a risk assessment?
A description on how you will make it less likely that people will be injured, or equipment damaged, and what to do if this happens