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Understanding Control & Variable Notes in Scientific Experiments

Learn the essentials of controls and variables in scientific experiments, ensuring accurate data collection and analysis. Explore examples like dissolving sugar, plant growth with fertilizer, and removing stains with dish soap.

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Understanding Control & Variable Notes in Scientific Experiments

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  1. Control & Variable Notes

  2. Where do I start? • After you have a question that you want to answer using the scientific method, there are a few important things you need to think about while setting up your experiment.

  3. Example Question #1: • Does heating a cup of water allow it to dissolve sugar faster?

  4. THE CONTROL • A control is the part of the experiment that remains the same. • It may also be called the constant.

  5. How to Remember: • WHAT I KEEP THE SAME

  6. Back to the Example • Question #1: Does heating a cup of water allow it to dissolve sugar faster? • Control #1: Type of water, Type of sugar, amount of water…

  7. CONTROL GROUP • The control group provides a baseline for comparison.

  8. HOW TO REMEMBER: • LEAVE OUT WHAT YOU ARE TESTING

  9. Back to the Example: • Question #1: Does heating a cup of water allow it to dissolve sugar faster? • Control #1: Type of water, Type of sugar, amount of water… • Control Group #1: Room temperature water

  10. What is a Variable? • A variable is the part of the experiment that changes. An experiment usually has two kinds of variables: independent and dependent.

  11. INDEPENDENT VARIABLE • The variable that is changed by the scientist. • To insure a fair test, a good experiment has only ONE independent variable. As the scientist changes the independent variable, he or she observes what happens.

  12. HOW TO REMEMBER: • WHAT I CHANGE

  13. Back to the Example • Question #1: Does heating a cup of water allow it to dissolve sugar faster? • Control #1: Type of water, Type of sugar, amount of water… • Control Group #1: Room temperature water • I.V. #1 : Temperature of the water

  14. DEPENDENT VARIABLE • The variable that is caused by the change the scientist made. • The scientist focuses his or her observations on the dependent variable to see how it responds to the change made to the independent variable.

  15. HOW TO REMEMBER: • WHAT I OBSERVE

  16. Back to the Example • Question #1: Does heating a cup of water allow it to dissolve sugar faster? • Control #1: Type of water, Type of sugar, amount of water… • Control Group #1: Room temperature water • I.V. #1 : Temperature of the water • D.V. #1: How fast sugar dissolves

  17. Example #2: • Question #2: Does fertilizer make a plant grow bigger?

  18. Example #2: • Control(s): • size of plant • size of pot • amount of soil • type of soil • amount of water

  19. Example #2: • Control Group: • A plant with no fertilizer

  20. Example #2: • Independent Variable (What I Change): • Amount of fertilizer

  21. Example #2: • Dependent Variable (What I Observe): • Height of plant

  22. Example #3: • Question #3: What type of dish soap best removes spaghetti sauce stains from plates?

  23. Example #3: • Control(s): • amount of sauce • type of plate • amount of dish soap

  24. Example #3: • Control Group: • Using just water to wash

  25. Example #3: • Independent Variable (What I Change): • type of dish soap

  26. Example #3: • Dependent Variable (What I Observe): • Amount of sauce stain leftover.

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