Unit 1: Working

Like a Scientist
 Objectives

● Understand the importance of sharing honest findings from investigations.

● Classify variables as dependent (responding), independent (manipulated) and control
● Identify trends/patterns/relationships in given experimental data.
 Jamaican Scientists

Dr. Lawrence
Williams
Dr. Henry Lowe Dr. Patricia DeLeon Cancer research
Dr Cicely Williams
Reproductive
Prostate Cancer health Research
Jamaica’s First
Research Female Doctor
 Watch me!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAJ8IF4HI20

● Answer the following:

○ What is the scientific method?
○ List and explain at least three steps in the
scientific method
Scientific Investigations
 Scientific Investigations
● After doing scientific investigations and making
observations, it is important to communicate the
findings. A trend is a
● These findings may be in the form of numbers, pattern or general
diagrams or descriptions direction of
● The use of graphs and diagrams easily show the change
trends in data that may not be easily see by just
looking at the raw data .
Examples of Graphs Used to Show Results
 Tables Used to Show Results
● Trends can be seen in:
○ Tabulated numerical
data
 Annotated Diagram Used to Show Results

● Trends can be seen

in:
○ Drawn specimens
with annotated
labels
 Scientific Investigations

● Must be done methodically to reduce

errors
● This is done as errors can be
devastating.
● For example in the old days mercury
was used to treat illnesses such as
melancholy, constipation, syphilis,
influenza and parasites.
 Scientific
Investigations
 Scientific Investigations

● Another example is thalidomide that was

found to be safe as a sleeping pill, however
the preclinical testing was not done
properly.
● They did not investigate the effect on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
foetuses. 41n3mDoVbvk
● This resulted in its use to treat morning
sickness in women and babies being born
with with deformities
 Scientific Investigations

● Scientists use experiments to search

for cause and effect.
● There are many items that could be
altered to test the reaction of another.
● These changing quantities are called
variables.
● A variable is any factor, trait, or
condition that can exist in differing
amounts or types.
 Identifying Variables

Step 1- Identify what is being studied or

tested

Step 2- Observe and record the outcomes

Step 3- Determine the other factors that

are affected by the variable tested.
 Identifying Variables

● Researchers should always

examine how the variables
affect each other in a
repeatable way.
● This is called the cause and
effect relationship.
 Variables

● To make an investigation
valid, the variables must be
present.
● An experiment usually has
three kinds of variables:
○ Independent variable
○ Dependent variable
○ Controlled variable

https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=aLesk8fujH8
 Independent Variable

● The independent variable is the one that is

changed by the scientist to see how it affects
the outcome.
● To insure a fair test, a good experiment has
only ONE independent variable.
● As the scientist changes the independent
variable, he or she records the data that they
collect.
● The independent variable is also called the
manipulated variable
 Dependent Variable

● The dependent variable is the item that

responds to the change of the independent
variable.
● The dependent variable depends/changes
when the independent variable is changed.
● The researcher observes or measures the
changes that occur with the dependent
variable and records these changes.
● The dependent variable is also known as the
responding variable
 Controlled Variable
● The controlled variables are
quantities/items that you want to
remain constant, and must observe
them as carefully as the dependent
variables.
● If a factor can cause an unwanted
change to your result then it should be
kept constant.
● Therefore if a substance is not being
investigated, it should be kept constant.
 Identify the variables here

● The following experiment was

done to determine the effect of
fertilizer on plant growth. From
the picture, determine the
independent, dependent and
controlled variables in the
experiment.
Classwork
 Experiment 1

● Devonnae wants to find out how the change in

concentration of an acid affects the rate of reaction
with a metal.

1. What factor will Devonnae change?

2. What will Devonnae measure / observe?
3. What will stay the same for the entire experiment?
 Experiment 2

Christopher carried out an experiment to investigate the effect of temperature on

the solubility of sugar.
 Home Work
● Watch the following video and answer the questions below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWN8xVuzuFI

Questions:

1. Which factor was changed by the experimenter (manipulated variable)? Size of particles
2. What was observed/ measured during the experiment (responding variable)? The reaction
time
3. Which factor remained constant for all three experiments (controlled variable)? The type of
acid, the beaker used, the petri dishes, mass of the calcium carbonate
4. Which form of the calcium carbonate had the fastest reaction? The powdered sample of the
calcium carbonate.
5. Which form of the calcium carbonate has the greatest surface area? Powdered sample
6. Explain your answer- it takes up more space and has more surface for the reaction to occur
https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/580bc920affa5c4c63620639/identifying-variable
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