The Scientific Method

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The Scientific Method
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What is it?

• The scientific method is a series of steps a
  scientist follows when conducting scientific
  inquiry.
• The method has 6 steps.

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Step 1 Problem

• The question proposed by the scientist.
• Its the purpose of the experiment.
• One Complete Sentence
• Ex The purpose of this experiment is to

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Step 2 Hypothesis

• A possible answer to the problem based on the
  scientists knowledge.
• Educated Guess
• One Complete Sentence
• Ex I believe I think I predict
  that

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Step 3 Materials

• A list of all supplies needed to perform the
  experiment.
• Use a bullet-style format.

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Step 4 Procedure

• This is the actual experiment.
• Its a list of steps that are followed in order
  to complete the experiment correctly.
• Use a number format and complete sentences.

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Step 5 Results

• The observations and data collected during the
  experiment. What happened???
• In paragraph form with complete sentences.
• Tables, graphs, charts, or drawings will be
  included here.

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Step 6 Conclusion

• The answer to the problem based on the
  scientists analysis of the results.
• In paragraph form with complete sentences.
• Restate the purpose and the hypothesis. Then
  explain why the results supported or didnt
  support the hypothesis.

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Example

• Purpose
• The purpose of this experiment is to compare
  how effective salt, sand, and sugar are at
  melting ice.
• Hypothesis
• I predict that sugar will melt ice faster
  than salt or sand.

• Materials
• Water
• Three Beakers
• Three Ice Cubes
• Salt

• Sugar
• Sand
• Teaspoon
• Grease pencil

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Example Continued

• Procedure
• Label the beakers A, B, C
• Place an ice cube in each beaker.
• Sprinkle two teaspoons of salt in beaker A.
• Sprinkle two teaspoons of sugar in beaker B.
• Sprinkle two teaspoons of sand in beaker C.
• Observe the beakers for the next hour.
• In the results section, make a data table ranking
  the ice cubes in the order in which they melt.

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Example Continued
Results
Beaker Order in which ice melts.
A salt First
B sugar Third
C sand Second
I observed the salt melting the ice
fastest. At thirty minutes into the experiment,
the ice cube was completely melted. At an hour
into the experiment, the ice cubes with sugar and
sand were still there, but smaller. Sugar and
sand melted the ice at about the same rate.
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Example Continued

• Conclusion
• The purpose of this experiment was to
  compare how effective salt, sugar, and sand were
  at melting ice. My original hypothesis was that
  sugar would melt ice fastest, but it was
  disproved. The results showed that salt was the
  fastest. In conclusion, salt melts ice faster
  than sugar or sand.