The Scientific Method

Question about coffee:

• Will the amount of caffeine in a coffee cup change over time?

Scientific method

• Question • Research • Hypothesis • Procedure • Data • Conclusion

The Steps

• Question: what does the scientist want to learn about?

• Research: Gathering of information• Hypothesis: An educated guess of an answer to the

question• Procedure: an experiment designed to test the

hypothesis • Data: Information collected during the experiment• Conclusion: was the hypothesis correct or incorrect?

Coffee Example: Question

• Step 1:• Question: Does the amount of caffeine in

coffee change over time?

Research

• Step 2:• Research: study the working of caffeine in

coffee

Hypothesis

• Step 3• Hypothesis: The coffee will retain the same

amount of caffeine as time progresses due to the composition of the caffeine molecule

Procedure

• Step 4• To conduct this experiment I will make a full pot

of coffee and pour the coffee into 4 cups• The experiment will be conducted over 7 days. I

will measure the amount of caffeine every 12 hours using a HPLC (High Performance liquid chromatography) if available, or D + Caf Test strips

• The results will be recorded systematically into a graph on the computer

Data

• Step 5• Record the information gained from the

experiment

Conclusion

• Step 6• Interpret the results of the experiment and

come up with a solution

How about this problem

• What would be the result of mixing blue and yellow food coloring in a glass of water?

Scientific Method with food coloring experiment

• Question• Research• Hypothesis• Procedure• Data• Conclusion

Practice for tonight

• Use the steps of the scientific method to determine what will happen when mentos candy is placed in Diet coke and why that occurs

Review

END OF SHOW• What are the 6 steps of the scientific method? Question, Research,

Hypothesis, Procedure, Data, Conclusion• Identify the part of the scientific method in the following descriptions• Divide seeds into four groups of two and water one group with no

water, 2 cups, 4 cups, and 8cups of water (procedure)• Search the internet and library for resources discussing factors affecting

plant growth (research)• How will the amount of water given to a plant affect growth? (Question)• Information of the amount of plant growth collected from the

experiment (data)• Based on research, plants receiving larger increments (Hypothesis)• Based on the data, of the experiment in addition to the research, plants

that are watered with an increased amount water will grow faster than those watered less. (Conclusion)