Scientific Method PDF

 THE MYSTERY OF THE THIRSTY TOMATOES In the school, seventh-grader Mia loved science. One day, she noticed some tomato plants in her garden looked vibrant while others were droopy. Mia decided to investigate. She hypothesized that the amount of water each pla...

 THE MYSTERY OF THE THIRSTY TOMATOES In the school, seventh-grader Mia loved science. One day, she noticed some tomato plants in her garden looked vibrant while others were droopy. Mia decided to investigate. She hypothesized that the amount of water each plant received might affect its health. To test this, she chose three tomato plants and labeled them in three pots: Pot A, Pot B, and Pot C. Mia watered Pot A with half a cup of water daily, Pot B with a full cup, and Pot C with no water. She recorded her observations. After a week, clear differences emerged: Tomato plants in Pot B grew tall and strong. Tomato plants in Pot A were moderate. Tomato plants in Pot C were weak and wilted. Mia concluded that the plants watered with a full cup of water were the healthiest. She presented her findings at school, impressing her teacher, Mr. Cruz. "Excellent work, Mia! You've demonstrated key scientific principles," he praised. Mia was proud. She solved the mystery of the thirsty tomatoes and learned the importance of water for growth. From then on, she carefully watered her garden, letting her love for science and her plants thrive.  Scientific Investigation Steps in Scientific Method  Qualitative Quantitative Observations Observations ✓ Gathering of data using the senses. Sight Taste ✓ An objective method of data Smell Hearing analysis that measures research Touch variables in terms of quantity hence; it is usually associated ✓ It is a subjective method of with values that can be counted gathering information as it such as age, weight, depends on the researcher’s volume, and scale. sensory organs. ✓ Does not use or without ✓ Uses numerical data numerical values. OBSERVATION: The tomato plant that is placed in an area with sunlight has a lot of fruits. On the other hand, the tomato plant that is placed on a shaded area has lesser fruits. 2. Asking a Question ✓ A problem is a question that you want to solve or the things you want to discover. ✓ Develop a question or problem that can be solved through experimentation. ✓ Usually a “How” or “Why” type of question. Everything starts with an observation and what you perceive with your senses. QUESTION/PROBLEM: Why is the tomato plant located where there is sunlight have more fruits than the tomato plant located on a place where there is little amount of sunlight? 3. Formulating a Hypothesis ✓ A hypothesis is an educated guess, a tentative answer, or a potential answer to the question or problem asked. ✓ A proposed answer to your question ✓ Usually written in the “if-then” format HYPOTHESIS: If tomato plant is placed in an area where there is enough sunlight, then it will produce more fruits. 4. Performing an Experiment ✓ An experiment is a series of tests used to verify the hypothesis. ✓ This includes variables (quantity that is changed during the experiment or being measured) THREE TYPES OF VARIABLES ❑ Independent variable ❑ Dependent variable ❑ Controlled variable HYPOTHESIS: If tomato plant is placed in an area where there is enough sunlight, then it will produce more fruits. INDEPENDENT VARIABLE – amount of sunlight DEPENDENT VARIABLE – number of fruits that a tomato plant will produce CONTROLLED VARIABLE – amount of water, type of soil, type of plant, and the size of the pot. 5. Recording and Analyzing Results ✓ This step is where you will report, interpret, and explain what happened in your experiment. ✓ Data are the information that you gathered in your experiment. 6. Drawing a Conclusion ✓ Conclusion is the summary of the results you gathered in your experiment. ✓ This will give you an answer if your hypothesis is correct or not. ✓ If the hypothesis is correct, this may be the answer to your problem. If not, you need to repeat the experiment or think of a new approach to improve your procedure.s CONCLUSION: Plants such as tomato plant that are placed in an area with enough amount of sunlight produce more fruits than those plants placed in less amount of sunlight. 7. Communicating the Result ✓ Informing others about the results of the experiment. ✓ Publishing on scientific journals, presenting using a poster, or presenting at a conference.  Recap: Steps in Scientific Method