define and identify components of an experiment

• Define and Identify components of an experiment.

Q = List the steps of the scientific method?

A = 1. State the Problem2. Research3. Hypothesis4. Design Experiment to test Hypothesis5. Experiment / Collect Data6. Analysis7. Share it

What do these two terms mean?

Are they the same?

Validity = True/Accurate

Reliability = Consistency

Why are these two concepts important to science?

How do they effect designing an experiment?

For any scientific claim to be accepted by the science community, the experiment findings should be both valid and reliable.

In other words, the experiment should be able to be tested by other scientist and they should have similar, repeatable results.

The following slides will list some of the major components of an experimental design.

Controls =the group or component that will not have the independent variable tested on it. The experimental group’s results are compared to this data.

Variable =The component of the experiment being tested.

You should have a control group for every variable being tested.

There should be only one variable for any particular question being tested at a given time.

Data=Recording results (qualitative & quantitative) gained from the experiment.

Trails=The number of times the experiment tests the variables.

Sample Size =The number of subjects in the experimental group.

For data to be most reliable:Data should be recorded immediately

Trails should be repeated several times

Sample sizes should be large and random for the population being tested.

Control Group = Group under “normal” circumstances or not being tested with the variables. The results from the variable will be compared to the control group’s results.

Experimental Group (Variable Group) = The group of the experiment being tested on. The part which prove/disprove the hypothesis.

Independent Variable = What you are testing with or the unknown part that does not change based on another component (e.g. Time).

Dependent Variable = What you are testing for (a result). This variable requires (is dependent) on the independent variable`

Lisa is designing a science experiment. She wants to know if a new commercial hair product called “Big’Fro” affects the speed of hair growth” versus a brand of hair product that her family commonly uses. Her family has volunteered for the experiment.

1. Design a simple experiment of how Lisa could perform this experiment.

2. Identify the control group and the independent and dependent variables.

• Define and Identify components of an experiment.