1 List the major steps for the scientific method 2 An experi

1.   List the major steps for the scientific method.

2.   An experiment is conducted to see the effect of food availability on the growth rate of caterpillars. Answer the 2 following questions:

What is the INDEPENDENT variable?

What is the DEPENDENT variable?

3.   What is the purpose of an experimental control?

Solution

The major steps for the scientific method are

a.       Ask a question

b.       Collect background information

c.        Formulation of an hypothesis

d.       Experimental design

e.        Conduct of experiments and collection of data

f.        Do Data analysis and draw conclusions

g.        Verify whether the hypothesis is accepted or rejected in the light of the collected data

h.       Communicate the results

What is the INDEPENDENT variable?

                In this experiment the food availability for the caterpillars is the independent variable.

What is the DEPENDENT variable?

The growth rate of caterpillars is the dependent variable as the amount of food made available to the caterpillars will affect the growth rate of the caterpillars.

3.   What is the purpose of an experimental control?

When doing any scientific experiment, for example the effect of a chemical, we would want to know how it affects a given test organism. Therefore, we need some standard to compare the test organisms to. Without a control we do not have anything to compare. The control establishes the baseline with which we can compare the test organisms. It is the part of the experiment that does not change.