Name _________________________
STUDY GUIDE
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY, METRIC SYSTEM, DATA TABLES AND GRAPHING
1.
_____________________ is the ongoing process of discovery in science; the diverse ways in which
scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on evidence they gather?
2.
A ________________ is a factor that can change in an experiment.
3.
The __________________________________________ is the one factor that a scientist changes
during an experiment; comes after the IF in a hypothesis.
4.
The __________________________________________ the factor (variable) that changes as a result of
the independent variable; the data that is collected/measured during the experiment.
5.
_________________ are facts, figures and other evidence gathered through observations.
6.
A ______________________ is a possible explanation for a set of observations or answer to a scientific
question; must be testable.
7.
A __________________________________________ is an experiment in which only one variable is
manipulated at a time.
8.
__________________________ is the process of using one or more of your senses to gather facts and
information.
9.
An ______________________________ an interpretation based on an observation and prior
knowledge.
10.
Using the chart for metric conversion, convert the following numbers…
KILO
HECTO
DECA
BASE UNIT
Meters, liters, grams
DECI
a. 675 km = _______ m
d. 83.5 cm = ______ hm
b. .76 mg = ________ g
e. 9.45 L = _______ dL
c. .0056 hL = _______ kL
f. .043 kg = ______ mg
CENTI
11.
What are the four components that make up a proper data table (see note packet)?
12.
What are the five components that make up a proper graph (see note packet)?
MILLI
13.
Answer the following questions based on this data table:
High Temperatures for Three Cities
Time (days)
Temperature LA (oC)
Temperature SF (oC)
Temperature NYC (oC)
1
28
18
11
2
29
22
10
3
22
20
14
4
27
17
13
5
26
21
15
6
27
21
16
7
29
20
15
8
31
18
11
9
30
21
15
10
24
19
17
A. What is the independent variable? _________________ Unit of measurement? ___________
B. What is the dependent variable? ___________________ Unit of measurement? ___________
C. What is the ordered pair for NYC on day 6? (remember ordered pairs in science include units of
measurement) _____________________________________
14.
Answer the following questions based on the graph:
A. What 2 things are missing from this graph?
B. What is the independent variable? _____________________ unit of measurement? ________
C. What is the dependent variable? ____________________ unit of measurement? ___________
D. Which line changed the most significantly over time?________________________________
E. At 10 days, what is the height of the square line? __________________________
15.
Answer the following question based on this situation:
Your friend was given two plants for her birthday and she wanted them to grow really quickly. She
heard that if you place this particular kind of plant in the dark they will grow really quickly.
Write a hypothesis for this statement in proper format:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
What is the independent variable? _________________________
What is the dependent variable? __________________________
What variables were kept constant?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
16.
Explain the difference between a scientific theory and a scientific law.
17.
Match the Earth Scientist on the left with the definition on the right.
____________ Astronomer
A. A scientist who studies the oceans
____________ Meteorologist
B. A scientist who studies the effects of human activities
on Earth’s land, air, water and living things and also tries
to solve problems relating to the use of resources
____________ Oceanographer
C. A scientist who studies the universe beyond Earth
____________ Geologist
D. A scientist who studies the causes of weather and tries
to predict it.
____________ Environmental Scientist
E. A scientists who studies the forces that make and shape
planet Earth.
18.
Read the following instruments and write each measurement, including units.
A. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
B. _________________________________