Parts of an Experiment

Parts of an Experiment Name:______Hypothesis: This is a statement about what you are trying to test or to discover in your experiment. It should be in the If.. IV.., then.. DV… format.

Independent Variable(IV): the variable that you change on purpose. You should only have one variable that you change in your experiment. (Independent variable is the things that I change.) Goes on the X AXIS! Dependent Variable(DV): the variable that changes because of the independent variable that you used. (It depends on the IV.)This is how you will measure the impact of the independent variable. You should be able to measure this using numbers (length, mass, temperature, diameter, height, volume, time, counting). METRIC SYSTEM! Goes on the Y AXIS! Control: In an experiment, you have one subject or object that remains unchanged and does not have the independent variable applied to it. This is used to measure the effects of unknown variables and to determine if the independent variable is really causing the change. Not every experiment that you do will have a control

Constants: variables in the experiment that stay the same. The only part that you want to change is the independent variable. Everything else must remain constant so that you can measure the effect of the independent variable that you are testing.

Repeated Trials: the number of times an experiment is repeated The more trials, the more reliable the results. Generally, we perform 3 trials. Usually you average the results from repeated trials and include the information for each trial and the average on the data table. ********************************************************************************************************************* Data Tables and Graphs (Charts)- Recording and Displaying Data Electronically ************************************************************************************************************ LAPTOP (EXCEL) How to begin : Sample Experimental Hypothesis:

If I increase the height of the ramp, then the marble will roll farther.

In ROW 1, write your heading for your IV {Ramp Height (cm)}, AVERAGE DV {Average Distance Rolled (m)} (if you are doing repeated trials), and your trials of your DV {Distance Rolled Trial 1 (m), Distance Rolled Trial 2 (m), Distance Rolled Trial 3 (m)}. Include the units that you are using in your heading and place them in parentheses. DO NOT PUT UNITS IN YOUR DATA CELLS! You may need to drag the column line over to make it wider. Enter data in columns A,C,D,E. Keep decimal places consistent; every piece of data should have the same number of decimal places.

Move to cell B2, click the “fx” symbol and select AVERAGE. Highlight the cells you want to average (C2, D2,E2) and click “OK”. Copy and paste B2 into B3 and B4 to copy the formula. Highlight your data table and click the crisscrossed square to the left of the paint can to draw lines around your data. Highlight the data table and center it using the icon on the tool bar. Making a Descriptive Title: Your title for your data table MUST be descriptive and use the IV and DV. Also include your names. {Note- you won’t see the header until you print preview or print.} View Header and footer Custom Header (graph title in center; names,date,period in right section) OK OK (CLICK BOTH OK’s to save header)

Making a Chart (Graph) on Laptop Highlight your first 2 columns (A and B). You are not graphing each individual trial, but the effect of the IV on the averages of the DV trials. Highlight columns A and B and click in the icon with the blue, yellow and red bars in the tool menu. Select XY (Scatter) and select the chart subtype that shows data point and curved lines (second from the top). Click Next and select series in columns. Click Next. Titles: Chart title = same as your data table header. Value (x) axis: your IV. Value (y) axis: your DV. Include UNITS in parentheses. Chart Location “as an object in sheet 1”.

Scaling the Axes. Click on the x axis to format. Under scale, make the minimum your lowest vale and the maximum you highest value. Do the same for the y axis. You will probably have to round your averages down for the lowest and up for the highest if the average has more decimal places than your measurements. Make sure that your graph is under your data table (on the left side of the dashed line). Click off the chart, go to print preview and compare to your sample, then Print!

NOTE: For Multiple Line graphs, highlight all data, select XY Scatter, place data series in COLUMNS. You either want to use a color printer or trace over your key and lines with colored pencils NOVA 5000 – How to begin  Same Sample Experimental Hypothesis:

If I increase the height of the ramp, then the marble will roll farther.

Start Programs Softmaker Office PlanMaker In right lower corner, tap the keyboard icon and tap the word “keyboard”, or used attached keyboard and mouse.

This is very similar to EXCEL with the exception of a few extra steps.

Setting up your data: In ROW 1, write your heading for your IV {Ramp Height (cm)}, AVERAGE DV {Average Distance Rolled (m)} (if you are doing repeated trials), and your trials of your DV {Distance Rolled Trial 1 (m), Distance Rolled Trial 2 (m), Distance Rolled Trial 3 (m)}. Include the units that you are using in your heading and place them in parentheses. You may need to drag the column line over to make it wider. Do NOT put units in your cells. Enter data in columns A,C,D,E. Keep decimal places consistent; every piece of data should have the same number of decimal places.

Average: In cell for average (B2), select the INSERT function, select STATISTICS under category, DOULBE tap “Average”. Highlight all 3 trials for that ramp height (C2,D2,E2)and tap insert. COPY cell B2 and paste in B3 and B4. It is copying the formula for average. To create lines and center data on the table, Format Cell style Cell Borders Single Alignment Horizontal Alignment Center Number style number/ 2 decimal places OK Apply

Making a Descriptive Title: Your title for your data table MUST be descriptive and use the IV and DV. Also include your names. {Note- you won’t see the header until you look at page view or print under File.} Insert Header and footer Edit (title in center; names on right)) OK OK

Making the Chart: Under Objects, click New Chart Frame, then double click on your first 2 columns. Select XY SCATTER and select the subtype that shows the data points and the curved line (last one on the top lines). OK. Object Properties Content. Chart title= same as data table title in header. Name Axes: X axis = IV (units in parentheses). Y axis = DV (units in parentheses). OK.

To Format Chart: Tap directly on the y axis and tap “SCALE”. Lowest value, select custom, then type in lowest number.(Round down to the number of decimal places in your measurements if there are too many decimal places). Highest value, select custom, then type in highest value. (round up if there are too many decimal places). OK. Tap on the x axis and repeat process. Doing this spreads your graph line to the width and height of your graph.

Print: File: Save As. Select Storage Card, Name File and select File type as Microsoft Excel 97/200/XP/2003 (*.xls). Click OK. Warning: this doesn’t always work. Save, but take Nova to pod and attach cable to printer to print.