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Review for Exam II Science 210
B. What to Read.
Review questions and objectives Unit 4: Making Inferences and Predictions 1. Define an inference.
2. Define a prediction.
3. Explain how an inference is different from a prediction.
4. Define an observation.
5. Explain how an observation is different from an inference.
6. Given an object, situation or picture thereof, construct as least two alternate inferences about the situation based on observations of the given situation.
7. Given a series of statements about an object or situation, distinguish between those statements that refer to observations and those that express inferences.
8. Given an object, situation, or picture thereof, list three predictions based on observations of the given situation.
Unit 5: Controlling Variables and Testing Hypotheses
1. Define variable.
2. Define controlled variable
3. Define manipulated (independent) variable
4. Define responding (dependent) variable.
5. What is the difference between a control group and a controlled variable?
6. Why do some variables need to be controlled?
7. Explain how a manipulated variable is different from a responding variable.
8. Given a description of a laboratory experiment, or the directions for conducting one, identify the independent variable, the dependent variable, and the controlled variable(s).
Example: On a hot sunny day, Sarah left two buckets of water out in the sun. The two buckets were the same except that one was black and the other was white. She made certain that there was the same amount of water in each bucket. She carefully measured the temperature of the water in both buckets at the beginning and the end of the day. What are the independent, dependent and controlled variables in this experiment?
Unit 6: Operational Definitions
1. Define an operational definition and give an example.
2. Define a non-operational definition and give an example.
3. Given various definitions of variables or words, distinguish between operational and non-operational ones.
4. Given a hypothesis, inference, question, graph or data table, identify variables for which an operational definition is needed.
5. Given an experimental context, construct operational definitions for appropriate variables, properties, concepts, or procedures.
Unit 7: Communication and Graphing
1. When should data be graphed as a bar graph?
2. How is a histogram different from a standard bar graph?
3. When should the data be graphed as a histogram?
4. When should the data be graphed with a best-fit line graph?
5. Given a set of observations, construct a histogram to indicate the frequency distribution of the data.
Example: The data table below has the scores for an exam. What is the frequency of A’s, B’s, C’s, D’s and E’s? Make a frequency table and a histogram.
6. Given a data table, draw a graph to illustrate the relationship between the manipulated and responding variables.
Decide on the appropriate type of graph – line or bar graph Give the graph a title, select the proper axes for the variables, label the axes with the appropriate units, choose the scale for the axes, and plot the data points.
Example: On a hot sunny day, Sarah left two buckets of water out in the sun. The two buckets were the same except that one was black and the other was white. She made certain that there was the same amount of water in each bucket. She carefully measured the temperature of the water in both buckets at the beginning and the end of the day. The following table shows what she found.
What type of graph should be made? What is the title for the graph? What variable goes on the x-axis? What variable goes on the y-axis? Label the axes with the appropriate units. Choose the scale for the axes Plot the data points on the graph.
7. Given a graph, distinguish between observed points and those obtained by interpolation.
8. Given a graph, apply the techniques of interpolation to predict unobserved points.
9. Given a graph, apply the techniques of extrapolation to predict unobserved points.
Example: On the following graph, use interpolation to predict the volume of water that would be collected at 3.5 minutes.
On the following graph, use extrapolation to predict the volume of water that would be collected at 6 minutes.
10. Given a graph, draw the best-fit line or curve through the observed points.
11. Given a graph, describe verbally the relationship between the responding and manipulated variables.
12. You do not have to know how to interpolate from a table.
Unit 8: Formulating Hypotheses and Experimenting
1. What is a hypothesis?
2. How is a hypothesis different from an inference?
3. Given a description of an investigation, identify the hypothesis being tested.
Example: Fill 3 beakers with 100 ml of water. Slowly lower a sugar cube into each container. Place one beaker in a container with ice-cold water, leave one beaker at room temperature and place the third beaker in a container with very hot water. Observe the 3 beakers and make records of what is seen every 10 minutes.
What is the hypothesis for this experiment?
What is the independent variable?
Give an operational definition for the independent variable.
What is the dependent variable?
Give an operational definition for the dependent variable.
4. Given data, table, graphs, or pictures concerning a phenomenon, construct a hypothesis to investigate the phenomenon further.
5. Given the experimental data of an investigation, analyze it to confirm, reject, or modify the hypothesis.
6. Given a hypothesis, design an experiment to test it.
7. Given a problem, construct a hypothesis, design an investigation to test it, carry out and confirm, reject, or modify the hypothesis.
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