steps of the scientific method

The Scientific Method involves a series of steps that are used to

investigate a natural event.

Problem/QuestionObservation/Research

HypothesisExperiment

DataConclusion

What are we trying to solve or find out?

Will wing length affect the decent of a paper helicopter.

Answer

What do we notice about our materials?

Is the paper light or heavy?

From your experience, do you think long wings or short wings would make a faster decent?

The hypothesis is a

testable educated guess about the relationship

between the independent and dependent variables

After doing research we can guess that wing length (will not/will) affect

decent.

The independent is a factor that’s changed by the experimenter.

The variable we changed is the wing length

The dependent variable is the factor that changes as a result of a change in the independent variable.

The responding variable would be

Time of descent.

The constants in an experiment are all the factors that the experimenter keeps

the same.

They might include: Type of paper, helicopter template,

length of helicopter tail, etc.

Describe the experiment and list materials.

Most experiments have 3 trials.

Most experiments require a control group.

Read the lab procedure & summarize it in your report. What are we doing?

What is the starting diameter for the helicopter wings?

How much do we cut off for each new experiment?

How many trials are we doing at each length?

◦Testing wing length vs time

◦6 inches

◦1 inch

◦3

Making the copter…

Cut & fold

Wrap paper around until you get a point

Come up with a table and graph

so you can record your data.

Wing Wing lengthlength

1 2 3 MeanMean

6in

5in

4in

3in

2in

1in

TrialsTrials

Number of seconds for each Descent

REMEMBER YOUR UNITS! (inches, seconds, etc)

Find average of the 3 trials!

Average= Trial 1 + Trial 2+ Trial 33

Lets start our experiment!

In your group, you will all have jobs. One of you will keep time

◦http://www.online-stopwatch.com/full-screen-stopwatch/

Another will record data Another will clip the helicopter wings Another can be a copter dropper

◦MUST have safety contract turned in JUST IN CASE you fall.

Graph

time

wingspan

Dependent variable

Independent variable

According to your data, what do you

find out?

Was the hypothesis right or wrong?