The Scientific Method
The scientific method is the process of objectively establishing facts through testing and
experimentation:
1. Ask a research question which follows the format of ‘How does A affect B?’
2. Do some background research to see possible ways to conduct the experiment
3. Construct a hypothesis which is testable, specific, relates to scientific theories and
predicts how the change in the independent variable will cause an effect in the
dependent variable
4. Conduct the experiment
5. Analyze data and results from the experiment and see if it aligns with the hypothesis.
Find average or mean after conducting the experiment 3 times
6. Construct a scientific report
Experimental Variables
Independent Variables : Properties which are changed or altered in an experiment in order to
cause an effect in the dependent variable
Dependent Variables : Properties which are measured in an experiment and are the effect of the
change in the independent variable
Control Variables: Properties which are kept constant throughout the experiment so that the
change in the dependent variable can be attributed to the independent variable alone
Representing Data in Tables
Tables should have:
● values that are precise and accurate
● Independent variable on the left column
● Dependent variables on the right column
● The values on the left column should be arranged in increasing or decreasing order
● The values on the right column should be aligned with their respective values on the left
column
● Units only in the titles of the table
● Make use of backslash for the units not brackets
Independent Variable / unit Dependent Variable / unit
Representing Data in graphs
Graphs are used to:
1) Show relationships and inconsistencies
2) to represent data
3) Draw conclusions and provide evidence
Graphs should always have:
1) Graph title : Quantity of Y axis against quantity on X axis
2) Scientific units
3) Labeled axes
X axis: Independent Variable
Y Axis: Dependent variable
Qualitative data : Based on quality & description
1) Column graph
Quantitative : Based on number
1) Line graph
2) Scatter graph
3) Column graph with data grouped in categories
𝑦2 − 𝑦1
Gradient =
𝑥2 − 𝑥1
𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 𝑚𝑖𝑛
Scale:
𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑜𝑥𝑒𝑠
Stay away from numbers like 3, 7, 9
Use numbers like 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8…
Line of best fit does not have to pass through the origin, it should follow the trend of the data
and should have equal amounts of values/points above and beneath it.
Scientific Prefixes
Prefix Symbol Value
giga G 10
9
mega M 10
6
kilo k 10
3
deca da 10
1
deci d 10
−1
centi c 10
−3
milli m 10
−3
micro u 10
−6
nano n 10
−9
pico p 10
−12
Significant Figures: Precision and Accuracy
1) Any non zero number is significant
2) Any zero between two non zeros is significant
3) Any zero after a non zero with a decimal point is significant
4) Any zero after a non zero without a decimal point is not significant
5) Any zero before a non zero is not significant
Multiplication and Division
-Your final answer’s significant figures should match with the number of significant figures of
property with the least number of significant figures
Addition and Subtraction
-Your final answer’s number of decimal places should match with the number of decimal places
of property with the least number of decimal places
𝑏
Standard Notation = a x 10
Systeme Internationale Units of Measurements
What is being measured Unit Symbol
mass kilograms kg
time seconds s
length meters m
temperature Kelvin K
Electric current ampere A
Amount of substance mole mol
Luminous intensity candela cd
Mass - amount of matter in an object
Temperature - average amount of kinetic energy between the particles of a substance
Seconds - the time it takes the earth to rotate 1535 feet on its axis
Length - the distance between two points
Area
Square - l x l
Rectangle - l x b
Triangle - ½ x b x h
𝑎+𝑏
Trapezium -
2
xh
Circumference - 2pir
Volume : Base area x height
3
Cube - 𝑙
Cuboid - l x b x h
2
Cylinder - pi𝑟 h
3
Sphere - 4/3 pi𝑟
2
Cone - ⅓ pi𝑟 h
1 min - 60 secs 1km - 1000m K = C + 273 KJ = 1000 KJ
1 hr - 60 mins 1kg - 1000g C = K - 273 MJ = 1000 KJ
1hr - 3600 secs 1 tonne - 1000 kg KJ = 1000 J
MJ = 1000000J
1m - 100cm 1 liter - 1000 ml 3
1𝑚 = 1m x 1m x 1m
3
1cm - 10mm 1 ml - 1𝑐𝑚
1m - 1000mm 1 liter - 1000𝑐𝑚
3 3
1𝑐𝑚 = 1cm x 1cm x 1cm
= 0.01m x 0.01m x 0.01m
−6 3
= 1 x 10 𝑚
3 6 3 3
1𝑚 = 1 x 10 𝑐𝑚 / 1,000,000 𝑐𝑚
