OSAT Scientific Inquiry and Principles Flashcards

A scientist repeats an experiment five times and gets very similar results each time. This best demonstrates which scientific principle?

Answer: Reproducibility

Reproducibility means an experiment yields consistent results when repeated under the same conditions.

Which type of variable is deliberately changed by the researcher in a controlled experiment?

Answer: Independent variable

The independent variable is the one the researcher deliberately manipulates to observe its effect.

A student observes that plants near a window grow taller than those in a dark corner. What is the most appropriate next step in the scientific method?

Answer: Form a testable hypothesis

After making an observation, the next step is to formulate a testable hypothesis to explain it.

Which graphical representation is BEST suited to show the relationship between two continuous variables?

Answer: Scatter plot

A scatter plot displays the relationship between two continuous variables by plotting paired data points.

In a study on fertilizer effects on plant growth, keeping water amount, soil type, and light constant is an example of:

Answer: Controlling variables

Keeping non-tested factors constant is called controlling variables to isolate the effect of the independent variable.

A hypothesis that can be proven false through experimentation is said to be:

Answer: Falsifiable

A falsifiable hypothesis is one that can potentially be disproven by evidence, a key requirement in science.

When a scientist measures the mass of a sample as 4.52 g using a balance accurate to ±0.01 g, the recorded measurement reflects:

Answer: Both precision and significant figures

Recording 4.52 g reflects the instrument's precision and uses the appropriate number of significant figures.