Question
What did you observe?
What do you want to know?
What question do you have?
Need more information?
Hypothesis
What will happen if…?
What needs explained?
Can this be tested?
How can I prove my question?
What do you predict?
Special Needs
What do I have to be aware of?
Are there safety concerns?
Inside? Outside? Mess?
Experiment Design
How will you collect data?
How will you measure it?
Can someone else follow your plan?
List all of your equipment.
Label.
What needs to be controlled?
What are your variables?
List it out step by step:
What kind of measurements will you use?
• Speed
• Temperature
• Height
• Weight
• Diameter
• Circumference
• Ounces/Milliliters
• Inches/Centimeters
• Miles/Kilometers
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Data Conclusion

What are your observations Describe what you found.

How will you track your findings?
How will you classify findings?
Sequence and order.
Illustrate: Chart? Graph? Draw?
Design
• How many columns
• How many rows
• Special notes
Discuss
Explain you findings
Translate: how does this apply to…
Share your findings
Present it to others

Analyze
Interpret
Assess
Determine
Classify

Examine results
Retest
Confirm
 Question Experiment Design

Hypothesis

Special Needs
 Data
Conclusion

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 Question Experiment Design

What 2 liter soda Step one

will work the best • Use a clean/dry geyser tube
with the Mentos • all samples will be same temp
Geysers? • we will use seven mentos
• launch on a flat surface
Step two
Hypothesis • launch each one
• clean and dry tube
The best soda will • set bottles on a secure table
be the bottle with • When all are complete
the least amount of • measure liquid volume
soda remaining in • confirm with team member
it. • record in graph
Step three
Special Needs • Design a graph
• label, #, and list all samples
One launcher at a
• use ounces and milliliters
time wearing safety
goggles
 Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.
Data Conclusion

The Great Mentos The graph shows the results of the experiment.
Experiment Several members made predictions as to the
results:
T Description O/Ml Rank • The darker the soda, the better it would work
# • The soda with more sugar in it would work best

1 Diet Coke 23/700 2 During analysis and processing, discussion

ensued regarding the cause of the reaction of
2 Diet Pepsi 20/600 1 Mentos in soda. Several students shared that
they “heard” that it had to do with CO2 in the
soda, and that it had something to do with
3 Weis Quality 30/875 4 microscopic pores on the mentos.
Cola
After the experience, group decided that
additional research needed to be conducted and
4 Fanta Orange 34/1000 6 includes
• internet search on reputable sites
• using microscope to see if there are pores on
5 Orangette 36/1050 7 mentos
• trying to find out if different bottling
manufacturers used differing amounts of CO2 in
6 7 – Up 25/750 3 their bottling process

7 Twist Up 32/950 5 Group will research, then come back and

redesign.