EXPERIMENT No.

1
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD AND SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
ABRIDGMENT

BACKGROUND
Scientific inquiry is a general term for numerous ways which scientists learn about
the natural world to produce scientific knowledge. The knowledge produced is supported
by evidences collected during the inquiry process.
Traditionally, the term scientific method has been used in teaching students on
how scientists learn about the natural world. However, this term has recently been
criticized because it creates the misconception that all scientists follow the same steps
(processes) in the same order all the time. There are many methods in unravelling the
mysteries of the natural world by using investigative methods in various fields of sciences
that are better presented by a broader term, scientific inquiry.
The scientific processes vary from scientists to scientists and from one
investigation to the other, a common set of scientific processes is used by scientists to
learn about the natural world. Making observations; asking questions; making predictions
or posing hypothesis,; planning investigations; controlling variables; using systematic,
reliable, repeatable, and externally validated techniques; analyzing the data collected;
and interpreting and communicating the results are among the major processes that are
involved in the scientific inquiry processes.
Each laboratory in this manual is designed to guide the learners through the
sequence of the scientific inquiry processes that may be used to learn about the world
around them. Learners may learn that the scientific inquiry by engaging in inquiry
processes, and they develop the skills needed to answer their own questions through
scientific inquiry. At the same time, students may gain content knowledge by actively
engaging in the scientific discussions among the inquiry raised as opposed to the direct
instructions as told by the teachers or science reading books.
Scientists in the 21st century increasingly rely on technology to enhance data
collection and analysis. Technology enables scientists to collect large amounts of data
accurately and to display, analyze, and interpret their data more quickly.

OBJECTIVES
1. To be familiarized with technology-based laboratory practice.
2. To be able to formulate and explain hypothesis based on the gather data.
3. To develop skill in data interpretation.

MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT

EQUIPMENT/S
2 Beaker, 50mL Hot water
1 Coffee Cup Calorimeter Computer or mobile phones with
PASPORT sensor temperature SPARKvue software
PASPORT sensor interference1 Fast-response temperature probe
1
Use PASPORT USB link, PASPORT SPARKLink, PASPORT PowerLink, PASPORT AirLink SI, PASPORT Xplorer, or
PASPORT Xplorer GLX, or Bluetooth connection to connect the sensor to the mobile.
PROCEDURE

JOB 1 – Manual Sampling of Body Temperature

1. Make a table for recording your data
a. Create a new page by clicking the “Build” button
b. Select “Temperature” in the measurement list
c. As the temperature highlighted, create a new table by clicking “Table”
button, then click “OK”
2. Set the SPARKvue to manual sampling mode
a. Open sampling option screen by ticking “Sampling Options”
b. Click “Manual”, then tick “OK”
3. For data collection, tick the “Start” button to begin the measurement.
4. Attach the end of the probe on your thumb, click the “KEEP” button when the
temperature stabilizes. Record your data in the table. Repeat the procedure with
your hands, elbow, and armpit.
5. To stop the collection of data, press the “STOP” button.
6. Save the file by clicking the “SHARING”, then click “SAVE FILE AS”, enter
7. Type your desired filename, and then save. Click “Done” to close the pane

JOB 2 – Periodic Sampling of Water Cooling

1. Estimate the temperature of the warm water (~50°C) in a room temperature after
5 minutes.
2. Conduct an experiment to prove the hypothesis. Set-up the SPARKvue by
pressing the “Home Button” to reset the previous work.
a. Create a new page by clicking the “Build” button
b. Select “Temperature” in the measurement list
c. As the temperature highlighted, create a new graph by clicking “Graph”
button, then click “OK”
3. To start the sampling, using the “sampling button” to open the Sampling Option
Screen. Then select “seconds” in the “Sample Rate Unit”, to close click the “OK”.
4. Fill a cup with two-thirds of hot water (~50°C) this will be your control.
5. To start the data gathering, press the “Start” button.
6. Adjust the panel to scale properly wherein you can see properly the changes
7. in the temperature. Open the tool palette by clicking the “TOOLS”, then press the
“Scale-to-fit” button, and press “TOOLS” to close the panel.
8. Continue the data collection for 5 minutes (600 seconds), then press the “STOP”
to terminate the data collection.
9. To label the data run,
a. Open the tool palette by clicking the “TOOL”.
b. b. To select the plotted data lines, used the “Select” button, then “OK”
button, then press the “Annotation” button, and enter your desired title (for
control used “CONTROL”), and to close the panel press “OK”.
c. To turn-off the selection, tick the orange “Select” button, then tick the
“TOOLS” buttons to close the pane.
10. Student create their own designed with different temperature to the control.
Repeat procedure 1 to 9, using different plotted data lines name.
11. Find the maximum and the minimum temperature of the water.

a. Click tools button to open the palette tool.

b. Click the statistics button. Result: statistics screen opens.

c. Click the minimum and the maximum to select both. Result: selected
statistics are highlighted.

d. Click OK. Result: the minimum and the maximum values of the data run
appear on the graph.

e. Click the tools button to close the tool palette.

12. Record the maximum and the minimum temperature.

13. Calculate the change in temperature of the water in cup during the 5 minutes,
and record.
14. Find the maximum and the minimum temperature of the water and record in table
2.
15. Calculate the change in temperature of the water in cup during the 5 minutes, and
record in table 2.
 DATA AND RESULTS
JOB 1 – Manual sampling of body part temperature

Table 1 - Manual sampling of the body part

Data
Body Part Temperature (oC)
Point
1
2
3
4

JOB 2 – Periodic Sampling of Water Cooling

Table 2 - Effects of student cup modification on change in temperature of water

Maximum Minimum Change in
Environment Temperature Temperature Temperature
(oC) (oC) (oC)
Open System
Closed
System

Graph both data showing the temperature on the y-axis and time on the x-axis. Label the
graph properly and attached it in a separate bond paper.

ADVANCE QUESTION
.
1. What is the approximate value of the following?
Average Internal Temperature of the Human Body °C
Room Temperature °C
Temperature of the Thumb °C

2. What will happen to a hot water sits in a room temperature for 5 mins?

3. What will happen to a hot water sits in an insulated tumbler for 5 mins?
 ANALYSIS OF RESULTS

JOB 1 – Manual sampling of body part temperature

1. Compare the acquired temperature of your thumb against to your approximation.
What do you think is the reason for the changes in temperature?

2. Compare the temperature of the Thumb, Hand, Elbow and Armpit.. With this data
create a relationship between the relative proximity of the body part to the human
body core against the temperature difference.

3. Do you see any trends in the data collected? Explain any trends that you observe
in the space below.

4. Does your prediction about the body temperature match the data that you
collected? Explain below.

JOB 2 – Periodic Sampling of Water Cooling

5. Explain why this temperature change was observed in an open
 QUESTION

1. Can you be sure that your modification of the cup was the only reason for the
change in temperature? Explain. Name two probable sources of error for this
experiment.

2. How did SPARKvue and PASPORT / Bluetooth technology improve the data
collection and the analysis you performed in the periodic sampling of water
cooling part of the lab?

3. Independent variables are those for which conditions are set by the experimenter.
Dependent variables are those for which values depend upon the values of the
independent variables. Identify the independent variable and dependent variable
in each of the part of the lab.
Experiment Independent Variable Dependent Variable
Part 1: Body
Temperature
Part 2: Water
Cooling