Bunny Copter8/24/12

An investigation following the steps of the Scientific Method

1. Identify the problem or behavior that you wish to investigate.

a) Choose an area of interest to observe.

b) Identify a problem or behavior you wish to investigate.

What will happen if I add paper clips to a Bunny Copter?

How the adding of weight will affect the time it takes a Bunny Copter to hit the ground?

2. Seek information about the test subject you want to investigate.

Use different sources to gather facts about your subject.

a) Articles – magazines/newspaper

b) Scientific books

c) Books on the subject, including textbooks

d) Internet articles

e) Encyclopedias and reference books

3. Form a hypothesis about your subject.

Make a prediction/statement about your subject.

If_______________ then __________ format.

If I add paper clips to a Bunny Copter ear then _____________________________ (fill in the blank with your prediction/hypothesis).

4. Design an experiment that tests your hypothesis.

a) Design a system with all its components.

b) Identify what you need to manipulate in your system to test your subject.

Independent variable

c) Make sure the rest of the components are controlled and stay constant.

This is what we call the experimental procedure.

Material. Two Bunny Copters, paper clips, timer.

Steps of the experiment (experiment design).

Procedure:• Gather all material.• Make one Bunny Copter.• Make sure everything works (timer).• Identify your control (Bunny Copter without

paper clips).

– Determine high of drop and maintain it constant.

– Drop the Bunny Copter without paper clip three times, average it out. Report your results

– This is your control for comparison.

• Follow the same procedure with the addition of paper clips.

• Take three readings per the addition of a paper clip and average it.

• Use this data to graph your results.• What is your dependent variable?

8/28/2012Bunny Copter Data Collection

• 1. Independent variable = paper clips• 2. Dependent variable = time in seconds• 3. Control = Bunny Copter without paper

clips

Bunny Copter

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average

No paper clips

Experimental Data TableAverage = total of seconds/3

# of paper clips

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average

1

2

3

4

5

5. Analyze your data• Use the data table to draw a graph.• Label the graph with title, x-axis, y-axis and

do not forget to indicate the units of measurement used in your experiment.

– Remember:• The Independent variable is what you

manipulate and goes in the x-axis.

• The Dependent variable is what changes as the result of the change in the independent variable.

6. Conclusion• Based on your analysis of the data, write your

conclusion.• Your conclusion should include the following.

– Restatement of your hypothesis.

– Brief description of what you found difficult in your experiment, be specific (measuring time, keeping height constant, etc.).

– Whether or not your hypothesis was supported by the experiment.

– If it was not supported by the experiment, state possible reasons (human error, inability to keep variables constant, partner did not follow instructions, etc.) be specific.

• The end