Sample Experiments

same

identical

The next Christmas, everyone received a box of cookies from Mary containing twelve chocolate chip cookies and four oatmeal cookies.
What mistakes could she have made in the experiment?

However, she did it right. She held all the variables constant but one.
This was a good experiment! Mary could take this to a science fair.

Again, in a good experiment we:

Another example:

Frank wanted to test the traditional atlatl for throwing a spear at seals.
He knew that the traditional length of atlatl is from his elboe to his fist.

He tried an atlatl that was the traditional length, another that was 2" short and another that was 2" long.
He used the same spear in all his tests.
His variables were:

His own throwing ability.
Length of atlatl
Length and balance of spear.

He later went on to test different spears, and used the same atlatl.

Another example:

Betty wanted to find out what kind of food camp-robbers (greyjays) liked. She put out a plate of saltine crackers, peanut butter and dry fish.

She put it out for the same length of time every day.
She put the same amount of crackers, peanut butter and dry fish on the plate.
She put the plate in the same location each day.

She recorded her data and entered the fair.

Another example:
Frozen tongue.
A boy wanted to find out why your tongue sticks to the flagpole when it is cold.
He did an experiment. He did not use his tongue, but a piece of cloth, sometimes dry, sometimes wet to imitate his tongue.
He tested different materials under different temperature conditions.
He recorded when the cloth stuck to the flagpole:

Dry above 32 Dry below 32 Wet above 32 Wet below 32

Wood no no no no

Plastic no no no no

Porcelain cup no no no no

Steel no no no yes

Back

	Dry above 32	Dry below 32	Wet above 32	Wet below 32
Wood	no	no	no	no
Plastic	no	no	no	no
Porcelain cup	no	no	no	no
Steel	no	no	no	yes