Year 8 Science · Unit 4 · Lesson 14

Mini Data Investigation

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Date
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Learning Goals

Plan the investigation

Scenario

Complete the planning for this mini investigation: "Does the temperature of water affect how quickly sugar dissolves?"

(a) Write an if-then-because hypothesis for this investigation.

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(b) Identify the independent variable, dependent variable, and three controlled variables.

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Independent variable
Dependent variable
Controlled variables (list 3)

(c) Design a data table with correct headings and units. Include columns for the IV, three trial readings, and an average.

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Analyse the data

Results data

A student collected the following data for the sugar-dissolving investigation:

Temperature (°C)Trial 1 (s)Trial 2 (s)Trial 3 (s)Average (s)
20808482
40485147
60242325

(a) Calculate the average dissolving time for each temperature. Show your working for one calculation.

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(b) Describe the trend shown in the results. Use specific data values.

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(c) Write a complete CER conclusion for this investigation. Include a Claim (answers the research question), Evidence (two data values), and Reasoning (why temperature has this effect).

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1. What would you do if one of the trial values was very different from the other two? Explain using the term "outlier".

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2. Would a bar graph or a line graph be more appropriate for displaying this data? Explain why.

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Wrap Up

In one sentence, explain why calculating averages improves the reliability of your results.