1. Physical Science Mr. Barry
Graphing in Science
Physical Science
Mr. Barry

2. Using Graphs Graph: a visual display of information or data
Shows Change!
Graphs show how two or more items change in relation to each other
What is an example of two things that you could make a graph with?

3. Features of a Graph
Title: each graph must have a title or it is meaningless
Labels: each axis must be labeled and have a unit
Axes: x and y axes represent the change in different variables
Variable: a quantity subject to change
Independent: changed during experiment or observation (ALWAYS on x-axis)
Dependent: changes as a result of change in the independent variable (ALWAYS on y-axis)

4. Example What is the title? What does the x-axis represent? The y-axis?
What is the independent variable?
What is the dependent variable?
What can we conclude from looking at this graph?

5. Types of Graphs Bar Graphs: compares information gathered by counting
Ex: number of students in this class of a certain age
Circle Graphs (Pie Graph): shows how a whole can be broken down into parts (percentages)
Ex: percent of students in the school that are in certain science classes

6. Types of Graphs
Line Graphs: shows a relationship where one variable (dependent) changes as a result of another variable (independent)
This is the type of graph most helpful for science
More than one relationship can be shown on a line graph

7. Making a Line Graph
1. Put all of your information into a chart with columns for the independent variable and the dependent variables
2. Find the largest value in each column. Increase that value to an easily divisible number
3. Make increments on each axis equal to parts of the easily divisible number
4. Plot each point in the chart. Connect each plotted point
5. Done!

8. Example
Jack’s little brother Jim is just learning to walk. He walks 1 m in 6 s, 2 m in 13 s, 3 m in 19 s and 3.5 m in 27 s. He needs to graph this information for a class at school. Help him out!
Independent Dependent
Variable Variable

9. Example
Title:
y-axis:
(0,0)
x-axis: