Formal Lab Report

Your lab report must include Title – Describes the investigative question, including your independent and dependent variables Background information Describes scientific concepts and clearly defines scientific terms that are relevant to the investigation Hypothesis – Clear prediction Clear scientific reason

Your lab report must include Table 1: Experimental Variables

Your lab report must include Materials List Procedure

Procedure Section Have your procedure in a numerical list Make sure what you are measuring is clear and consistent with your scientific question Make sure what you are changing is clear and consistent with your scientific questions Control variables are mentioned in the procedure Control variables have exact amounts/ quantities/ measurements with units Control variables stay the same throughout the entire procedure Repeat trials are clearly stated

Procedure Section Clearly identify independent variables What you are changing. Clearly identify dependent variable What you are measuring Clearly Identify all controlled variable Everything in the procedure that stay the small (GIVE EXACT AMOUNTS with UNITS)

Procedure examples Use the wax marking pencil to label the 5 beakers gravel, salt, water, soil, and air. Fill each beaker to the 100 ml mark with each material Place a thermometer in each beaker and record the starting temperature. Be sure that you are measuring the temperature of the material and NOT the temperature pf the beaker. Place all beakers under the light for 25 minutes After the time has elapsed, measure and record the temperature in each beaker Take the beakers back to your table and measure and record the temperature at 5, 10, and 30 minutes. Calculate the rate of cooling by dividing the total degrees lost (temperature after 25 minutes in light - temperature after 30 minutes of cooling) by 30. (TOTAL DEGREES LOST/ 30 minutes)

Results Section Data tables & Graphs

Make a data table Your data table should include Descriptive title Units in title All numbers have clear Titles Uncertainty with units Columns and rows for Trials ( at least 6) Averages Standard deviations

Oxygen Gas Production (ppm) Example Raw Data Table Oxygen Gas Production (ppm) Uncertainty +/- 5% Low Light Intensity Medium Light High Light Trial 1 2000.00 4000.00 6000.00 Trial 2 2225.00 4232.15 6234.77 Trial 3 1599.22 3876.11 5987.22 Average 5000.00 Standard Deviation 10.55 30.33 15.00

Description for graph Graphs: TITLE Graphs: Axes Include a title for all graphs that describe the investigation & include the independent & dependent variables. Graphs: Axes Dependent variable ( % seed germination) goes on y- axis – Labeled with units Independent variable groups goes on x- axis. –Labeled with units

Graph Types: Pick two of the three types of graphs: Column - Bar graph -- Must show average data & have error bars showing standard deviation Line graph -- Must have time on X-axis and the dependent variable on the y-axis. X-Y Scatter – Must have two measured/ quantitative variables , with the dependent variable being on the Y - axis

Conclusion Clearly answers investigative ( at least one sentence) At least TWO average data NUMBERS to support the above statement ( at least one sentence) Uses descriptions of line graphs to support above statement ( at least one sentence) Uses scientific knowledge to explain results ( at least one sentence) Explain any general trends in the graphs. Provide scientific explanation for the above trend.

Evaluation Evaluation of Procedure Identifies all weakness with the PROCEDURE only Clearly explains how this weakness makes data in lab less reliable Describes how the above weaknesses can be realistically improved in a future lab Clearly explains how this improvement will make the data more reliable

Analyzing a Procedure With your partner look at the given procedures and answer the following questions: Identify the Independent variable (give numbers and units if appropriate) Identify the Dependent variable (give numbers and units if appropriate) Identify three controlled variables (give numbers, units if appropriate) How many times trials does this experiment have (how many times was this experiment repeated)?

Today you will work on the following parts of the lab: We are going to investigate the affect of salt water on seed germination. Today you will work on the following parts of the lab: Title Background Hypothesis Making Experimental Variables Table Materials ( I will provide) Procedures Data table for raw data

You will do the following tasks individually Write the following sections of this investigation : the affect of salt water on seed germination. Title Background information Hypothesis Experimental Variables TABLE

Background Information Things to consider: Define key vocabulary words Define Seed Germination Explain what factors affect seed germination Describe any living organism or chemicals in your experiment Environment the radish plant likes to grow in. The effect salt might have on plants Identify why you experiment is interesting and/ or important How much salt water is in the oceans? And are there places where ocean water floods agriculture land. How would flooded food crops affect people?

You will do the following tasks in a group Identify the following items of this investigation : the affect of salt water on seed germination Materials ( I will provide) Procedures Data table for raw data

Materials # Paper towels # Petri dish mL 0% Salt (sodium chloride) water mL 1% Salt water mL 2% Saltwater mL 3 % Salt water mL 4 % Salt water # Radish Seeds 1-- 12 mL Syringe Paper towels Scissors Ruler