GroupMembersNames:___________________________________________________Date:_________Period:____

ScientificMethodBubbleGumLab
ThepurposeofthislabistousetheScientificMethodtosolveaproblem:
A)Observeandaskquestionsthatleadtoaproblem
B)Formahypothesis
C)Testthehypothesiswithacontrolledexperiment
withmultipletrialsbygatheringdata

D)Analyzegathereddata
E)RejectorAcceptyourhypothesis
F)Formaconclusion

Materials:
1pieceofstring
1ruler

2differentpiecesofbubblegumlabeledAandB

READdirectionscarefullybeforestartingthelab.CreateaDataTablebelowbeforeyoucanbegin.
EachgroupwillneedonepieceofgumlabeledAandonelabeledB.Make3observationsabouteachbrandofgum.
Observationsaredescriptionsusingyour5senses.Usetherulerforatleastoneobservation.
Observations
GumA:____________

GumB:______________

1.____________________________

1.__________________________

2.____________________________

2.___________________________

3.____________________________

3.___________________________

Problem/Question:Whichbrandofbubblegumblowsthebiggestbubble?
Hypothesis:Predictwhichbrandofgumwillblowthebiggestbubbleandwhyyouthinkthat.
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Procedure:
1. ChoosetwopeopletobetheGumChewersoneforeachbrandofgum.ThepersonwithbrandAwillchewtheir
pieceofgumfor3minutes.ThepersonwithbrandBwillnotbeginchewinguntilallthetestsonbrandAare
completed.
2. Afterthe3minutesareup,blowabubble.
3. Usingastring,yourpartnerwillmeasurethediameter(distanceacross)ofthebubble.Putthestringontheruler
tomeasurethedistanceincentimeters(cm).
4. Recordthemeasurementinyourdatatable(below).
5. Repeattheprocessfortrials2and3.(Youshouldblow3bubblesandmeasurethem.)
6. FindtheaveragebubblesizeforbrandA(addallthedistancesupanddivideby3)andputinthedatatable
(below).
7. Repeatsteps16withbrandBgum.
DataTable:Designadatacollectiontableinthespacebelowtofitthedatayouwillbeinvestigating.

RejectorAcceptyourHypothesis:______________________(Wasyourhypothesiscorrect?)
Conclusion:Formingatheory
Whatbrandofgumisthebestatblowingbubbles?Supportyouranswerwithevidenceobservationsandyourdata.
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AnalysisQuestions
1.Inyourownwords,whatwereyoutryingtofindoutinthisexperiment?____________________________________
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2.Whatwereyoumeasuringinthisexperiment?_________________________________________________________
3.Explainhowthedatayoucollectedcanbedescribedasbothqualitative(usingdescriptionswithwords)and
quantitative(usingnumbers).________________________________________________________________________
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4.Withyourlabpartners,list3variablesthatmayhaveaffectedtheoutcomeofthisexperiment.
A._______________________________________________________________________________________________
B._______________________________________________________________________________________________
C._______________________________________________________________________________________________
4.ThefollowinglistdescribestheScientificMethod.Checkoffwhichoftheseitemsyouusedinthisexperiment.Then
explainhowbrieflyontheline.

MakingObservations________________________________________________________________________
FormulatingQuestions_______________________________________________________________________
CollectingandusingBackgroundInfo__________________________________________________________
FormingaHypothesis________________________________________________________________________
Testingthehypothesisthroughobservationalstudiesorexperiments(Procedure)_________________________
CollectingData_____________________________________________________________________________
ExaminingResultsoftests_____________________________________________________________________
DrawingConclusions________________________________________________________________________
Forminganewmodifiedhypothesis_____________________________________________________________
Retestingthenewhypothesis__________________________________________________________________

5.List23questionsyoucouldexplorenextifyouweregoingtodoasimilarbutslightlydifferentexperiment.
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ExtensionIfyouhavetime,completethefollowingbelow.
Problem:Howdoesgumstretchabilityrelatetobubblesize?
Hypothesis:Makeaneducatedguessthatwouldanswertheabovequestion.
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Procedure:
1. ThepersonwithbrandAwillrolltheirgumintoaball.
2. Holdthegum(brandA)byusingthepieceofscrappaper.Anotherpersoninthegroupwillholdthesamepiece
ofgumwithanotherpieceofscrappaper.Holdthegumnearyourchest,begintowalkslowlybackwards.
3. Thethirdpersoninthegroupshouldholdameterstickandmeasurethedistance(incentimeters)thegum
stretchedbeforebreaking.
4. Recordthemeasurementinthedatachart.ONLYDOONETRIAL.THROWTHEGUMAWAYWHEN
FINISHED!
5. Repeat#14forbrandBgum.
DataTable:Createadatatableinthespacebelowtofitthedatayouwillbegathering.

RejectorAcceptyourHypothesis:______________________
Conclusion:Howdoesgumstretchabilityrelatetobubblesize?Useevidencefromtheexperiment.
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