Key Words Flashcards
(23 cards)
Independent variable
Something in an experiment that you choose to change.
Dependent variable
Something in an experiment that you measure so you can see the effect of the independent variable.
Control variable
Something in an experiment that you must keep the same to make sure it doesn’t affect the dependant variable.
Repeatable
Results are repeatable if you do the experiment again and get the same results.
Reproducible
Results are reproducible if someone else does the experiment and gets the same results or if you do using a different method.
Preliminary experiment
You do this before the main experiment to identify the best range for the independent variable.
Precise
Precise instruments are able to measure very small differences.
Accurate
Accurate results are close to the true value.
Hypothesis
This says how the independent variable might affect the dependant variable.
Mean value
Add up the repeated results and divide by the number of results to get an average.
Random error
Errors that occur in results that cannot be planned for. Calculating a mean value reduces the effect of random error.
Zero error
If equipment doesn’t measure from zero, you get a zero error.
Systematic error
If you make the same mistake every time you measure the results, this causes a systematic error.
Measurement error
If you read the equipment incorrectly (eg. not standing level with the thermometer) it will cause a measurement error.
Anomaly
A result that doesn’t fit in with the pattern.
Fair test
To make a test fair, all the variables must be kept the same except for the independent variable.
Range
Range of data is the maximum to the minimum value.
Interval
The gap between two readings.
Resolution
The smallest measurement that an instrument can make.
Calibration
Making an instrument measure correctly. E.g setting scales to zero when there’s nothing on them.
Sketch graph
A sketch on plain paper of the line or bars. Axes are labeled but not scaled.
Categoric variables
These can be given names or labels; for example, types of rock, size of shoe (you can’t have 4.3 or 5.7 so it’s not continuous).
Continuous variables
These are always numbers. They will have been counted or measured and fall on a scale where you could have any number in between those recorded (e.g temperature, height or distance).
