NSCI 120 UMGC Natural Sciences Laboratory

Lab 1 Assignment – Forming Hypotheses

Carefully read About Hypotheses in the Week 1 Learning Resources to learn about what makes a good scientific hypothesis.

Part 1

Explain the steps of the scientific method in one to two paragraphs.

Part 2

In this part you will practice forming hypotheses that are testable with repeatable and objective data. You’ll also identify hypotheses that would be difficult or impossible to test.Remember that testable hypotheses are

• specific,

• limited,

• testable in a reasonable amount of time,

• testable using existing technology, and

• testable with repeatable and objective data:

o quantifiable data or numbers and

o well-defined categories.

Steps

1. State a scientific hypothesis about the weather. Explain why or how it meets all of the criteria above.

2. Find a rock. Include a photo of your rock. State a scientific hypothesis about the rock. Explain how it meets all of the criteria above.

3. Give an example of a quantifiable property of an object, an occurrence, or a situation. What tools would you need to make a measurement of that property?

4. Think of some type of object or occurrence that could be placed into well-defined categories, where many observers would agree on the classification of the object or occurrence. Explain why you think these categories are objective.

5. Give an example of some type of object or occurrence where classification is not objective and explain why it is not objective.

6. Each of the hypotheses below has at least one flaw that makes it not testable with repeatable and objective data in a reasonable amount of time. Identify the flaw and explain why it is a problem.

a. Altocumulus clouds always precede rain.

b. Golden retrievers are the friendliest dog breed.

c. Tomorrow will be windy.

d. Sea level will rise one meter by 2100.

e. Unicorns like apples.

f. The next recorded hail stone larger than 7 inches will fall in Tennessee.

g. No two snowflakes are alik