Main steps in scientific procedure

This is the first step of the scientific method. You observe something and ask a question about it. For example, you might notice that salt seems to dissolve faster in hot water than in cold water. You can then form a question like: Does temperature affect the solubility of ammonium chloride in water?

A hypothesis is a possible explanation or answer to your question. It is an educated guess based on your observations. For the example above, your hypothesis could be: Temperature does not affect the solubility of ammonium chloride in water.

At this stage, you test your hypothesis by conducting an experiment. You observe what happens during the experiment. To carry out a good experiment, you must identify the factors that might affect the outcome. These factors are called variables and include:

1. Dependent variable: the factor being measured. (e.g. the amount of ammonium chloride that dissolves)
2. Independent variable: the factor that is changed to see its effect. (e.g. temperature of the water)
3. Controlled variable: the factor that is kept constant during the experiment. (e.g. volume of water used)

For example, you can test how temperature affects solubility by heating water to different temperatures and measuring how much ammonium chloride dissolves in each.

This step involves writing down your observations or results. For example, you may record how many grams of ammonium chloride dissolve in 100 ml of water at various temperatures.

Example:

After collecting data, you look for patterns or trends in the results. You try to understand what the data shows. In the solubility experiment, you might observe that more salt dissolves as temperature increases. This suggests that heat increases the solubility of ammonium chloride.

The conclusion is a summary of what your experiment shows. It tells whether your hypothesis was correct or incorrect. For example, if your results show that more salt dissolves at higher temperatures, you may conclude that: Temperature increases the solubility of ammonium chloride. If this disagrees with your hypothesis, you can suggest reasons and even do another test to confirm.

The final step is to share your findings. Scientists report their results through journals, reports, or presentations. Even if your hypothesis was incorrect, it is important to report all results honestly.

If your results do not support the hypothesis:

1. Do not hide or change the results.
2. Suggest reasons for the unexpected outcome.
3. Propose more investigations to find better answers.