Penny Lab Understanding the Scientific Method PreLAB Make

Penny Lab Understanding the Scientific Method

Pre-LAB (Make an Observation) l Make a Qualitative observation of the lab l Make a Quantitative observation of the lab

l Water has the ability to “stick to itself” (cohesion) and create a force when together (surface tension). l Purpose: To determine if soapy water droplets will stick together better on a penny surface compared to tap water droplets due to cohesion and surface tension properties.

Make a Hypothesis l Consider the following: • How many water drops will fit on a penny? • How many water drops will fit on a penny if the water is mixed with soap?

Experiment l How many drops of water will fit on a penny without spilling? l How many drops of soapy water will fit on a penny without spilling?

Record Data l Make a Data Table Water Type Tap Water Soapy Water Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Average

Analyze Data l Using the data you collected, explain your results (in 2 complete sentences). • What did your average data show? (The penny held more of which water type? ) • Why did you test each water type more than once?

l Make a Conclusion (5 sentences) Was your hypothesis correct? • Why or Why Not? l Was there a control in the experiment? l What was the purpose of: • Independent variable of the experiment? l What did your results show about surface tension (water “sticking to itself”)? l Errors? ?