Scientific Method and Plant Growth Vocabulary

Vocabulary terms and definitions with corresponding examples from the plant growth light experiment lecture notes.

Hypothesis

An educated guess; for example: if plants are exposed to different colors of light, then the plants exposed to blue light will exhibit the greatest growth.

Dependent variable (d.v.)

What is being tested and measured during the experiment (Transcript example: The color of the light).

Independent variable (i.v.)

What is being changed on purpose during the experiment (Transcript example: The growth of the plant).

Constant

Variables that stay the same during the experiment, including the pots, type of plant, type of soil, amount of water, and temperature.

Control

The group that is used for comparison, such as a group of plants grown under standard white light conditions.

Quantitative data

Numbers for data; for example, Plant A growing $4$ leaves and increasing in height by $2\,inches$ in $3\,days$ or Plant B growing $1$ leaf and increasing by $1\,inch$ in $3\,days$.

Qualitative data

Observations using your $5$ senses; for example, Plant A's leaves changing from green to light yellow with flowers blooming, or Plant B wilting with dry brown leaves.