Fair testing (age 8+)

Question 1

Sam wants to find out which wing shape makes a paper airplane fly the farthest. He will test three different wing shapes. Which step should Sam include in his plan to make the test fair and help identify a failure point?

Accepted Answer

Use the same type and size of paper for every airplane.

Answer

Use a different kind of paper for each wing shape.

Answer

Throw each airplane with a different amount of force.

Answer

Change the launch angle for each trial.

Question 2

A student wants to test how the amount of water affects how quickly a seed sprouts. Which setup correctly tests this (changing only one variable)?

Accepted Answer

Plant identical seeds in identical pots with the same soil and light, giving each a different amount of water.

Answer

Plant identical seeds with the same water but different amounts of light.

Answer

Plant different seeds in different soils with different amounts of water and light.

Answer

Plant one seed, water it, and check it later.

Question 3

A student wants to test how the slope of a track affects how fast a marble rolls down. Which setup correctly tests this (changing only one variable)?

Accepted Answer

Roll the same marble down tracks set at different slopes, keeping the marble and track surface the same.

Answer

Roll different marbles down the same track.

Answer

Roll the same marble down the same track many times.

Answer

Roll different marbles down tracks of different slopes on different surfaces.

Try three questions

Sam wants to find out which wing shape makes a paper airplane fly the farthest. He will test three different wing shapes. Which step should Sam include in his plan to make the test fair and help identify a failure point?

A student wants to test how the amount of water affects how quickly a seed sprouts. Which setup correctly tests this (changing only one variable)?

A student wants to test how the slope of a track affects how fast a marble rolls down. Which setup correctly tests this (changing only one variable)?

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