Identify a Key Empirical Difference Between Experiments
Sample Question:
Which of the following was observed in Experiment 2 but not in Experiment 1?
What’s Being Tested: Can you accurately compare specific results and find differences?
Knowledge & Skills Required:
- Reading and interpreting data from multiple tables or graphs
- Recognizing when outcomes differ in magnitude, direction, or type
- Knowing which results belong to which experiment
What’s Needed to Answer Correctly:
- Pay close attention to labels, units, and experiment conditions
- Focus only on empirical measurements, not interpretations
Correct Approach:
- Read both experiments’ results sections carefully
- Identify what's measured in each (e.g., temp, rate, output)
- Look for observations unique to one experiment
Compare Quantitative Outcomes
Sample Question:
Which experiment resulted in the highest average temperature change over time?
What’s Being Tested: Can you calculate or extract summary statistics (like averages, totals, rates) from multiple experiments?
Knowledge & Skills Required:
- Interpreting tabular or graphical data
- Doing simple math: differences, averages, rates
- Understanding physical quantities and units
What’s Needed to Answer Correctly:
- Calculate or visually estimate values (e.g., ΔT, speed, growth)
- Watch for unit mismatches (e.g., seconds vs. minutes)
Correct Approach:
- Identify relevant columns/axes (e.g., time, temp)
- Compute the average or total for each experiment
- Compare results directly
Determine Which Conditions Led to a Given Result
Sample Question:
Which set of conditions produced the fastest reaction rate?
What’s Being Tested: Can you trace an observed result back to the conditions that produced it?
Knowledge & Skills Required:
- Understanding experimental variables (e.g., temp, pressure, concentration)
- Reading trial labels and conditions accurately
- Associating outcomes with the conditions that caused them
What’s Needed to Answer Correctly:
- Understand which conditions were varied
- Accurately match those to the desired outcome
Correct Approach:
- Identify the trials with the outcome of interest
- Check their input conditions (e.g., “Trial C used 1.5 M acid”)
- Match these conditions to the answer options
Identify Similar or Consistent Results Across Experiments
Sample Question:
Which of the following observations was made in both Experiment 1 and Experiment 3?
What’s Being Tested: Can you find replicated findings across different experiments?
Knowledge & Skills Required:
- Comparing observations across trials or tables
- Recognizing repeated patterns in results (e.g., consistent trends)
What’s Needed to Answer Correctly:
- Track the same variable across multiple trials
- Find matching values, trends, or outcomes
Correct Approach:
- Identify what’s being measured in each experiment
- Scan for same values, trends, or patterns (e.g., “increase over time”)
- Choose the one that appears in both sets of data
Evaluate Experimental Design Differences Affecting Results
Sample Question:
Which of the following differences in design likely accounts for the difference in results between the two experiments?
What’s Being Tested: Can you recognize how changes in experimental setup affected observed outcomes?
Knowledge & Skills Required:
- Understanding variable roles: manipulated vs. measured
- Associating design changes (e.g., different sensors or materials) with result differences
What’s Needed to Answer Correctly:
- Identify what was different in the setups
- Determine if that difference could logically cause the observed result shift
Correct Approach:
- Read or note how each experiment was set up
- Compare what changed (e.g., temperature range, material type)
- Decide which change could logically explain the result difference
Infer Outcome of a New Experiment Based on Prior Results
Sample Question:
If a new experiment used 2.0 M solution at 40°C, what result would most likely be observed?
What’s Being Tested: Can you apply patterns from prior data to predict a new result?
Knowledge & Skills Required:
- Recognizing trends and relationships (e.g., “as concentration ↑, so does rate”)
- Combining effects of two variables
- Estimating interpolated values
What’s Needed to Answer Correctly:
- Find data for similar conditions
- Predict outcome by interpolation or extension of trends
Correct Approach:
- Review results of trials with similar concentration and temperature
- Analyze the trend (e.g., linear, accelerating, plateau)
- Predict what’s most consistent with that trend
Disentangle Confounding Results
Sample Question:
Why might the outcome of Experiment 2 be less reliable than that of Experiment 1?
What’s Being Tested: Can you detect potential flaws, inconsistencies, or limitations in one experiment’s results?
Knowledge & Skills Required:
- Spotting uncontrolled variables or inconsistencies
- Noticing sample size, measurement errors, or range limits
What’s Needed to Answer Correctly:
- Evaluate experimental rigor
- Match potential issues to outcomes that seem unexpected or less consistent
Correct Approach:
- Check whether variables were properly controlled
- Look for hints of instrument error, smaller data sets, or odd outliers
- Identify which experiment had weaker or more variable results