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Unit 3 Experimental Design Project

lab exp

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18 views3 pages

Unit 3 Experimental Design Project

lab exp

Uploaded by

khushd012
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Gummy Bear Project (Due: ___________)

The purpose of this experiment is to provide you the opportunity to practice the principles of experimental
design. Design an experiment that uses the materials given to you. The experiment must adhere to the 3
principles of good experiments—control, randomization, and replication. Work with your group to answer the
following questions.

You must submit a video of your procedure (launching).

Upon completion of this experiment, you should investigate and understand the factors that influence the
distance traveled by gummy bears catapulted from a homemade launcher.
The activities are based on launching gummy bears from a ramp in order to study a variety of factors
that may affect launch distance.

Create the Launcher


Launchers will be created from Popsicle sticks and
rubber bands. First, wind a rubber band enough times
around one end of a stick so that the rubber band
stays firmly in place.
Then, place that stick and another one together and
wind a second rubber band tightly around the other
end of the two sticks to bind them firmly together.
Insert a dowel between the two sticks as a fulcrum.
Put the launcher on a board with textbooks
underneath one end. Load the gummy bear on the
launcher, then launch. After each launch, record the
distance, measuring from the front of the ramp, only
in the direction parallel to the ramp (not diagonal).
MATERIALS
Popsicle Sticks Narrow Board Meter Sticks
Rubber Bands Identical Books Gummy Bears
Dowel
PROCEDURE
1. Prepare your launcher. One per group. Wrap a rubber band tightly around one of the craft sticks about 2cm
from the end. Use a second rubber band to fasten the other end of this stick to a second. Insert the dowel as a
fulcrum.

 Class time Focus of ALL Group Members = 10 points

2. Split the tasks. One person should be designated to load the gummy bears onto the launcher, another to do the
actual launching, and the last person to observe and record the distance (the person who loads should also mark
the distance in order to ensure accuracy)

 Collaboration = 10 points

3. Prepare the “Launch Protocol”


What “launching errors” should you consider that could affect the quality of your results? Explain what you will
do to fix this and why describing the launch protocol is necessary.

 Launch Protocol = 10 points

4. Prepare the “Anticipation Commentary”


Anticipate the results before conducting the experiment. Answer questions with a thorough explanation
 Does the color of the gummy bear affect its launching distance?
 Which works better, launching from the front of the ramp or launching from the back?
 Do you feel that the launcher location (front or back of the ramp) will affect the launching distance?
 Also consider the effect of launching angle on distance: if you have one, three, or five books under the
ramp. Do you expect to gain more distance when the angle is steep or flat? What evidence do you have
to support this?

 Anticipation Commentary = 10 points

5. Prepare the “Experimental Design”


Outline a diagram and write up a summary of your experiment. Will you test each of the variables individually or
all together? Explain why you chose to do it this way. What is/are the statistical advantage(s) of conducting your
experiment this way? Disadvantages?
a. Who or what are the experimental units (be specific)?
b. What is the factor or factors for each piece of the experiment?
c. What are the levels within the experiment?
d. Identify the treatments for each piece of the experiment.
e. What is the response variable for each?
f. How did you randomize, replicate, and control your experiment?
g. What experimental design method do you think would be most effective to evaluate results for your analysis?
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using a blocking, matched pairs, and completely randomized
experimental design. Why do you feel that your design is the best method to collect this data?

Part 1: Location of the Launch (on the board)


Part 2: Launch Angle (# of books)
Part 3: Variable of your choice

 Experimental Design = 40 points


… continued on next page…

6. Data Collection and Analysis


You may wish to use a two-way table to help organize your data. Display your results in a table and present them
using graphing display(s). Describe the results in context. Also, discuss possible sources of error and what
conclusions you can draw based off of your experiment. Be sure to draw in concepts from previous units to
describe your observations. Make this interesting for your audience!

 Analysis = 40 points

7. Quality of the Launch Video


The Launch Video should be clear and visible. Consider appropriate background music. Please include video of
at least 3 launches.

 Video Presentation = 10 points

TOTAL = _________________/130 points

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