Worksheet on the scientific method using The Simpsons for educational examples.
A worksheet titled "Investigative Science - Scientific Method: The Simpsons Experiments" from Perry High School, featuring three problems with questions about scientific method concepts, each accompanied by a cartoon image of a character from The Simpsons.
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: IS Simpsons scientific method 2012-13
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: IS Simpsons scientific method 2012-13
Explanation:
Let’s go through each problem one by one, using the scientific method steps: identify control group, experimental group, independent variable (what you change), dependent variable (what you measure), and draw conclusions.
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Problem #1 – Smithers’ Juice Experiment
- Goal: See if a special juice helps workers staple more papers.
- Group A: Given special juice → made 2,113 stacks
- Group B: Not given special juice → made 1,587 stacks
- Both groups did the same task (staple papers) for 1 hour.
A. *Control group*: The group that does not get the treatment (special juice). So Group B is the control group, because they were not given the special juice — they serve as the baseline to compare against.
B. *Independent variable*: What Smithers changed — giving the special juice or not. So: whether or not the workers drank the special juice.
C. *Dependent variable*: What was measured — number of paper stacks stapled. So: number of stacks made in one hour.
D. *Conclusion*: Group A (juice) made more stacks than Group B (no juice). So Smithers might conclude: *The special juice increased productivity*, since workers who drank it stapled more papers.
E. *Improvement*: Only one trial? One hour? Maybe fatigue, skill differences, or randomness affected results. To improve:
- Repeat the experiment multiple times.
- Use more workers per group (larger sample size).
- Randomly assign workers to groups.
- Make sure both groups have similar experience/skill.
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Problem #2 – Homer’s Shower Slime
- Goal: Remove green slime from shower using coconut juice.
- He sprays half the shower with coconut juice, other half with water.
- After 3 days, the side with coconut juice looks better.
A. *Control group*: The part sprayed with water, because water is the “normal” or no-treatment condition — used to compare against coconut juice.
B. *Experimental group*: The side sprayed with coconut juice.
C. *Independent variable*: What he changed — type of liquid sprayed (coconut juice vs. water).
D. *Dependent variable*: The appearance of the green slime (e.g., amount left, color, coverage).
E. *Conclusion*: Since the coconut juice side improved and the water side didn’t, Homer could conclude: *Coconut juice reduces green slime on showers*.
Note: This is a simple test, but real science would want more trials, bigger area, etc.
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Problem #3 – Bart’s Microwave Mouse Experiment
- Goal: See if microwaving makes mice stronger.
- 10 mice placed in microwave for 10 seconds → then tested with wood block.
- 8 out of 10 pushed the block away.
- 10 mice not microwaved → 7 out of 10 pushed the block away.
A. *Control group*: The 10 mice not exposed to microwaves — they show what happens normally.
B. *Experimental group*: The 10 mice exposed to microwaves.
C. *Independent variable*: Whether or not the mice were microwaved.
D. *Dependent variable*: Whether the mouse could push the wood block away (i.e., strength/test outcome).
E. *Conclusion*: 8/10 microwaved mice succeeded vs. 7/10 non-microwaved. That’s only a small difference (1 more success), and with such small numbers, it’s likely due to chance. So Bart should not conclude microwaving makes mice stronger — the result isn’t strong enough. A better conclusion: *There is no clear evidence that microwaving increases mouse strength.*
Also, this experiment has big issues:
- Very small sample size (only 10 per group).
- No random assignment mentioned.
- Microwaving mice is dangerous/unethical (but this is a cartoon scenario!).
To improve:
- Use more mice (e.g., 50 per group).
- Randomly assign mice to groups.
- Blind the tester (so they don’t know which mice were microwaved).
- Repeat the test multiple times.
Now, let’s answer each question clearly with full sentences as requested.
Final Answer:
Problem #1:
A. The control group is Group B, because they were not given the special juice.
B. The independent variable is whether or not the workers drank the special juice.
C. The dependent variable is the number of paper stacks stapled in one hour.
D. Smithers’ conclusion should be: The special juice appears to increase stapling productivity, since Group A made more stacks than Group B.
E. The experiment could be improved by repeating it multiple times, using larger groups, and randomly assigning workers to groups.
Problem #2:
A. The control group is the half of the shower sprayed with water, because it received no special treatment.
B. The control group is the half sprayed with water.
C. The independent variable is the type of liquid applied (coconut juice vs. water).
D. The dependent variable is the appearance or amount of green slime remaining.
E. Homer’s conclusion should be: Coconut juice may help remove green slime, since the treated side improved while the water-only side did not.
Problem #3:
A. The control group is the 10 mice not exposed to microwaves, because they did not receive the experimental treatment.
B. The control group is the 10 mice not exposed to microwaves.
C. The independent variable is exposure to microwaves (yes or no).
D. The dependent variable is whether the mouse could push the wood block away.
E. Bart’s conclusion should be: There is no strong evidence that microwaving makes mice stronger, because only 1 more microwaved mouse succeeded than non-microwaved mice, and the sample size is too small to be confident.
Let’s go through each problem one by one, using the scientific method steps: identify control group, experimental group, independent variable (what you change), dependent variable (what you measure), and draw conclusions.
---
Problem #1 – Smithers’ Juice Experiment
- Goal: See if a special juice helps workers staple more papers.
- Group A: Given special juice → made 2,113 stacks
- Group B: Not given special juice → made 1,587 stacks
- Both groups did the same task (staple papers) for 1 hour.
A. *Control group*: The group that does not get the treatment (special juice). So Group B is the control group, because they were not given the special juice — they serve as the baseline to compare against.
B. *Independent variable*: What Smithers changed — giving the special juice or not. So: whether or not the workers drank the special juice.
C. *Dependent variable*: What was measured — number of paper stacks stapled. So: number of stacks made in one hour.
D. *Conclusion*: Group A (juice) made more stacks than Group B (no juice). So Smithers might conclude: *The special juice increased productivity*, since workers who drank it stapled more papers.
E. *Improvement*: Only one trial? One hour? Maybe fatigue, skill differences, or randomness affected results. To improve:
- Repeat the experiment multiple times.
- Use more workers per group (larger sample size).
- Randomly assign workers to groups.
- Make sure both groups have similar experience/skill.
---
Problem #2 – Homer’s Shower Slime
- Goal: Remove green slime from shower using coconut juice.
- He sprays half the shower with coconut juice, other half with water.
- After 3 days, the side with coconut juice looks better.
A. *Control group*: The part sprayed with water, because water is the “normal” or no-treatment condition — used to compare against coconut juice.
B. *Experimental group*: The side sprayed with coconut juice.
C. *Independent variable*: What he changed — type of liquid sprayed (coconut juice vs. water).
D. *Dependent variable*: The appearance of the green slime (e.g., amount left, color, coverage).
E. *Conclusion*: Since the coconut juice side improved and the water side didn’t, Homer could conclude: *Coconut juice reduces green slime on showers*.
Note: This is a simple test, but real science would want more trials, bigger area, etc.
---
Problem #3 – Bart’s Microwave Mouse Experiment
- Goal: See if microwaving makes mice stronger.
- 10 mice placed in microwave for 10 seconds → then tested with wood block.
- 8 out of 10 pushed the block away.
- 10 mice not microwaved → 7 out of 10 pushed the block away.
A. *Control group*: The 10 mice not exposed to microwaves — they show what happens normally.
B. *Experimental group*: The 10 mice exposed to microwaves.
C. *Independent variable*: Whether or not the mice were microwaved.
D. *Dependent variable*: Whether the mouse could push the wood block away (i.e., strength/test outcome).
E. *Conclusion*: 8/10 microwaved mice succeeded vs. 7/10 non-microwaved. That’s only a small difference (1 more success), and with such small numbers, it’s likely due to chance. So Bart should not conclude microwaving makes mice stronger — the result isn’t strong enough. A better conclusion: *There is no clear evidence that microwaving increases mouse strength.*
Also, this experiment has big issues:
- Very small sample size (only 10 per group).
- No random assignment mentioned.
- Microwaving mice is dangerous/unethical (but this is a cartoon scenario!).
To improve:
- Use more mice (e.g., 50 per group).
- Randomly assign mice to groups.
- Blind the tester (so they don’t know which mice were microwaved).
- Repeat the test multiple times.
Now, let’s answer each question clearly with full sentences as requested.
Final Answer:
Problem #1:
A. The control group is Group B, because they were not given the special juice.
B. The independent variable is whether or not the workers drank the special juice.
C. The dependent variable is the number of paper stacks stapled in one hour.
D. Smithers’ conclusion should be: The special juice appears to increase stapling productivity, since Group A made more stacks than Group B.
E. The experiment could be improved by repeating it multiple times, using larger groups, and randomly assigning workers to groups.
Problem #2:
A. The control group is the half of the shower sprayed with water, because it received no special treatment.
B. The control group is the half sprayed with water.
C. The independent variable is the type of liquid applied (coconut juice vs. water).
D. The dependent variable is the appearance or amount of green slime remaining.
E. Homer’s conclusion should be: Coconut juice may help remove green slime, since the treated side improved while the water-only side did not.
Problem #3:
A. The control group is the 10 mice not exposed to microwaves, because they did not receive the experimental treatment.
B. The control group is the 10 mice not exposed to microwaves.
C. The independent variable is exposure to microwaves (yes or no).
D. The dependent variable is whether the mouse could push the wood block away.
E. Bart’s conclusion should be: There is no strong evidence that microwaving makes mice stronger, because only 1 more microwaved mouse succeeded than non-microwaved mice, and the sample size is too small to be confident.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of simpson science worksheet answers.
