For the past month I’ve been editing video for this series and I’m so pleased to share the fruit of my labor with the world. My hope is that this virtual experiment provides a fun and memorable “hands-on” learning experience for students unable to be in a true laboratory setting. Below is a suggested lab guide for the experiment.

Virtual Experiment: The Scientific Method

To perform this experiment, visit: https://youtu.be/Lf3ORKoNp2c.

The purpose of this experiment is to use the scientific method in order to determine the contents and configuration of a little black box.

Part 1: Determine the number of washers in the box.

Using the masses listed and measured in the first video, determine how many washers are most likely in the box. For maximum credit, show all work.

Part 2: Determine the configuration of washers in the box.

Using the Scientific Method and clicking through the video series, determine the most likely configuration of washers in the box. For maximum credit, record each step of the Scientific Method along the way. See example below.

Note: You will not find a solution or “reveal” video in this series. This is deliberate. We can never be 100% certain of anything in science - especially what’s inside a black box. You may only draw a conclusion for this experiment when all possible tests on a given hypothesis have failed to disprove it.

Scientific Method example:

O: All the suet I place outside in my bird feeder is gone the next day… but I haven’t seen birds.

H1: Hungry birds are visiting the feeder while I’m working inside.

P1: If I reload the feeder and stay outside all day, then I’ll see the birds eating my suet.

E1: I bring my laptop outside and work from my deck all day. I grill all meals. I eat on the deck.

R1: REsult: No birds seen and the suet is gone by morning. REturn to hypothesis and REvise.

H2: A raccoon is climbing the feeder at night and eating my suet.

P2: If I surround the feeder pole with wet sand, then I will find raccoon tracks the next day.

E2: I dump a bag of sand around the base of the feeder. I wet the sand. I reload the feeder.

R2: REsult: The next day I see raccoon tracks in the sand! REturn to hypothesis and REtest.

P3: If I grease the pole, then the raccoon won’t be able to climb it.

E3: I grease the pole. I reload the feeder.

R3: REsult: The next day the suet is still in the feeder!

Et cetera…