Research question

[nametaken]

I've visited the 'how to make a perfect lab report' thread and the structure that was given for a lab report included having a research question in the very beginning.

My question is could you give me an example of a Chemistry or Science research question. I don't know about how the question itself is structured to be honest and a general idea would be good, so that I can adapt it to my own lab report.

Thanks for entertaining my stupidity.

AK.

[fan]

Ok well there is two methods of writing your research question. How ever each method should include the following:

1)Independent variable

2)Dependent Variable

3)detailed description of the aim of your experiment

4) if applicable a hypothesis

(not all experiments require you to make a hypothesis!! Sometimes you could just be finding out an already known value)

5)If possible show your predictions by drawing a graph of what you expect your results to be. e.g in an electrolysis experiment you predict that the current is directly proportional to the mass of lets say copper formed at the cathode. Hence you would draw a diagram showing a straight line with constant gradient passing through the line of origin

Here is an example from IBO of a good research question:

Research

The aim of the experiment is to investigate the relationship between mass and sound produced in a one-dimensional collision between a wooden trolley and a wooden surface. This will be done by changing the mass of a trolley, and then recording the collision sound by using a microphone and an oscilloscope.

The trolley will always roll down a runway the same distance and from the same initial height, hence it should collide with the same speed each time. The theory of kinetic energy says that kinetic energy is proportional to the square of the speed (which should be a constant) and proportional to the mass. Hence as the mass increases kinetic energy increase. All the kinetic energy is lost in the collision, mostly due to heat but also to sound. Assuming that the percentage of energy changed into sound is the same for all collisions, then I predict that as the mass increases so the sound will increase. This is a directly proportional and linear relationship. The ideal graph is sketched below.

[graph of your prediction]

Sometimes people prefer to break down the research question into three headings.

Aim:

The aim of the experiment is to investigate the relationship between mass and sound produced in a one-dimensional collision between a wooden trolley and a wooden surface. This will be done by changing the mass of a trolley, and then recording the collision sound by using a microphone and an oscilloscope.The trolley will always roll down a runway the same distance and from the same initial height, hence it should collide with the same speed each time.

background information:

The theory of kinetic energy says that kinetic energy is proportional to the square of the speed (which should be a constant) and proportional to the mass. Hence as the mass increases kinetic energy increase.

hypothesis:

All the kinetic energy is lost in the collision, mostly due to heat but also to sound. Assuming that the percentage of energy changed into sound is the same for all collisions, then I predict that as the mass increases so the sound will increase. This is a directly proportional and linear relationship. The ideal graph is sketched below.

[graph of your prediction]

That depends on your preference. I prefer the second one but its up to you