Graphing

Sample Experiment

How big will a goldfish get if you keep on feeding it?

?

Experimental Design

Take 10 goldfish. • Feed one 1 food pellet every day. • Feed one 2 pellets every day.• Feed one 3 pellets every day.• …

Measure how massive each goldfish is after 6 months.

Data

food (pellets/day) mass (g)

1 6

2 8

3 13

4 15

5 25

6 34

7 52

8 78

9 94

10 121

After 6 months…

Independent Variable

?

Independent Variable

The independent variable is adjusted by the experimenter.

Independent Variable

The independent variable is adjusted by the experimenter.

Graph the Independent Variable on the X-Axis

X-Axis

What is the x-axis? the horizontal (side to side) axis

X-Axis

What is the x-axis? the horizontal (side to side) axis

What Is the Independent Variable In Our Fish Experiment?

What Is the Independent Variable In Our Fish Experiment?

The experimenter adjusts

how much food

each fish gets.

Dependent Variable

?

Dependent Variable

The dependent variable changes as a result of what the experimenter does

Dependent Variable

The dependent variable changes as a result of what the experimenter does

Graph the Dependent Variable on the Y-Axis

Y-Axis

What is the y-axis? the vertical (up and down) axis

Y-Axis

What is the y-axis? the vertical (up and down) axis

What Is the Dependent Variable In Our Fish Experiment?

What Is the Dependent Variable In Our Fish Experiment?

Mass

changes as a result of how

much food each fish gets.

Graph It!

Goldfish Growth

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Food (pellets/day)

Mas

s (g

)

Ingredients:

• Meaningful Title

• Labeled Axis

• Units in Parentheses

• White Background

• No Gridlines

Notes:

Your Turn

Make the goldfish graph on a computer with a partner.

Log In

• Press: Control-Alt-Delete

• Username: physics

• Password: success

Open Excel

• Click: start

• Go to: Programs

• Open: Microsoft Excel

Enter Your Data

• Row 1: Names

• Row 2: Date

• Row 3: Blank

• Row 4: Headings

• Row… : Data

Graph the Data

• Click on the chart wizard

Select the Chart Type

XY (Scatter)

Add a New Series

Click to select your x values.

Click to select your y values.

• Click on the cell with your first x value with the left mouse button.

• Hold the mouse button down and drag it down to your last x value.

• Release the mouse button.

• Click on the to go back.

Select Your X Values

• Click on the cell with your first y value with the left mouse button.

• Hold the mouse button down and drag it down to your last y value.

• Release the mouse button.

• Click on the to go back.

Select Your Y Values

Enter Titles

Meaningful Title

Independent Variable (Units)

Dependent Variable (Units)

Remove Gridlines

Never use gridlines.

Uncheck: Major gridlines

Remove the Legend

Only use a legend if you are plotting multiple data sets on one graph.

Uncheck: Show legend

Chart Location

Charts look best on their own sheet.

Meaningful Title

Change the Background

Goldfish Growth

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Food (pellets/day)

Mas

s (g

)

Gray is ugly and it wastes ink. We use white backgrounds.

Double click on the gray

background.

Remove the Gray Background

Goldfish Growth

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Food (pellets/day)

Mas

s (g

)

Gray is ugly and it wastes ink. We use white backgrounds.

Click on Area: None

Save

Save on your floppy diskor it will be lost forever.

Your Turn

Enter your data for the heights and stopping distances you measured yesterday.

Save

Save on your floppy diskor it will be lost forever.