Flashcard library · ACT Science
ACT Science: Key Concepts
Master the essential skills for ACT Science with this flashcard deck. It focuses on interpreting data, understanding experimental design, and evaluating scientific arguments, which are crucial for success. Sharpen your analytical abilities and boost your score on test day.
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What is an independent variable?
The factor the experimenter deliberately changes.
What is a dependent variable?
The factor measured in response to the independent variable.
What is a control group for?
A baseline for comparison that does not get the experimental treatment.
How do positive and negative controls differ?
A positive control should give a known result; a negative control should give none.
What makes a hypothesis scientific?
It is testable and could be shown false.
What is interpolation?
Estimating a value between measured data points.
What is extrapolation?
Estimating a value beyond the range of the measured data by extending the trend.
How does a direct relationship look on a graph?
As one variable increases, so does the other — the line or curve slopes upward.
How does an inverse relationship look on a graph?
As one variable increases, the other decreases — the line or curve slopes downward.
What should be done with an outlier?
Note and investigate it rather than simply deleting it.
What should you track in a Conflicting Viewpoints passage?
Each scientist's main claim, the evidence for it, and where the viewpoints agree or disagree.
How do precision and accuracy differ?
Precision is how close repeated measurements are to each other; accuracy is how close they are to the true value.
Why check units when reading data?
They set the scale and meaning of the numbers and prevent mistaken comparisons.
What makes an experiment valid?
Controlled variables, adequate sample size, unbiased measurement, repeatability, and measuring what it claims to.
What is a constant (controlled) variable?
A factor kept the same across trials so it cannot affect the result.