Experiments!

It’s a new school year so it’s time to forget that hesitant you of the past and forge ahead when it comes to taking part in the experiments! It’s much more fun to join in, plus you get first-hand knowledge of the instruments and a better understanding of the point of the task.

Some of the instruments can be daunting at first, with different scales and lots of confusing numbers, but nobody knows how to read them when they start out! Take a deep breath, look closely and read twice. Get someone else to do the same and compare your answers. Be sure to ask for help if you’re unsure because you can’t get accurate conclusions if you don’t have accurate results.

Always try your best to do the experiment according to the method, as you can be sure that there’s a good reason for doing it that way! If you’re worried that you’re not doing it right, do it a couple of times and record all your results so you can see if it’s repeatable, or if you’re doing something a bit erm, unconventional.

And keep a neat record of the readings and observations. It’s important to draw up a good table, or somewhere organised to put the results of your experiments. Label things well, include units and note each experiment you do separately. You’re unlikely to get things mixed up if you only do one experiment a lesson, but starting off with the right habits is a great way to keep on top of things.