1.2Chapter 1: Energy

Asking questions about energy — Alhussan Physics - Stage 7 Revision Notes & Topical Questions

5 min read 9 parts Lesson 2 of 8 1 quiz

📚 Alhussan Physics - Stage 7 Hub / Topical Revision

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Lesson summary

1.2 Asking questions about energy — Scientific Enquiries — Alhussan International Academy — Physics (Stages 7–9) notes: Recognise different ways of answering scientific questions, decide whether a question can be answered by a practical investigation, and plan a fair test.Differe…

Different questions
Science and questions
Practical investigations
Observation over time
Pattern seeking
Classifying

Part 1 of 7Types of question

Types of question

Different questions

Different questions questions about energy include which fuel heats water fastest, how much fuel Africa will need in the future,
which city uses the most coal, whether fossil fuels should be used to cook food, and which fuel is best.

Science and questions

Science and questions there are many ways of finding answers, but not every question can be answered using science.

Practical investigations

Practical investigations a question such as "Which fuel heats up water the fastest?" can be answered by an investigation,
whereas "Which fuel is best?" cannot,
because "best" depends on opinion and many factors.

Part 2 of 7Types of scientific enquiry

Types of scientific enquiry

Fair test

Fair test one variable is changed and its effect measured.

Observation over time

Observation over time for example recording temperature through a day, or finding out how something has changed.

Pattern seeking

Pattern seeking data are collected from many examples.

Classifying

Classifying sorting things into groups.

Research

Research using secondary sources, for example finding how much energy a country uses.

Modelling

Modelling using models to explain or predict.

Choice

Choice the type chosen depends on the question.

Part 3 of 7Fair test investigation

Fair test

Fair test an investigation in which you change one variable (something that can be changed) and keep all the other variables the same.

Why it works

Why it works if everything stays the same except the variable of interest, nothing else can affect the measurements.

Set up

Set up equipment is set up to take measurements to answer the question.

Variables

Variables the independent variable is what you change, the dependent variable is what you measure, and control variables are what you keep the same.

Part 4 of 7Lumusi's flow chart for a fair test

Ask a question: which fuel heats up water the fastest?

Make a prediction and use a scientific explanation to justify it: solid fuels store more energy, so they heat water faster than liquid or gas fuels.

Test the prediction by measuring the time that candle wax, ethanol and gas take to heat 50 cm³ of water from 20 °C to 50 °C.

Present the data on a chart or graph and check the evidence: are the times for the solid fuels shorter than for liquid or gas fuels?

If yes, the scientific explanation is accepted, and if no, there must be a different explanation.

1Controls

Controls control the amount of water and the start and end temperatures of the water.

2Repeats

Repeats scientists repeat investigations to check results and make them more reliable.

Part 5 of 7Writing a testable question

Link two variables

Link two variables a good question links two variables that can be measured.
"How does the height of a ramp affect the speed of a toy car?" is testable because height can be changed and speed measured.

Energy examples

Energy examples how does the mass of a falling ball affect the depth of the dent it makes,
- and does the type of fuel affect how much a block of water warms up?

Prediction

Prediction it says what you expect and why, using science ideas.
The higher a ball is dropped from, the higher it bounces, because it has more gravitational potential energy to transfer to kinetic energy.

Part 6 of 7Planning, presenting and evaluating

Plan

Plan list the apparatus, the range and number of values, the number of repeats (three) and the safety precautions.
- (for example five heights)

Results table

Results table columns for the independent variable, each repeat and the mean, with units in the headings.

Graph

Graph plot the independent variable on the x-axis and the dependent variable on the y-axis, and draw a line of best fit.
Use a bar chart when the independent variable is categorical, such as the type of surface.

Evaluate

Evaluate identify anomalies, discuss sources of error such as reading a height by eye, and suggest improvements such as slow-motion video.

Conclusion

Conclusion say whether the results support the prediction and link back to the science.

Part 7 of 7Secondary sources

Use

Use not every question can be answered by experiment, so scientists use reliable sources such as government statistics.

Checking

Checking check who produced the data, when, and whether several sources agree.

Reporting

Reporting state which data are first-hand and which are secondary.

Key terms

Term	Meaning
Variable	a factor that can change in an investigation.
Prediction	a statement of what you expect, with a reason.
Fair test	an investigation that changes one variable while the others are controlled.
Anomaly	a result that does not fit the pattern.
Secondary source	a source of evidence collected by someone else.
Control variable	a variable kept the same in a fair test.

Avoid these mistakes

Writing a question with no measurable variable — a testable question links two measurable variables.

Changing more than one variable — only the independent variable should change.

Plotting variables on the wrong axes — the independent variable goes on the x-axis.

Making a prediction with no reason — a prediction needs a scientific explanation.

Last updated: 14 October 2026