Graphing in SciencePhysical ScienceMr. Barry

Using Graphs•Graph: a visual display of information or

data•Shows Change!

▫Graphs show how two or more items change in relation to each other

•What is an example of two things that you could make a graph with?

Features of a Graph•Title: each graph must have a title or it is

meaningless•Labels: each axis must be labeled and have a

unit•Axes: x and y axes represent the change in

different variables•Variable: a quantity subject to change

▫Independent: changed during experiment or observation (ALWAYS on x-axis)

▫Dependent: changes as a result of change in the independent variable (ALWAYS on y-axis)

Example•What is the title?•What does the x-axis

represent? The y-axis?•What is the

independent variable?•What is the dependent

variable?•What can we conclude

from looking at this graph?

Types of Graphs• Bar Graphs: compares

information gathered by counting▫Ex: number of students in

this class of a certain age• Circle Graphs (Pie Graph):

shows how a whole can be broken down into parts (percentages)▫Ex: percent of students in

the school that are in certain science classes

Types of Graphs•Line Graphs: shows a

relationship where one variable (dependent) changes as a result of another variable (independent)▫This is the type of graph

most helpful for science▫More than one

relationship can be shown on a line graph

Making a Line Graph•1. Put all of your information into a chart with

columns for the independent variable and the dependent variables

•2. Find the largest value in each column. Increase that value to an easily divisible number

•3. Make increments on each axis equal to parts of the easily divisible number

•4. Plot each point in the chart. Connect each plotted point

•5. Done!

Example•Jack’s little brother Jim is

just learning to walk. He walks 1 m in 6 s, 2 m in 13 s, 3 m in 19 s and 3.5 m in 27 s. He needs to graph this information for a class at school. Help him out!

Independent Dependent Variable Variable

ExampleTitle:

y-axis:

x-axis:(0,0)