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CER Examples

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Question:

Does surface area affect water evaporation?
Claim:

Water in a wide, shallow dish evaporates faster than in a narrow, deep glass.
Evidence:

In a classroom experiment, the wide dish's water level dropped faster over a week.
Reasoning:

A larger surface area exposes more water to air, accelerating evaporation.
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Question:

How does acid affect tooth enamel?
Claim:

Acidic liquids like soda erode tooth enamel more than water.
Evidence:

Eggshells (similar to enamel) soaked in soda showed more erosion than those in water.
Reasoning:

Acid in soda reacts with calcium in enamel, weakening teeth.
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Question:

Does light direction affect plant growth?
Claim:

Plants grow towards light sources.
Evidence:

In an experiment, plants near a window leaned towards the light over time.
Reasoning:

Plants grow towards light for photosynthesis, vital for their growth.
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Question:

What happens when baking soda and vinegar mix?
Claim:

Mixing baking soda and vinegar causes a chemical reaction.
Evidence:

When baking soda was mixed with vinegar, the combination fizzed and a gas was released.
Reasoning:

The fizzing and gas production when baking soda mixes with vinegar is evidence of a chemical reaction, specifically the release of carbon dioxide gas, a new substance formed during the reaction.
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Question:

Which material is a better insulator, wool or cotton?
Claim:

Wool is a better insulator than cotton.
Evidence:

In an experiment, a wool-wrapped beaker retained heat longer than a cotton-wrapped one.
Reasoning:

Wool’s thicker fibers trap air better, preventing heat escape.
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Question:

Does temperature affect a magnet's strength?
Claim:

Heating a magnet decreases its magnetic strength.
Evidence:

A heated magnet held fewer paper clips than a magnet at room temperature.
Reasoning:

When a magnet is heated, the increased thermal energy causes its magnetic domains – groups of atoms with aligned magnetic poles – to lose their alignment. This misalignment reduces the overall magnetic field, weakening the magnet's strength.
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Question:

How does salt affect water's freezing point?
Claim:

Salt lowers the freezing point of water.
Evidence:

Saltwater in an experiment froze at a lower temperature than pure water.
Reasoning:

Salt lowers the freezing point of water by interfering with the formation of ice crystals. Dissolved salt ions hinder water molecules from bonding as solid ice, thus requiring colder temperatures to freeze, a process known as freezing point depression.
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Question:

Does an object's weight change how fast it falls in a vacuum?
Claim:

In a vacuum, objects fall at the same rate, regardless of their weight.
Evidence:

A feather and a coin dropped in a vacuum chamber fall at the same speed.
Reasoning:

Without air resistance, the only force acting on the objects is gravity, which accelerates all objects at the same rate regardless of their mass.
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