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Difficulty: EasyFormulating and Modifying Hypotheses

A student hypothesizes that as the angle of an inclined plane increases, the time it takes for a block to slide down the plane will decrease. The student conducts an experiment and measures the slide times at angles of 15∘15^\circ, 30∘30^\circ, and 45∘45^\circ. If the student's hypothesis is correct, which of the following predictions is most likely true for the slide time of the block at an angle of 60∘60^\circ?

  1. A
    The slide time at 60∘60^\circ will be greater than the slide time at 45∘45^\circ.
  2. The slide time at 60∘60^\circ will be less than the slide time at 45∘45^\circ.Answer
  3. C
    The slide time at 60∘60^\circ will be equal to the slide time at 45∘45^\circ.
  4. D
    The slide time at 60∘60^\circ will be greater than the slide time at 15∘15^\circ.

Answer

The slide time at 60∘60^\circ will be less than the slide time at 45∘45^\circ.
The student's hypothesis proposes that slide time decreases as the angle of inclination increases. Since 60∘60^\circ is greater than the largest tested angle of 45∘45^\circ, the slide time at 60∘60^\circ must be less than the slide time at 45∘45^\circ to remain consistent with the hypothesis.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the relationship proposed by the student's hypothesis.
The hypothesis states that as the angle of an inclined plane increases, the slide time decreases.
This establishes that there is an inverse relationship between the angle and the time taken.
2
Compare the test angle to the previously measured angles.
The target angle is 60∘60^\circ, which is greater than the previous angles of 15∘15^\circ, 30∘30^\circ, and 45∘45^\circ.
This determines how the independent variable is being modified relative to the existing data.
3
Apply the hypothesized relationship to make a prediction.
Since 60∘60^\circ is a larger angle than 45∘45^\circ, the slide time must be shorter than the slide time measured at 45∘45^\circ.
An increase in angle must result in a decrease in slide time to support the hypothesis.

Key Concept

Formulating predictions that align with a proposed hypothesis.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Formulating and Modifying Hypotheses

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