Experimental Design and Scientific Method
201 soru
A student proposes the following hypothesis regarding the thermal stability of Group 2 metal carbonates:
*Hypothesis*: The decomposition temperature of a Group 2 metal carbonate is directly proportional to the charge density of its metal cation. Because charge density decreases as ionic radius increases, metal carbonates with larger metal cations will decompose at lower temperatures.
A chemist conducts an experiment to test this hypothesis by measuring the decomposition temperature (, the temperature at which the carbonate decomposes into a metal oxide and carbon dioxide) of four Group 2 metal carbonates. The results are shown in Table 1.
| Metal Carbonate | Metal Cation | Cation Ionic Radius () | Decomposition Temperature () |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72 | 350 | ||
| 100 | 825 | ||
| 118 | 1,100 | ||
| 135 | 1,360 |
Based on Table 1, is the student's hypothesis supported by the experimental results, and how should the hypothesis be modified?
Suppose a scientist wants to modify an electroplating procedure to isolate the specific effect of temperature on the deposition rate of copper and determine the activation energy of the reaction. The scientist must ensure that concentration depletion and current fluctuations do not confound the results. Arrange the following steps in the correct chronological order to design and execute this modified follow-up experiment.
Öğeleri doğru sıraya koymak için sürükleyin
A student wants to investigate how the volume of water affects the time it takes for the water to boil. In Trial 1, the student heats of water in a glass beaker on a hot plate set to High (Level ). In Trial 2, the student heats of water in an identical glass beaker on a different hot plate set to Medium (Level ). Which of the following is an uncontrolled variable in this experiment that prevents the student from drawing a valid conclusion?
To investigate how reactant surface area affects the rate of a chemical reaction, students performed three trials. In each trial, of calcium carbonate () was added to of hydrochloric acid () at an initial temperature of in an uninsulated beaker. The reaction is represented by the following equation:
The students recorded the particle size of the , the time required for the reaction to go to completion, and the maximum temperature reached during each trial. The results are shown in the table below:
| Trial | Particle Size | Time to Completion (s) | Maximum Temperature Reached () |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large chunks | |||
| Small chips | |||
| Fine powder |
Which of the following statements best explains how the maximum temperature reached acts as a confounding variable that prevents the students from drawing a valid conclusion about the effect of particle size on the reaction rate?
In scientific investigations, identifying potential sources of error and confounding variables is critical to ensuring the validity of experimental results. Match each experimental scenario to the primary uncontrolled confounding variable that threatens the validity of its results.
Soldaki öğeye tıklayın, sonra eşleşen sağdaki öğeye tıklayın
Öğeler
Eşleşmeler
A student conducted an experiment to investigate the effect of light wavelength on the rate of photosynthesis in *Elodea* plants. The student formulated the following hypothesis:
*Hypothesis:* The rate of photosynthesis, as measured by the volume of oxygen () gas produced per hour, increases continuously as the wavelength of light increases from to .
The student exposed identical *Elodea* plants to different wavelengths of light for 1 hour each, keeping all other environmental variables constant. The results are shown in the table below:
| Wavelength | Volume of produced |
|---|---|
Based on the results of the experiment, does the data support the student's hypothesis, and how should the hypothesis be modified?
A student conducted an experiment to measure the distance a toy car traveled along a flat floor after rolling down a wooden ramp set at an angle of . The student performed 3 trials using the same car and ramp. Suppose the student wants to design a follow-up experiment to determine how the mass of the car affects the distance it travels. Which of the following modifications to the procedure should the student make to test this relationship?
A student group is designing various laboratory investigations. During their planning phase, they identify potential sources of error and confounding variables in their experimental setups. Match each described experimental procedure with the primary source of error or confounding variable that threatens its validity.
Soldaki öğeye tıklayın, sonra eşleşen sağdaki öğeye tıklayın
Öğeler
Eşleşmeler
An investigator designed an experiment to determine how pH affects the rate of starch hydrolysis by the enzyme amylase. The investigator prepared four test tubes, each containing an identical concentration of starch and amylase at a specific pH. To establish and maintain each pH level, the investigator used different buffer systems, as summarized in the table below:
| Tube | pH | Buffer System Components | Rate of Starch Hydrolysis () |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citric acid / Sodium citrate | ||
| 2 | Phosphate buffer / Sodium chloride | ||
| 3 | Tris-HCl / Potassium chloride | ||
| 4 | Carbonate / Bicarbonate |
Given that amylase activity is stimulated by the presence of chloride () ions, which of the following statements best identifies the confounding variable in this experiment and its potential impact on the results?
A student proposed the following hypothesis regarding the corrosion of iron:
*Hypothesis*: The mass of rust that forms on an iron nail submerged in a sodium chloride () solution for 7 days will increase continuously as the concentration of in the solution increases from 0% to 10%.
To test this hypothesis, the student submerged identical iron nails in 5 different solutions for 7 days and recorded the mass of the rust that formed on each nail. The results are shown in the table below:
| concentration (% by mass) | Mass of rust formed (mg) |
|---|---|
| 0% | 1.2 |
| 1% | 3.5 |
| 3% | 5.8 |
| 5% | 4.2 |
| 10% | 2.1 |
Based on these results, how should the student modify their hypothesis?
A student wants to modify an experiment measuring sugar solubility in water to determine the effect of higher temperatures (, , and ) on the mass of dissolved sugar. Arrange the steps of this modified procedure in the correct chronological order from start to finish.
Öğeleri doğru sıraya koymak için sürükleyin
A student conducted an experiment to measure the rate of water loss from a certain plant species under different relative humidity levels. The experimental design is summarized in the table below:
| Trial | Relative Humidity (%) | Temperature () | Plant Species | Exposure Time (hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | 25 | Fern | 2 |
| 2 | 40 | 25 | Fern | 2 |
| 3 | 60 | 25 | Fern | 2 |
| 4 | 80 | 25 | Fern | 2 |
Suppose the student wants to perform a follow-up experiment to determine how temperature affects the water loss of this same plant species. Which of the following modifications to the experimental design would best allow the student to isolate the effect of temperature?
An environmental scientist investigated the relationship between water temperature and the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) at saturation. The scientist hypothesized that as water temperature increases, the concentration of DO at saturation also increases because higher temperatures increase the solubility of gases in water. To test this hypothesis, the scientist measured the DO concentration at saturation in water samples at five different temperatures. The results are presented in the table below.
| Water Temperature () | Dissolved Oxygen Concentration () |
|---|---|
Based on these results, does the data support the scientist's hypothesis, and how should the hypothesis be revised?
A group of students designed several investigations to study how wind speed affects the rate of water evaporation. For each investigation, they set up two trials with different wind speeds. However, each setup introduced a distinct confounding variable or source of error. Match each experimental setup to the primary confounding variable or source of error that threatens its internal validity.
Soldaki öğeye tıklayın, sonra eşleşen sağdaki öğeye tıklayın
Öğeler
Eşleşmeler
An investigator conducted two experiments to study the factors affecting the rate of a chemical reaction between zinc metal () and hydrochloric acid ().
In Experiment 1, the investigator added of zinc powder to of solution in a beaker. The reaction was carried out at different temperatures (, , , and ), and the time required for the zinc to completely dissolve was recorded for each trial.
In Experiment 2, the investigator added of zinc powder to of solution of different concentrations (, , , and ) in a beaker. The reaction was carried out at a constant temperature of , and the time required for the zinc to completely dissolve was recorded for each trial.
Based on the descriptions of these experimental designs, is the statement that 'the temperature of the reaction was varied in Experiment 1 but was kept constant in Experiment 2' true or false?
A student proposed the following hypothesis regarding electrical circuits:
*Hypothesis*: As the cross-sectional area of a metal wire increases, its electrical resistance will increase because a larger wire contains more atoms that collide with and resist the flow of electrons.
To test this hypothesis, the student measured the electrical resistance of four copper wires, each long but with different diameters, at a constant temperature of . The results are shown in the table below:
| Wire | Diameter () | Cross-sectional area () | Resistance () |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.5 | 0.20 | 4.00 |
| 2 | 1.0 | 0.79 | 1.00 |
| 3 | 1.5 | 1.77 | 0.44 |
| 4 | 2.0 | 3.14 | 0.25 |
Based on these results, how should the student modify the hypothesis?
To study thermal expansion in solids, a researcher proposed that the coefficient of linear expansion () of a metal rod depends on its starting length. Specifically, the researcher hypothesized that longer rods of the same metal would exhibit a larger value of when subjected to the same temperature change.
To test this hypothesis, the researcher measured the physical expansion of three copper rods under identical heating conditions. The results of the measurements and the calculated values of are recorded in the table below.
| Copper Rod | Initial Length (, ) | Temperature Increase (, ) | Expansion (, ) | Coefficient of Linear Expansion (, ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rod A | 1.0 | 50 | 0.85 | 17 |
| Rod B | 2.0 | 50 | 1.70 | 17 |
| Rod C | 3.0 | 50 | 2.55 | 17 |
Based on the results of the experiment, does the data support the researcher's hypothesis, and how should the hypothesis be modified?
Students conducted two experiments to study the growth of *Arabidopsis thaliana* plants over a 30-day period.
Experiment 1
Five groups of 10 plants were grown in identical pots containing the same soil type. Each group received a different concentration of Fertilizer X (0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, or 4% by volume) dissolved in water. All plants were kept under continuous white light at a constant temperature of 22°C and watered daily with 50 mL of their respective solution. The average height of the plants in each group was measured at the end of 30 days.
Experiment 2
Five groups of 10 plants were grown under the same conditions as in Experiment 1, except that all plants received a 2% solution of Fertilizer X, and each group was exposed to a different color of light (blue, green, red, yellow, or white).
Based on the descriptions of the two experiments, which of the following variables was kept constant in Experiment 1 but was varied in Experiment 2?
Suppose a student wants to modify an experiment measuring the evaporation rate of salt water ( of saline solution heated by a heat lamp placed above the beaker in a draft-free room) to determine the specific impact of wind speed on the evaporation rate, while ensuring that the thermal energy input and other variables remain controlled. Arrange the following steps in the correct chronological sequence to successfully conduct this follow-up experiment.
Öğeleri doğru sıraya koymak için sürükleyin
A scientist conducted two experiments to study soil respiration (measured as the rate of carbon dioxide release, , in ) from a forest soil sample under different conditions.
| Experiment | Soil Temperature () | Soil Moisture Content (SMC) | Observed Trend in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (constant) | Varied (, , ) | increases as SMC increases |
| 2 | Varied (, , ) | (constant) | increases as temperature increases |
Suppose a scientist wants to determine if the positive relationship between SMC and observed at remains positive at a near-freezing temperature of . Which of the following modifications to the experimental design would best allow the scientist to test this hypothesis?