i need to make a graph on excel.. my data involve putting goldfish (from the same tank and same type) into 3 different environments : acidic, neutral (control), and basic. What kind of graph should I use? just a line graph? but then what should my variables look like?
the 3 same pH on x since its independent, and then mean of all the metabolic rates on y? So would line be best or bar graph or something?
To represent your data involving goldfish in different environments (acidic, neutral, and basic) and their corresponding metabolic rates, you can use a bar graph. A bar graph is suitable for comparing different categories or groups.
Here's how you can set up your variables and create the graph in Excel:
1. Start by organizing your data in columns. Create three columns for the pH levels (independent variable) and another column for the corresponding mean metabolic rates (dependent variable).
2. Enter the three pH levels (acidic, neutral, basic) in the first column and calculate the mean metabolic rates for each environment in the second column.
3. Select the data range that includes the pH levels and mean metabolic rates.
4. Click on the "Insert" tab in the Excel menu and select the "Bar" chart type from the Charts section. You can choose either a clustered bar graph or a stacked bar graph, depending on your preference.
5. Excel will generate the graph with the pH levels on the x-axis and the mean metabolic rates on the y-axis.
By using a bar graph, you can easily compare the mean metabolic rates of the goldfish in different environments. Each bar in the graph represents a pH level, and the height of the bar represents the corresponding mean metabolic rate.
Remember to include axis labels, a title, and any additional information that will make your graph clear and informative for your audience.
If you want to show the trend of the metabolic rates across different pH levels, you can also consider using a line graph. In this case, the x-axis will represent the pH levels, and the y-axis will represent the mean metabolic rates. However, since you have discrete categories (pH levels) rather than continuous data, a bar graph is usually more suitable.