An experiment is set up to test whether a particular insect prefer a dark or a bright environment. A chamber with a gradient in light intensity from one end (dark) to the other (bright) has been made. The experimental hypothesis is:
“There will be a large difference between the number of insect in a dark side and the number in a bright side of the chamber.”
Which one could be the three confounding variables?
A - Varying humidity across the chamber
B - The orientation of the chamber
C - The age of the insects :no
D - The non-reflective material from which the chamber is made
E - The type of light source used
F - Varying temperature across the chamber
I was thinking A, E and F but there is something wrong even A,B and C is wrong
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
In experimental research, confounding variables are factors that are not controlled or accounted for, but may still have an effect on the dependent variable (in this case, the number of insects in a dark or bright side of the chamber). Confounding variables can lead to invalid or unreliable results.
In this particular experiment, there are several potential confounding variables among the options listed:
A - Varying humidity across the chamber: Varying humidity could potentially influence the behavior of insects and their preference for a dark or bright environment. So, this could be a confounding variable.
B - The orientation of the chamber: The orientation of the chamber might affect the way insects move or perceive the dark and bright sides. Therefore, this could also be a confounding variable.
C - The age of the insects: The age of the insects might impact their preference for a dark or bright environment. However, the question specifically mentions that this variable is not a confounding variable, so we can exclude it.
D - The non-reflective material from which the chamber is made: The material from which the chamber is made might not have any direct impact on the insects' preference for light or darkness. Therefore, this is less likely to be a confounding variable.
E - The type of light source used: The type of light source could play a significant role in how the insects perceive the dark and bright sides of the chamber. Hence, it could be a confounding variable.
F - Varying temperature across the chamber: Temperature can affect insect behavior and preferences. Therefore, this could be another potential confounding variable.
Based on the above analysis, the three potential confounding variables in this experiment are:
A - Varying humidity across the chamber
B - The orientation of the chamber
E - The type of light source used
F - Varying temperature across the chamber