Scientists performed an experiment to determine whether there is a connection between learning ability and food. They took two groups of 20 mice each, all from the same purebred strain. The mice were deprived of food for 3 days and then given a standard learning session in running through a maze. They were trained by giving them a mild electric shock whenever they took a wrong turn. Immediately after each learning session, one group of mice was fed, but the other was not, A week later, all of the mice were tested to see whether they could still run the maze correctly. The group that had been fed had retained this ability, but the other group had not. The probable reason that the scientists used only mice from the same pure-bred strain is so that?

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The probable reason that the scientists used only mice from the same purebred strain is to minimize genetic variations and control for genetic factors that could influence learning ability. By using mice from the same purebred strain, any observed differences in learning ability after the experiment can be more likely attributed to the variable being tested, which in this case is the effect of food deprivation on learning ability.

Using mice from the same purebred strain helps ensure that the baseline learning ability is similar among all the mice before the experiment begins. This allows the scientists to make meaningful comparisons between the group that was fed and the group that was not fed, as any observed differences can be attributed to the manipulation of food rather than genetic variability. It also helps reduce confounding variables that could arise from using mice with different genetic backgrounds, such as variations in baseline learning ability or susceptibility to stressors.