Q: Analyze an experiment in which one group of plants receive extra fertilizer and another group receives extra water. Is the experiment controlled or uncontrolled? Support your answer.
My answer: The experiment is uncontrolled because there is no experiment used for comparison. If one of the plants is the experimental group, the other one has to be the control group. You can't add extra fertilizer in one plant and on the other you add extra water. That's an unctrolled group.
You would want to say that there is no control group — one which receives neither extra water nor extra fertilizer. You can have more than one independent variable.
An independent variable is the potential stimulus or cause, usually directly manipulated by the experimenter, so it could also be called a manipulative variable.
A dependent variable is the response or measure of results.
Extraneous variables — other than the independent variable — potentially can affect the dependent variable, so they must be controlled. If possible, you try to keep them constant between the experimental and control group.
The experimental group receives the independent variable.
The control group is similar to experimental, except it does not receive the independent variable. Extraneous variables are balanced between experimental and control groups.
Please review it. I'm sure about my answer, but usually when Im sure, Im wrong.. and I think Im positive that it is correct.
A: Your answer is partially correct. To fully analyze whether the experiment is controlled or uncontrolled, we need to consider the presence of a control group and other relevant factors.
In an experiment, the goal is to compare the effects of different treatments while controlling for all other factors that could influence the outcome. A controlled experiment includes a control group that does not receive any treatment, while the experimental group receives the specific treatment being tested.
In the given experiment, if one group of plants receives extra fertilizer and another group receives extra water, it is not clear if there is a control group that receives neither treatment. If there is a control group, where no additional fertilizer or water is provided, then the experiment can be considered controlled. The control group allows for a comparison and helps determine the effect of the treatments.
However, if there is no control group, or if the control group also receives either extra fertilizer or extra water, then the experiment would be considered uncontrolled. Without a control group, it would be challenging to isolate and attribute the effects solely to the specific treatment being tested.
Therefore, based on the information provided, the experiment could be classified as either controlled or uncontrolled, depending on the presence of a proper control group.
To determine whether an experiment is controlled or uncontrolled, we need to understand the key characteristics of each type.
A controlled experiment is a scientific study in which all variables except the one being tested (independent variable) are kept constant. This is done to ensure that any observed changes or effects can be attributed solely to the independent variable. In a controlled experiment, there is typically a control group, which does not receive any treatment, and an experimental group, which does receive the treatment.
On the other hand, an uncontrolled experiment lacks the necessary control group or fails to control other relevant variables. In such cases, it becomes difficult or impossible to form conclusive or reliable conclusions.
In the scenario you mentioned, where one group of plants receives extra fertilizer and another group receives extra water, the experiment is uncontrolled. This is because there is no proper control group for comparison. To conduct a controlled experiment, you would need to have a group of plants that does not receive any fertilizer or extra water. This control group would allow you to compare the effects of the fertilizer and water on the other groups of plants.
Without a control group, it becomes challenging to attribute the observed differences, if any, solely to the fertilizer or water treatments. Other factors, such as the natural variation among the plants or environmental conditions, could be influencing the outcome.
To conduct a controlled experiment in this case, you should include a control group that receives normal fertilization and watering, and then compare the effects of the additional fertilizer and extra water on the other groups of plants.