Four groups of rats are tested in a lab. Group 1 is given a special hornmone for muscle growth. Group 2 is given a special multivitamin diet. Group 3 receives both the hormone treatment and the multivitamin diet. Group 4 does not receive any extra treatment or special diet. which of the groups is the control group for this experiment? Explain your reasoning.
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The control group in this experiment is Group 4, which does not receive any extra treatment or special diet.
In scientific experiments, the control group serves as a baseline against which the other groups are compared. Its purpose is to provide a reference point for determining the effectiveness and impact of the experimental variables (in this case, the hormone treatment and the multivitamin diet).
By not receiving any additional treatment or special diet, Group 4 represents the natural or normal conditions. This allows researchers to observe and compare the effects of the hormone treatment or multivitamin diet by measuring the differences between the experimental groups (Groups 1, 2, and 3) and the control group (Group 4).
In other words, the control group helps scientists determine whether any observed effects are due to the experimental variables or simply the result of other external factors. It provides a basis for understanding the true effects of the treatments being tested.