which best describes the experimental group in a scientific experiment
The experimental group in a scientific experiment is a group of individuals or samples that are exposed to the variable being tested or manipulated by the researcher. In this group, the independent variable is applied or altered in order to observe its effect on the dependent variable.
To identify the experimental group in a scientific experiment, follow these steps:
1. Understand the research question: Determine what specific aspect or factor the researcher intends to investigate in the experiment.
2. Identify the independent variable: Identify the main variable that will be manipulated or changed by the researcher. This is the variable that is hypothesized to cause a change or effect in the dependent variable.
3. Distinguish the experimental group: Once the independent variable is determined, the experimental group consists of individuals or samples that are exposed to the manipulated or changed independent variable.
For example, if a researcher wants to investigate the effect of a new drug on blood pressure, they would have two groups: the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group would receive the new drug, while the control group would receive a placebo or no treatment. The researcher would then compare the blood pressure measurements between the two groups to evaluate the effect of the drug.
The objective of including an experimental group is to compare the outcomes or responses with those of the control group, which allows researchers to determine whether the independent variable had a significant impact on the dependent variable.