Which is a characteristic of a scientific claim?

it is supported by a controlled experiment with multiple trials that can be repeated by others
it is another way to describe the controlled variables in an experiment
it involves an experiment with multiple variables that can be repeated by others
it is an if-then statement that predicts the most likely results of an experiment

The characteristic of a scientific claim is that it is supported by a controlled experiment with multiple trials that can be repeated by others.

Carla submitted her paper to be peer reviewed. Several of the reviewers had a problem with the way her methods were written.

Which would most likely be Carla’s next step?

getting rid of the paper and starting a new project
fixing the errors and resubmitting it
finding people who would publish it as is
starting all over from the beginning

The most likely next step for Carla would be fixing the errors in her paper and resubmitting it for peer review.

Justine is a chemist working for a flavor supply company. The company claims that their flavors are all-natural. Justine developed the formula in her lab, making 12 new natural flavors to replace processed flavors. She made sure that every aspect was controlled. She repeated her experiment several times to make sure the formula was correct.

Which best explains the claim made by the company?

It is invalid and was only used to sell flavor.
It is valid because it is backed by scientific evidence.
It is valid because it was made by the flavor company.
It is invalid because Justine is a chemist and not a food scientist.

The best explanation for the claim made by the company is that it is valid because it is backed by scientific evidence. Justine, as a chemist, developed the formula in her lab and conducted controlled experiments to ensure the accuracy of the flavors.

Terrence claims that a new species of bacteria should be placed on the list of bacteria that cause infectious diseases. He ran his experiment several times in one day and got the same results. Ben and Frieda also ran his experiment multiple times themselves. They never got the same results that Terrence did.

What does this indicate about the claim?

It is invalid because it could not stand up to experimentation.
It is valid because only one person needs to validate it.
It is valid because he did the experiment multiple times.
It is invalid because bacteria are always changing.

This indicates that the claim is likely invalid because it could not stand up to experimentation. Terrence's results were not reproducible by others, suggesting that there may be some issue with the experiment or methodology. In scientific investigation, it is important for results to be replicable and consistent across multiple trials and researchers.

Hector carried out an experiment to see if adding calcium powder to soil made plants grow taller. He took two potted plants and put calcium powder into only one of the pots. He gave each plant the same amount of sunlight and water and measured their growth after five weeks.

Based on his results, Hector claimed that calcium powder makes plants grow faster.

Which best describes his claim?

It is valid because his experiment had clear variables.
It is invalid because his sample size is small.
It is invalid because his claim is not based in science.
It is valid because he is an expert in his field.

The best description of Hector's claim is that it is valid because his experiment had clear variables. Hector conducted a controlled experiment where he manipulated the variable of adding calcium powder and measured the growth of the plants.

The characteristic of a scientific claim that is described in the options is: "it is supported by a controlled experiment with multiple trials that can be repeated by others." To determine the correct answer, we need to understand what a scientific claim is and what makes it valid.

A scientific claim is a statement that asserts a conclusion based on evidence obtained through the scientific method. It is a way of expressing a hypothesis or an explanation about a particular phenomena or observation. In order for a claim to be considered scientific, it must be supported by empirical evidence and subject to testing and replication.

Analyzing the options:

Option 1: "It is supported by a controlled experiment with multiple trials that can be repeated by others" - This option aligns with the characteristics of a scientific claim because it highlights the importance of having a controlled experiment with multiple trials that can be reproduced by other researchers. This allows for independent verification and validation of the results, which is a key aspect of the scientific method.

Option 2: "It is another way to describe the controlled variables in an experiment" - This option does not fully capture the characteristics of a scientific claim. While controlled variables are an important component of an experiment, describing them does not constitute a scientific claim itself.

Option 3: "It involves an experiment with multiple variables that can be repeated by others" - This option incorrectly mentions multiple variables, which can complicate the experimental design and interpretation of results. In most cases, experiments aim to control variables to isolate the effects of one independent variable on the dependent variable. Having multiple variables can introduce confounding factors and make it difficult to establish causality.

Option 4: "It is an if-then statement that predicts the most likely results of an experiment" - This option describes a conditional statement, which may be a part of a scientific claim or hypothesis. However, a scientific claim goes beyond a simple prediction and requires empirical evidence from experiments to support or refute it.

Based on the analysis above, the correct characteristic that aligns with a scientific claim is: "It is supported by a controlled experiment with multiple trials that can be repeated by others."