Bart Believes That Mice Exposed To Radio Waves Will Become Extra Strong (Maybe He’s Been Reading Too Much Radioactive Man). He Decides To Perform This Experiment By Placing 10 Mice Near A Radio For 5 Hours. He Compared These 10 Mice To Another 10 Mice That Had Not Been Exposed. His Test Consisted Of A Heavy Block Of Wood That Blocked The Mouse Food.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
In Bart’s experiment, he is testing whether exposure to radio waves affects the strength of mice, as measured by their ability to move a heavy block of wood to access food. This setup involves two groups of mice: one exposed to radio waves (experimental group) and one not exposed (control group).
Correct Answer:
To draw valid conclusions, Bart should:
- Measure Strength Consistently: Measure how much force the mice exert or how often they succeed in moving the block.
- Use Statistical Analysis: Compare the performance between the two groups using an appropriate statistical test (e.g., a t-test for comparing means).
- Control Variables: Ensure all factors except for radio wave exposure are constant between the two groups.
Explanation (300 words):
Bart’s experiment demonstrates key principles of experimental design but also has potential issues that must be addressed for reliable results. Here’s a detailed explanation:
- Independent Variable: The radio wave exposure is the independent variable because it’s what Bart is manipulating. One group of mice is exposed to radio waves, and the other is not.
- Dependent Variable: The dependent variable is the mice’s strength, operationalized as their ability to move the heavy block of wood to access food. Bart must have a consistent way to measure this (e.g., the time taken to move the block, the number of mice succeeding, or the force applied).
- Control Variables: To ensure valid results, all other factors (diet, age, weight, species, health, block weight, environment, etc.) must be identical for both groups.
- Potential Bias: Bart’s belief in “extra strong mice” could unintentionally influence how he interprets the results. Double-blind testing (where neither Bart nor the mice’s caretaker knows which group the mice belong to) would help eliminate bias.
- Sample Size: With only 10 mice per group, the sample size is small, which increases the likelihood of random variation influencing results. Larger sample sizes improve reliability.
- Analysis: After collecting data, Bart should use a statistical test (e.g., a t-test) to determine if the differences in strength are statistically significant or just due to chance.
By addressing these points, Bart can ensure his experiment provides valid and interpretable results.