Nokea
A scientist designs an experiment to test the hypothesis that exposure to more sunlight will increase the growth rate of elodea, a type of aquatic plant. The scientist has accumulated data from previous experiments that identify the average growth rate of elodea exposed to natural sunlight in the wild.
In the experiment set up, there are three tanks housing ten elodea each. Tank A is positioned in front of a window to receive natural sunlight similar to what elodea are exposed to; tank B is positioned in front of the same window but has an additional sunlight-replicating lamp affixed to it; and tank C is positioned in a dark corner with no exposure to natural sunlight.
The above experimental design description is an example of which of the following types of experiments?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The above experimental design description involves the manipulation of an independent variable (light exposure) to observe its effects on the dependent variable (plant growth) under controlled conditions. In a controlled experiment, researchers actively manipulate one or more variables while keeping all other variables constant to establish cause-and-effect relationships.
Choice A, a field experiment, typically takes place in a real-world setting but still involves manipulation and control of variables. Choice B, a natural experiment, involves observing naturally occurring differences in variables without researcher intervention. Choice D, an observational study, does not involve manipulation of variables, making it different from the described experimental design.