ACT Science : How to find experimental design in biology

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Science

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Example Questions

Example Question #51 : How To Find Experimental Design In Biology

A science class has been assigned a group project. Three different groups have been asked to plant a small pallet of grass and record growth over the course of 3 weeks. One blade of grass per trial was designated as the blade of grass to measure each week (the grass height for "Week 0" corresponds to the day the grass was planted). Every Monday (including the day it was planted) this same blade of grass is measured and its height (in inches) is recorded in a data table. The data collected by Group 1 corresponds to Table 1, Group 2 corresponds to Table 2, and Group 3 corresponds to Table 3.

Each group had two control conditions and one variable condition. The three conditions are:

  • the amount of water given to the grass
  • the type of soil the grass was planted in
  • the amount of sunlight the grass is exposed to every day

The variables and data collected are as follows:

Group 1 variable: different amounts of water 

Table 1

Trial A - one cup of water is poured on the grass every Monday after measuring

Trial B - two cups of water are poured on the grass every Monday after measuring

Trial C - three cups of water are poured on the grass every Monday after measuring

 

Group 2 variable: different types of soil

Table 2

Trial D - standard potting soil is used

Trial E - large rocks are mixed into the standard potting soil before the grass is planted

Trial F - small stones and pebbles are mixed into the standard potting soil before the grass is planted

 

Group 3 variable: different sunlight exposure

Table 3

Trial G - the grass is given 3 hours of sun exposure per day

Trial H - the grass is given 6 hours of sun exposure per day

Trial J - the grass is given 9 hours of sun exposure per day

Each group has a control condition for its three trials, and the control conditions are the same for each group. Given this information, determine which trial from each group serves as the control.

Possible Answers:

Trial B, Trial F, Trial H

Trial B, Trial F, Trial G

Trial C, Trial E, Trial J

Trial A, Trial E, Trial G

Trial A, Trial D, Trial H

Correct answer:

Trial A, Trial D, Trial H

Explanation:

The key here is looking for similar data between the three groups. The grass is not going to grow exactly the same way across the three groups, but it will grow similarly enough that a trend should be able to be identified. Trials A, D, and H experience approximately the same growth, implying that these trials are the controls for their respective groups.

Example Question #561 : Biology

A scientist discovered a new type of bacteria that can be harmful to humans. The scientist decided to perform an experiment to determine which antibiotics will be able to treat human illnesses contracted from the bacteria. The scientist created four plates that each contain the necessary minerals for the bacteria to growth and placed some of the bacteria on each plate (as seen below in the initial setup). Once the bacteria were placed on the plates, she placed a piece of paper soaked in an antibiotic in the center of each treatment’s petri dish. Each piece of paper was soaked in a different antibiotic. She also constructed a control plate using a piece of paper soaked in saline solution. Three different antibiotics and one control plate without antibiotics were tested. The final results are shown in the provided figure, in which the bacteria is represented by the grey areas.

Act 2 a

Why did the scientist create a plate without antibiotics? 

Possible Answers:

Cannot be determined 

To develop recombinant DNA

To see if the human body can fight off the bacteria without antibiotics

To act as a control

To create more bacteria for future experiments

Correct answer:

To act as a control

Explanation:

The plate without antibiotics acts as a control and allows the scientist to see how much the bacteria will grow without treatment. If you did not notice this in the passage, then you could perform a process of elimination using the other choices. There is no mention of future experiments or the development of recombinant DNA in the passage; therefore, both of these answers can be eliminated. The experiment did not use human antibodies or any part of the human immune system on the plate; thus, this answer can be eliminated. This leaves the correct answer that the plate without antibiotics acts as a control. 

Example Question #53 : How To Find Experimental Design In Biology

A scientist discovered a new type of bacteria that can be harmful to humans. The scientist decided to perform an experiment to determine which antibiotics will be able to treat human illnesses contracted from the bacteria. The scientist created four plates that each contain the necessary minerals for the bacteria to growth and placed some of the bacteria on each plate (as seen below in the initial setup). Once the bacteria were placed on the plates, she placed a piece of paper soaked in an antibiotic in the center of each treatment’s petri dish. Each piece of paper was soaked in a different antibiotic. She also constructed a control plate using a piece of paper soaked in saline solution. Three different antibiotics and one control plate without antibiotics were tested. The final results are shown in the provided figure, in which the bacteria is represented by the grey areas.

Act 2 a

Which of the following choices would be an improvement to this experiment? 

Possible Answers:

All of these

Note the temperature and make sure the experiment is conduct at the temperature of the human body

Determine the concentration of antibiotic that was used in each experiment

None of these

Note the time frame in which the experiment was performed

Correct answer:

All of these

Explanation:

The scientist should note how long it takes for the bacteria to grow and how long it would take for the antibiotics to take affect. This will help determine when treatment is needed and how long the antibiotic should be taken. It would also be important to note the temperature. If the experiment was conducted in hotter temperatures than the human body, then the bacteria will multiply and grow more rapidly. The concentrations of the antibiotics are not known and this will help to determine how much antibiotic is necessary for the treatment of the bacteria. In other words, all of the choices are correct.

Example Question #561 : Biology

Elena is conducting an experiment to determine the effect of a new drug, norzapam, that is meant to help diabetic patients produce insulin naturally. She has four test subjects, all with type 1 diabetes, and all of whom continued to take fast-acting insulin as needed but ceased taking long-acting insulin. Two patients received the drug and two received a placebo. Over a period of ten months Elena measured her patients’ insulin levels each day (measured in International Units) and averaged them for each month. She also asked each patient to walk for as long as they could after taking the drug before their blood sugar dropped too low to continue. Her results from the experiment are shown in the given tables.

Patient 1: Drug received

Patient 1 is a 45 year-old male who is overweight and leads a sedentary lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

15

2

52

18

3

54

20

4

60

20

5

64

22

6

70

25

7

78

28

8

86

33

9

98

38

10

103

40

 

Patient 2: Drug received

Patient 2 is a 23 year-old female of healthy weight who leads an active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

30

2

55

38

3

59

42

4

68

47

5

75

55

6

83

60

7

90

68

8

97

70

9

105

72

10

112

75

 

Patient 3: No drug

Patient 3 is a 60 year-old female who is overweight and leads a moderately active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

25

2

51

25

3

53

28

4

51

25

5

53

28

6

55

30

7

53

28

8

65

33

9

51

25

10

50

25

 

Patient 4: No Drug

Patient 4 is a 28 year-old male of healthy weight who leads very active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

60

45

2

65

48

3

68

50

4

68

50

5

70

55

6

71

56

7

68

52

8

69

55

9

79

65

10

80

65

Who are the controls in the experiment?

Possible Answers:

Patients 1 and 2

Patients 3 and 4

Patient 3 only

None of these - there is no control in this experiment.

Correct answer:

Patients 3 and 4

Explanation:

In a scientific experiment, the controls are those subjects that do not receive the changing variable (in this case the drug). They are designed to compare the effects of the experiment for those who receive treatment and those who don't. Patients 3 and 4 did not receive the drug, and therefore are meant to be the patients against whom the scientist can compare the changes of those who did receive the drug. 

Example Question #51 : How To Find Experimental Design In Biology

Elena is conducting an experiment to determine the effect of a new drug, norzapam, that is meant to help diabetic patients produce insulin naturally. She has four test subjects, all with type 1 diabetes, and all of whom continued to take fast-acting insulin as needed but ceased taking long-acting insulin. Two patients received the drug and two received a placebo. Over a period of ten months Elena measured her patients’ insulin levels each day (measured in International Units) and averaged them for each month. She also asked each patient to walk for as long as they could after taking the drug before their blood sugar dropped too low to continue. Her results from the experiment are shown in the given tables.

Patient 1: Drug received

Patient 1 is a 45 year-old male who is overweight and leads a sedentary lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

15

2

52

18

3

54

20

4

60

20

5

64

22

6

70

25

7

78

28

8

86

33

9

98

38

10

103

40

 

Patient 2: Drug received

Patient 2 is a 23 year-old female of healthy weight who leads an active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

30

2

55

38

3

59

42

4

68

47

5

75

55

6

83

60

7

90

68

8

97

70

9

105

72

10

112

75

 

Patient 3: No drug

Patient 3 is a 60 year-old female who is overweight and leads a moderately active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

25

2

51

25

3

53

28

4

51

25

5

53

28

6

55

30

7

53

28

8

65

33

9

51

25

10

50

25

 

Patient 4: No Drug

Patient 4 is a 28 year-old male of healthy weight who leads very active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

60

45

2

65

48

3

68

50

4

68

50

5

70

55

6

71

56

7

68

52

8

69

55

9

79

65

10

80

65

What is the independent variable?

Possible Answers:

Patients 3 and 4

The effects of the drug

Patients 1 and 2

The drug

Correct answer:

The drug

Explanation:

The independent variable is the one that can be controled by the conductor of the experiment. In this case, Elena controlled the administeration of the drug for patients 1-4. She was in control of who received the drug and who did not, making the drug the independent variable. Consider a standard XY graph; the independent variable would be charted at the bottom (x-axix) to be compared to the variable that changes (y-axis). It would be the most sensible to chart along the x axis the patients and their drug administering, because that is what Elena can control. It is independent of the results of the experiment because it drove the results. 

Example Question #56 : How To Find Experimental Design In Biology

Elena is conducting an experiment to determine the effect of a new drug, norzapam, that is meant to help diabetic patients produce insulin naturally. She has four test subjects, all with type 1 diabetes, and all of whom continued to take fast-acting insulin as needed but ceased taking long-acting insulin. Two patients received the drug and two received a placebo. Over a period of ten months Elena measured her patients’ insulin levels each day (measured in International Units) and averaged them for each month. She also asked each patient to walk for as long as they could after taking the drug before their blood sugar dropped too low to continue. Her results from the experiment are shown in the given tables.

Patient 1: Drug received

Patient 1 is a 45 year-old male who is overweight and leads a sedentary lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

15

2

52

18

3

54

20

4

60

20

5

64

22

6

70

25

7

78

28

8

86

33

9

98

38

10

103

40

 

Patient 2: Drug received

Patient 2 is a 23 year-old female of healthy weight who leads an active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

30

2

55

38

3

59

42

4

68

47

5

75

55

6

83

60

7

90

68

8

97

70

9

105

72

10

112

75

 

Patient 3: No drug

Patient 3 is a 60 year-old female who is overweight and leads a moderately active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

25

2

51

25

3

53

28

4

51

25

5

53

28

6

55

30

7

53

28

8

65

33

9

51

25

10

50

25

 

Patient 4: No Drug

Patient 4 is a 28 year-old male of healthy weight who leads very active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

60

45

2

65

48

3

68

50

4

68

50

5

70

55

6

71

56

7

68

52

8

69

55

9

79

65

10

80

65

What is the dependent variable?

Possible Answers:

The drug only

The insulin levels only

Both the insulin levels and the length of the walk

The length of the walk only

Correct answer:

Both the insulin levels and the length of the walk

Explanation:

Both the insulin levels and the length of the walk are dependent variables because they are what changes depending on what the scientist, Elena, does to the subjects. It is true that when comparing insulin levels and walk time, only the walk time is dependent because it is clear that it is affected by insulin levels; however, in the experiment as a whole both insulin as well as its effects on walk time are controlled by the administration of the drug, and therefore are dependent. 

Example Question #57 : How To Find Experimental Design In Biology

Elena is conducting an experiment to determine the effect of a new drug, norzapam, that is meant to help diabetic patients produce insulin naturally. She has four test subjects, all with type 1 diabetes, and all of whom continued to take fast-acting insulin as needed but ceased taking long-acting insulin. Two patients received the drug and two received a placebo. Over a period of ten months Elena measured her patients’ insulin levels each day (measured in International Units) and averaged them for each month. She also asked each patient to walk for as long as they could after taking the drug before their blood sugar dropped too low to continue. Her results from the experiment are shown in the given tables.

Patient 1: Drug received

Patient 1 is a 45 year-old male who is overweight and leads a sedentary lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

15

2

52

18

3

54

20

4

60

20

5

64

22

6

70

25

7

78

28

8

86

33

9

98

38

10

103

40

 

Patient 2: Drug received

Patient 2 is a 23 year-old female of healthy weight who leads an active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

30

2

55

38

3

59

42

4

68

47

5

75

55

6

83

60

7

90

68

8

97

70

9

105

72

10

112

75

 

Patient 3: No drug

Patient 3 is a 60 year-old female who is overweight and leads a moderately active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

25

2

51

25

3

53

28

4

51

25

5

53

28

6

55

30

7

53

28

8

65

33

9

51

25

10

50

25

 

Patient 4: No Drug

Patient 4 is a 28 year-old male of healthy weight who leads very active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

60

45

2

65

48

3

68

50

4

68

50

5

70

55

6

71

56

7

68

52

8

69

55

9

79

65

10

80

65

For patients who receive the drug, the relationship between length of walk and insulin levels appears to be __________.

Possible Answers:

direct

inconclusive

inverse

logrithmic

Correct answer:

direct

Explanation:

For those who received a drug treatment for insulin production, as time increased so too did the levels of insulin in their bodies. This relationship is direct becuase as time increases, so too does insulin such that on a graphy this would look like a pattern of scatterpoints with a positive slope. We cannot conclusively determine causation necessarily, but there is definitely a direct correlation. 

Example Question #58 : How To Find Experimental Design In Biology

Elena is conducting an experiment to determine the effect of a new drug, norzapam, that is meant to help diabetic patients produce insulin naturally. She has four test subjects, all with type 1 diabetes, and all of whom continued to take fast-acting insulin as needed but ceased taking long-acting insulin. Two patients received the drug and two received a placebo. Over a period of ten months Elena measured her patients’ insulin levels each day (measured in International Units) and averaged them for each month. She also asked each patient to walk for as long as they could after taking the drug before their blood sugar dropped too low to continue. Her results from the experiment are shown in the given tables.

Patient 1: Drug received

Patient 1 is a 45 year-old male who is overweight and leads a sedentary lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

15

2

52

18

3

54

20

4

60

20

5

64

22

6

70

25

7

78

28

8

86

33

9

98

38

10

103

40

 

Patient 2: Drug received

Patient 2 is a 23 year-old female of healthy weight who leads an active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

30

2

55

38

3

59

42

4

68

47

5

75

55

6

83

60

7

90

68

8

97

70

9

105

72

10

112

75

 

Patient 3: No drug

Patient 3 is a 60 year-old female who is overweight and leads a moderately active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

50

25

2

51

25

3

53

28

4

51

25

5

53

28

6

55

30

7

53

28

8

65

33

9

51

25

10

50

25

 

Patient 4: No Drug

Patient 4 is a 28 year-old male of healthy weight who leads very active lifestyle.

Month

Insulin level (IU)

Length of Walk (min)

1

60

45

2

65

48

3

68

50

4

68

50

5

70

55

6

71

56

7

68

52

8

69

55

9

79

65

10

80

65

For patients who did not receive the drug, the relationship between time and insulin levels appears to be __________.

Possible Answers:

inconclusive

direct

logrithmic

inverse

Correct answer:

inconclusive

Explanation:

For those who didn't receive insulin, insulin levels rose and fell steadily over the tenth month experiment period. If one were to plot these points on a scatter plot, there would be no apparent direction of slope. Indeed, it would be just as likely to be a positive correlation as a negative one and therefore you cannot determine the relationship either way. It does not appear as those time has any particular effect on insulin levels for those who do not take the drug. 

Example Question #51 : How To Find Experimental Design In Biology

Researchers have recorded data in four different regions, Region A, Region B, Region C and Region D. In these regions, the researchers recorded the height, diameter and the approximate age of the tallest redwood. The researchers want to use this data to learn more amount redwoods and their respective regions. 

Act 2

How can the data collected be improved? 

Possible Answers:

Determine the amount of sunlight that each tree receives

No improvements can be made

Record the average rainfall in each of the regions

Take the data for more trees in each region and take the average of each

Correct answer:

Take the data for more trees in each region and take the average of each

Explanation:

This question asks how to make improvements on the data that the researchers recorded. Recording the average rainfall each year and the amount of sunlight that each tree receives gives the researchers more data, but does not improve the already given data. Increasing the number of trees that were recorded in each region and then averaged includes more data points for the parameters of interest and can reduce any potential errors from just taking one data point in each region.

Example Question #51 : How To Find Experimental Design In Biology

Act science practice set 1 q 1 page 001

How did the design of Survey 2 differ from Survey 1?

Possible Answers:

The survey was conducted on different trees

The ground soil moisture was not considered

The light levels were held constant

The ground soil moisture was held constant

Correct answer:

The ground soil moisture was held constant

Explanation:

The correct answer is that the ground soil moisture was held constant. This is stated in the explanation for Table 2, so that the experiment was not confounded by the ground soil moisture variable. It is stated that the survey is conducted on the same trees, but there is no reference to the light level in Survey 2.

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