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Chapter 1: Problem 5

Describe the necessary characteristics of an experiment that is suitable to test a theory.

Short Answer

Expert verified
An experiment suitable for testing a theory must have a clearly defined hypothesis, be repeatable with consistent results, control for outside or extraneous variables, involve the manipulation of at least one variable, and conduct rigorous observation and data collection.

Step by step solution

01

Identifying the Hypothesis

An experiment must have a clearly defined hypothesis, which is what the study aims to test. The hypothesis is an educated guess that is formulated as a statement predicting a potential outcome or explaining a phenomenon.
02

Replicability

The experiment must be replicable, meaning other researchers must be able to perform the same experiment under the same conditions and achieve the same results. This helps to ensure the validity and reliability of the findings.
03

Control Variables

Any good experiment should have a control mechanism to isolate the effect(s) of the variable(s) being tested. This way, any observed changes can be attributed to the manipulated variable and not to external factors.
04

Manipulating Variables

Researchers need to manipulate one or more variables to test their effect on the subject matter. This typically means changing something in the experiment and recording the effects that change has.
05

Observation and Data Collection

The experiment requires careful and systematic observation and data collection. This data will later be analyzed to determine if it supports or refutes the hypothesis.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A vinegar sample is found to have a density of \(1.006 \mathrm{g} / \mathrm{mL}\) and to contain \(5.4 \%\) acetic acid by mass. How many grams of acetic acid are present in \(1.00 \mathrm{L}\) of this vinegar?

Indicate whether each sample of matter listed is a substance or a mixture; if it is a mixture, indicate whether it is homogeneous or heterogeneous. (a) a wooden beam (b) red ink (c) distilled water (d) freshly squeezed orange juice

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Describe the necessary characteristics of a scientific theory.

Indicate whether each sample of matter listed is a substance or a mixture; if it is a mixture, indicate whether it is homogeneous or heterogeneous. (a) clean fresh air (b) a silver-plated spoon (c) garlic salt (d) ice
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