Critique Scientific Explanations Using Logic and Evidence Flashcards
Which of the following is an example of empirical data?
Counting the number of eggs in the refrigerator.
Which of the following is not an example of empirical data?
Hearing that it snowed a lot last night.
Which of the following is necessary to reach a sound conclusion?
The collected data must be accurate and free from bias.
Why are control groups used in experiments?
To minimize the effect of variables.
Which of the following statements is false?
Double-blind experiments have two control variables.
To determine if tap water was making people sick, scientists asked one group of people to drink tap water for a week and another group to drink only bottled water. The results showed that the group that drank the tap water were sick after a week. What can be concluded from this experiment?
There is not enough information to draw a sound conclusion.
When studying the effects of sunlight on a person’s mood, scientists asked one group of patients to remain outside for one hour and a control group to remain inside all day. At the end of the experiment, 75% of the group that had received sunlight had a better mood. What can be concluded from these results?
There is not enough data to draw a sound conclusion.
Which of the following statements is true?
A double-blind experiment is always more accurate than a single-blind experiment.
Which of the following correctly describes a conclusion?
An evidence-based judgment.
A well-controlled experiment was conducted where researchers noted that a new antibiotic eliminated a bacterial sinus infection. Which of the following can be inferred from this result?
The medication killed the bacteria responsible for the sinus infection.
Which of the following describes a ‘control variable’ in an experiment?
The variable that is held constant.
Which of the following is true about control variables?
Control variables are kept constant to help understand the relationship of other variables.
