Answered

Rajesh designed an experiment to test the effect of fertilizer on plant growth. The table shows the data he collected. Which changes should Rajesh make to his experiment to improve the validity of the data? Check all that apply.

- Add twice as much fertilizer to the plants.
- Measure the growth of a plant that did not receive fertilizer.
- Perform additional trials.
- Remove plant 2.

\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|}
\hline
Plant \# & Fertilizer (mL) & Plant Growth (mm) \\
\hline
1 & 2.0 & 1.0 \\
\hline
2 & 3.0 & 1.5 \\
\hline
3 & 4.0 & 2.0 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}



Answer :

GinnyAnswer
To improve the validity of his data in the experiment testing the effect of fertilizer on plant growth, Rajesh should consider the following changes:

1. Measure the growth of a plant that did not receive fertilizer:
- This introduces a control group in the experiment, which is crucial for determining the baseline growth of plants without the influence of fertilizer. By comparing the growth of fertilized plants with that of the control group, Rajesh can more accurately assess the effect of the fertilizer.

2. Perform additional trials:
- Conducting more trials decreases the influence of random variations and increases the reliability of the results. With additional trials, the data becomes more robust and generalizable, thereby improving the overall validity of the conclusions drawn from the experiment.

By implementing these changes, Rajesh can ensure that his experiment results are more reliable and provide a clearer understanding of the fertilizer's impact on plant growth.