Final answer:
Maggie's container question cannot be answered without specific measurements; however, in Gary's plant experiment, selecting a consistent container size and watering schedule isolates variables such as sunlight and soil consistency to ensure accurate results.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Experimental Controls in Plant Growth Studies
The question relates to a biological experiment where factors affecting plant growth are being investigated. If Maggie wishes to find out which container holds the largest amount of soil, she would need to compare the volume of each container. However, the information provided doesn't give specific measurements of the containers, so assuming they are of different sizes, we cannot determine which one holds the most soil without additional data.
Looking at the multiple-choice questions provided, the question may be pertaining to Gary's experiment with plants. A reasonable statement of Gary's hypothesis could be (b) Plants that get more sunshine grow larger than plants that get less sunshine. This is a testable statement and aligns with common knowledge about plant growth requirements. Gary's reason for insisting on the same size containers, as listed in option (b), is to ensure that any differences in plant growth can be attributed to the variable under study (in this case, the amount of sunshine) and not to the size of the container.
Similarly, making sure that all plants received the same amount of water everyday, suggested by option (a), is to control variables and isolate the effect of sunlight on plant growth. Factors such as soil consistency, amount of plant food, and watering schedule can greatly influence plant growth, so controlling these variables is essential for a well-conducted experiment. Moreover, potential uncontrolled variables in an experiment, such as individual plant variation or the effect of insects, could introduce biases in the results, as highlighted by the options provided.