Question

A scientist wished to determine if a new type of antibiotic, called antibiotic F, was effective against a particular type of microorganism that caused pneumonia. To test the hypothesis, the scientist found 100 volunteers in a large hospital, all suffering from the same type of pneumonia. The scientist gave 50 of the volunteers the new antibiotic for 10 days. The other 50 volunteers were given a sugar pill for 10 days. The sugar pill is called a placebo. The scientist measured the effectiveness of the antibiotic by measuring each volunteer's temperature. Higher than normal body temperature indicated the presence of the disease-causing microorganisms. When a volunteer's temperature remained normal (37 degrees C) for three days, he or she was considered free of the disease causing microorganism.

Which group is the control group?

Answer 1

The control group in the study is the one receiving the placebo, which is necessary to compare the efficacy of the new antibiotic F against the untreated state.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the study described, the control group is the group of volunteers who were given a placebo (sugar pill) instead of the new antibiotic F for 10 days. The purpose of the control group is to provide a baseline for comparison to the experimental group that received the new antibiotic. By comparing the results of the experimental group to the control group, the scientist can determine the effectiveness of the new antibiotic. This group is essential for comparison purposes to determine the effectiveness of the new antibiotic versus no treatment. The determination of effectiveness was based on the volunteer's body temperature, with a normal temperature of 37 degrees C for three days indicating freedom from the pneumonia-causing microorganisms.