Final answer:
A scientist's hypothesis could be that a chemical increases apple production, and the experimental group is the orchard treated with the chemical. The dependent variable is the apple yield per tree, while the independent variable is the application of the chemical.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hypothesis the scientist is testing might be: The application of a chemical increases the number of apples produced by an apple orchard. The experimental group in this scenario is the orchard sprayed with the chemical, as it is receiving the treatment being tested. The dependent variable, which is the outcome being measured, is the number of apples produced per tree. The independent variable is the presence or absence of the chemical, as this is the factor the scientist is manipulating to observe its effect on apple production.