Question

An experimenter wanted to test the effects of cigarette smoking on rats. She infused the cages of 50 rats with cigarette smoke and the cages of another 50 rats with pure, clean air. The rats that received the clean air were the

1) experimental group
2) control group
3) model group
4) predictive group
5) independent group

Answer 1

In the experiment, the group of rats exposed to clean air serve as the control group, against which the experimental group that received cigarette smoke is compared.

Step-by-step explanation:

In an experiment designed to assess the effects of cigarette smoke on rats, two groups are formed: one exposed to the variable being tested (cigarette smoke), and another that is not exposed to this variable.

The group exposed to cigarette smoke would be considered the experimental group, as they are the ones receiving the experimental manipulation. The group that is infused with pure, clean air is not being exposed to the independent variable (cigarette smoke) and therefore serves as a baseline for comparison; this group is referred to as the control group. The purpose of the control group is to provide a standard against which the effects of the experimental manipulation can be measured.