Question

A food scientist is designing an experiment about the factors that affect the taste of a fruit. He's struggling with how he should write the hypothesis. These are some of the ideas he came up with:

Read the passage. Then select the statement that represents the best hypothesis for a controlled experiment.

a) The taste of a fruit is influenced by its color.
b) Different fruits have varying levels of sweetness.
c) The size of a fruit determines its overall flavor.
d) The shape of a fruit has no impact on its taste.

Answer 1

The best hypothesis for a controlled experiment is that the taste of a fruit is influenced by its color because it is testable and falsifiable.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question at hand is asking to identify the best hypothesis for a controlled experiment regarding the factors that affect the taste of a fruit. When constructing a hypothesis, it should be based on scientific knowledge, be logical, testable, and falsifiable. The hypothesis should predict the outcome of the dependent variable when exposed to the independent variable. From the given options, a) The taste of a fruit is influenced by its color is the one that is most testable and falsifiable. The color can be the independent variable whose effect on the dependent variable, which is the taste, can be observed and measured. For example, comparing the taste of green apples to red apples when they are of the same variety but different colors can provide evidence for or against the hypothesis.

To conduct a valid experiment, all other variables must be controlled, ensuring that only the independent variable is affecting the dependent variable. This control allows for a clear understanding of the cause-and-effect relationship if a correlation between fruit taste and color is observed in the experiment's results.