Final answer:
A hypothesis is a testable explanation for a natural phenomenon. An experimental group receives a treatment or manipulation in an experiment. A control group does not receive any treatment or manipulation.
Step-by-step explanation:
A hypothesis is a testable explanation for a natural phenomenon. It is an educated guess that can be supported or refuted through experimentation. A hypothesis is usually based on prior knowledge or observations. An example of a hypothesis is: 'If plants are exposed to sunlight, then they will grow taller.'
An experimental group is a group in an experiment that receives a treatment or manipulation. It is the group that is used to test the hypothesis. For example, in a study testing the effect of a new drug on a disease, the group of patients who receive the drug would be the experimental group.
A control group, on the other hand, is a group in an experiment that does not receive any treatment or manipulation. It is used as a baseline for comparison to the experimental group. For example, in the same study mentioned earlier, the group of patients who do not receive the drug would be the control group.