Question

Construction of a solar power plant is proposed for a desert area near a school. A student has hypothesized that the shade cast by the solar panels will increase the mortality of creosote bush, a native desert plant in the area. Before construction begins, what experimental data should the student collect in order to eventually test the hypothesis?.

Answer 1

Collect baseline data on creosote bush mortality rates, sunlight exposure, water and soil conditions, environmental stresses, and local weather patterns before constructing a solar power plant to test the hypothesis that shade from solar panels will affect the bushes.

Step-by-step explanation:

Before the construction of a solar power plant near a school in a desert area, it is important to collect experimental data to test the hypothesis that the shade cast by solar panels will increase the mortality of creosote bush, a native desert plant. The following data should be collected:

• Baseline mortality rates of creosote bushes in the area.
• The typical sunlight exposure the creosote bushes receive throughout the year.
• The water availability and soil conditions around the creosote bushes.
• Any existing environmental stresses on the creosote bushes.
• The local weather patterns, especially wind and temperature variations.

By establishing a baseline before the construction begins, changes in the plant population after the solar panels are installed can be attributed with greater accuracy to the presence of the solar panels. This method of data collection allows the student to effectively test the hypothesis about the creosote bush mortality rate.