Chapter 14, Level 1 Self-Quiz: HIII

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Determine the hypothesis, experiment, and prediction for the following fictional case study.

Joe's car would not start. He wondered why. His friend said the battery was dead. Joe replaced the battery. The car started. The friend said that this proved he was right.

Hypothesis: The car will start with a new battery. Experiment: Replace the battery. Prediction: If the hypothesis is correct, the battery in Joe's car is dead.

Hypothesis: The battery in Joe's car is dead. Experiment: If the hypothesis is correct, then the car will start. Prediction: Replace the battery.

Hypothesis: Replace the battery. Experiment: The battery in Joe's car is dead. Prediction: If the hypothesis is correct, then the car will start.

Hypothesis: The battery in Joe's car is dead. Experiment: Replace the battery. Prediction: If the hypothesis is correct, then the car will start.

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Determine whether or not the study confirms or disconfirms the hypothesis, and what the alternative explanation(s) may be.

For the past 2 weeks, every time Becky's cat, Melanie, sat on her lap, Becky started sneezing uncontrollably. Thinking that she was becoming allergic to her cat, Becky tried an experiment. She gave the cat to her neighbor for a day; during that time, she did not sneeze. As soon as the cat returned and sat on Becky's lap, Becky began sneezing. She started taking some over-the-counter allergy medicine, and the sneezing stopped. What Becky did not know was that the bottle of a new kind of flea powder her husband started using a few weeks earlier had broken, and so he bought the powder they had always used before. Becky continues to take the allergy medicine.

Confirm/Disconfirm: One of the predictions turned out true, and Becky was convinced that the evidence confirmed her hypothesis. Alternative Explanations: We are told that the sneezing started the same time as her husband started using a new flea powder, and it stopped when he started using the old brand. This strengthens the hypothesis. We do not need additional experiments.

Confirm/Disconfirm: Both predictions turned out true, so the evidence confirmed her hypothesis. Alternative Explanations: We are told that the sneezing started about the same time as Becky's husband started using a new flea powder.

Confirm/Disconfirm: Both predictions turned out true, so she was convinced that the evidence confirmed her hypothesis. Alternative Explanations: The sneezing started about the same time as Beckys husband started using a new flea powder, and it stopped when he started using the old brand. This evidence weakens Becky's hypothesis.

Confirm/Disconfirm: Neither prediction turned out true, and Becky was convinced that the evidence disconfirmed her hypothesis. Alternative Explanations: Since the evidence weakens Becky's hypothesis, we do not any additional experiments.

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Instructions: Determine whether or not the study confirms or disconfirms the hypothesis, and what the alternative explanation(s) may be.

Joe's car would not start. He wondered why. His friend said the battery was dead. Joe replaced the battery. The car started. The friend said that this proved he was right.

Confirm/Disconfirm: The prediction was true, and the evidence confirms the hypothesis. Alternative Explanations: The clamps on either the positive or negative terminal heads might have been loose.

Confirm/Disconfirm: The prediction was true, and the evidence confirms the hypothesis. Alternative Explanations: Although we have some evidence to rule out other possibilities, we must be careful not to assign too much weight to the existing evidence, which is inconclusive.

Confirm/Disconfirm: The prediction was false, and the evidence disconfirms the hypothesis. Alternative Explanations : The clamps on either the positive or negative terminal heads might have been loose. If so, the battery might not have been dead or defective. The battery could have (and should have) been tested. It may have simply needed recharging. Without having evidence to rule out these possibilities, we must be careful not to assign too much weight to the existing evidence.

Confirm/Disconfirm : The prediction was true, and the evidence confirms the hypothesis. Alternative Explanations: The clamps on either the positive or negative terminal heads might have been loose. If so, the battery might not have been dead or defective. The battery could have (and should have) been tested. It may have simply needed recharging. Without having evidence to rule out these possibilities, we must be careful not to assign too much weight to the existing evidence.

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Determine the hypothesis, experiment, and prediction for the following fictional case study. For the past 2 weeks, every time Becky's cat, Melanie, sat on her lap, Becky started sneezing uncontrollably. Thinking that she was becoming allergic to her cat, Becky tried an experiment. She gave the cat to her neighbor for a day; during that time, she did not sneeze. As soon as the cat returned and sat on Becky's lap, Becky began sneezing. She started taking some over-the-counter allergy medicine, and the sneezing stopped. What Becky did not know was that the bottle of a new kind of flea powder her husband started using a few weeks earlier had broken, and so he bought the powder they had always used before. Becky continues to take the allergy medicine.

Hypothesis: Becky is allergic to her cat. Experiment: One experiment: Becky will give the cat to a neighbor for a day, during which time Becky will see if she stops sneezing. Prediction: If the hypothesis is correct, then Becky should stop sneezing.

Hypothesis: Becky's cat is ill. Experiment: For the first experiment, if the hypothesis is correct, then Becky should stop sneezing. For the second experiment, provided the medicine is effective, Becky should stop sneezing. Prediction: (A) Becky will give the cat to a neighbor for a day, during which time Becky will see if she stops sneezing. (B) Becky will take allergy medicine to control the sneezing.

Hypothesis: Becky is allergic to her cat. Experiment: Two experiments: (A) Becky will give the cat to a neighbor for a day, during which time Becky will see if she stops sneezing. (B) Becky will take allergy medicine to control the sneezing. Prediction: For the first experiment, if the hypothesis is correct, then Becky should stop sneezing. For the second experiment, provided the medicine is effective, Becky should stop sneezing.

Hypothesis: For the first experiment, if the hypothesis is correct, then Becky should stop sneezing. For the second experiment, provided the medicine is effective, Becky should stop sneezing. Experiment: Two experiments: (A) Becky will give the cat to a neighbor for a day, during which time Becky will see if she stops sneezing. (B) Becky will take allergy medicine to control the sneezing. Prediction: Becky is allergic to her cat.

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