As part of an experiment to measure decomposition rates of different materials, students put food scraps from the cafeteria in compost bin A and leaves and grass clippings in compost bin B for six weeks. Students in first period measured the temperature in bin A, and students in sixth period measured the temperature in bin B. What is the greatest error in the students' experimental design?

Question

Cheyenne

Biology

24 April, 02:25

As part of an experiment to measure decomposition rates of different materials, students put food scraps from the cafeteria in compost bin A and leaves and grass clippings in compost bin B for six weeks. Students in first period measured the temperature in bin A, and students in sixth period measured the temperature in bin B. What is the greatest error in the students' experimental design?

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Trey Ferguson · Answer 1

The greatest error in the experimental design is that the temperature of both bins were taken at different times from each other. The students should have measured them at the same time to lessen the randomness of the variables. A way to "fix" this is by changing taking into account the extra time between bin A was and bin B was measured for bin B's calculations.