AZSCI Argument from Evidence 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student claims, 'My plant grew taller because I played music for it.' Which piece of evidence would be needed to properly support this claim?
- A personal opinion that plants enjoy music.
- A photo of the tall plant next to a music player.
- Data showing the plant that heard music grew taller than an identical plant that did not hear music, with all other conditions being the same. (Correct answer)
- An article from a magazine about talking to plants.
Correct answer: Data showing the plant that heard music grew taller than an identical plant that did not hear music, with all other conditions being the same.
A scientific claim must be supported by evidence from a controlled experiment. Comparing the growth of a plant with music to an identical 'control' plant without music (while keeping water, light, and soil the same) provides the necessary evidence to isolate the effect of the music.
Question 2: A company advertises a new sports drink by saying, 'Famous athletes drink our product, so it must be the best for hydration.' What is the primary flaw in this argument?
- The argument uses an endorsement instead of scientific evidence about hydration. (Correct answer)
- The argument provides too much scientific data about electrolytes.
- The argument is flawed because famous athletes are not trustworthy.
- The argument assumes all sports drinks taste the same.
Correct answer: The argument uses an endorsement instead of scientific evidence about hydration.
This is a logical fallacy known as 'appeal to authority' or 'endorsement.' The fact that a famous person uses a product is not scientific evidence of its effectiveness. A valid argument would present data from studies comparing hydration levels, electrolyte content, etc.
Question 3: Two students are debating why a puddle of water disappeared from the sidewalk on a sunny day. Student 1 says: 'The sun's heat caused the water to evaporate.' Student 2 says: 'The concrete absorbed all the water.' What evidence would best support Student 1's argument?
- Observing that the sidewalk is completely dry and not dark with moisture.
- Measuring the temperature of the sidewalk and finding it is warm.
- Placing a clear bowl over a similar puddle and observing water droplets forming on the inside of the bowl. (Correct answer)
- Pouring more water on the sidewalk to see if it also disappears.
Correct answer: Placing a clear bowl over a similar puddle and observing water droplets forming on the inside of the bowl.
Placing a bowl over the puddle traps the water vapor as it evaporates. When the vapor cools against the bowl's surface, it condenses back into liquid droplets. This directly demonstrates that the water turned into a gas and rose into the air, which is the process of evaporation.
Question 4: A scientist presents data from an experiment showing that a new medication lowered cholesterol in 75% of participants. Which of the following is a valid claim based on this evidence?
- The medication is a guaranteed cure for high cholesterol for everyone.
- The medication is completely safe and has no side effects.
- The medication was effective for a majority of the participants in the study. (Correct answer)
- The medication is less effective than other available treatments.
Correct answer: The medication was effective for a majority of the participants in the study.
The evidence states the medication worked for 75% of participants. This directly supports the claim that it was effective for a majority (more than half) of the group studied. The other claims are too strong ('guaranteed cure'), not supported by the data ('no side effects'), or require a comparison that isn't provided.
Question 5: A student argues that heavier objects fall faster than lighter objects. They support this by dropping a bowling ball and a feather, observing that the bowling ball hits the ground first. Why is this a weak argument?
- The bowling ball is round, while the feather is flat.
- The experiment was not repeated enough times.
- The argument ignores the significant effect of air resistance on the feather. (Correct answer)
- The student should have used a stopwatch to time the fall.
Correct answer: The argument ignores the significant effect of air resistance on the feather.
The argument is weak because it fails to account for a critical variable: air resistance. Air resistance has a much greater effect on the light, wide feather than on the dense, compact bowling ball. In a vacuum (with no air), they would fall at the same rate due to gravity.
Question 6: Which statement is an example of scientific evidence, not an opinion?
- The climate is changing, and it's a very serious problem for the future.
- I think renewable energy sources like solar power are the best solution.
- Global average temperatures have increased by 1.1°C since the late 19th century. (Correct answer)
- Everyone should work harder to protect the environment.
Correct answer: Global average temperatures have increased by 1.1°C since the late 19th century.
This statement is a specific, measurable, and verifiable piece of data that comes from scientific observation and record-keeping. The other statements express a belief ('serious problem'), a judgment ('best solution'), or a call to action ('should work harder'), which are opinions or interpretations.
Question 7: A group of students investigates which type of soil retains the most water. Their data shows that the least amount of water drained from the funnel containing clay. What is the strongest argument they can make based on this evidence?
- Clay is the best type of soil for all plants.
- In our experiment, clay retained more water than sand or loam. (Correct answer)
- Sand is a bad type of soil because it didn't hold water.
- Our experiment proves that clay is made of smaller particles.
Correct answer: In our experiment, clay retained more water than sand or loam.
This statement is a direct conclusion from the evidence collected. It accurately describes the result of their specific investigation without making overly broad claims (like it's 'best for all plants') or stating opinions (like sand is 'bad'). A strong argument sticks to the data.
AZSCI Argument from Evidence 1
A student claims, 'My plant grew taller because I played music for it.' Which piece of evidence would be needed to properly support this claim?