A research group collected fossilized snails of a particular species from various locations and brought them into the lab for study.They used electron microscopy to study the physical features of the shells as well as chemical methods for analyzing their chemical makeup.They also used analytical lab techniques to date the fossils.The results of this work enabled the researchers to draw conclusions about evolutionary changes in the snails.Which statement can be made about this study?
A) This was a comparative experiment because the subjects of the study were collected from field locations.
B) This was a controlled experiment because all of the analyses were conducted in a laboratory where conditions could be controlled.
C) This was a comparative experiment because the characteristics of different samples collected from different locations were compared.
D) This was a controlled experiment because the samples being studied were limited to one species of snail.
E) This was both a comparative and a controlled experiment because it involved comparisons of field samples carried out in a laboratory setting.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The study was comparative because the researchers analyzed samples collected from different locations and compared their characteristics. The study was not controlled because the conditions in the field could not be controlled, and the researchers were studying fossils from various time periods, which cannot be controlled.

A Research Group Collected Fossilized Snails of a Particular Species