Question

SpongeBob & Friends and the Scientific Method
Scenario A. Krusty Krabs Breath Mints
Mr. Krabs created a secret ingredient for a breath mint that he thinks will "cure the bad breath people get from
cating crabby patties at the Krusty Krab. He asked 100 customers with a history of bad breath to try his new
breath mint. He had fifty customers (Group A) cat a breath mint after they finished eating a crabby patty. The
other fifty (Group B) also received a breath mint after they finished the sandwich, however, it was just a regular
breath mint and did not have the secret ingredient. Both groups were told that they were getting the breath mint
that would cure their bad breath. Two hours after cating the crabby patties, thirty customers in Group A and ten
customers in Group B reported having better breath than they normally had after cating crabby patties.
1. Which people are in the control group?
2. What is the independent variable?
3. What is the dependent variable?
4. What should Mr. Krabs' conclusion be?
5. Was this a quantitative or a qualitative measurement?
6. Why do you think 10 people in group B reported fresher breath?

Answer 1

Answer:

1. Which people are in the control group? The people who received the mint without the secret ingredient

(Group B) would be the control group.

2. What is the independent variable? Secret ingredient in the breath mint

3. What is the dependent variable? Amount of breath odor (or bad breath)

4. What should Mr. Krabs’ conclusion be? The breath mint with the secret ingredient appears to reduce the

amount of breath odor more than half the time, but it is not 100% effective.

5. Why do you think 10 people in group B reported fresher breath? This may be due to the placebo effect.