A student hypothesizes that the mass of a substance affects how the temperature of the substance changes when it is heated. The student uses the following procedure to test the hypothesis:
Each sample is initially at room temperature before heating.
Each sample is heated for the same amount of time with the same heat source.
The final temperature is measured for each sample.
Which of the following would be the best way to select the samples for testing the student's hypothesis?
A)Obtain samples of one substance, each with the same mass.
B)Obtain samples of one substance, each with a different mass.
C)Obtain samples of different substances, each with the same mass.
D)Obtain samples of different substances, each with a different mass.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To test the hypothesis that the mass of a substance affects how its temperature changes when heated, it's essential to control for other variables. By using samples of one substance with different masses, the student can directly observe the effect of mass on temperature change without the confounding effects of different substances' specific heat capacities.

A Student Hypothesizes That the Mass of a Substance Affects