A scientific investigation was conducted with 20 cyclists to determine whether caffeine can increase stamina - NSC Life Sciences - Question 3 - 2017 - Paper 1
Question 3
A scientific investigation was conducted with 20 cyclists to determine whether caffeine can increase stamina.
The procedure was as follows:
- The group of cyclists ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A scientific investigation was conducted with 20 cyclists to determine whether caffeine can increase stamina - NSC Life Sciences - Question 3 - 2017 - Paper 1
Step 1
State the question that the scientists were trying to answer through this investigation.
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Answer
The scientists were trying to determine whether drinking coffee containing caffeine increases stamina in cyclists.
Step 2
Identify:
(a) Independent variable
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Answer
The independent variable is the amount of caffeine present in the coffee consumed by the cyclists.
Step 3
(b) Dependent variable and how it was measured
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The dependent variable is the stamina of the cyclists, which was measured by the average duration of cycling.
Step 4
What is the relationship between caffeine consumption and the stamina of cyclists?
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The average cycling time of the cyclists increased with the use of caffeine, suggesting that caffeine consumption positively affects stamina.
Step 5
Explain the purpose of giving the cyclists decaffeinated coffee before being tested with caffeine.
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The purpose of giving decaffeinated coffee first was to serve as a control. This allows for a comparison with the caffeine condition, helping to eliminate any other factors that may influence stamina.
Step 6
Explain how the participants were not told whether or not they drank caffeinated coffee.
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Participants were not informed about whether they were consuming caffeine to prevent bias in their performance. Knowing could subconsciously influence their expectations and effort levels during the cycling tests.
Step 7
Explain why it is important to know how much time passed between each cycling exercise.
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If too little time passes between tests, the participants may still be fatigued from the previous exercise, affecting subsequent performance. Understanding the rest interval is crucial for the validity of the investigation.
