In: Biology
Using Pasteur's experiment as a model, describe the essential features of good experimental design and identify those features in Pasteur's experiment.
Essential features of good experimental design are:
Pasteur's experiment as a model described these essential features of a good experimental design.
Louis Pasteur disproved the Theory of Spontaneous Generation. His hypothesis was that broth did not produce microorganisms.
He performed the same type of experiment as done earlier by Spallanzani with some modifications. So he tested his hypothesis using a carefully controlled experiment.
He performed experiment with two flasks- one with the straight neck which acted as a control group and the other with the S-shaped neck which was the experimental group. Flask with straight neck allowed both air and microorganisms to enter whereas the other flask with S-shaped neck allowed only air to enter but not microorganisms.
The broth in the straight neck flask became contaminated with microorganisms but the broth in the flask with S-shaped neck did not become contaminated. The control group allowed him to compare his test results against the baseline measurement to assure that his results are not due to chance.
Therefore Pasteur showed that even though air could get in the flask, the broth did not produce microorganisms.
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