Question

tobias notices that a particular kind of flower comes in many slightly different shades of pink. in other places, the same flower may be many shades of purple or even blue. he knows that some flowers colors depend on where they are planted, while others are determined by their breed. he hypothesizes that the different colors of these flowers are genetically different. which of the following experimental setups is best for testing this hypothesis?

a. tobias transplants several of the flowers, swapping some from the middle of a pink patch with some in the middle of a blue patch. he observes the results.
b. tobias collects data on many patches of the flowers he comes across. he records flower color, how much shade the plant gets, observes how moist the ground is, and measures the grounds ph. he compares his data and looks for patterns.
c. tobias takes home several pink flowers, several purple flowers, and several blue flowers in pots. he breeds and interbreeds them, observing the results.
d. tobias experiments with using different fertilizers and composts, such as pine needles, observing if the presence of these substances will change the colors of the surrounding flowers.

Explanation:

Analyze the hypothesis

The student wants to test if flower color is genetically determined rather than environmentally influenced.

Evaluate Option A

Transplanting pink flowers to a blue patch and blue flowers to a pink patch tests environmental influence (like soil pH). If colors change, it is environmental; if they stay the same, it suggests genetics. However, it does not directly test breeding patterns.

Evaluate Option B

Observing natural correlations (shade, moisture, pH) is observational, not an experimental setup that controls variables to test genetic inheritance.

Evaluate Option C

Breeding and interbreeding pink, purple, and blue flowers in a controlled environment (pots) directly tests genetic inheritance. By observing the offspring's colors, Tobias can determine if the traits follow genetic inheritance patterns regardless of environmental changes.

Evaluate Option D

Testing different fertilizers and composts only tests environmental factors, not whether the traits are genetically determined.

Determine the best setup

Option C is the most direct way to test if the differences are genetically determined by looking at inheritance patterns through controlled breeding.

Answer:

• (A) Tobias transplants several of the flowers, swapping some from the middle of a pink patch with some in the middle of a blue patch. He observes the results.
• (B) Tobias collects data on many patches of the flowers he comes across. He records flower color, how much shade the plant gets, observes how moist the ground is, and measures the ground's pH. He compares his data and looks for patterns.
• (C) Tobias takes home several pink flowers, several purple flowers, and several blue flowers in pots. He breeds and interbreeds them, observing the results. (Correct answer)
• (D) Tobias experiments with using different fertilizers and composts, such as pine needles, observing if the presence of these substances will change the colors of the surrounding flowers.