A control experiment is a very important aspect of the scientific method.
Control experiments are used to minimize influences such as bias, genetic and biological variations, environmental changes, and random skewing.
In a controlled experiment one set of samples have been (or is believed to be) modified and the other set of samples are either expected to show no change (negative control) or expected to show a definite change (positive control).
Control experiments are especially useful in testing the effectiveness of new pharmaceuticals.
For example:
Let's say a company is developing an anti-smoking aid - which we'll call 'Cigstop' - and it has reached the human testing stage. To judge the effectiveness of the drug a control experiment would be administered to two groups.
The first group would receive Cigstop in its prescribed format, while the second group (the control) would receive a placebo believing it to be Cigstop.
Both groups are then instructed to attempt to quit smoking over a set period of time.
Once the experiment has concluded one can compare the two groups and determine the success rate of the drug. If the group that actually received Cigstop had a higher percentage of quitters than the control, then the drug shows an ability to assist someone in quitting smoking. Multiple control experiments showing the same results would verify the statistical probability of the drugs effectiveness.
Experiments such as the one above conducted without a control group could lead to unverified claims, and may be regarded as psuedo-science.
The purpose of control in an experiment is to provide a standard against which the results of the experimental group can be compared. By keeping all variables constant except for the one being tested, the control group helps to ensure that any observed effects are due to the variable being tested and not to external factors.
A control in a scientific experiment is an experiment designed to minimize the effects of variables other than the single independent variable. This increases the reliability of the results, often through a comparison between control measurements and the other measurements. Scientific controls are a part of the scientific method.
An example of an experimental control.
If you're testing the effectiveness of a headache medicine, you would give half of the individuals the actual medicine, and give the other half a placebo pill (an ineffectual pill, such as a sugar pill). The group that received the placebo pills are the control group, because they establish the baseline level of effectiveness that the medicine-treated group will be compared against. Without a control group, the experiment cannot determine whether the medicine-treated individuals feel beter than they would have if untreated.
The purpose of an experimental control is to provide a base-line result or set of results, from which you can compare the variables' effects against. Control groups are often included in medical or psychological experiments so that the results of an experiment are considered reliable and trustworthy.
For example:
A mystery-drug cure is being tested. One group of patients is given the drug and the other group is not. The group without the drug will be subject to all the same conditions that the other group are under, thereby seeking to eliminate any unforeseen effecting environmental factors. This makes it possible to compare, and therefore measure, the impact any drug would have.
As well as control groups, single- or double- blind testing may take place to eradicate experimenter bias and other unknown variables.
To have something to compare your results to. You can have controls that tell you if the results are different from normal conditions, or if the they are a result of the process/technique (rather than the substance/stimuli being tested). There are a wide variety of controls that should be deployed depending on the experiment being run.
The purpose of a control group is to show what would happen under normal conditions. It serves as a comparison to the results you receive from the manipulation of the independent variable on the dependent variable. If a control group is present in an experiment, one can be more certain that the independent variable is really responsible for the observations.
The purpose of having a control in an experiment is to provide a baseline comparison for the results obtained from the experimental group. By comparing the results of the experimental group to the control group, researchers can determine the effect of the variables being tested and ensure that any observed changes are not due to external factors.
The control group is not changed in any way during the experiment. It serves as a baseline for comparison with the group that is exposed to the experimental manipulation.
Something that is experimented on is typically referred to as a "subject" or a "test subject."
Control is important in an experiment to eliminate the influence of variables other than the one being tested. By having a control group that is not exposed to the experimental treatment, researchers can accurately gauge the true effect of the independent variable on the outcome. This allows for valid and reliable conclusions to be drawn from the experiment.
The control group stays the same throughout the entire experiment.
Having a control in an experiment allows you to see what happens when no variables are changed. If you do not have a control, you do not have anything to compare your results with after changing variables of the experiment.
To have something to compare the rest of the experiment to
the control for multiple variables in a experiment
The purpose of a control variable in an experiment is to allow the experiment to come out with accurate results. It makes it a lot easier to measure the results when different things aren't affecting it.
act as a control group to compare with container A and determine any changes or effects of the experiment on the system.
A control setup is something where you know how it will behave. It gives you a reference to measure affect of all other variables.
The purpose of a control group is to show what would happen under normal conditions. It serves as a comparison to the results you receive from the manipulation of the independent variable on the dependent variable. If a control group is present in an experiment, one can be more certain that the independent variable is really responsible for the observations.
The purpose of a control in any experiment is so that you have a natural example to look at at. Ex: If I was doing an experiment on fertilizer, I'd have three different fertilizers and a plant without fertilizer so I could see how it would grow without fertilizer so I could backtrack if need be.
the purpose of doing an experiment is to discover new things
To help you conclude that no uncontrolled factors significantly influenced your results. To help you determine that your experimental results are valid To help control for factors that aren't being tested but might affect results
The control group is the group in an experiment that is not exposed to the independent variable being tested. Its purpose is to provide a baseline comparison for evaluating the effects of the independent variable on the treatment group.