The data in the table were recorded during an investigation in which a paramecium was placed in a hypertonic salt solution.
| | |
| :------------------------------------- | :---------------------------- |
| Paramecium Contractile Vacuole Cortractions | |
| Sat concentration outside paramecium | Contractions per minute |
| Very high | 2 |
| High | 8 |
| Medium | 15 |
| Low | 22 |
| Very low | 30 |
If this data is shown in a bar graph, which description accurately represents the bars?
The graph has five bars of equal height.
Answer (2)
The data about paramecium contractions in different salt concentrations is represented in a bar graph where the height of the bars varies according to contractions per minute. The statement that all bars are of equal height is incorrect, as the number of contractions changes with salt concentration levels. This variability illustrates the paramecium's adaptation to its hypertonic environment.
;
The bar graph represents salt concentration on the x-axis and contractions per minute on the y-axis.
Each salt concentration has a bar with a height corresponding to the contractions per minute.
The bar heights are unequal: 2, 8, 15, 22, and 30.
The statement that the graph has five bars of equal height is incorrect.
Explanation
Understanding the Data The table shows the relationship between salt concentration and paramecium contractile vacuole contractions. We need to describe how this data would be represented in a bar graph.
Visualizing the Bar Graph In a bar graph, the x-axis would represent the salt concentration (Very high, High, Medium, Low, Very low), and the y-axis would represent the number of contractions per minute. Each salt concentration would have a corresponding bar whose height matches the number of contractions per minute.
Determining the Bar Heights The bar heights would be different because the number of contractions per minute varies with the salt concentration. Specifically, the bar heights would be 2, 8, 15, 22, and 30, corresponding to Very high, High, Medium, Low, and Very low salt concentrations, respectively.
Final Answer Therefore, the statement "The graph has five bars of equal height" is incorrect because the bar heights are not equal.
Examples
Bar graphs are commonly used to visualize data in science and everyday life. For example, you might use a bar graph to compare the sales of different products in a store, the number of students in different classes, or the average temperature in different months. In this case, the bar graph helps to visualize how the paramecium's contractile vacuole activity changes with different salt concentrations, providing a clear picture of the paramecium's response to its environment.
