Environmental Science – questions

Background: Scientific inquiry in biology starts by observing the living species around us. Science is a way of knowing. It is not the only way, but it is a good way. Other ways of knowing include mathematics, logic, history, philosophy, and theology.

What separates science from the other methods of seeking truth is that it is testable (i.e. one can devise experiments to test the validity of an idea); it is falsifiable (i.e. an experiment can reveal if an idea is false); and, it involves natural causality (i.e. the method involves and depends upon the natural laws of the universe which cause things to happen in a predictable and repeatable manner.)

Observation: Scientific inquiry begins when something interesting gets your attention.

Question: Following an observation, a question arises in your mind. It may be something like: “I wonder what…? Or “I wonder how …? Or, “I wonder why…?

Assignment details:

In this assignment, we will take a look at science and the scientific method. Then, you will design a (pretend) scientific study to answer a specific question based upon an observation.

Observation: Your neighbor added a farmer’s porch to his house and painted the ceiling of it blue. When you asked him why, he told you he had read that the sky blue ceiling would fool wasps into thinking it was the sky and they would not build any nests under the eaves of the porch or along the ceiling.

Question: Would a blue ceiling really deter wasps from building nests on the porch?

Complete the steps of the scientific method for your choice of observation and question using the directions below. Use these headings in your paper, please.

Introduction:

The Introduction is an investigation of what is currently known about the question being asked. Before one proposes a hypothesis or dashes off to the lab to do an experiment, a thorough search is made in the existing literature about the specific question and about topics related to the question. Once one is familiar with what is known about the question under consideration, one is in a position to propose a reasonable hypothesis to test the question.

Hypothesis:

This is an educated guess, or “best” guess, about what might be the explanation for the question asked. A hypothesis should be a one sentence statement (not a question) that can be tested in an experiment. The ability to test a hypothesis implies that it has a natural, repeatable cause.

Prediction:

What do you predict as an outcome for the controlled experiment (i.e. results) if the hypothesis is true? This should be in the form of an “If…….., then……….” statement.

Controlled Experimental Method:

The hypothesis is tested in a controlled experiment. A controlled experiment compares a “Control” (i.e. the normal, unmodified, or unrestricted, or uninhibited set-up, based on the observation) to one or several “Experimental” set-ups. The conditions in the experimental set-ups are identical to the Control in every way, e.g. temperature, composition, shape, kind, etc., except for the one Experimental variable that is being tested. The results obtained from the Experimental set-ups will be compared to each other and to those obtained from the Control. If done correctly, any differences in the results may be attributed to the Experimental variable under consideration.

When designing an experiment, it is important to use multiples, (i.e. replicates), for each set-up, to avoid drawing the wrong conclusion. If the experiment only has one control and only one experimental set up with just one test subject in each, there is always the chance that a single living organism (test subject) could get sick or even die for reasons not caused by the experimental variable. And, because living organisms are genetically different, the results from just one test subject in a given set up may not be typical for the species as a whole. This could result in errors when interpreting the results. This kind of problem is avoided by using multiple controls and multiple experimental set-ups with multiple test subjects.

Be sure to provide sufficient details in your method section so that someone could reproduce your experiment.

The experimental method section should also state clearly how data (numbers) will be collected during the experiment which will be used to compare results in each test set up.

Results:

Since this is a “thought experiment,” you will make up results according to what you think might happen if you actually did the experiment.

Results should include detailed raw data (numbers) rather than just a summary of the results. For example, if data are collected daily for five weeks, results should include the actual data from each day, and not just a summary of what happened at the end of the five weeks. Recorded results should match the experimental method.

Conclusion:

In this section, state clearly whether you reject or accept the hypothesis based on the (pretend) results. Discuss what this means in terms of the hypothesis, such as the need for additional experiments, or the practical uses or implications of the results.

Provide references in APA format. This includes a reference list and in-text citations for references used in the Introduction section.

Give your paper a title and number and identify each section as specified above. Although the hypothesis and prediction will be one sentence answers, the other sections will need to be paragraphs to adequately explain your experiment.

please include references

1—conduct research and provide a two page APA response. Describe and discuss the following topics regarding Nonlinear Optimization. Define and discuss importance. Additionally, please discuss Excel Solver and its importance to the optimization process.

2.—–what  are elements of the sensitivity analysis. What are the important elements and why are they important?

1.    A department store chain is designing a layout for a new store. The store manager wants to provide as much convenience as possible for her customers. Based on historical data, the number of trips between departments per hour is given in the following closeness matrix. A block plan showing a preliminary layout is also shown.

                                              Closeness Factors (Trips per hour)

                                                1/O      2/S      3/H      4/T       5/A      6/E

1. Office Supplies (O)          —        40        100     50        20        10       

2. Sporting Goods (S)                      —        100     80        60        80

3. Hardware (H)                                            —        70        100     50       

4. Toys (T)                                                                  —        70        90

5. Automotive (A)                                                                 —        60

6. Electronics (E)                                                                              —       

Customer travel between departments is restricted to the aisles shown in the block plan as dotted lines. 

CALCULATIONS TABLE:

Complete the calculations and fill in the table above.  Based on the table above answer the following questions.

a)  What is the total expected weighted-distance score between Office Supplies and Hardware?

b)  What is the total weighted-distance score between Hardware and Toys?

c)  What is the total weighted-distance score for the entire store?

d)  A suggestion has been made to switch Hardware and Automotive. What would the total weighted-distance score for the entire store if these two departments were switched?

e)  Based on your calculations, would you recommend that Hardware and Automotive be switched?

Read the Arthur Anderson: Questionable Accounting Practices case. You are to write a four to six (4-6) page paper that answers the following questions:

1. Review the mandated requirements for legal compliance (from Chapter 4) and determine which requirements apply to the Arthur Anderson case. Explain your rationale.
2. Discuss how the issues with the Arthur Anderson case may have played out differently if the Sarbanes-Oxley Act had been enacted in 1999.
3. Determine and discuss which elements of the framework for ethical decision making in business (from Chapter 5) played the biggest role in the Anderson case. Explain your reasoning.
4. Discuss how the situations at Arthur Anderson may have played out differently if their senior management had displayed the habits of strong ethical leaders.  Provide specific examples to support your response.
5. Include at least three (3) references, no more than three (3) years old, from material outside the course.

The format of the paper is to be as follows:

• Typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman font (size 12), one-inch margins on all sides (APA format).
• Type the question followed by your answer to the question.
• In addition to the four to six (4-6) pages required, a title page is to be included. The title page is to contain the title of the assignment, your name, the instructor’s name, the course title, and the date.

Note: You will be graded on the quality of your answers, the logic/organization of the report, your language skills, and your writing skills.