Answer:
The correct answer is:
Control group and treatment group (b.)
Explanation:
Scientific experiments seek to investigate the association between two variables (independent and dependent). There are various variants of scientific research, but the one described here is the "case control study".
In case control studies, the research subjects are divided into two groups; the experimental groups and the control groups.
The experimental group are the individuals that are exposed to a certain variable (independent variable) or intervention, and they are observed for certain outcomes that are brought about as a result of the exposure.
The control group are the individuals that have approximately the same properties and exposures to the experimental groups except exposure to the independent variable or intervention. The control groups are there to ensure that of a certainty, the observations made on the experimental groups are as a result of the independent variable alone and not other variables. For example in a hypothetical study to determine the impact of a certain skincare product on skin color, the experimental groups are exposed to the product (independent variable) while another set of individuals of same age range, gender etc as the experimental individuals are exposed to every other factor as the experimental group except to the skin care product, this is so that if there is a significant effect on the skin tone of the experimental group but not the control group, it can be said to a scientific degree of accuracy that the change observed was as a result of the skincare product.
