Alvin, a submersible vehicle used by oceanographers to study the ocean floor, has also proved invaluable in studying populations of deep-sea mollusks and segmented tube worms. The invertebrates in question live where hot seawater circulates through cracks in the ocean floor called deep-sea vents.
Suppose that you are an invertebrate biologist studying these animals. Your studies show that clams that live near the vents may grow as much as 3.8 cm per year—far more rapidly than other deep-water clams.

Question

Alvin, a submersible vehicle used by oceanographers to study the ocean floor, has also proved invaluable in studying populations of deep-sea mollusks and segmented tube worms. The invertebrates in question live where hot seawater circulates through cracks in the ocean floor called deep-sea vents.
Suppose that you are an invertebrate biologist studying these animals. Your studies show that clams that live near the vents may grow as much as 3.8 cm per year—far more rapidly than other deep-water clams.

anonymous · Answer

1. Suppose your data show that the temperature is the same in samples taken close to the vents and some distance away from the vents. However, the size of the clams is smaller the farther they are from the vents. What would this indicate?