A test designed to show that the experimental setup is capable of producing a positive result is the ...

A test designed to show that the experimental setup is capable of producing a positive result is the ...

• A. Process Control
• B. Positive Control
• C. Control Group
• D. Negative Control

Answer: (B)

The key idea is including a sample known to produce a positive outcome to show the assay can detect the effect. A positive control demonstrates that the detection system, reagents, and procedures are working properly—the test setup can yield a positive result when it should. If the positive control behaves as expected, you can trust that a lack of signal in the experimental sample is due to the variable being tested, not a flaw in the method. By contrast, a negative control should yield no signal, confirming that any observed signal in the test isn’t from contamination or background noise. The other options don’t serve this validation role: a control group provides a baseline for comparison, not a direct test of the method’s ability to produce a positive result; process control relates to keeping a process within specs rather than validating detection capability.

The key idea is including a sample known to produce a positive outcome to show the assay can detect the effect. A positive control demonstrates that the detection system, reagents, and procedures are working properly—the test setup can yield a positive result when it should. If the positive control behaves as expected, you can trust that a lack of signal in the experimental sample is due to the variable being tested, not a flaw in the method. By contrast, a negative control should yield no signal, confirming that any observed signal in the test isn’t from contamination or background noise. The other options don’t serve this validation role: a control group provides a baseline for comparison, not a direct test of the method’s ability to produce a positive result; process control relates to keeping a process within specs rather than validating detection capability.