Sally does an experiment with goldfish. She keeps one goldfish in a bowl and puts it under a lamp. She puts another goldfish in a bowl and puts it in the dark. After 24 hours she a has each one swim through a hoop. Which fish will most likely swim through the hoop first.

Question

Sally does an experiment with goldfish. She keeps one goldfish in a bowl and puts it under a lamp. She puts another goldfish in a bowl and puts it in the dark. After 24 hours she a has each one swim through a hoop. Which fish will most likely swim through the hoop first.
The hoops are exactly the same.

I think the one in the light will swim through the hoop first because it had more energy from the light.

PsyDAG · Answer

First, how large is the goldfish bowl? If it is small enough, the fish could not avoid swimming through the hoop.

Since — to my knowledge — fish do not obtain energy via photosynthesis, they would not be getting "more energy from the light."

Although some fish species have adapted to darkness through generations by losing their sight, 24 hours is definitely not enough time for this process.

What is your (or Sally's) hypothesis for the experiment? What leads to this hypothesis? Is swimming through the hoop first important? Why?

I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.