A scientist grows a species of bacteria in a petri dish. Explain why there is a linear correlation coefficient of 0.1 in the plot of Number of Bacteria versus Time. (1 point) Responses The bacteria have grown at a steady rate and a line fits the data very well. The bacteria have grown at a steady rate and a line fits the data very well. The bacteria have grown at an exponential rate and a line poorly fits the data. The bacteria have grown at an exponential rate and a line poorly fits the data. The bacteria have grown at an exponential rate and the line fits the data very well. The bacteria have grown at an exponential rate and the line fits the data very well. There is a strong negative correlation between number of bacteria and time. There is a strong negative correlation between number of bacteria and time.

Answer 1

The correct response is: The bacteria have grown at an exponential rate and a line poorly fits the data.

A linear correlation coefficient of 0.1 indicates a very weak positive correlation between the number of bacteria and time, suggesting that a linear model does not adequately describe the relationship. Since bacterial growth typically follows an exponential pattern, this implies that the growth rate is not steady, and thus, a linear fit would not capture the underlying trend effectively.