Question

1. Did the authors clearly state a hypothesis? If not, in your own words, state the implied null and alternate hypotheses:

Null (Ho):

Alternate (Ha):

Energy in the form of electricity can be harvested from marine sediments by placing a graphite electrode (the anode) in the anoxic zone and connecting it to a graphite cathode in the overlying aerobic water. We report a specific enrichment of microorganisms of the family Geobacteraceae on energy- harvesting anodes, and we show that these microorganisms can conserve energy to support their growth by oxidizing organic compounds with an electrode serving as the sole electron acceptor. This finding not only pro- vides a method for extracting energy from organic matter, but also suggests a strategy for promoting the bioremediation of organic contaminants in subsurface environments.

Answer 1

Null hypothesis formulates the basis of testing a scientific hypothesis based upon some observations. The present information intents to investigate the effect of marine bacteria on energy harvesting using biochemical and bioelectrical methods. Thus, the null hypothesis will be:

Null hypothesis: Aquatic microflora cannot be used to generate energy in the form of electricity .

Alternative hypothesis: Aquatic microflora can be used to generate energy.