In Nakagaki's experiment, a certain type of barrier was included in the petri dish. Which fact about P. polycephalum best explains why Nakagaki and his team used that particular type of barrier? A These organisms avoid being around light. B These organisms help vegetation decompose. C These organisms can move at about one inch per hour. D These organisms are formed from many

## Step 1<br />The problem is about the experiment conducted by Nakagaki and his team, which involved the use of a certain type of barrier in a petri dish. The question asks us to identify the characteristic of Physarum polycephalum (P. polycephalum) that best explains why this type of barrier was chosen.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />The options provided are:<br />A. These organisms avoid being around light.<br />B. These organisms help vegetation decompose.<br />C. These organisms can move at about one inch per hour.<br />D. These organisms are formed from many.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />The correct answer is D. This is because Physarum polycephalum is a type of slime mold that forms a network of veins when it grows. This network of veins is what the barrier in the petri dish was designed to mimic.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />The other options do not provide a strong enough reason for the use of the barrier. For example, while it is true that these organisms can move at about one inch per hour (option C), this does not explain why a barrier would be used in the experiment. Similarly, options A and B do not provide a strong enough reason for the use of the barrier.