Question 1

Why are hypotheses never accepted as proven by scientists?

Accepted Answer

A)  A hypothesis cannot ever be true or false because it is an opinion. 
B)  Experimentation cannot support a hypothesis because it only tests predictions. 
C)  Hypotheses change every time a new experiment is conducted. 
D)  Alternative hypotheses might provide a better answer to the research question. 
A)  A hypothesis cannot ever be true or false because it is an opinion. 
B)  Experimentation cannot support a hypothesis because it only tests predictions. 
C)  Hypotheses change every time a new experiment is conducted. 
D)  Alternative hypotheses might provide a better answer to the research question.

Question 2

What type of scientific information would include a news report?

Accepted Answer

A)  primary source 
B)  secondary source 
C)  tertiary source 
D)  anecdotal evidence 
A)  primary source 
B)  secondary source 
C)  tertiary source 
D)  anecdotal evidence

Question 3

Why is the random assignment of individuals to experimental and control groups important for an experiment?

Accepted Answer

A)  It ensures that bias has been completely eliminated from the experiment. 
B)  It ensures that the results of the experiment will be statistically significant. 
C)  It ensures that the sampling error will have no effect on the results of the experiment. 
D)  It ensures that each group will better represent the population as a whole. 
A)  It ensures that bias has been completely eliminated from the experiment. 
B)  It ensures that the results of the experiment will be statistically significant. 
C)  It ensures that the sampling error will have no effect on the results of the experiment. 
D)  It ensures that each group will better represent the population as a whole.

Question 4

In science, what would an individual's personal experience or endorsement be considered?

Accepted Answer

A)  anecdotal evidence 
B)  circumstantial evidence 
C)  a primary source 
D)  a peer review 
A)  anecdotal evidence 
B)  circumstantial evidence 
C)  a primary source 
D)  a peer review

Question 5

When might bias in an experiment occur?

Accepted Answer

A)  A subject does not know who is in the control or experimental groups. 
B)  A technician knows which samples are from the control group. 
C)  A subject finds out the results of the experiment after it is finished. 
D)  A researcher randomly assigns subjects to the control or experimental group. 
A)  A subject does not know who is in the control or experimental groups. 
B)  A technician knows which samples are from the control group. 
C)  A subject finds out the results of the experiment after it is finished. 
D)  A researcher randomly assigns subjects to the control or experimental group.

Question 6

Which of the following is a sign that scientific information on a website may be unreliable?

Accepted Answer

A)  The site avoids anecdotal evidence. 
B)  The site backs up its claims with references to primary sources. 
C)  A reputable medical establishment maintains the site. 
D)  The site is set up to allow you to buy the product being described. 
A)  The site avoids anecdotal evidence. 
B)  The site backs up its claims with references to primary sources. 
C)  A reputable medical establishment maintains the site. 
D)  The site is set up to allow you to buy the product being described.

Question 7

Deductive reasoning is used to make ________ based on a hypothesis.

Accepted Answer

A)  correlations 
B)  data 
C)  predictions 
D)  statistical tests 
A)  correlations 
B)  data 
C)  predictions 
D)  statistical tests

Question 8

What is the purpose of double-blind experiments?

Accepted Answer

A)  to ensure that the hypothesis is scientifically testable 
B)  to see if the experimental group responds differently than the control group 
C)  to help the subjects in an experiment understand the treatment they are receiving 
D)  to minimize the effects of human bias on the results 
A)  to ensure that the hypothesis is scientifically testable 
B)  to see if the experimental group responds differently than the control group 
C)  to help the subjects in an experiment understand the treatment they are receiving 
D)  to minimize the effects of human bias on the results

Question 9

How did Barry Marshall test the hypothesis that H. pylori causes stomach ulcers?

Accepted Answer

A)  He surveyed people with stomach ulcers about the acidity of their food. 
B)  He ingested live H. pylori and developed acute stomach pain. 
C)  He interviewed physicians who performed surgeries on ulcer patients. 
D)  He fed spicy foods to laboratory rats to eliminate an alternate hypothesis. 
A)  He surveyed people with stomach ulcers about the acidity of their food. 
B)  He ingested live H. pylori and developed acute stomach pain. 
C)  He interviewed physicians who performed surgeries on ulcer patients. 
D)  He fed spicy foods to laboratory rats to eliminate an alternate hypothesis.

Question 10

A researcher has hypothesized that the chemical tributyltin (an additive in boat paint) seeps into the water causing reproductive defects in developing marine snails. In an experiment testing the effects of tributyltin on developing snails, which condition should be used as a control?

Accepted Answer

A)  Developing snails are kept in a tank of water and exposed to below-expected levels of tributyltin. 
B)  Developing snails are kept in a tank of water and exposed to boat paint without tributyltin. 
C)  Developing snails are kept in a dry tank to avoid exposure to contaminated water. 
D)  Developing snails are kept in a tank of water that has been cleaned with chlorine bleach. 
A)  Developing snails are kept in a tank of water and exposed to below-expected levels of tributyltin. 
B)  Developing snails are kept in a tank of water and exposed to boat paint without tributyltin. 
C)  Developing snails are kept in a dry tank to avoid exposure to contaminated water. 
D)  Developing snails are kept in a tank of water that has been cleaned with chlorine bleach.

Question 11

When would a large difference between the means of the control and treatment groups be very likely to be statistically significant?

Accepted Answer

A)  only if the hypothesis is false 
B)  only if the sample size is large 
C)  only if the experimental result is practically significant 
D)  only if the experimental result is not practically significant 
A)  only if the hypothesis is false 
B)  only if the sample size is large 
C)  only if the experimental result is practically significant 
D)  only if the experimental result is not practically significant

Question 12

What would be the most trustworthy source of scientific information?

Accepted Answer

A)  anecdotal evidence 
B)  paid advertisements 
C)  peer-reviewed research publications 
D)  science reports in newspapers and on TV 
A)  anecdotal evidence 
B)  paid advertisements 
C)  peer-reviewed research publications 
D)  science reports in newspapers and on TV

Question 13

Which statement makes a prediction for the hypothesis "bird species have decreased in number in a particular wetland due to construction traffic"?

Accepted Answer

A)  If a wetland area is disturbed by construction vehicles, then the number of bird species will decrease. 
B)  If construction vehicles are in a wetland, then the birds will become too frightened to reproduce. 
C)  If bird numbers decrease in a wetland, then construction vehicles must have polluted the environment. 
D)  If construction vehicles enter a wetland, then new predators will arrive and reduce the bird populations. 
A)  If a wetland area is disturbed by construction vehicles, then the number of bird species will decrease. 
B)  If construction vehicles are in a wetland, then the birds will become too frightened to reproduce. 
C)  If bird numbers decrease in a wetland, then construction vehicles must have polluted the environment. 
D)  If construction vehicles enter a wetland, then new predators will arrive and reduce the bird populations.

Question 14

What might be the next step if the results from one test of a new drug are found to be statistically significant?

Accepted Answer

A)  The hypothesis is accepted as correct. 
B)  The hypothesis will be called a theory. 
C)  The hypothesis is rejected. 
D)  The hypothesis should be tested again. 
A)  The hypothesis is accepted as correct. 
B)  The hypothesis will be called a theory. 
C)  The hypothesis is rejected. 
D)  The hypothesis should be tested again.

Question 15

Which of the following statements is a testable scientific hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A)  Antioxidants from food are better than antioxidants from a vitamin pill. 
B)  Eating fish reduces the chance of having a stroke. 
C)  Embryonic stem cell research will allow scientists to find a cure for diabetes. 
D)  Smoking makes people less attractive. 
A)  Antioxidants from food are better than antioxidants from a vitamin pill. 
B)  Eating fish reduces the chance of having a stroke. 
C)  Embryonic stem cell research will allow scientists to find a cure for diabetes. 
D)  Smoking makes people less attractive.

Question 16

What is a standard probability that is accepted by most researchers as statistical significance?

Accepted Answer

A)  10% 
B)  5% 
C)  0.05% 
D)  0.01% 
A)  10% 
B)  5% 
C)  0.05% 
D)  0.01%

Question 17

Why are model organisms used to test hypotheses?

Accepted Answer

A)  The hypotheses are likely to apply only to the model organism. 
B)  The hypotheses are potentially too dangerous to perform on human subjects. 
C)  Human subjects have already been tested. 
D)  The hypotheses have results that are always applicable to humans. 
A)  The hypotheses are likely to apply only to the model organism. 
B)  The hypotheses are potentially too dangerous to perform on human subjects. 
C)  Human subjects have already been tested. 
D)  The hypotheses have results that are always applicable to humans.

Question 18

What would experimental results with very high statistical significance mean?

Accepted Answer

A)  The hypothesis being tested is correct. 
B)  The experiment had no bias. 
C)  The experiment had proper controls. 
D)  A true difference between treatment and control groups likely exists. 
A)  The hypothesis being tested is correct. 
B)  The experiment had no bias. 
C)  The experiment had proper controls. 
D)  A true difference between treatment and control groups likely exists.

Question 19

-According to the graph, how did the number of days with cold symptoms compare for people taking placebo and zinc lozenges?

Accepted Answer

A)  People taking the placebo had cold symptoms for three more days than people taking the zinc lozenges. 
B)  People taking the placebo had cold symptoms for seven more days than people taking the zinc lozenges. 
C)  People taking the zinc lozenges had cold symptoms for three more days than people taking the placebo. 
D)  People taking the zinc lozenges had cold symptoms for seven more days than people taking the placebo. 
A)  People taking the placebo had cold symptoms for three more days than people taking the zinc lozenges. 
B)  People taking the placebo had cold symptoms for seven more days than people taking the zinc lozenges. 
C)  People taking the zinc lozenges had cold symptoms for three more days than people taking the placebo. 
D)  People taking the zinc lozenges had cold symptoms for seven more days than people taking the placebo.

Question 20

Ideally, what should an experiment studying the effect of a cold medicine have?

Accepted Answer

A)  no control group 
B)  double-blind procedures 
C)  a small sample size 
D)  subjects of only one gender 
A)  no control group 
B)  double-blind procedures 
C)  a small sample size 
D)  subjects of only one gender

Exam 1: Can Science Cure the Common Cold Introduction to the Scientific Method

Why are hypotheses never accepted as proven by scientists?

What type of scientific information would include a news report?

Why is the random assignment of individuals to experimental and control groups important for an experiment?

In science, what would an individual's personal experience or endorsement be considered?

When might bias in an experiment occur?

Which of the following is a sign that scientific information on a website may be unreliable?

Deductive reasoning is used to make ________ based on a hypothesis.

What is the purpose of double-blind experiments?

How did Barry Marshall test the hypothesis that H. pylori causes stomach ulcers?

A researcher has hypothesized that the chemical tributyltin (an additive in boat paint) seeps into the water causing reproductive defects in developing marine snails. In an experiment testing the effects of tributyltin on developing snails, which condition should be used as a control?

When would a large difference between the means of the control and treatment groups be very likely to be statistically significant?

What would be the most trustworthy source of scientific information?

Which statement makes a prediction for the hypothesis "bird species have decreased in number in a particular wetland due to construction traffic"?

What might be the next step if the results from one test of a new drug are found to be statistically significant?

Which of the following statements is a testable scientific hypothesis?

What is a standard probability that is accepted by most researchers as statistical significance?

Why are model organisms used to test hypotheses?

What would experimental results with very high statistical significance mean?

-According to the graph, how did the number of days with cold symptoms compare for people taking placebo and zinc lozenges?

Ideally, what should an experiment studying the effect of a cold medicine have?

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