Deck 1: The Nature of Science

Question 1

Victoria,who is 10 years old,wants to be a zoologist when she grows up because she loves animals.So,she decided to begin her training by "doing something scientific." Specifically,she weighed and measured the lengths of all the earthworms she could find in her yard and recorded the data in a notebook.She then made a graph showing the maximum,minimum,and average weights and heights of the earthworms.Was she doing something scientific?

A) No, because she is too young to think like a scientist.
B) No, because she had no hypothesis to direct her data collection or interpretation.
C) Yes, because scientists always make measurements.
D) Yes, because scientists always construct graphs with the data they collect.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

A scientific hypothesis must be constructed with which of the following characteristics?

A) It is always provable and clearly states what is already known to be fact.
B) It provides a reasonable explanation to a question and is consistent with current observations; it must also be testable and falsifiable.
C) It provides an explanation consistent with accepted theological ideas and does not need to be tested.
D) It does not require testing by experimentation or additional observations. It is not falsifiable.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Is it important for scientists to communicate their results to fellow scientists?

A) Yes. Scientists want to receive recognition and monetary reward for their work.
B) No. There is no reason for scientists to communicate their results to fellow scientists.
C) Yes. The quality and accuracy of the scientific work can be enhanced by input, further review, and possibly even repetition by other scientists working in the same field.
D) No. Communication between scientists is discouraged because it can confuse the details of the experiments.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Experimentation is the primary,but not only,means used to verify or refute the ________ made by a hypothesis.

A) variables
B) theories
C) laws
D) predictions

Question 5

Some questions fall outside the realm of science.Which of the following questions could NOT be answered using the scientific method?

A) What is the function of the appendix in human beings?
B) Why is it so difficult to quit smoking?
C) Why do smokers develop lung cancer more frequently than nonsmokers?
D) Why is it unethical to test newly developed drugs in animals?

Question 6

When scientists generate a single informed,logical,and plausible explanation for a question and observations of the natural world,they are proposing a scientific

A) hypothesis.
B) observation.
C) theory.
D) correlation.

Question 7

Is it possible for scientists to study events that happened to animals or plants that lived millions of years ago?

A) Yes. Apply the laws of physics and nature that we know exist today to evaluate the evidence of past events. For example, observe modern animal behavior, structure, and function, and compare them to the structures of fossilized animals to deduce the function of the fossilized structures.
B) No. The laws of physics that exist today are not the same laws of physics that existed in the past, so there is no way to compare plant or animal fossils to those of modern organisms and deduce the function of fossilized structures.
C) Yes. Genetic manipulation of fossils allows scientists to directly test metabolic and behavioral characteristics of plants and animals from the past.
D) No. There is no way to analyze plant or animal fossils that lived millions of years ago because the laws of nature that exist today have changed dramatically from the past.

Question 8

New medications undergo extensive human testing before receiving FDA approval.These tests represent an experiment,and variations in the dosage given to participants represents the

A) dependent variable.
B) independent variable.
C) correlation coefficient.
D) invariable.

Question 9

Researchers hypothesized that a North American fungus not only caused symptoms of white-nose syndrome (WNS)but also caused death.The results from their experiment are shown in the graph below.Based on this graph,which of the following hypotheses would be the MOST logical hypothesis for further studies?

A) "Sham injected" bats have a higher mortality rate than bats that are not injected.
B) Bats injected with the North American fungus are less likely to care for their offspring than "sham injected" bats.
C) Bats injected with European fungus have a lower mortality rate than "sham injected" bats.
D) Other species of bats injected with European fungus will experience death.

Question 10

Whenever we ________,we are proceeding scientifically.

A) invoke a supernatural power as an explanation for how a natural phenomenon occurred
B) stop questioning our observations
C) try to solve a problem by systematically evaluating the plausibility of various solutions
D) develop an unchangeable and definitive explanation

Question 11

A group of researchers conducted an experiment and collected the data presented in the graph below.The graph shows that the hypothesis was ________ because all members of the control group ________ while most of the members of both treatment groups ________ by the end of the study.

A) proven beyond a doubt; survived; died
B) proven; survived; died
C) not supported; died; survived
D) supported; survived; died

Question 12

Which of the following questions could NOT be used to develop a testable hypothesis?

A) Does exposure to secondhand smoke affect the probability of developing lung cancer?
B) Do organic vegetables contain harmful substances?
C) Should everyone drink bottled water only?
D) Does a can of vegetable juice contain more salt than the same size can of iced tea?

Question 13

Recently,beekeepers have noticed an alarming and sudden disappearance of honeybees from their hives.Some beekeepers and environmentalists worry that crops genetically engineered to produce Bt insecticidal toxin may be killing the bees.Which of these experiments tests the hypothesis that Bt toxin is killing the bees?

A) spraying Bt toxin on a field and counting the number of bees present before and after spraying
B) collecting hundreds of bees; half of the bees would be kept in a facility with plants genetically engineered to contain the gene for Bt toxin, while the other half would be kept in a facility with plants not genetically engineered to contain the gene for Bt toxin. The survival rate for both sets of bees would be calculated and compared.
C) collecting hundreds of bees and spraying only half of them with Bt toxin; the survival rate for both sets of bees would be calculated and compared
D) The number of bees in two adjacent fields would be counted before and after spraying one of the fields with Bt toxin. The survival rate of bees in both fields would be calculated and compared.

Question 14

The group of 18 bats that were "sham injected" represents a ________ group that experienced ________.

A) control; no change in the independent variable
B) control; a change in the dependent variable
C) treatment; no change in the independent variable
D) treatment; no change in the dependent variable

Question 15

Recently,beekeepers have noticed an alarming and sudden disappearance of honeybees from their hives.Some beekeepers and environmentalists worry that crops genetically engineered to produce Bt insecticidal toxin may be killing the bees.Without data from a scientific experiment,is it reasonable to state that Bt-containing crops are responsible for the loss of honeybees?

A) Yes, because it is obviously the Bt crops killing the bees.
B) Yes, because there cannot possibly be any other explanation for the loss of the honeybees.
C) No, because there is no reason to suspect that an insecticide would kill honeybees.
D) No, because there could be some other unknown or unmentioned factor affecting the survival of honeybees.

Question 16

Once supported by a predictable experimental outcome,a scientific hypothesis

A) is never reexamined.
B) still cannot be considered to have been proven true.
C) can be used to predict the outcome of all future similar events.
D) is elevated to the status of theory.

Question 17

A scientific hypothesis must be ________; if not,science cannot evaluate it.

A) provable
B) testable
C) accepted
D) rejected

Question 18

Which of the following statements is true?

A) Once a hypothesis has been proposed, it can never be challenged.
B) A valid scientific hypothesis is self-evident and does not need to be tested by experimentation.
C) If properly designed, experiments always prove hypotheses to be wrong.
D) The scientific method or process can help people make informed medical and environmental decisions.

Question 19

A scientist notices that a population of birds has decreased dramatically within one year and suspects that a newly introduced snail population may be affecting the bird population.Some individuals within the bird population eat snails,primarily,while other individuals avoid eating snails.Which of the following statements represents a prediction based on a well-constructed hypothesis for this observation?

A) If birds are affected by eating snails, then there will be a difference in the survival rate of birds that eat snails and those that avoid snails.
B) If snails live in moist habitats, then snails will be eaten more frequently by birds.
C) If birds consume snails, then they will have a higher body mass index than birds that do not eat snails.
D) If snails that are sick leave their shells so that birds will consume them, then snail populations are protected from illness.

Question 20

The hypothesis that there is a common ancestor to all living organisms is strengthened by what observation?

A) Almost all cells in all living organisms use DNA to direct their structure, function, and behavior.
B) All living organisms use energy acquired directly from the environment or from other organisms.
C) All living organisms reproduce.
D) Each type of living organism adheres to the general principles of the biological hierarchy.

Question 21

In science,when a hypothesis or group of hypotheses supported by repeated experimental evidence holds true through time,it can be developed into a

A) law.
B) mathematical theorem.
C) hypothesis.
D) theory.

Question 22

A researcher studying a group of individuals of the same species living and interacting in a shared environment is said to be working at the level of a

A) biome.
B) biosphere.
C) community.
D) population.

Question 23

A tissue is defined as

A) a group of cells that performs a unique set of tasks in the body.
B) two or more atoms held together by strong chemical bonds.
C) the basic unit of life.
D) a network of organs that perform a wide range of functions.

Question 24

In 1890,Robert Koch developed a hypothesis regarding the cause of communicable diseases.He designed an experiment and collected data that supported his hypothesis.Later,his experiment was repeated by many other scientists who used other pathogens and documented similar results that not only supported their hypotheses but also supported Koch's original hypothesis.These many experiments that supported multiple hypotheses regarding the cause of communicable diseases contributed to the development of the

A) theory of evolution.
B) germ theory of disease.
C) theory of relativity.
D) law of gravity.

Question 25

Which of the following represents conducting an experiment?

A) dialing a telephone number
B) comparing prices of computers
C) checking midterm grades online
D) predicting the outcome of a basketball game

Question 26

Scientists are human beings and,like all human beings,are susceptible to personal and group biases that may influence how they interpret evidence.Before original research work is accepted and added to a growing body of scientific understanding,perhaps even contributing to our understanding of an important scientific theory,it must be scrutinized by experts in the field who have no direct connection to the research under review.The main mechanism for doing this is

A) popular magazines.
B) the Discovery Channel.
C) peer-reviewed publications.
D) Wikipedia.

Question 27

A patient is coughing and producing a wheezing sound as she breathes; she also has a fever.She goes to the doctor who listens to her chest,takes X-rays of her chest,and determines that she probably has something called croup.Which of the following are the facts in this scenario?

A) The patient is coughing, wheezing, and has a fever.
B) The patient probably has croup.
C) The patient probably has whooping cough.
D) The patient probably needs antibiotics.

Question 28

Bats use echolocation to orient themselves and locate objects.Doing this requires special adaptations in their inner ear,midbrain,and auditory cortex of their cerebrum.The echolocation system of bats is an example of a(n)

A) cell.
B) tissue.
C) organ.
D) organ system.

Question 29

David Blehert and his research team captured 117 healthy bats to study in the laboratory and divided them into four groups.Group 1 was housed in an area free from Geomyces destructans.Group 2 was housed in an area that shared the same air as bats infected with WNS,but these bats did not have direct contact with the infected bats.Group 3 was housed in direct contact with other bats infected with WNS.Bats in group 4 were directly exposed to Geomyces destructans when researchers applied it to the bats' wings.During the study period the bats were monitored for signs of WNS.What is the specific hypothesis being tested by the inclusion of group 4 in this experiment?

A) Geomyces destructans causes WNS, and it can be transmitted through the air.
B) Geomyces destructans causes WNS, and it is only transmitted by direct contact with other infected bats.
C) Geomyces destructans causes WNS, and it can be transmitted by direct contact with the fungus; no contact with infected bats is needed for transmission of the fungus.
D) Group 4 is the control.

Question 30

David Blehert and his research team captured 117 healthy bats to study in the laboratory and divided them into four groups.Group 1 was housed in an area free from Geomyces destructans.Group 2 was housed in an area that shared the same air as bats infected with WNS,but these bats did not have direct contact with the infected bats.Group 3 was housed in direct contact with other bats infected with WNS.Bats in group 4 were directly exposed to Geomyces destructans when it was applied to their wings.During the study period the bats were monitored for signs of WNS.In this experiment,the independent was ________ and the dependent variable was ________.

A) the type of exposure to Geomyces destructans; whether the bats became sick with WNS
B) whether the bats became sick with WNS; the type of exposure to Geomyces destructans
C) whether the bats became sick with WNS; the number of bats included in the study
D) the number of bats included in the study; the type of exposure to Geomyces destructans

Question 31

David Blehert and his research team captured 117 healthy bats to study in the laboratory and divided them into four groups.Group 1 was housed in an area free from the fungus Geomyces destructans.Group 2 was housed in an area that shared the same air as bats infected with WNS,but these bats did not have direct contact with the infected bats.Group 3 was housed in direct contact with other bats infected with WNS.Bats in group 4 were directly exposed to Geomyces destructans when it was applied to their wings.During the study period the bats were monitored for signs of WNS.Which group is the control group?

A) group 1
B) group 2
C) group 3
D) group 4

Question 32

The caves in upstate New York,where Alan Hicks's team first noticed the deaths of thousands of bats,represent the ________ where the bats lived.

A) biosphere
B) biome
C) ecosystem
D) community

Question 33

The information presented in the following figure represents a scientific

A) theory.
B) hypothesis.
C) observation.
D) fact.

Question 34

Which of the following would be a theory?

A) Specific pathogens are directly responsible for specific diseases and conditions.
B) A fungal infection is responsible for the spread of white noses and associated higher mortality across bat populations and species.
C) Bats with white noses have been observed in the wild.
D) A fungal infection causes bats to wake up repeatedly during the winter and use up their fat reserves.

Question 35

A patient often experiences numbness and pain in the thumb and first two fingers on his right hand.He goes to the doctor,who suspects that carpal tunnel syndrome is the reason for the numbness and pain.The doctor then orders a simple test to see how fast nerve impulses are moving up and down the patient's arm.The doctor's preliminary diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome is a(n)

A) theory.
B) fact.
C) experiment.
D) hypothesis.

Question 36

Scientific understanding can always be challenged,and even changed,with new ways of observing and with different interpretations.For example,new tools and techniques have resulted in new observations and the discovery of additional information.This has resulted in revised ways of understanding how molecules are moved across the plasma membrane of cells.Hence,there is no certainty in science,only degrees of probability (likelihood)and potential for change.In light of this understanding,which of the following statements is MOST meaningful?

A) Scientific knowledge is absolute knowledge.
B) Scientific knowledge is based on current knowledge.
C) Scientific knowledge is a static and unchanging collection of facts.
D) Scientific knowledge is a rigid collection of invariable facts.

Question 37

Which of the following sequences correctly represents the biological hierarchy of a multicellular organism?

A) cells → tissues → organs → individual
B) tissues → organs → cells → individual
C) individual → cells → organ systems → tissues
D) organ systems → organs → tissues → individual

Question 38

Which of the following would be a fact?

A) Specific pathogens are directly responsible for specific diseases and conditions.
B) A fungal infection is solely responsible for the spread of white noses and associated higher mortality across bat populations and species.
C) Bats with white noses have been observed in the wild.
D) A fungal infection causes bats to wake up repeatedly during the winter and use up their fat reserves.

Question 39

Carbon,hydrogen,and oxygen atoms are held together by chemical bonds to form ________ of sugar.

A) organ systems
B) molecules
C) cells
D) atoms

Question 40

The human heart pumps blood throughout the blood vessels in the body.This is a scientific

A) theory.
B) hypothesis.
C) fact.
D) experiment.

Question 41

Which of these characteristics of living organisms are present in viruses?

A) composed of one or more cells
B) can evolve as groups
C) maintain a constant internal environment
D) obtain energy from their environment

Question 42

Which term best describes the temperate deciduous forests that cover the northeastern United States,including the Adirondack Mountains?

A) biosphere
B) biome
C) ecosystem
D) community

Question 43

During an experimental study,a control group is maintained under a standard set of conditions with no change in the independent variable.The ________ group is maintained under the same standard set of conditions as the control group,but the independent variable is adjusted.

Question 44

The first two steps of the scientific process typically include making ________ and forming a ________.

Question 45

What characteristic is NOT shared by all living organisms?

A) They make their own energy.
B) They grow and develop.
C) They evolve through time.
D) They are composed of one or more cells.

Question 46

Explain why hypotheses can be supported,but never proven absolutely true.

Question 47

When a hypothesis is well constructed,a prediction can be made using a(n)"________" statement.

Question 48

A direct and repeatable observation of any aspect of the natural world can be considered a scientific ________.

Question 49

The roots of a sunflower plant growing downward while the shoot grows upward and the flower turns toward the sun are examples of what characteristic of all living organisms?

A) They reproduce using DNA.
B) They evolve through time.
C) They make their own energy.
D) They sense the environment and respond to it.

Question 50

A way to visualize the breadth and scope of life,from the smallest structures of atoms and cells to the broadest interactions between living and nonliving systems that we can comprehend,is typically referred to as the biological ________.

Question 51

Living organisms maintain a constant internal environment by sensing and responding to their internal conditions.This stable maintenance of internal conditions is known as

A) homeostasis.
B) evolution.
C) reproduction.
D) sensation.

Question 52

A species of butterflies gradually becomes darker in color over many generations; this is an example of which characteristic of living organisms?

A) They reproduce using DNA.
B) They obtain energy from the environment to support metabolism.
C) They can evolve as groups.
D) They sense the environment and respond to it.

Question 53

After observing that students who regularly attend class appear to be making good grades,I propose the hypothesis that regular class attendance increases the probability that students earn higher grades.If I attend classes regularly this semester,I should make higher grades than I did last semester when I often missed class.This is a ________.

Question 54

Explain the self-correcting nature of science.

Question 55

Land biomes are most commonly defined by

A) their climate, physical characteristics, and dominant animal life.
B) only the dominant plant life in them.
C) the dominant plant life that influences the dominant animal life in them.
D) their climate and physical characteristics that influence the dominant plant life and, subsequently, animal life in them.

Question 56

The genetic material used for reproduction by those organisms conventionally considered to be living is ________.

Question 57

When Dr.Blehert and his team set out to determine the cause of death for thousands of bats,they determined that the sick and dead bats had a strange white fuzz on their noses and wings along with depleted fat reserves and damaged wing tissue.After performing observational studies,the researchers used a branch of mathematics called ________ to quantify the reliability of their data.

Question 58

What is the MOST likely explanation for why all living organisms use the same genetic code stored in DNA?

A) DNA is a molecule that was found in the earliest life-form and has been passed on to all offspring.
B) DNA is more compact than other molecules and therefore fits more easily into cells.
C) DNA is required for organisms to sense and respond to changes in the environment.
D) DNA is required for organisms to maintain a stable internal environment when conditions vary.

Question 59

A small,potentially living object was found.For this object to be considered alive,the object must

A) be composed of tissues.
B) be found with offspring.
C) have evolved from a known life-form.
D) contain one or more cells.

Question 60

DNA is one of the features common to all known forms of life; it

A) forms the protective outer membrane of cells.
B) is used to transfer information from parents to their offspring.
C) is used to obtain energy from the environment.
D) is used in sensing changes within the environment.

Question 61

Match the correct terms with the sentences below.
a.tests
b.communicate
c.accept,reject,or modify
d.observe
e.analyze
f.hypothesis
g.predictions
________and ask questions about the natural world.

Question 62

Read the summary of an experiment below.Then match the correct term with each statement.Terms may be used more than once or not at all.Dead mice within a cave where bats are infected with white-nose syndrome (WNS)have white fuzz on their noses that appears to be similar to the white fuzz seen on the noses of bats ill with WNS.A researcher hypothesizes that mice are also susceptible to WNS when they live in close contact with infected bats.To test this hypothesis,the researcher captures 50 healthy mice and randomly separates them into two groups.One group is housed in an area that contains healthy bats.The other group of mice is housed in an enclosure that contains bats that have WNS.The mice in both groups are monitored for signs of WNS.
a.independent variable
b.dependent variable
c.control group
d.treatment group
Mice housed in an area with bats that have WNS.

Question 63

Read the summary of an experiment below.Then match the correct term with each statement.Terms may be used more than once or not at all.Dead mice within a cave where bats are infected with white-nose syndrome (WNS)have white fuzz on their noses that appears to be similar to the white fuzz seen on the noses of bats ill with WNS.A researcher hypothesizes that mice are also susceptible to WNS when they live in close contact with infected bats.To test this hypothesis,the researcher captures 50 healthy mice and randomly separates them into two groups.One group is housed in an area that contains healthy bats.The other group of mice is housed in an enclosure that contains bats that have WNS.The mice in both groups are monitored for signs of WNS.
a.independent variable
b.dependent variable
c.control group
d.treatment group
Mice housed in an area with healthy bats.

Question 64

Match the correct terms with the sentences below.
a.tests
b.communicate
c.accept,reject,or modify
d.observe
e.analyze
f.hypothesis
g.predictions
Design ________ of the predictions of your hypothesis.

Question 65

Match the correct terms with the sentences below.
a.tests
b.communicate
c.accept,reject,or modify
d.observe
e.analyze
f.hypothesis
g.predictions
Generate ________ to test your hypothesis.

Question 66

Organize the following concepts in order of broadest interactions between groups to the smallest structure and give a brief explanation of the concepts: biome,biosphere,community,ecosystem,organism,and population.

Question 67

Terrance observes that tomato seeds sprouting in his fresh compost pile seem to grow at a faster rate than tomato seeds that he planted in potting soil that was previously used to grow house plants.Describe an experiment that he could use to test the hypothesis that tomato seeds grown in fresh compost grow faster than those grown in used potting soil.Include information about appropriate variables,treatments,and controls.

Question 68

The claim has been made that women may be able to achieve significant improvements in memory by taking Gingko biloba supplements.To determine if the claim is fraudulent and prior to accepting this claim,what type of evidence would you like to see? Provide brief details of an investigative design.

Question 69

Describe how DNA makes it possible for organisms to make new individuals like themselves.

Question 70

Read the summary of an experiment below.Then match the correct term with each statement.Terms may be used more than once or not at all.Dead mice within a cave where bats are infected with white-nose syndrome (WNS)have white fuzz on their noses that appears to be similar to the white fuzz seen on the noses of bats ill with WNS.A researcher hypothesizes that mice are also susceptible to WNS when they live in close contact with infected bats.To test this hypothesis,the researcher captures 50 healthy mice and randomly separates them into two groups.One group is housed in an area that contains healthy bats.The other group of mice is housed in an enclosure that contains bats that have WNS.The mice in both groups are monitored for signs of WNS.
a.independent variable
b.dependent variable
c.control group
d.treatment group
Presence or absence of any signs of WNS in the mice.

Question 71

Your friend says to you,"You do not need to understand evolution to understand biology because evolution is just a theory." How would you explain to your friend that a "theory" in science is not "just a theory"?

Question 72

Match the correct terms with the sentences below.
a.tests
b.communicate
c.accept,reject,or modify
d.observe
e.analyze
f.hypothesis
g.predictions
________the results.

Question 73

Consider the characteristics of living organisms.Would you classify viruses as living or nonliving? Justify your response.

Question 74

A parent heard a celebrity on television stating there was a study published in 1998 that asserted a connection between the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR)vaccine and the onset of autism in children.The celebrity went on to say that after the MMR vaccine replaced the old simple measles vaccine in 1988 there was a 273 percent increase in autism rates during the next 11 years.The celebrity,however,did not reveal that the study published in 1998 included a sample size of 12 children who were already known to have some form of autism or similar developmental difficulties.He also did not present the evidence from hundreds of studies conducted since 1998 that show no connection between vaccines and the onset of autism.What was the hypothesis,regarding vaccines and autism,implied by the celebrity? State at least two obvious problems with the structure of the 1998 study.

Question 75

A student complains about the requirement of taking a biology course.She states that she is capable of following the "set recipe" of the scientific method,but she does not believe that science is useful because it cannot answer all questions.Explain to this student the types of questions science can answer.Also address her misunderstanding of the scientific method.

Question 76

Match the correct terms with the sentences below.
a.tests
b.communicate
c.accept,reject,or modify
d.observe
e.analyze
f.hypothesis
g.predictions
________your hypothesis,predictions,or test according to the results.

Question 77

Match the correct terms with the sentences below.
a.tests
b.communicate
c.accept,reject,or modify
d.observe
e.analyze
f.hypothesis
g.predictions
Suggest a ________ to explain your observations and questions.

Question 78

Describe the main mechanism used to reduce researcher bias,or even prevent fraud,in science.

Question 79

People who exercise regularly have a lower average resting heart rate and blood pressure than people who do not exercise.Given this observation,develop a hypothesis and provide one prediction relating to that hypothesis.

Question 80

Match the correct terms with the sentences below.
a.tests
b.communicate
c.accept,reject,or modify
d.observe
e.analyze
f.hypothesis
g.predictions
________your results to fellow scientists for their review and input.