Deck 1: The Process of Science Java Report

Question 1

Which of the following places the steps of the scientific process in the correct order?

A) experiment→questions→hypothesis→read literature→conclusions
B) questions→experiment→read literature→hypothesis→conclusions
C) read literature→experiment→questions→conclusion→hypothesis
D) questions→read literature→hypothesis→experiment→conclusions
E) read literature→questions→experiment→hypothesis→conclusions

Answer 1

questions→read literature→hypothesis→experiment→conclusions

Question 2

Where are the most reliable scientific results published?

A) in the daily news
B) in science magazines
C) in science journals
D) on scientific websites
E) in peer-reviewed scientific journals

Answer 2

in peer-reviewed scientific journals

Question 3

What are the steps used in the process of a scientific study?

A) making initial observations that generate questions, studying the literature, generating hypotheses that are both testable and falsifiable, testing the hypothesis with experiments and analyzing the data, and making conclusions that are supported by data
B) generating hypotheses, conducting experiments, researching literature, making conclusions supported by the literature, and analyzing data
C) making initial observations that generate questions, generating hypotheses, studying the literature, conducting experiments based on literature, and making conclusions supported by data
D) generating hypotheses based on published literature, testing hypotheses, and making conclusions supported by data
E) None of the above.

Answer 3

making initial observations that generate questions, studying the literature, generating hypotheses that are both testable and falsifiable, testing the hypothesis with experiments and analyzing the data, and making conclusions that are supported by data

Question 4

I notice that all the students in my class seem very drowsy 45 minutes into my class period.Knowing that it could not possibly be my lecture putting them to sleep,I consider other factors such as the fact that my class is at 5pm and the sun is usually setting at that time of the day,which I think may make people drowsy.What type of evidence am I collecting in making this observation?

A) experimental
B) anecdotal
C) peer reviewed
D) coincidental
E) untestable

Question 5

What is the first step in the scientific process?

A) designing an experiment
B) choosing test subjects
C) peer review of your study
D) analyzing your data
E) formulating a hypothesis

Question 6

Why can't science answer questions about the existence of a supernatural being?

Question 7

Observations used as scientific evidence should NOT include

A) peer-reviewed scientific literature.
B) previous data generated.
C) observations about past work.
D) anecdotal evidence.
E) other people's data.

Question 8

What is the importance of peer review in the scientific process?

A) It helps a scientist formulate a hypothesis.
B) It helps a scientist choose test subjects.
C) It ensures that a study has been appropriately designed and correctly interpreted.
D) It helps the scientist collect data.
E) It is the first step in any scientific study.

Question 9

Why do scientists say that a hypothesis is "supported" and never say that a hypothesis has been "proven"?

Question 10

What does it mean to say that a scientific study has undergone "peer review"? Why is this important?

Question 11

A hypothesis is a statement that

A) can be changed throughout the experiment.
B) can be avidly accepted by scientists.
C) can be tested and proven true.
D) can be tested and proven false.
E) precedes a theory.

Question 12

A hypothesis can be everything EXCEPT

A) proven true.
B) not supported.
C) supported.
D) falsifiable.
E) testable.

Question 13

What conclusions can be drawn from a hypothesis?

A)If evidence supports the hypothesis,the hypothesis is considered scientific theory.
B)If evidence rejects the hypothesis,then it can be removed from the list of possible answers to the original question.
C)If data support the hypothesis,then it is accepted and further testing is not warranted.
D)If there is data to support the hypothesis,then it is accepted until further testing suggests otherwise.
E)Both B and D.

Question 14

Imagine that you read a study of the effects of exercise on the prevalence of heart disease in women ages 35 to 65.Although you believe the experiment was carried out in an appropriate manner,you still do not believe the results.You decide to conduct your own study to see for yourself.To determine if the results of the first study are valid,should you do everything the same way as the first study or would it be better if you changed several of the variables,such as studying men,or looking at different age groups? Explain your choice,and explain the consequences of the other choice.

Question 15

All of the following are true of a scientific hypothesis EXCEPT

A) it is an opinion.
B) it is an educated guess to explain an observation.
C) there must be a way to test the hypothesis.
D) there must exist a possibility of obtaining a result that could prove your hypothesis wrong.
E) there must exist a possibility of obtaining a result that could support your hypothesis.

Question 16

Based on previous published data and some preliminary experiments done in my lab,I hypothesize that a drug called "shrinkase" will inhibit the growth of a particular type of cancerous tumor.What is my next step in the scientific process?

A) find people with that kind of tumor
B) obtain a large supply of shrinkase
C) determine what my control and experimental groups will be
D) submit my hypothesis for peer review
E) analyze the results of my experiments

Question 17

A scientific hypothesis must have two very important features.What are they?

Question 18

Evidence that is not based on systematic scientific study is known as ____ evidence.

A) empirical
B) causational
C) anecdotal
D) logical
E) statistical

Question 19

What are the criteria for a good hypothesis?

A) It must be realistic and have only one possible result.
B) It must have only one possible result and be peer reviewed.
C) It must be based on anecdotal evidence and be testable.
D) It must be based on peer-reviewed journal articles and be realistic.
E) It must be testable and falsifiable.

Question 20

The scientific process from beginning to end can be outlined as:

A) hypothesize, test, analyze, and conclude.
B) observe, hypothesize, test, analyze, and conclude.
C) observe, question, test, analyze, and conclude.
D) Hypothesize, test, analyze, and conclude.
E) observe, test, hypothesize, analyze, and conclude.

Question 21

Use the following information to answer Questions
To test the effectiveness of a new drug designed to improve concentration in children with hyperactivity disorder, a researcher divided 100 children with hyperactivity disorder into two groups of 50 children each. First, both groups received a test to determine the length of time they could study a word list before their attention wandered. Then, group 1 received the new drug while group 2 received a sugar pill. One hour later, both groups took the concentration test again.
What is the dependent variable in this study?

Question 22

Two groups of people are given a drug that they are told will make them drowsy.However,only one group actually receives this drug,while the other group secretly receives a sugar pill.Strangely,both groups report feeling very tired 30 minutes later.The group receiving the sugar pill is said to be experiencing the

A) control effect.
B) experimental effect.
C) dependent effect.
D) independent effect.
E) placebo effect.

Question 23

In a controlled experiment,the control and experimental groups differ in the

A) environmental variable.
B) controlled variable.
C) independent variable.
D) dependent variable.
E) result.

Question 24

Use the following information to answer Questions
To test the effectiveness of a new drug designed to improve concentration in children with hyperactivity disorder, a researcher divided 100 children with hyperactivity disorder into two groups of 50 children each. First, both groups received a test to determine the length of time they could study a word list before their attention wandered. Then, group 1 received the new drug while group 2 received a sugar pill. One hour later, both groups took the concentration test again.
Which group is the experimental group and which is the control group?

Question 25

You have the following known facts: Smoking causes accumulation of materials in the lungs,thereby decreasing oxygen-absorbing capability of the lungs.Long-term smoking causes more accumulation of materials in the lungs.Decreased lung capacity increases the workload of the heart.Which of the following hypotheses can you make from these observations?

A) People who never smoke will never develop lung problems.
B) Long-term smokers have poorer heart health than non-smokers.
C) New smokers have poorer heart health than long-term smokers.
D) Stopping smoking eliminates lung problems within two years.
E) Stopping smoking eliminates heart problems within two years.

Question 26

In a controlled experiment usually only one factor is changed,which is the

A) placebo.
B) controlled variable.
C) coordinate variable.
D) independent variable.
E) dependent variable.

Question 27

A study was conducted to determine if the growth rate of babies differs between babies that are bottle-fed and babies that are breast-fed.In this experiment,growth rate is referred to as the

A) controlled variable.
B) experimental variable.
C) dependent variable.
D) independent variable.
E) placebo variable.

Question 28

A controlled experiment describes the use of

A) separate control and experimental groups.
B) precise measurements.
C) accurate and careful measurements.
D) more than one variable changing separately.
E) careful testing of the hypothesis.

Question 29

What is a placebo treatment and why is it important in a properly designed experiment?

Question 30

Use the following information to answer Questions
To test the effectiveness of a new drug designed to improve concentration in children with hyperactivity disorder, a researcher divided 100 children with hyperactivity disorder into two groups of 50 children each. First, both groups received a test to determine the length of time they could study a word list before their attention wandered. Then, group 1 received the new drug while group 2 received a sugar pill. One hour later, both groups took the concentration test again.
Why did group 2 receive a sugar pill instead of simply not taking anything at all?

Question 31

If the results of an experiment contradict the hypothesis,you have _____ the hypothesis.

A) supported
B) falsified
C) proved
D) failed
E) verified

Question 32

A hypothesis is often called an educated guess.Why is it a guess and why is it educated?

Question 33

Scientific journals send out potential articles to other scientists working in the same research area,and those scientists make comments regarding the research.This is known as

A) jurisprudence.
B) peer rebuttal.
C) journalistic integrity.
D) journalistic license.
E) peer review.

Question 34

A placebo is given to the:

A) dependent group.
B) control group.
C) independent group.
D) experimental group.
E) variable group.

Question 35

Use the following information to answer Questions
To test the effectiveness of a new drug designed to improve concentration in children with hyperactivity disorder, a researcher divided 100 children with hyperactivity disorder into two groups of 50 children each. First, both groups received a test to determine the length of time they could study a word list before their attention wandered. Then, group 1 received the new drug while group 2 received a sugar pill. One hour later, both groups took the concentration test again.
What is the independent variable in this study?

Question 36

A hypothesis must be ____ and _____.

A) logical; verifiable
B) logical; falsifiable
C) testable; logical
D) irrefutable; testable
E) testable; falsifiable

Question 37

What is the importance of a placebo?

A) It allows the researcher to treat control and experimental groups differently while allowing them to believe they are being treated the same.
B) It allows the researcher to treat control and experimental groups the same while allowing them to believe they are being treated differently.
C) It allows the researcher to use an experimental drug on more people.
D) It removes the need for a control group.
E) All of the above.

Question 38

A study is conducted to see if walking reduces joint stiffness in people suffering from arthritis of the knee.Half the participants are instructed to walk an additional 1 mile every day,while the other half are told to go about their normal daily routine with no additional exercise.In this study,the group that walks an extra mile every day is referred to as the

A) control group.
B) experimental group.
C) placebo group.
D) dependent group.
E) independent group.

Question 39

In a well-designed experiment the independent variable

A) does not depend on another factor or condition.
B) changes from subject to subject randomly.
C) can never be manipulated by the researcher.
D) will depend on the dependent variable.
E) None of the above.

Question 40

Describe the features of an experimental group versus a control group―for example,in an experiment whose hypothesis is "consuming coffee improves memory."

Question 41

A scientific theory

A) is a hypothesis that has been upheld by many experiments.
B) is an uneducated guess.
C) has not been tested.
D) is an educated guess.
E) can never be proven wrong.

Question 42

A scientific theory is

A) a hypothesis that has been rigorously tested and never been disproven.
B) a hypothesis that has been rigorously tested and only been disproven a few times.
C) a hypothesis that has been tested at least five times.
D) an opinion.
E) an idea based on a person's experience or knowledge.

Question 43

Numerous studies have shown that the more often a person performs a workout routine that increases heart rate,the better their overall heart health is.You have two groups of individuals who are willing to participate in a heart-health experiment.Fifty are non-smoking males,ages 18 to 22,who work out three times per week.Fifty are non-smoking males,ages 18 to 22,who do not work out on a regular basis.In the experiment,they will step up and down on an 8-inch-high cinder block 120 times/minute for 3 minutes.Researchers will examine their heart rate before starting,immediately after they finish,and every minute after finishing until their heart rate returns to their original rate.Two common measures of heart health are the percentage increase in heart rate caused by exercise and the time the heart rate takes to return to the base rate.Based on these parameters,what is your hypothesis regarding the heart health and test performance of the two groups?

Question 44

Which is NOT an everyday (non-scientific)theory?

A) If you carry and umbrella it won't rain.
B) Evolution occurs by natural selection.
C) The freezer is the best place for valuables.
D) Wearing bright clothes cheers one up.
E) 3000 subjects perform better after a full night's sleep.

Question 45

An idea that has been examined numerous times and has never been falsified may be called a

A) theory.
B) hypothesis.
C) conclusion.
D) conundrum.
E) ideology.

Question 46

I observe that squirrels that live in the southeastern United States are much thinner than squirrels that live in the northeastern part of the country.I theorize that this is because the squirrels that live in the northeast have greater fat reserves for the winter months when food is scarce.Is this a scientific theory?

A) Yes, it is a good educated guess.
B) Yes, I am taking into consideration physiological reasons for their larger size, so it's scientific.
C) No, it's just a hypothesis; it has not been proven to be true through extensive experimentation or quantification.
D) No, it cannot be proven true.
E) Yes, I theorized it so it qualifies as a theory.

Question 47

Use the following information to answer Questions
A scientific study looked at the effect of tanning beds on DNA damage. The scientists took skin cells and exposed them to UV radiation (the type used in indoor tanning beds) for different lengths of time: some for 1 minute, some for 5 minutes, some for 15 minutes, and some for 30 minutes. They then looked for signs of DNA damage and compared the results to cells that had never been exposed to UV light.
What is the independent variable in this experiment?

A) the number of skin cells
B) the type of light
C) the length of time the cells are exposed to UV light
D) the untreated cells
E) the amount of DNA damage in the cells

Question 48

What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?

Question 49

You are performing a bacterial transformation where you are trying to transfer DNA that contains the gene for resistance to the antibiotic ampicillin into the bacterium E.coli.Ampicillin normally kills E.coli,but if you are successful in your transfer of the DNA,the E.coli will now be unaffected by ampicillin.E.coli grows best on Luria Broth agar plates.Giving a cold period and then a brief heat shock and a cold period has been shown to help bacteria cells take up pieces of DNA.
You take some cultures of E.coli,add cold calcium chloride,keep these on ice for 15 minutes,heat shock them for 90 seconds,then chill them on ice for 1 minute before putting them onto Luria Broth agar plates with ampicillin and Luria Broth plates without ampicillin.These bacteria should be killed by the plates with ampicillin.
You take some other cultures of E.coli,add cold calcium chloride,then add the new DNA,then keep these on ice for 15 minutes,heat shock them for 90 seconds,then chill them on ice for 1 minute before putting them onto Luria Broth agar plates that contain ampicillin and Luria Broth agar plates without ampicillin.If you successfully transferred the DNA,these bacteria should grow on the plates with ampicillin and the ones without ampicillin.
In this experiment,why were the colonies without the added DNA and the colonies with the added DNA treated the same way (15 minutes cold,then heat shock,then cold)?

Question 50

Which of the following is an example of an everyday (non-scientific)theory?

A) Objects are attracted to one another by gravity.
B) Broccoli tastes better than cauliflower.
C) All life forms are related to each other through common ancestry.
D) All living things are made of cells.
E) The universe was created from a large cosmic explosion.

Question 51

You are running an analysis on different food items to test for the presence of the major biological macromolecules starch,proteins,and lipids.For each test you examine four food items and distilled water.What is the role of the distilled water?

Question 52

Does science ever prove a hypothesis or theory? Why or why not?

Question 53

Use the following information to answer Questions
A scientific study looked at the effect of tanning beds on DNA damage. The scientists took skin cells and exposed them to UV radiation (the type used in indoor tanning beds) for different lengths of time: some for 1 minute, some for 5 minutes, some for 15 minutes, and some for 30 minutes. They then looked for signs of DNA damage and compared the results to cells that had never been exposed to UV light.
What is the independent variable in this experiment?

A) the number of skin cells
B) the type of light
C) the length of time the cells are exposed to UV light
D) the untreated cells
E) the amount of DNA damage in the cells

Question 54

In everyday usage,the word "theory" is used to mean an untested idea.Which of the following scientific terms is most similar to the everyday usage of "theory"?

A) concept
B) conclusion
C) observation
D) hypothesis
E) theory

Question 55

A controlled experiment must

A) have a dependent variable.
B) have an independent variable.
C) be falsifiable.
D) be repeatable.
E) All of the above.

Question 56

Use the following information to answer Questions
A scientific study looked at the effect of tanning beds on DNA damage. The scientists took skin cells and exposed them to UV radiation (the type used in indoor tanning beds) for different lengths of time: some for 1 minute, some for 5 minutes, some for 15 minutes, and some for 30 minutes. They then looked for signs of DNA damage and compared the results to cells that had never been exposed to UV light.
What is the control in this experiment?

A) the number of skin cells
B) the type of light
C) the length of time the cells are exposed to UV light
D) the untreated cells
E) the amount of DNA damage in the cells

Question 57

Which of the following is NOT a scientific theory?

A) Cells come from pre-existing cells.
B) Objects are attracted to one another by gravity.
C) A hypothesis supported by results from an experiment with 3,000 subjects.
D) All life forms are related to each other through common ancestry.
E) The universe was created from a large cosmic explosion.

Question 58

Explain why evolution is not dismissed as "just a theory" with reference to the Theory of Evolution.

Question 59

You finish a research project and submit your findings to a journal for peer review.The reviewers decide that they do not think your experimental results were convincing enough to support or disprove your hypothesis.What is your next step?

A) cry
B) formulate a new hypothesis that better fits your data
C) design and carry out more experiments to support or disprove your hypothesis
D) reanalyze your data
E) fix your results so they better fit your hypothesis

Question 60

A hypothesis is

A) an idea that has been rigorously tested and never been disproven.
B) an idea that has been rigorously tested and only been disproven a few times.
C) an idea that can be tested and falsified.
D) an opinion.
E) an idea based on a person's experience or knowledge.

Question 61

Define the meaning of the word "theory" in everyday usage and scientific usage and give two examples of each type of theory.

Question 62

You are testing the following hypothesis: Left-handed people have better hand-eye coordination than right-handed people.Based on a review of literature,you have learned that one common test of hand-eye coordination is measuring the percentage of times that someone can drop a coin into a small container from a height of 3 feet.To perform this experiment,you use a group of 25 left-handed males,25 right-handed males,25 left-handed females,and 25 right-handed females.Design an experiment to test your hypothesis and be sure to define your independent and dependent variables.

Question 63

Statistical significance

A) indicates a high likelihood that your results are due to your treatment versus due to chance.
B) is more likely to be reliable if you have a small sample size versus a large sample size.
C) is a requirement of the data from a scientific experiment.
D) indicates that the hypothesis should be rejected.
E) depends on large data sets.

Question 64

In designing a scientific research project,the ideal control group should

A) be identical to the placebo group.
B) be identical to the experimental group but receive the placebo.
C) receive the placebo or receive no experimental manipulation.
D) be identical to the experimental group.
E) be identical to the independent variable.

Question 65

Studies involving the benefits or risks of drinking coffee may be obscured by

A) side effects of caffeine.
B) how the coffee was roasted or processed.
C) other chemicals in coffee.
D) the age of the people studied.
E) All of the above.

Question 66

In a clinical trial with 400 subjects,the most reliable results would be obtained if ____subjects were in the experimental group and ____in the control.

A) 200; 200
B) 300; 100
C) 100; 300
D) 350; 50
E) 50; 350

Question 67

Increasing a sample size

A) provides more reliable data.
B) increases likelihood of getting a positive result.
C) increases likelihood of getting a negative result.
D) provides better variables.
E) provides better controls.

Question 68

Would it be possible for a scientist to bias a scientific study?

A) No, there are so many checks and balances outside of the scientist's control that it's impossible to show bias in a scientific study.
B) No, because all scientific experiments are designed to be fair.
C) Yes, if the scientist used a large number of test subjects.
D) Yes, if the scientist chose specific individuals to include in the study.
E) Yes, if it was a randomized double-blind study.

Question 69

Increasing sample size increases

A) the control group.
B) the experimental group.
C) randomness.
D) reliability of data.
E) variation.

Question 70

In a scientific study evaluating the beneficial effects of caffeine on the elderly,who would be the best subjects to test?

A) elderly men and women
B) elderly women
C) pregnant women
D) elderly men
E) teenagers

Question 71

Two studies were carried out to determine if children in daycare got more ear infections than children who stayed at home.The first study compared ear infection rates in 50 Canadian girls ages 1 to 2,half of whom attended daycare and half of whom stayed home.The second study compared ear infection rates in 1000 Swedish boys ages 3 to 4,half of whom attended daycare and half of whom stayed home.The results of these two studies differed greatly.Which of the following is LEAST likely to be the cause of such differences?

A) different genders
B) different mothers
C) different ages
D) different sample sizes
E) different countries

Question 72

A significant result from a scientific study indicates

A) a statistical error.
B) it occurred by chance.
C) a positive result.
D) a negative result.
E) a non-random result.

Question 73

Two researchers wish to examine the effect of caffeine on alertness. One researcher has the participants drink a cup of coffee with 100 mg of caffeine, while the other researcher has the participants take a capsule with 100 mg of caffeine. In all other respects, these two studies are identical. Which method do you think will answer the question best? Why? Are there any complicating factors that could compromise the results of one of the studies?

Question 74

You have been asked to review and summarize three experiments regarding caffeine consumption and cancer.
A. In experiment A, researchers looked at the incidence of colon cancer among 100 regular tea drinkers and 100 non-tea drinkers in Japan, all between the ages of 18 and 38, and found that tea drinkers had less colon cancer than non-tea drinkers.
B. In experiment B, researchers looked at the incidence of pancreatic cancer among 300 heavy drinkers of yerba mate (Ilex paraguensis, a tree whose leaves and stems contain high levels of caffeine), 300 moderate yerba mate drinkers, and 300 non-yerba mate drinkers in Argentina, all between the ages of 40 and 60. This study showed that heavy yerba mate drinkers had higher levels of pancreatic cancer than moderate yerba mate drinkers, and moderate yerba mate drinkers had higher levels than non-drinkers.
C. In experiment C, researchers looked at the levels of prostate cancer among men ages 40 to 80 in the United States. The study examined 1000 coffee drinkers and 1000 non-coffee drinkers and found slightly lower levels of prostate cancer among the coffee-drinking men.
How do you summarize and reconcile these three experiments that have varying results with respect to the relationship between caffeine and cancer? Are some of them wrong?

Question 75

Two studies were conducted to determine if a new drug was effective at reducing tumor size in patients with lung cancer.One study examined men and found that the drug reduced tumor size by 45%; the other study,conducted on women,concluded that the drug had no effect.Is it possible that the results of both studies are correct? Why or why not?

Question 76

In several reported incidents,local school boards have insisted that biology texts have a stamp placed inside that states that "Evolution is a theory." To their surprise,most science faculty have not objected to this language.Explain how each group interprets the statement that "Evolution is a theory."

Question 77

An experiment was performed using 1000 non-smoking males ages 18 to 22.Which of the following experimental groups would most likely produce the most similar results?

A) 800 non-smoking females ages 30 to 45
B) 800 smoking males ages 30 to 45
C) 1000 smoking females ages 25 to 40
D) 1000 non-smoking males ages 30 to 55
E) 800 non-smoking males ages 20 to 25

Question 78

How can two studies on the same topic have conflicting conclusions?

Question 79

Studies involving coffee drinking have shown

A) a link to pancreatic cancer.
B) no link to pancreatic cancer.
C) a link to infertility.
D) a lowering of the incidence of ovarian cancer.
E) All of the above.

Question 80

Researchers ran three clinical trials,each using a different one of the following populations:
-250 non-smoking men ages 18 to 25
-500 smoking and non-smoking men and women ages 20 to 55
-300 smoking women ages 45 to 60
Would you expect the results of these three experiments to be the same? Explain.