Unit Test — Unit test Answers

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Alyssa observed a flock of small birds in her yard. The birds visited a pair of feeders that her parents put out for them and splashed in the birdbath. Which question is a nonscientific question that she might ask about the birds?

A
Which among the birds that visited the feeders is the most beautiful?
B
Does having a birdbath present affect the feeding habits of the birds?
C
At what time of day do the most birds visit the feeders?
D
Would the birds still visit if the seed in the feeders was changed?
2
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After examining an experimental procedure, Amir noticed that there was an error in the experimental design. He should

A
be skeptical of the results.
B
be open-minded about the experiment.
C
accept the results and conclusions without question.
D
repeat the experiment to develop scientific consensus.
3

The Florida Everglades are one of the most diverse ecosystems in the United States and are home to many species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Recently, scientists have investigated and determined that the population of pythons, which are from Asia, has increased greatly. What question is least likely to be asked based on these results?

A
Are the pythons a new species?
B
How can the python population be controlled?
C
How quickly are pythons reproducing in the Everglades?
D
How are the pythons affecting other animal populations?
4

Which equipment is best to hold and to measure liquids?

A
flask and graduated cylinder
B
scale and ruler
C
caliper and thermometer
D
stopwatch and beaker
5

Why have improvements in microscopes over time resulted in revisions in the cell theory?

A
They have revealed new information about cell structure and processes.
B
They have made microscopes easier to use.
C
They have allowed scientists to share pictures of the cells being studied.
D
They have made it possible to confirm what scientists already suspected.
6

A scientist agrees with the scientific consensus that dinosaurs had scaly skin. Then he discovers a new fossil that indicates a dinosaur had feathers. The scientist refuses to consider the new evidence because it does not agree with the accepted ideas. The scientist is

A
being biased by the scientific consensus.
B
practicing skepticism by ignoring evidence.
C
being open-minded by finding new fossils.
D
drawing conclusions supported by evidence.
7

All theories are hypotheses, but not all hypotheses are theories. Francis wants to know if a specific hypothesis he is researching is a theory. Which describes how Francis would know the hypothesis is a theory?

A
He could restate the hypothesis as a fact and no longer an explanation.
B
He could determine whether the hypothesis is based on repeated experiments.
C
He could perform the experiment and adjust data to match the desired results.
D
He could design and perform a new controlled experiment to test the hypothesis.
8

Studying the folding patterns of protein molecules can help microbiologists better understand cellular processes as well as some diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, that are caused by proteins that have misfolded. The folding of these complicated molecules can be simulated on computers, but it takes a lot of processor power and time for even expensive supercomputers to do this. A group of researchers at Stanford University developed software that can be used to distribute the processing of data to anyone who is willing to donate time on their idle personal computers. As a result, the researchers have been able to achieve protein-folding simulations that are far better than those other computing methods have done. Which statement best describes the work of these researchers?

A
The work is not scientific because the data are not processed in one location.
B
The work is not scientific because the simulations are not reproducible.
C
The researchers applied creativity to solve a problem in running an experiment.
D
The researchers used only well-established scientific techniques.
9

A researcher finds that white bread contains more preservatives and has a higher moisture content than wheat bread. She designs a test to determine whether the type of bread, white or wheat, affects the amount of mold growth. What must be done for the researcher to accurately measure the dependent variable?

A
She will need to allow mold to grow for more days on the white bread, since it contains more preservatives, to measure the dependent variable.
B
She will need to limit the dependent variable to white bread or wheat bread.
C
She will need to allow mold to grow for fewer days on the white bread, since it contains more preservatives, to measure the dependent variable.
D
She will need to learn how to quantitatively measure mold growth to measure the dependent variable.
10

The independent variable is the only factor that a scientist

A
varies for different groups in an experiment.
B
measures in an experiment.
C
keeps constant for each group in an experiment.
D
records throughout an experiment.
11

What would most likely be included in the “Analysis” section of a lab report?

A
a discussion of any errors in the experimental data
B
a list of the supplies that were used in conducting the experiment
C
suggestions for new experiments based on the results
D
a description of what the dependent and independent variables were
12

A biology class is studying the effect of temperature on the amount of growth of duckweed in an aquarium. What type of data will the class need to collect, and which tools will most likely be used?

A
They will gather qualitative data, using a thermometer and a hand lens.
B
They will gather qualitative data, using a meterstick and a flask.
C
They will gather quantitative data, using a thermometer and a balance.
D
They will gather quantitative data, using a beaker and a timer.
13

Living plants may be valuable additions to science classrooms. Which is the most important safety consideration when planning to grow plants in a classroom?

A
the light required for the plants to grow best
B
the nutrients to feed the plants
C
the composition of the soil in which to grow the plants
D
the structure and chemical properties of the plants
14

A teacher gave the lab group shown below an “unsafe practice” warning.What is most likely the basis for the teacher’s warning?

Question illustration
A
None of the students are dressed in appropriate laboratory attire.
B
Two of the students have not tied back their long, loose hair.
C
The lab group has not labeled all the flasks that contain liquid.
D
The opening of the flask is pointed in an unsafe direction.
15

A student conducted an experiment to test whether talking to plants would help them to grow faster. He set up the following two groups:Group 1: spoken to and hand watered Group 2: not spoken to and watered with sprinklers After three weeks, the plants in Group 1 showed much more growth than those in Group 2. Based on the results of this experiment, which is the best conclusion?

A
They are valid because the student ran a controlled experiment.
B
They are not valid because the student did not control all the variables that can affect plant growth.
C
They are valid because the dependent variable caused a change in the independent variable.
D
They are not valid because the time frame to grow a plant is too short.
16

A student does an experiment for a science fair to study whether temperature affects the timing of a cricket’s chirps. The student keeps a cricket in an enclosed box that is heated to different temperatures each day for twelve days. The student records the cricket’s chirps by using a sound-activated microphone so that the timing of the chirps can be measured. The student records the results of the experiment in the table below.Day123456789101112Temperature (ºC)212223242526272829303132Average time between chirps (sec)2.52.62.22.32.01.81.91.81.41.21.51.1Which generalization can be made from the data in the table?

A
The higher the temperature, the fewer chirps there will be in 10 seconds.
B
The chirps occur closer together as the temperature increases.
C
The chirps become farther apart as the temperature increases.
D
There is no relationship between temperature and the time between chirps.
17

Scientists once believed that Tyrannosaurus rex dragged its tail along the ground. Today, they know that T. rex did not drag its tail but held it aloft, above the ground. This change in scientific consensus happened because

A
scientists liked the idea that T. rex held its tail aloft better.
B
no one supported the idea that T. rex dragged its tail on the ground.
C
the idea that T. rex held its tail aloft is an emerging idea that replaced the old idea.
D
the idea that T. rex held its tail aloft was supported by the studies of many scientists.
18

Lakesha was culturing bacteria. She used aseptic technique to make sure there was no contamination. When she was finished, she used water to clean the surface of her table. She then put the sample in the incubator, removed her gloves, and washed her hands with soap and water. Which error did Lakesha make in her process?

A
A student should not culture bacteria in the lab.
B
Aseptic technique is used for chemical spills.
C
She does not need to wash her hands after culturing bacteria.
D
She should be using a disinfectant on her table, not just water.
19

Which statement best explains why the development of a new area of science can lead to changes in a theory?

A
A new area of science attracts new scientists who study old theories for flaws.
B
A new area of science promotes experimentation from a different point of view.
C
A new area of science allows old theories to be reworded using new terminology.
D
A new area of science encourages scientists to replace old theories with modern ones.
20

Examine the following list of questions.1. Why are kids afraid of ghosts?2. Should I feed the raccoons that visit my trash can?3. How does mouse color affect mouse survival?4. Does a mother duck love her babies?Which statement correctly identifies the scientific question and describes why the question is scientific?

A
Question 1 refers to the supernatural.
B
Question 2 reflects a moral or social value.
C
Question 3 leads to a hypothesis that can be tested.
D
Question 4 reflects a question that can’t be observed.

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