Name Class Date

The Science of BiologyChapter Test B

Multiple Choice

Write the letter that best answers the question or completes the statement on the line provided.

_____ 1. Science is best described as a

a. body of information.c.collection of beliefs.

b. way of knowing.d.list of rules.

_____ 2. Based on your observations, you suggest that the presence of water could accelerate the growth of bread mold. This is

a. a conclusion.c. an experiment.

b. a hypothesis.d.an analysis.

_____ 3. During a controlled experiment, a scientist isolates and tests

a. a conclusion.c. a control group.

b.a mass of information.d.a single variable.

_____ 4. A student sees a bee on a flower. The student wonders how the bee finds flowers. This student is displaying the scientific attitude of

a. creativity.c. open-mindedness.

b. curiosity.d. skepticism.

_____ 5. After a scientist publishes a paper, someone else finds evidence that the paper’s hypothesis may not be correct. The scientist is unhappy, but studies the new evidence anyway. The scientist is showing which scientific attitude?

a. creativity.c. open-mindedness.

b. curiosity.d. skepticism.

_____ 6. What does a reviewer do during peer-review?

a. Focus on mistakes in spelling.

b. Change data to support results.

c. Check for mistakes and bias.

d. Repeat the experiments in the article.

_____ 7. A well-tested explanation that explains a lot of observations is

a. a hypothesis.c. a theory.

b. an inference.d. a controlled experiment.

_____ 8. A personal preference or point of view is

a. a bias.c. a hypothesis.

b. a theory.d. an inference.

_____ 9. How does studying science help you be a better member of society?

a. Learning the biases of science will help you know what is right or wrong.

c. Understanding how science works will help you make better decisions.

b. Memorizing science facts will help you become more intelligent.

d. Knowing science will help you live without the aid of technology.

_____ 10. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of all living things?

a. growth and development.c. response to the environment.

b. ability to move.d. ability to reproduce.

77

Name Class Date

_____ 11. The process by which organisms keep everything inside their bodies within certainlimits is called

a. homeostasis.c. metabolism.

b. evolution.d.photosynthesis.

Figure 1–1

_____ 12. Figure 1–1 shows that tree finches and ground finches are descended from a common ancestor. This example represents which big idea in biology?

a. interdependence in nature

b. growth, development, and reproduction

c. homeostasis

d. evolution

_____ 13. Would a scientist who studies evolution also have to learn about other branches of biology? Why or why not?

a. Yes; the other branches of biology are more important.

b. Yes; the different branches of biology are interrelated.

c.No; the other branches of biology do not affect evolution.

d. No; each branch of biology is separate from the others.

_____ 14. Biologists who work in the fields of genomics and molecular biology study

a. the biosphere.c. DNA.

b. diseases.d. trees.

78

Name Class Date

_____ 15.Scientists often try to repeat each other’s results. Which of the following should a scientist do to make it easier for others to replicate his or her experiment?

  1. Not use a control to save time.
  2. Collect only one set of data.
  3. Skip peer-review so the results are available sooner.
  4. Use the metric system when communicating procedures and results.

Completion

Complete each statement on the line provided.

16. Scientists try to use explanations of the natural world to understand patterns and make about natural events.

17. A person who asks a lot of questions about the natural world is showing the scientific attitude of .

18. Charles Darwin’s ideas about change over time have been well tested by other scientists and are now considered to be a .

19.The combination of chemical reactions through which an organism builds up or breaks down materials as it carries out its life processes is called .

20.Inside all living things, chemical reactions happen that allow the organisms to grow and develop. Organisms need to take in to fuel these reactions.

Short Answer

In complete sentences, write the answers to the questions on the lines provided.

21. Why is it NOT useful to view science as a set of facts?

22. To study the effects of a mineral deficiency, a number of rats are divided into two groups: one group is fed a normal diet, whereas the other group is fed the same diet but with one necessary mineral left out. The animals receiving the normal diet remained healthy; those in the other group grew weaker. Formulate a hypothesis based on this experiment.

23. Why is it necessary to put a paper through peer review before it is published?

24. Some opponents of the theory of evolution dismiss the ideas as being “just a theory.” Why is this NOT a very good argument against the theory of evolution?

79

Name Class Date

25. What do global ecologists study?

Using Science Skills

Use the table below to answer the following questions on the lines provided.

26.Interpret Tables What four common metric units in Figure 1–2 are used to measure length?

27.Interpret Tables Use Figure 1–2 to figure out how milliliter and cubic centimeter are related.

28.Interpret Tables According to Figure 1–2, what is the boiling point of water in degrees Celsius?

29.Apply Concepts Using Figure 1–2, what number does the prefix kilo- represent?

30.Calculate Based on Figure 1–2, if you have 2 L of water, how many milliliters do you have?

80