Which of the following best describes the logic of scientific inquiry?

Which of the following best describes the logic of scientific inquiry? 

A) If I generate a testable hypothesis, tests and observations will support it.
B) If my prediction is correct, it will lead to a testable hypothesis.
C) If my observations are accurate, they will support my hypothesis.
D) If my hypothesis is correct, I can expect certain test results.
E) If my experiments are set up right, they will lead to a testable hypothesis.




Answer: D

Which of the following is an example of qualitative data?

Which of the following is an example of qualitative data? 

A) The temperature decreased from 20°C to 15°C.
B) The plant's height is 25 centimeters (cm).
C) The fish swam in a zigzag motion.
D) The six pairs of robins hatched an average of three chicks.
E) The contents of the stomach are mixed every 20 seconds.





Answer: C

Which of the following statements best distinguishes hypotheses from theories in science?

Which of the following statements best distinguishes hypotheses from theories in science? 

A) Theories are hypotheses that have been proved.
B) Hypotheses are guesses; theories are correct answers.
C) Hypotheses usually are relatively narrow in scope; theories have broad explanatory power.
D) Hypotheses and theories are essentially the same thing.
E) Theories are proved true; hypotheses are often falsified.




Answer: C

A controlled experiment is one that

A controlled experiment is one that 

A) proceeds slowly enough that a scientist can make careful records of the results.
B) tests experimental and control groups in parallel.
C) is repeated many times to make sure the results are accurate.
D) keeps all variables constant.
E) is supervised by an experienced scientist.

Answer: B

Which of the following best demonstrates the unity among all organisms?

Which of the following best demonstrates the unity among all organisms? 

A) matching DNA nucleotide sequences
B) descent with modification
C) the structure and function of DNA
D) natural selection
E) emergent properties





Answer: C

Protists and bacteria are grouped into different domains because

Protists and bacteria are grouped into different domains because 

A) protists eat bacteria.
B) bacteria are not made of cells.
C) protists have a membrane-bounded nucleus, which bacterial cells lack.
D) bacteria decompose protists.
E) protists are photosynthetic.






Answer: C

Systems biology is mainly an attempt to

Systems biology is mainly an attempt to 

A) analyze genomes from different species.
B) simplify complex problems by reducing the system into smaller, less complex units.
C) understand the behavior of entire biological systems.
D) build high-throughput machines for the rapid acquisition of biological data.
E) speed up the technological application of scientific knowledge.





Answer: C

Which of the following is not an observation or inference on which Darwin's theory of natural selection is based?

Which of the following is not an observation or inference on which Darwin's theory of natural selection is based? 

A) Poorly adapted individuals never produce offspring.
B) There is heritable variation among individuals.
C) Because of overproduction of offspring, there is competition for limited resources.
D) Individuals whose inherited characteristics best fit them to the environment will generally produce more offspring.
E) A population can become adapted to its environment over time.




Answer: A

Which of the following is a correct sequence of levels in life's hierarchy, proceeding downward from an individual animal?

Which of the following is a correct sequence of levels in life's hierarchy, proceeding downward from an individual animal? 

A) brain, organ system, nerve cell, nervous tissue
B) organ system, nervous tissue, brain
C) organism, organ system, tissue, cell, organ
D) nervous system, brain, nervous tissue, nerve cell
E) organ system, tissue, molecule, cell






Answer: D

All the organisms on your campus make up

All the organisms on your campus make up 

A) an ecosystem.
B) a community.
C) a population.
D) an experimental group.
E) a taxonomic domain.




Answer: B

The students plan to gather data from the project. Which of the following would be the best way to present what they gather from experimental groups as opposed to controls?

The students plan to gather data from the project. Which of the following would be the best way to present what they gather from experimental groups as opposed to controls? 

A) qualitatively, noting color, size, and so on
B) measuring the number of new colonies formed during every 12-hour period
C) counting the number of new colonies after a week
D) measuring the size of each new colony in millimeters (mm) of length
E) measuring the dry weight of all new colonies in grams




Answer: B

For their second experiment, the students want to know whether the Dinobryon have to live in colonies or can be free living. How might they proceed?

For their second experiment, the students want to know whether the Dinobryon have to live in colonies or can be free living. How might they proceed? 

A) Observe each day to see whether new organisms are ever reproduced as single cells.
B) Observe whether only specialized cells are able to divide to produce new colonies.
C) Divide a sample into single cells and measure the length of time they remain this way.
D) Divide a sample into single cells and observe them.
E) Divide a sample into single cells and see whether they come back together.






Answer: C

The students decide that for one of their experiments, they want to see whether the organisms can photosynthesize. Which of the following is the best hypothesis?

The students decide that for one of their experiments, they want to see whether the organisms can photosynthesize. Which of the following is the best hypothesis? 

A) If the Dinobryon can live > 5 days without added food, they must be able to photosynthesize.
B) If the Dinobryon can live without exposure to light for > 5 days, they must be able to photosynthesize.
C) If the Dinobryon photosynthesize, they must need no other minerals or nutrients and will be able to live in distilled water and light alone.
D) If the Dinobryon are kept in the dark, one-half will be expected to die in 5 days.
E) If the Dinobryon are able to photosynthesize, the students should be able to extract photosynthetic pigments.

Answer: E

Since these organisms are protists, which of these characteristics could the students assume to be true?

Golden algae are a group of protists whose color is due to carotenoid pigments: yellow and brown. Most have two flagella and all are photosynthetic. A group of students was given a significant sample of one of these (Dinobryon) that is colonial. Their instructions for the project were to design two or more experiments that could be done with these organisms.

Since these organisms are protists, which of these characteristics could the students assume to be true? 

A) The organisms are photosynthetic.
B) All of them are marine.
C) They are single-celled.
D) They lack membrane-bound organelles.
E) Each has a single circular molecule of DNA.



Answer: A

What do these two plants have in common?

What do these two plants have in common? 

A) adaptations to extreme heat
B) adaptations to conserve water
C) identical stem structures
D) identical flower structures
E) lack of photosynthesis






Answer: B

The illustration above most probably represents

The illustration above most probably represents 

A) a computer simulation of the structure of a eukaryotic cell.
B) a map of a network of protein interactions within a eukaryotic cell.
C) an inventory of all the genes in a fruit fly.
D) an X-ray diffraction image of the nucleus and cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell.
E) a computer-generated map of the interaction of genes and cytoplasm in a prokaryotic cell.





Answer: B

Why is a scientific topic best discussed by people of varying points of view, a variety of subdisciplines, and diverse cultures?

Why is a scientific topic best discussed by people of varying points of view, a variety of subdisciplines, and diverse cultures? 

A) They can rectify each other's approach to make it truly scientific.
B) Robust and critical discussion between diverse groups improves scientific thinking.
C) Scientists can explain to others that they need to work in isolation to utilize the scientific method more productively.
D) This is another way of making science more reproducible.
E) Scientists need to exchange their ideas with other disciplines and cultures so that all groups are in consensus with the course of future research.

Answer: B

Which of the following best describes a model organism?

Which of the following best describes a model organism? 

A) It is often pictured in textbooks and easy for students to imagine.
B) It lends itself to many studies that are useful to beginning students.
C) It is well studied, easy to grow, and results are widely applicable.
D) It is small, inexpensive to raise, and lives a long time.
E) It has been chosen for study by the earliest biologists.




Answer: C

In a high school laboratory, which of the following constitutes an experiment?

In a high school laboratory, which of the following constitutes an experiment? 

I. learning to use a microscope by examining fixed specimens on slides
II. being able to examine swimming protists under a microscope
III. extracting pigments from plant leaves and separating the types of pigments for identification
IV. preparing root tips for examination by staining them




A) I only
B) II only
C) III only
D) II and III only
E) II, III, and IV



Answer: C

Which of these is an example of inductive reasoning?

Which of these is an example of inductive reasoning? 

A) Hundreds of individuals of a species have been observed and all are photosynthetic; therefore, the species is photosynthetic.
B) These organisms live in sunny parts of this area so they are able to photosynthesize.
C) If horses are always found grazing on grass, they can be only herbivores and not omnivores.
D) If protists are all single-celled, then they are incapable of aggregating.
E) If two species are members of the same genus, they are more alike than each of them could be to a different genus.

Answer: A