Nature of Science
A biologist wants to demonstrate how atoms are combined in a DNA molecule, a geologist wants to demonstrate how mountains are formed as a result of tectonic plate collisions, and a physicist wants to demonstrate wave motion.
What method would best allow these three different scientists to demonstrate their concepts?
A. collection of specimens
B. model-building
C. observational field study
D. laboratory experiment
B. model-building
Which statement is true about the gravitational force?
A. It only acts on objects that are moving apart.
B. It only acts on objects that are in contact.
C. It acts on all objects all of the time.
D. It only acts on objects that are close to each other.
C. It acts on all objects all of the time.
Which property of waves is the distance between one point on a wave and that same point on the wave next to it?
A. wavelength
B. frequency
C. amplitude
D. speed
A. wavelength
_______ is a cumulative change in the characteristics of populations over time from generation to generation.
A. Evolution
B. Natural selection
C. Diversification
D. Regeneration
A. Evolution
A ________ is a rigid layer that surrounds a plant cell, providing structural support.
A. chloroplast
B. cell membrane
C. cell wall
D. nucleus
C. cell wall
Jeff is investigating factors that affect the growth rate of potted bean plants. Which of the following experimental variables would not be relevant to his investigation?
A. the color of the pot
B. the type of soil used
C. the amount of light exposure
D. the amount of water given
A. the color of the pot
Nora tied a string around a tennis ball, and then she swung it in a circle in front of her to demonstrate a planet orbiting the Sun. She explained that her hand represented the Sun, the ball represented a planet, and the string kept the ball from leaving the "orbit" around her hand.
Why doesn't the string work in the same way as gravity?
A. The string holding the ball in orbit is a contact force; gravity is a noncontact force.
B. There is no difference between the two systems.
C. The string only pulls one way; gravity pulls both ways.
D. The string keeps the distance between the bodies the same; gravity makes the distance vary.
A. The string holding the ball in orbit is a contact force; gravity is a noncontact force.
Pitch describes how high or low a sound is. The pitch of a sound is most dependent upon the of the sound wave.
A. amplitude
B. rarefaction
C. frequency
D. wavelength
C. frequency
Evolution is the process by which populations accumulate inherited changes over time. Which of the following mechanisms drives evolution?
A. natural selection
B. nitrogen fixation
C. plate tectonics
D. fossilization
A. natural selection
Which of the following organelles is found in most plant cells, but is never found in animal cells?
A. mitochondria
B. nuclei
C. vacuoles
D. chloroplasts
D. chloroplasts
Walter learned in science class that different substances release heat at different rates. He decides to test this.
At home, Walter turns the oven to 200°F. He places three casserole dishes in it: one is made of metal, one is made of glass, and one is made of ceramic. He leaves them in the oven for an hour. He then removes them from the oven, places a single ice cube on each one, and times how long it takes the ice cube to melt.
In this experiment, what is the test variable (independent variable)?
A. the temperature of each pan
B. the volume of each ice cube
C. the amount of time it takes for the ice to melt
D. the material each pan is made of
D. the material each pan is made of
Which force is a noncontact force?
A. normal force
B. impact force
C. frictional force
D. magnetic force
D. magnetic force
Through which of the following media can sound waves travel?
A. air, water, and solids
B. air and solids only
C. water and solids only
D. air and water only
A. air, water, and solids
_______ provide evidence that living things evolved from earlier species.
A. Fossils
B. Religions
C. Historical fictions
D. Videos of dinosaurs
A. Fossils
Which of the following structures would normally be found in a plant cell but not in an animal cell?
A. cell wall
B. cell membrane
C. nucleus
D. mitochondrion
A. cell wall
A scientist read about an experiment done by someone else. She does the same experiment in her lab to make sure it works.
This is an example of:
A. replacement
B. redundancy
C. replication
D. repetition
C. replication
Which of the following objects exerts a gravitational force? Choose more than 1 answer.
A. a basketball
B. the Moon
C. an apple
D. the Sun
E. the Earth
A. a basketball
B. the Moon
C. an apple
D. the Sun
E. the Earth
Waves transport _______ over distances.
A. liquids
B. energy
C. gases
D. solids
B. energy
There are approximately 200 species of mice that live all over the world. Deer mice are a particular species of mice that prefer to live in forests, prairies, and fields. It has been observed that deer mice that live in trees tend to have longer tails because they use their tails for balance. Deer mice that live in prairies and fields tend to have shorter tails so they are less likely to be caught when running away from predators.
If a forest fire occurred in an ecosystem eliminating the majority of the trees and short-tailed mice are naturally selected over long-tailed mice, the evolution of the mice can be primarily attributed to
A. genetic engineering.
B. selective breeding.
C. human impact.
D. environmental factors.
D. environmental factors.
Which of the following statements is part of the cell theory?
A. All living things are made up of one or more cells.
B. All cells come from pre-existing cells.
C. Cells are the basic units of living things.
D. all of these
D. all of these
Julian designs an experiment to see how well different liquids lubricate wooden surfaces. He sets up a number of identical wooden ramps and prepares to slide identical wooden blocks down them. He will time how long it takes each block to reach the end of the ramp. He covers one ramp with water, the second with motor oil, and the third with corn syrup.
What can Julian use as a control group for the experiment?
A. a second set of ramps covered with water, oil, and syrup respectively
B. a ramp with no friction on its surface
C. a ramp with no liquid on it
D. a block that drops straight down instead of sliding down a ramp
C. a ramp with no liquid on it
Gina is driving her car down the street. She has a teddy bear sitting on the back seat. A dog runs in front of Gina's car, so she quickly applies the brakes. The force of the brakes causes the car to stop, but the teddy bear continues to move forward until it hits the car's dashboard.
The teddy bear did not stop at the same time as the car because
A. only objects touching the Earth's surface can be acted upon by an outside force.
B. objects in motion tend to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force.
C. objects in motion can only be stopped by the application of a balanced force.
D. more force is required to stop softer objects than to stop harder objects.
B. objects in motion tend to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force.
Which of the following is/are correct about light?
A. Light cannot travel through liquids.
B. Light energy travels as waves.
C. Light always travels at the same speed.
D. all of these
B. Light energy travels as waves.
C. Light always travels at the same speed.
In a population of short, ground-dwelling animals, some offspring were produced that were approximately 1 cm taller than others in the population. This group was able to reach slightly higher vegetation than the rest of the population. When these animals grew up, they were able to produce more offspring than other animals in the population. This pattern, where the tallest animals were more likely to survive and reproduce, continued over several generations.
Eventually, after many generations, all members of the population were at least 20 cm taller than animals of the original population had been. What does this illustrate?
A. Biological change does not apply to ground-dwelling animals.
B. Only major differences between parents and offspring can result in future generations that are very different from their ancestors.
C. Slight differences between parents and offspring can eventually result in future generations that are very different from their ancestors.
D. Ground-dwelling animals would survive better if they evolve to be shorter.
C. Slight differences between parents and offspring can eventually result in future generations that are very different from their ancestors.
Homeostasis :
A. allows for a wildly fluctuating internal environment
B. is the maintenance of a relatively stable internal environment and often incorporates a form of feedback regulation
C.is impossible in vertebrates
D. is the maintenance of a relatively stable external environment and often incorporates a form of feedback regulation
B. is the maintenance of a relatively stable internal environment and often incorporates a form of feedback regulation