What is Science?

Scientific Knowledge

Scientific Investigations

Representing Data

Science &Society

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Question 1 - 10

• Which statement best describes science?• A. a collection of knowledge about Earth• B. a list of facts that all scientists agree are

true• C. a study of natural events and conditions• D. a complete explanation of everything

that happens in the universe

Answer 1 – 10

• C. a study of natural events and conditions

Question 1 - 20

• Chung is a scientist who invented a new material that absorbs water in a cup so that the water does not drip when the cup is turned upside down. She thought that the material might be good for cleaning up spills at home. Which of the following will help Chung the most in her investigation to see if the material will be good for this task?

• A. Test the material with different amounts of water.• B. Give samples of the material to other scientists.• C. Find the most efficient way to make a lot of the

material.• D. Use the latest scientific equipment for all

experimenting.

Answer 1 – 20

• A. Test the material with different amounts of water.

Question 1 - 30

• Which of the following is always considered part of a scientific investigation?

• A. a science laboratory• B. graphs or charts of data• C. a written report that shows the data• D. observations about the natural world

Answer 1 – 30

• D. observations about the natural world•

Question 1 - 40• During a sunny afternoon, the sun suddenly seems much less bright

than usual. The daylight seems much less intense, as if there is a dense cloud cover, but there are no clouds in the sky. After about a half hour, everything seems normal again. Which of the following is a possible scientific explanation for the temporary decrease in light?

• A. The moon was passing between the sun and Earth.• B. An airplane was flying overhead and blocked the light from

the sun.• C. There are variations in the amount of light produced by the

sun.• D. A sudden change in temperature increased the density of the

atmosphere.

Answer 1 – 40

• A. The moon was passing between the sun and Earth.

Question 1 - 50• A scientist found that a petri dish from an experiment done several days

ago had not been cleaned. In the dish, she discovered a bacterial culture that she had not seen during the experiment. She wants to find out whether the bacteria developed from the material left from the earlier experiment. Which of the following is a way for her to begin testing?

• A. Take a sample of the bacteria and show it to her friend outside the lab.

• B. Gather dirty petri dishes from other labs to see if they grow the same bacteria.

• C. Check all the clean petri dishes for residue from the previous experiment.

• D. Try the original experiment again, do not clean some of the petri dishes, and see if the same type of bacteria grow.

Answer 1 – 50

• D. Try the original experiment again, do not clean some of the petri dishes, and see if the same type of bacteria grow.

Question 2 - 10

• Medical students use a three-dimensional reproduction of a human skeleton to learn about bones. Which item describes this learning tool?

• A. an x-ray model• B. a physical model• C. a computer model• D. a mathematical model

Answer 2 – 10

• B. a physical model

Question 2 - 20• One of Newton’s laws of motion states that, in the

absence of other intervening forces, objects in motion tend to stay in motion. What is a reason that this law may not always prove true for objects on Earth?

• A. The law is a mislabeled theory.• B. Laws cannot be used to make predictions.• C. The law is not supported by scientific

observations or evidence.• D. The conditions on Earth are different than the

conditions specified in the law.

Answer 2 – 20

• D. The conditions on Earth are different than the conditions specified in the law.

Question 2 - 30• Bo learns about the law of inertia. It states that objects at rest

tend to stay at rest, and objects in motion tend to stay in motion. The state of motion changes only when another force acts on an object. Bo wants to use this law to predict how a soccer ball will roll on the grass after he kicks it. Which statement best describes the motion of the ball?

• A. The ball will keep rolling until the forces between the ball and the grass makes it stop.

• B. The ball will not move because it is at rest when he kicks it.• C. The ball will have little movement after he kicks it because

it wants to stay at rest.• D. The ball will keep rolling forever after he kicks it.

Answer 2 – 30

• A. The ball will keep rolling until the forces between the ball and the grass makes it stop.

Question 2 - 40

Which mathematical model predicts how many butterflies there will be on Day 6?

• A. Number of butterflies = 3 + 3• B. Number of butterflies = 3 x 3• C. Number of butterflies = 15 + 3• D. Number of butterflies = 15 x 3

DAY NUMBER OF BUTTERFLIES

1 3

2 6

3 9

4 12

5 15

The table shows data on how the population of butterflies in a backyard changes over five days.

Answer 2 – 40

• C. Number of butterflies = 15 + 3

Question 2 - 50

• Scientists need to know how gravity acts on a space shuttle so they can put the space shuttle into orbit. They use an equation that describes how gravity relates to the mass of two objects and the distance between the two objects. Which term describes this equation?

• A. a model• B. an observation• C. a scientific law• D. a scientific theory

Answer 2 – 50

• A. a model

Question 3 - 10

• A good experiment has several characteristics. Which characteristic is part of a good scientific experiment?

• A. Results can be reproduced.• B. Results are not reviewed by peers.• C. Results are based on a small sample size.• D. Results are based on an undisclosed

process or procedure.

Answer 3 – 10

• A. Results can be reproduced.

Question 3 - 20

• Hillary is dropping objects that are the same volume. She wants to investigate how an object’s mass affects the average speed at which it travels when dropped, until it hits the ground. Which variable must Hillary change during the experiment?

• A. the timer• B. the drop height• C. the mass of the object• D. the place where she drops it

Answer 3 – 20

• C. the mass of the object

Question 3 - 30

• Mackenzie investigates how the volume of gas inside a balloon changes as the temperature of the gas changes. She takes an inflated, sealed balloon from a freezer and uses a string and a meterstick to measure the balloon’s circumference. She moves it to a sunny window for 15 minutes. Then, she measures the circumference with a tape measure. She records these measurements in a data table. Mackenzie realizes that she made a mistake in her experimental procedure. What was wrong with her procedure?

• A. Data should not be recorded directly into a data table.• B. She measured circumference using two methods.• C. She conducts the experiment by herself.• D. She changed the amount of gas in the balloon.

Answer 3 – 30

• B. She measured circumference using two methods.

Question 3 - 40

• Which sequence of events is a logical order of a scientific investigation?

• A. experiment hypothesis analysis of data conclusion

• B. hypothesis experiment conclusion analysis of data

• C. analysis of data conclusion experiment hypothesis

• D. hypothesis experiment analysis of data conclusion

Answer 3 – 40

• D. hypothesis experiment analysis of data conclusion

Question 3 - 50• Anton is a geologist. He wants to get the best

possible information about lava flows from eruptions that are happening at some specific locations around the world. He wants to be able to vary what he studies based on his initial findings. Which type of investigation should Anton conduct?

• A. a survey• B. fieldwork• C. library research• D. a laboratory investigation

Answer 3 – 50

• B. fieldwork

Question 4 - 10

• Which type of graph is a good way to show how data change over time?

• A. a line graph• B. a circle graph• C. a bar graph• D. a data table

Answer 4 – 10

• A. a line graph

Question 4 - 20

• Niels Bohr, a Danish physicist, produced an early model of the atom. Bohr’s model was eventually replaced by the cloud model of the atom. What is the main reason scientists use a model of an atom?

• A. Most atoms are too large to study in a lab.• B. An atom is very small, and a model aids in its study.• C. All atoms are too dangerous to study without a

model.• D. Most atoms are too far away for scientists to study

in a lab.

Answer 4 – 20

• B. An atom is very small, and a model aids in its study.

Question 4 - 30

• Kenton wants to use a graph to identify the chemical components of air. He also wants to show the proportions of each chemical component within air. Which type of graph should Kenton use?

• A. a line graph• B. a scatter plot• C. bar graph• D. a circle graph

Answer 4 – 30

• D. a circle graph

Question 4 - 40

• Which variable should be plotted on the x-axis of a line graph?

• A. Independent Variable• B. Dependent Variable• C. Constant Variable• D. Control Variable

Answer 4 – 40

• A. Independent Variable

Question 4 - 50• The chart shows the percentages of different

groups of animals that are at risk of extinction.Species Endangered Threatened

Birds 9.5 4.0

Reptiles 12.0 3.5

Fish 14.1 7.6

Mollusks 24.0 4.0

Which conclusion is supported by the data in the chart?A. Fewer than ten bird species are endangered.B. More birds are at risk than reptiles.C. There are more mollusks at risk today than at any time

in history.D. More fish are endangered than are threatened.

Answer 4 – 50

• D. More fish are endangered than are threatened.

Question 5 - 10

• At the University of Florida, you can study at the College of Engineering. Which type of scientist would your professor be?

• A. a life scientist• B. an earth scientist• C. a physical scientist• D. a behavioral scientist

Answer 5 – 10

• C. a physical scientist

Question 5 - 20

• A scientist said that she first became interested in geology when her parents gave her a birthday present. Which of the following gifts did the parents most likely give their daughter to spark her interest in geology?

• A. a telescope• B. a microscope• C. a chemistry kit• D. a rock tumbler kit

Answer 5 – 20

• D. a rock tumbler kit

Question 5 - 30

• Foresters often are responsible for conserving wildlife habitats within forests. Which kind of science is a forester most likely to study?

• A. ecology• B. oceanography• C. physics• D. astronomy

Answer 5 – 30

• A. ecology

Question 5 - 40• At one time, scientists proposed a principle called the central

dogma. This principle stated that in the body, a chemical substance called DNA contains information. This information passes from DNA to RNA, but not from RNA to DNA. Then in 1970, scientists proved that some types of RNA can transfer information to DNA. What can you conclude from this information?

• A. Scientists have made many life-saving discoveries.• B. Scientists work together to advance scientific knowledge.• C. Scientists often respond to what they see as needs in

society.• D. Scientists may find new information that causes them to

modify their ideas.

Answer 5 – 40

• D. Scientists may find new information that causes them to modify their ideas.

Question 5 - 50

• Science affects our lives in different ways. What is one way that science has directly affected our health?

• A. manufacture of efficient fuels• B. vaccine development• C. discovery of the structure of the atom• D. discovery of planets

Answer 5 – 50

• B. vaccine development