Nature of Science

If a company claims that its product has been proven scientifically, which of the following should

have taken place if the results are to be considered reliable?

• A. The company should have held discussions with leading industry scientists.

• B. Technology should have been used in both the gathering of data and data analysis.

• *C. Results should have been peer reviewed and repeated producing the same findings.

• D. The results of the investigation should have been published in popular magazines.

A student is conducting an investigation to determine the effect of temperature on the

metabolism of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Yeast and sugar are added to water, the gas

produced is captured, and its volume is recorded. Which variables should be held constant

during this investigation?

• A. Mass of sugar and water temperature

• *B. Mass of yeast and mass of sugar

• C. Volume of gas and water temperature

• D. Volume of gas and mass of yeast

Based on your knowledge of scientific investigations, which stage of scientific investigation did

the invention of the microscope significantly advance?

• A. Communicating the results of experimentation

• *B. Gathering the data for the investigation

• C. Generating explanations of phenomena

• D. Planning the investigation and experimentation

Scientific law and a scientific theory are similar in that both

• A. are based on what we expect to happen based on natural history

• B. describe the events that can be observed in nature

• C. explain why events and conditions occur as they do in the natural world

• *D. represent a large amount of scientific investigation and evidence

To help patients replenish bodily fluids quickly during an illness, doctors need to understand

how cells behave in their environment. Doctors have confidence in what they know about how

cells behave because

• *A. cell theory has been tested, refined, and observed to be true over hundreds of years

• B. large medical institutions have conducted their own experiments justifying cell theory

• C. the basics of cell theory have not changed much since the original experiments

• D. what we know about cell theory has been published in reputable journals

In order to be accepted, a scientific theory must be

•  widely tested and supported by extensive data

   

• based on the results of a single experiment

•  controversial and cause debate

   

• in line with all previous historical ideas

In an appropriately designed experiment, a scientist is able to test the effect of

•  a single variable

   

• multiple variables

•  the hypothesis

•  scientific observations