Unit 1 Assessment: Nature of Science

Which of the following is NOT true about science?

• Science aims to explain things that happen in our world.
• Science is both a subject and a process.
• Science relies on evidence.
• Science knowledge always stays the same.

In an experiment, Emma wants to check if adding sugar to water will make it freeze faster. She plans to freeze two containers of water at the same temperature. One container with sugar and one without. She will use the same volume of water in each container. What is the Independent variable in this experiment?

• Freezing time

• Adding sugar

• Temperature of Water

• Volume of Water

Experiments are often repeated many times by the same or different scientists. What is the most important reason more than one scientist should conduct an investigation using the same methods?

• The competition makes the scientists work more carefully.
• More than one scientist is interested in the problem.
• Different scientists might perform the experiment differently.
• If the results are the same, replication of the investigation helps to confirm the results.

John is planning to build a miniature model of a tree for his biology project. What should be accurate about his miniature model?

• The model should be identical in size to the actual tree.

• The model should be constructed from the same materials as the actual tree.

• The model should have the same colors as the actual tree.

• The model should maintain the same proportions as the actual tree.

Why might a scientist use a model instead of the real object, system, or process, when conducting a study?

• An object is too large or small to see.
• A process occurs very slowly or quickly.
• The subject of the study is dangerous to be around.
• The subject is very complex or abstract.
• All of the above

A car company is designing a new seatbelt. To test the design, engineers place a simulation dummy into the car and crash the car into a wall at a high speed. What benefit does this method of testing provide?

• The company can save money by testing fewer cars.
• The company can test the design without harming any real people.
• The company can eliminate the need for testing in the future.
• The company can design many different types of seatbelts at once.

Which of the following is not a type of model?

• Diagrams
• Computer Simulations
• An Organism
• 3 Dimensional Models
• Maps

Instead of dissecting actual frogs, some educational institutions use computer simulations. This allows students who don't have access to a lab to gain a deeper understanding of frog anatomy. What could be a potential drawback of this method?

• The simulation demonstrates the arrangement of the frog's organs.

• The simulation fails to show students the natural variation (differences) among individual frogs.

• The simulation depicts the procedures one might follow when performing a dissection.

• The simulation requires less time than an actual frog dissection.

The atom is the basic building block for all matter in the universe. Atoms are extremely small and are made up of a few even smaller particles. The basic particles that make up an atom are electrons, protons, and neutrons. Over time we have used several different models to show how atoms may look and work. Why do models change over time?

• Models change when new evidence is presented that changes our current scientific knowledge on the subject.
• Models change over time to become simpler so people understand them better.
• Models change when the scientist who created them is no longer alive.
• Models do not change. All of these models are considered valid.

The pictured model of the earths layers is NOT to scale. Given this information what information could BEST be gathered from the model?

• Characteristics of each layer of the earth such as temperature and material.
• The relative size of each layer of the earth.
• The relative order of the layers of the earth.
• No information can be gathered from a model that is not to scale.