SC 7 N 3 1

Scientists in all branches of science have developed scientific theories. Which of the following statements is true about all scientific theories?

• Scientific theories are based on large amounts of evidence.

• Scientific theories are based on the work of individual scientists.

• Sometimes there is not a lot of evidence to support a scientific theory.

• Scientific theories are not widely accepted when they are first developed.

Which best explains the difference between a scientific theory and a scientific law?

• law is based on evidence; a theory is based on ideas.

• Biologists develop theories; geologists develop laws.

• A theory can become a law; a law cannot become a theory.

• A theory explains a set of observations; a law describes a pattern in nature.

Suppose that new evidence from many new experiments does not support an existing scientific theory. Which of the following is most likely to happen?

• New experiments will be conducted until evidence supporting the theory is obtained.

• The theory will be revised.

• The new evidence will be changed to support the theory.

• The theory will not be affected in any way.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

Charles Darwin developed the theory of evolution by natural selection, which states that organisms that are best suited for their environment survive and reproduce. This can cause the population to change, or evolve, over time. Below are images of a species of bird found in four different parts of the world. How does this evidence support Darwin’s theory?

• Birds with different beak types evolved into one species of bird.

• The same species of bird has evolved differently to best fit its environment.

• Birds with different beak types migrated to wherever they could best use their beak.

• The same species of bird has always had different types of beaks.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

A scientific theory

• is used to prove hypotheses.

• is used to prove a scientific law.

• is simply a claim or guess by a scientist.

• is a well-supported, widely accepted explanation.

This is a timeline depicting the development of atomic ___________. What word should be used to fill in the blank? Support your choice with evidence.

• Law. At each interval on the timeline, scientists described the patterns they saw in both atomic and subatomic structure.

• Law. Scientists used observation, experimentation, and mathematical models to explain atomic stricter and the behavior of subatomic particles.

• Hypothesis. Scientists conducted experiments at each interval. They made educated guesses regarding atomic structure and then experimented to support or rejected the hypotheses.

• Theory. At each interval on the timeline, scientists made observations and conducted experiments to explain how atoms and/or subatomic particles behaved in order to determine atomic structure.

The list of terms BEST describes a

• hypothesis.

• law.

• theory.

• variable.

Sir Isaac Newton determined that gravity has a fixed acceleration on Earth. The earth pulls objects towards it with a fixed acceleration at -9.8 m/s2. This is a _____________ ____________, as it states a scientifically accepted fact about the natural world.

• scientific law

• scientific theory

• natural hypothesis

• scientific evaluation

In the early 1900s German geophysicist Alfred Wegener began to question how the structures on the Earth formed over time. He proposed the Theory of Continental Drift to suggest that all continents were once connected and have "drifted" to their current location over time. What was the main reason that Wegener's theory received a lot of ridicule from the scientific community?

• No similar fossils were found on different continents.

• There was no data to suggest any change in geologic structures.

• Wegener did not give a method on how the continents actually moved.

• The outlines of the continents looked like puzzle pieces that would fit together.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

In 1859, Charles Darwin described a model of how living things change over time. He described this model and the evidence that supported it in a book called On The Origin of Species. Which scientific term is used to describe a testable model that seeks to explain natural phenomena?

• data

• hypothesis

• observation

• theory