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WorksheetsSources of Error
Total questions: 22
Worksheet time: 14mins
A biology class in Virginia conducted a survey of the plant species found on their school grounds. They found several plants that they didn’t recognize. What resources would be most helpful to the class in identifying the plants and determining if they were introduced as exotic species?
Virginia newspapers and science journals
Biology textbooks and the encyclopedia
Fossil records and historical society publications
Virginia native plant checklists and plant identification keys
A student researching a new discovery about the activity of mitochondria could find the most current and reliable information in a —
popular news magazine
cell biology textbook
scientific journal
newspaper
Which of the following methods would provide the most accurate information for students collecting data about local attitudes concerning the use of alternative fuels for automobiles?
Listen to speeches given by politicians
Take an opinion poll of drivers
Track prices at nearby gas stations
Study newspaper articles
Henry’s project is on porcupine populations in Virginia. He would like to use the phone book to help him make contacts. His most reliable contacts would probably be found by looking in the phone book under —
newspapers
state agencies
civil engineers
travel agencies
Which of the following best explains why a student researching genetics should use the most recent textbooks available?
Research in Mendelian genetics began very recently.
Older textbooks are more difficult to understand.
No technologies from more than ten years ago are still in use.
New discoveries frequently add to older knowledge in genetics.
Which of these would be the best resource to research the symptoms and treatment of hypoglycemia?
Daily television news
Journal of Zoology
New England Journal of Medicine
Natural History Magazine
If a student needs to do research on heredity for a science project, which of these sources is the most reliable resource?
A newspaper tabloid
A national newspaper
A professional journal
A weekly news magazine
Which of the following scientific achievements best represents a collaborative effort among scientists?
Francis Crick and James Watson worked together to design the double-helix model of DNA.
Gregor Mendel’s study of pea plants enabled Thomas Morgan to become the first to locate a gene on a chromosome in Drosophila.
Robert Koch studied infectious diseases, and Louis Pasteur demonstrated that life only comes from life.
Anton van Leeuwenhoek invented the microscope in the 1600s, which was later used by others to study cells.
Which question cannot be answered scientifically because the quantity cannot actually be measured?
How fast can a tiger swallowtail butterfly fly?
How much food does a water buffalo consume in one day?
How happy is a chimpanzee when it finds its favorite food?
How heavy is a mature female elephant?
Harvester ants often strip a bush of all of its leaves. Some people believe this helps the plant grow thicker, healthier stems. In an experiment, a student stripped off all the leaves from a set of plants. In a second set of identical plants, the student allowed ants to strip off the plants’ leaves. In order to improve this experimental design, it is most important to add a set of plants —
exposed to a different ant species
of a different species
with its leaves left intact
that are dormant
Which data point on the graph is probably invalid?
1
2
3
4
Scientists studied a flock of tundra swans that spent the winter along rivers in Virginia. The swans migrate in the spring to other locations. What would be the best way for scientists to distinguish between the birds they study in Virginia and flocks in the summer location?
Follow the Virginia flock by vehicle on a daily basis
Capture and put coded bands on the birds in Virginia, then record the bands seen on birds in the summer location
Capture birds in the expected summer location and dissect them to find clues that show the birds were in Virginia during the winter
Take detailed photographs of winter flocks in Virginia and summer flocks in other locations and compare photographs
An experiment was conducted to test the effectiveness of four different fertilizers on plant growth. Two grams of each fertilizer were to be diluted in 9 milliliters (mL) of water before adding to a plant. Which of the following measuring devices would introduce the least error into the measurement of the 9 mL of water?
20 mL graduated cylinder
10 mL graduated cylinder
100 mL graduated cylinder
50 mL graduated cylinder
A biology class of 24 students decides to measure the height of each student and then calculate the average height for the class. Which of these is a possible source of error in this activity?
The total number of students in the class
The number of males and females in the class
The difference in the ages of the students in the class
The accuracy of making and recording measurements
The most valid and reliable test of this hypothesis would include an experimental group of pine seeds that was recovered from a fire area and pine seeds that were —
tolerant of fire
germinated after a fire
placed in a fire
found before a fire
The data show the growth of two bean plants over several weeks using four different fertilizers. The experimental data would be more valid if which of the following variables was included in the experiment?
A control without fertilizer was included for each plant.
The plants were grown at variable temperatures.
Only one plant was tested.
A fifth fertilizer was tested.
In the lab setup pictured above, a student is trying to determine the effect of pollutants on the growth of three groups of seeds. The results will not be valid because the experiment has no —
conclusion
hypothesis
variable
control
Which sentence best states the importance of using control groups?
Control groups eliminate the need for large sample sizes, reducing the number of measurements needed.
Control groups eliminate the need for statistical tests and simplify calculations.
Control groups provide a method by which statistical variability can be reduced.
Control groups allow comparison between subjects receiving a treatment and those receiving no treatment.
What is a controlled experiment?
An experiment where one variable is changed.
An experiment where two variables are changed.
An experiment where ALL variables are controlled or kept constant
An experiment where NO variables are controlled or kept constant
What are possible sources of error? (list all that apply)
no control
testing 2 variables
not having controlled variables (constants)
accuracy of measurements
Some researchers are developing a new fertilizer designed to improve the growth of plants in hot, dry climates. The fertilizer was applied to one hundred desert plants in a greenhouse. The average daytime temperature in the greenhouse was 90°F, and the humidity levels were low. Which is best for the researchers to do next?
A compare plants that received fertilizer to similar plants that received none
B begin selling the fertilizer to gardeners living in hot, dry climates
C change the conditions in the greenhouse and retest the fertilizer
D test the fertilizer on plants that are adapted to cooler climates
The students concluded that the plants grown indoors grew faster because they received better quality light than the plants grown outdoors. Which is the most likely reason this conclusion may be flawed?
The students measured the plants at different times.
The students should have grown different types of plants.
The growth of the plants in each set was affected by more than one factor.
The outdoor plants grew faster than the indoor plants.
