WorksheetsBIO SOL Scientific Investigation
Total questions: 39
Worksheet time: 1hrs 16mins
If you increase the amount of spinach you eat, then you will increase the iron in your blood.
What is the dependent variable?
increase the amount of iron in your blood
spinach you eat
The constants in an experiment are
all of the items in the experiment that stay the same
the variable that is manipulated
the mistake that occurs in the experiement
used for comparison
What is happening to the temperature in New York City?
It is remaining about the same.
It is mostly decreasing.
It is mostly increasing.
There is a pattern of increasing and decreasing.
Which type of air pollutant is the most abundant?
carbon monoxide
particulate matter
nitrogen oxides
sulfur oxides
The graph shows the amount of pollutants removed by trees. During October, the trees were able to remove the greatest amount of -
ozone
particles
NO2
SO2
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 9mL of water?
10 mL graduated cylinder
20mL graduated cylinder
50mL graduated cylinder
100mL graduated cylinder
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?
Capture and put coded bands on the birds in Virginia, then record the bands seen on birds in the summer location.
Take detailed photographs of winter flocks in Virginia and summer flocks in other locations and compare.
Follow the Virginia flock by vehicle on a daily basis
Capture birds in the expected summer location and dissect them to find clues that show the birds were in Virginia during the winter.
The data show the growth of the 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 fifth fertilizer was tested.
Only one plant was tested
The plants were grown at variable temperatures
A control without fertilizer was included for each fo the plants
Hypothesis: More pine seeds germinate after a forest fire.
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 -
germinated after fire
tolerant of fire
found before a fire
placed in a fire
A student wanted to study the effect of temperature on algae levels in a local stream. Which items are most useful for gathering data and most appropriate for communicating the results of her observations?
Research on the Internet and videotapes of water samples
Microscopes and written descriptions of weather patterns
pH strips and written observations of stream water
Test tubes, thermometers, and graphs of results
A student wanted to look at plant growth in five different soil samples. He planted the same type of seeds in identical containers and left them together in full sunlight. He gave each plant the same amount of water and charted the growth of each plant stem. What is the independent variable in this experiment?
Soil
Light
Container
Seeds
Which trial in the table of data shown has questionable data?
W
X
Y
Z
A student states that plants grow taller when grown in natural light than they do in artificial light. Which method is the BEST way to determine if the statement is fact or opinion? (BIO.1.c)
conduct a controlled experiment
discuss the statement with other students
ask several teachers their thoughts
propose a scientific conclusion
The graph shows the effect of light intensity on photosynthesis. An increase in light intensity will result in an increase in the rate of photosynthesis as shown in the graph. Which is another valid conclusion based on this graph? (BIO.1.e)
A decrease in temperature stops photosynthesis.
An increase in temperature increases the rate of photosynthesis.
An increase in photosynthesis reduces the intensity of light.
A decrease in photosynthesis increases the intensity of light.
In a city-wide investigation conducted by a veterinarian group, 1,500 dogs in specific areas were examined for the presence of fleas. The investigation revealed that about twelve percent of the dogs showed some evidence of flea infestation. What statement BEST describes the investigation? (BIO.1.g)
The investigation is valid because the entire city was involved in the investigation.
The investigation is valid because there was a large enough sample size taken.
The investigation is invalid because heartworm infestation was not included.
The investigation is invalid because cats were not included in the study.
A student looks at the graph below and concludes that this experiment has found the ideal temperature for hatching frog eggs. Which statement BEST explains the weakness of this conclusion? (BIO.1.f)
There is no ideal temperature for hatching frog eggs.
The graph does not include sufficient precision in temperature measurements.
The graph does not tell the number of eggs that hatched at each temperature.
There is incomplete data for the number of eggs hatching at 0ºC and at 40ºC.
Some researchers believe that beta-carotene, which is found in carrots, may help humans live longer lives. A few scientists designed an experiment in which one-hundred people would be asked to take a double dose of beta-carotene daily for two years and another hundred people were given a placebo, a sugar pill, for the same amount of time. After the two years, the scientists planned to collect the data and draw a conclusion. This is NOT a good example of a scientific study and was not done because (BIO.1.f)
there is no control group.
there are too many variables.
there is no experimental group.
it does not have a testable hypothesis.
A plant sitting on a windowsill has wilted. A student explained that the plant wilted because it is in direct sunlight. What is another possible reason the plant wilted? (BIO.1.l)
The noise in the room was too loud.
There was too much space for the plant to grow.
The plant did not receive enough water.
There was too much carbon dioxide in the room.
A researcher observes that an organism placed in a glass container filled with water moves away when a penlight is focused on the container. The researcher concludes that the organism is light sensitive. Which other explanation for the organism’s response to the light is MOST possible?
The organism avoids radio waves.
The organism avoids gamma rays.
The organism moves away from vibrations.
The organism moves away from heat sources.
A group of students compared the effects of fertilizer on the growth of tomato plants. The students gave six tomato plants Fertilizer 1 and six other tomato plants Fertilizer 2. They grew the plants under the same conditions. After several weeks, the students concluded that the tomato plants that received Fertilizer 1 grew taller than those that received Fertilizer 2. Which of the following actions would have increased the accuracy of the results of this investigation?
using different growing conditions for a group of the plants
growing a group of tomato plants without fertilizer
growing different types of plants with each fertilizer
applying a combination of fertilizers to all the plants
Match the following descriptions with the correct scientific terms:
Constants
Conditions that stay the same
Independent Variable
The variable that is changed on purpose
Control
Represents the normal conditions
Hypothesis
An "If .... then prediction statement
Dependent Variable
The variable that we measure
Match the following parts of the experiment: Sophia became interested in insulation while her parent’s new house was being built. She decided to determine which insulation transferred the least amount of heat. She filled each of 5 jars half-full with water. She sealed each jar with a plastic lid. Then she wrapped 4 of the jars with a different kind of insulation, leaving one jar without insulation. She put the jars outside in the direct sunlight. Later, she measured the temperature of the water in each jar.
Control Group
Jar with no insulation.
Experimental Group
Jars with insulation
Independent Variable
Type of insulation
Dependent Variable
Temperature of water
Constant
How much water
An (a) is the group in an experiment where the independent variable is being changed or altered. The (b) , where the variables are kept unchanged, is used to provide a comparison to the groups being tested.
Chase, Matti, and Grace are planning to grow plants for their school project. They understand that the amount of water, sunlight, and type of soil must be kept the same for all plants for the experiment to be fair. This is known as a (a) . Can you help them identify what it is?
control group
quantitative
constant
law
