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WorksheetsNature of Science Review
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 40mins
An engineer built a model of a roller coaster for a new ride at Busch Gardens. He modeled magnetic repulsion to help the ride slow down and brake. Which statement below describes a benefit of the engineer building his model?
A. A benefit of building the model allows the safety components of the ride to be tested.
B. A benefit of building the model allows an exact copy of the ride to be built at another park.
C. A benefit of building the model allows employees to test the ride before it opens to the general public.
D. A benefit of building the model allows the park to measure the amount of fun theme park guests will have.
A museum is designing a new exhibit for vehicle safety. They want the exhibit to be very similar to the actual conditions drivers' experience on the road. A scientist plans to visit an area where many crashes happen to observe and study the characteristics of the drivers' experience. Which best explains why the scientist would choose to investigate the drivers' road experience using systematic observations rather than an experiment?
A. The research question involves changing one variable to see how it affects others
B. The scientist does not have access to a laboratory in which an experiment can be performed.
C. The research requires detailed observations of interactions between drivers and their environment over time.
D. The scientist's research involves a conceptual model, which requires systematic observations to complete.
Devan drops balls made of various materials in a vacuum tube to test how the material of the ball affects the time it takes to fall. Vacuum tubes are devices that eliminate the effect of air resistance (a type of friction) on the balls as they fall. Each ball is dropped from the same height into the same vacuum tube. Devan measures the amount of time it takes each ball to hit the bottom of the tube resting on the floor. Which variables are held constant in this experiment?
A. The speed at which the balls fall, and the vacuum tube used.
B. The time the balls take to hit the floor and the vacuum tube used.
C. The material the balls are made from, and the vacuum tube used.
D. The height the balls are dropped from, and the vacuum tube used.
A physicist wants other scientists to be able to perform the same experiment she performs in her laboratory. Which is the best way for the scientist to ensure her experiment is replicable by others?
A. Repeat her experiment before publishing the results.
B. Take photos of the experiment's materials and setup.
C. Write detailed notes of each part of the experiment as it is performed.
D. Watch the other scientists complete the experiment over a video call.
Which statement below best describes the use of scientific replication?
A. A scientist performs several different experiments and compares the results obtained.
B. Multiple scientists independently perform the same experiment and compare their results.
C. A scientist conducts multiple trials of the same experiment and compares the results obtained.
D. Multiple scientists observe another scientist's work, and they compare their notes on the results obtained.
Two friends want to decide whose car gets the best gas mileage. A car's gas mileage is the number of miles a car can go for each gallon of gas it uses. They decide to fill the gas tanks of each car, a Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, with the same amount and type of gas and compare how far each car travels before the tank reaches empty. Why is it important that the two cars get the same type of gas?
A. By using the same type of gas, the friends can learn which type of gas gets the best mileage.
B. If the cars do not get the same type of gas, the friends cannot find out which car model has the best mileage.
C. It is not important for both cars to have the same type of gas because they are not testing which type of gas gets the best mileage.
D. By using the same type of gas, the friends can learn both which car model gets the best mileage and which type of gas gives the best mileage.
A roller coaster manufacturer publisher wants to increase the rate at which its riders speed down the hill. Which of the following is NOT an independent (test) variable the roller coaster manufacturer could investigate?
A. The size of the cart on the track.
B. The time it takes the cart to fall 1000 feet.
C. The number of carts attached to each train.
D. The type of track used to build the roller coaster.
Results in science are not generally accepted as being accurate until they can be verified. Which is an example of repetition in science?
A. A student designs an experiment on the distance a toy car travels that includes multiple trials.
B. A scientist poses a new question for investigation after reading the results of another scientist's work.
C. One scientist carries out the same experiment performed by another scientist to validate the results.
D. A scientist analyzes the data included in the published work of another scientist and agrees with the conclusions.
The Law of Conservation of Energy states energy is not created nor destroyed. Why is this statement considered to be a scientific law, and NOT a scientific theory?
A. This statement involves claims made by an individual without evidence.
B. This statement is a testable prediction that can be proven right or wrong.
C. This statement is a well-supported and widely accepted explanation of nature.
D. This statement tells what happens under certain conditions in the natural world.
Scientists conduct many types of scientific investigations. Their efforts include fieldwork, surveys, models, and experiments. Which statement about scientific investigations is not true?
A. They often include multiple trials to increase consistency of data.
B. They may focus on comparing or describing the natural world.
C. They follow exactly the steps because there's one scientific method.
D. They often involve the collection of data under controlled conditions.
Raul wants to investigate how the angle of a ramp affects the speed of an object rolling down the ramp. He can conduct his investigation in several different ways. Which investigation should he perform?
A. Raul should observe different bicyclists riding down hills of varying steepness.
B. Raul should record the time it takes one bicyclist to ride down hills of varying steepness.
C. Raul should observe video of various objects rolling down hills and estimate the angle of the hill and the speed of the object.
D. Raul should perform an experiment in a lab in which the angle of the ramp is controlled, and the speed of a rolling cart is measured.
Which of these statements would describe both scientific laws and scientific theories?
A. They do not change.
B. They are based on opinions.
C. They are based on scientific evidence.
D. They are an idea that can be proven right or wrong.
Scientists discuss and debate experimental results and possible explanations in studying phenomena. Which best explains why scientists debate while searching for explanations?
A. Every scientist wants to find an accurate explanation and disprove others' explanations.
B. Debating gives scientists an opportunity to express their feelings and opinions about the subject.
C. Debating helps the scientific community to present interesting and exciting science to the public.
D. Debating helps scientists focus on empirical evidence, analyzing both the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence.
Mai tells Jaz his theory about why sea turtles nest on the beach instead of in the ocean. She says, 'The turtle eggs would sink to the bottom of the ocean, and the baby turtle would drown.' Mai says her uncle, a fisherman, told Mai this information. Jaz tells Mai that her theory is not scientific. Why does Mai's idea not meet the requirement to be a scientific theory?
A. Mai and her uncle are not scientists.
B. Mai's idea is already a scientific law.
C. Mai's idea is not supported by scientific evidence.
D. Mai's idea is a good guess that can be tested by experiments.
Scientific models are representations of objects, systems, or events and are used as tools for understanding the natural world. They can help scientists visualize (picture in their mind), something that is difficult to see or understand. Models can help scientists communicate their ideas, understand processes, and make predictions. Which of the following statements below is not correct pertaining to scientific models?
A. Models communicate information.
B. Models can be drawings with labels.
C. Models can be a computer representation.
D. Models must be exact replicas of the original
Biology is the study of life and living organisms. Experimentation is one method by which biologists pursue scientific explanations. How would a biologist know if the results of their experiments are valid?
A. They are repeatable.
B. They match their hypothesis.
C. They are not measurable or repeatable.
D. They cannot be used to design another experiment.
Kayden was setting up an experiment for his science fair project and wanted to test the effect of different liquids on plant growth. He placed different types of plants into individual test tubes and used sugar water, salt water, tap water, bottled water, and pond water. He took measurements every day for three weeks and recorded his measurements in a notebook. What could Kayden do differently to ensure he has a valid experiment?
A. Limit the experiment to one week
B. Take measurements more than once a day
C. Only change one variable at a time in the experiment
D. Place some test tubes outside to receive more sunlight.
Which of the following statements accurately describes the use of a control group in an experiment?
A. The control group receives experimental treatment.
B. The control group is excluded from the experiment.
C. The control group does not receive any treatment or receives standard treatment.
D. The control group receives a different treatment than the experimental group.
An engineer made a 3D model of a heart to help him think about how it functions. He made sure that some characteristics of the heart were accurately represented, but he did not include all the heart's characteristics in his model. Is it acceptable that he ignored some of the heart's characteristics in his model?
A. No, because he ignored some of the heart's characteristics, and a model should be like the object represents in every way possible.
B. Yes, but only if he represented the characteristics that affected whether the model looks like the heart, because models should look like the things that they represent.
C. Yes, but only if he represented the characteristics that people would be interested in knowing about, because models are only used to communicate information to others.
D. Yes, but only if he represented the characteristics that affect how the heart functions, because models need to include the characteristics that are relevant to what is being studied
Which of the following statements accurately describes the benefits and limitations of models in science?
A. Models are exact replicas of real-world objects or systems, providing accurate and precise information.
B. Models allow scientists to observe and manipulate real-world phenomena, eliminating the need for experimentation.
C. Models simplify complex concepts and processes, making them easier to understand and study.
D. Models are incapable of representing dynamic systems and can only be used for static representations.
