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WHATISLIFEA l l l
GUIDETOBIOLOGY
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WITHPHYSIOLOGY
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4THEDITIONBY
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PHELAN
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,1. By applying scientific thinking, one should be able to:
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A) prove that bees are attracted to colorful flowers because it makes them feel happy.
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B) determine whether there is a God in the heavens. l l l l l l l l
C) prove that there is life after death, and what that life is like.
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D) determine exactly how many grains of dust are on the Moon. l l l l l l l l l l
E) determine whether eating more meat makes you grow taller. l l l l l l l l
2. The study of living things is called:
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A) botany.
B) zoology.
C) archaeology.
D) biology.
E) geology.
3. True or False: Science is only relevant to professionals who conduct clinical trials and
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gather research for a living.
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A) True
B) False
4. Which of the following questions underlies scientific thinking?
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A) “Is science relevant to me?”
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B) “What do the experts say?” l l l l
C) “How do I know that is true?” l l l l l l
D) “Can I trust scientific theories?” l l l l
E) “How can I manipulate evidence to my advantage?” l l l l l l l
5. Scientific literacy: l
A) is only important for students studying biology.
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B) is increasingly important in our everyday lives.
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C) can come from accepting what experts tell us.
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D) is not necessary if you rely on “gut instinct.”
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E) is only useful for those with careers in medicine.
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6. True or False: Biological literacy is useful for making better decisions for your own life.
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A) True
B) False
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, 7. Which of the following statements could not arise from making scientific observations?
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A) The hair on my legs grew to a length of 1 cm in 3 days after shaving it off.
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B) Human twins have exactly the same DNA. l l l l l l
C) The quartz crystal I had in my pocket today increased the likelihood of life being
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discovered on other planets by ten times. l l l l l l
D) There are tiny creatures visible under a microscope that can't be seen by the naked
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eye.
E) I sneezed two separate times today; both times, I sneezed three sneezes in a row.
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8. The scientific method is:
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A) a deductive process based on testable and measurable events.
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B) a way of thinking that relies heavily on faith and belief.
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C) a process that starts with a conclusion and move toward a hypothesis.
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D) a method that uses different steps, depending on who is using it.
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E) a rigid process, like following a recipe exactly.
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9. Generally, what is the third step in the scientific method, after one formulates a
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hypothesis?
A) Make observations. l
B) Draw conclusions and make revisions.
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C) Devise a testable prediction. l l l
D) Conduct a critical experiment. l l l
E) Formulate a null hypothesis. l l l
10. To be useful in the scientific method, an observation must be:
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A) hypothetical.
B) definite.
C) measurable.
D) proven.
E) metaphysical.
11. Scientific study always begins with:
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A) hypotheses.
B) conclusions.
C) experiments.
D) observations.
E) data.
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, 12. In scientific thinking, which of the following are not subject to revision?
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A) experiments
B) hunches
C) theories
D) hypotheses
E) observations
13. The proposed explanation for a phenomenon is best described as:
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A) a testable prediction. l l
B) a conclusion. l
C) an observation. l
D) an experiment. l
E) a hypothesis. l
14. If your hypothesis is, “Echinacea reduces the duration and severity of the symptoms of
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the common cold,” what is your null hypothesis?
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A) Vitamin C reduces the duration and severity of the symptoms of the common cold.
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B) Echinacea increases the duration and severity of the symptoms of the common l l l l l l l l l l l
cold.
C) Echinacea has no effect on the duration and severity of the symptoms of the l l l l l l l l l l l l l
common cold. l
D) Echinacea reduces the duration and severity of the symptoms of the flu. l l l l l l l l l l l
E) Vitamin C increases the duration and severity of the symptoms of the common l l l l l l l l l l l l
cold.
15. Which of the following commonly used terms comes closest to the meaning of what
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scientists call a “hypothesis”? l l l
A) fact
B) description
C) observation
D) explanation
E) experiment
16. You notice that over the past month, manystudents have started carrying a new style of
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backpack. You think to yourself, “Maybe the bookstore recently started selling this new
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style of backpack.” The statement in quotation marks is:
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A) a type of control. l l l
B) an example of a hypothesis. l l l l
C) a type of observation. l l l
D) an example of an experimental question. l l l l l
E) an experiment. l
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