Chapter 1 An Introduction to Life on Earth
1.1 Multiple Choice Questions
1) Scientific inquiry is based on
A) natural selection.
B) stories that are passed down through generations.
C) natural causes.
D) information found in a gossip magazine.
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Section: 1.1
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension
2) Which of the following is an example a natural cause?
A) Mice arise from discarded garbage.
B) Maggots appear spontaneously on rotting meat.
C) Epilepsy is a disease caused by uncontrolled firing of nerve cells in the brain.
D) If you sneeze you will die.
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Section: 1.1
Skill: Application/Analysis
,3) Science cannot answer certain faith-based questions because
A) scientists are not able to study human behavior.
B) faith-based beliefs are impossible to either prove or disprove.
C) faith requires deductive reasoning.
D) there aren't enough variables.
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Section: 1.1
Skill: Application/Analysis
4) Which of the following is FALSE about scientific theories?
A) They have been thoroughly tested.
B) They are developed by inductive reasoning.
C) They are used to support observations using deductive reasoning.
D) They can be either supported or modified by new observations.
E) They are firmly established and cannot be refuted.
Answer: E
Diff: 1
Section: 1.1
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension
,5) Which of these is NOT scientific?
A) A study determines differences in the species composition in two parks.
B) People are immunized with different vaccines to determine their relative effectiveness
against the flu virus.
C) NASA sends tadpoles up in the space shuttle to see how gravity affects their
development.
D) Consumers are asked which tomato variety produces the best-tasting spaghetti sauce.
E) A company uses different advertising methods for a product to determine which one
produces the most sales.
Answer: D
Diff: 3
Section: 1.1
Skill: Application/Analysis
6) The scientific method includes all of the following EXCEPT:
A) experimentation.
B) a testable theory.
C) an observation.
D) a hypothesis.
E) conclusions.
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Section: 1.1
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension
7) We use the scientific method every day. Imagine that your car doesn't start one
morning before school. Which of these is a reasonable hypothesis regarding the problem?
, A) I'm going to be late.
B) I'm out of gas.
C) I should check whether the lights were left on and drained the battery.
D) I should change the battery or the starter.
E) I should add a quart of oil.
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Section: 1.1
Skill: Application/Analysis
8) A scientific theory
A) is a general explanation for natural phenomena.
B) is an educated guess.
C) is less reliable than a hypothesis.
D) will never be changed.
Answer: A
Diff: 2
Section: 1.1
Skill: Knowledge/Comprehension