Santa Monica College, Biology 3 Exam
1, Spring 2025 questions and answers
Science - correct answer ✔✔ A body of knowledge based on observation, description,
experimentation, and explanation of natural phenomena.
Biology - correct answer ✔✔ The study of living things.
Biological Literacy - correct answer ✔✔ The ability to use scientific inquiry to think creatively
about problems with a biological component, to communicate these thoughts to others, and to
integrate these ideas into one's decision making.
Scientific Literacy - correct answer ✔✔ A general, fact-based understanding of the basis of
biology and other sciences, the scientific method, and the social, political, and legal implications
of scientific information.
Superstition - correct answer ✔✔ The irrational belief that actions not related by logic to a
course of events can influence an outcome.
Scientific Method - correct answer ✔✔ A process of examination and discovery of natural
phenomena that involves making observations, constructing hypotheses, testing predictions,
experimenting, and drawing conclusions and revising them as necessary.
Empirical - correct answer ✔✔ Describes knowledge that is based on experience and
observations that are rational, testable, and repeatable.
Hypothesis - correct answer ✔✔ A proposed explanation for an observed phenomenon.
,Null Hypothesis - correct answer ✔✔ A hypothesis that proposes a lack of relationship between
two factors.
Critical Experiment - correct answer ✔✔ An experiment that makes it possible to determine
decisively between alternative hypotheses.
Placebo - correct answer ✔✔ An inactive substance used in controlled experiments to test the
effectiveness of another substance.
Theory - correct answer ✔✔ An explanatory hypothesis for a natural phenomenon that is
exceptionally well supported by empirical data.
Treatment - correct answer ✔✔ In a research study, any condition applied to subjects that is not
applied to subjects in the control group.
Experimental Group - correct answer ✔✔ In an experiment, the group of subjects exposed to a
particular treatment; also known as the treatment group.
Control Group - correct answer ✔✔ In an experiment, the group of subjects not exposed to the
treatment being studied but otherwise treated identically to the experimental group.
Variables - correct answer ✔✔ The characteristics of an experimental system subject to change.
Placebo Effect - correct answer ✔✔ A frequently seen and poorly explained phenomenon in
which there is a positive response to treatment with an inactive substance.
Blind Experimental Design - correct answer ✔✔ An experimental design in which subjects do
not know what treatment (if any) they are receiving.
, Double-Blind Experimental Design - correct answer ✔✔ An experimental design in which
neither the subjects nor the experimenters know what treatment (if any) individual subjects are
receiving.
Randomized - correct answer ✔✔ In a research study, describes a manner of choosing subjects
and assigning them to groups on the basis of chance.
Independent Variable - correct answer ✔✔ A measurable entity that is available at the start of a
process being observed and the value of which can be changed as required; generally
represented on the x-axis in a graph.
Dependent Variable - correct answer ✔✔ A measurable entity that is created by the process
being observed and whose value cannot be controlled; generally represented on the -axis in a
graph and expected to change in response to a change in the independent variable.
Statistics - correct answer ✔✔ A set of mathematical and analytical tools designed to further
the understanding of numerical data.
Positive Correlation - correct answer ✔✔ A relationship between variables in which they
increase (or decrease) together.
Pseudoscience - correct answer ✔✔ Hypotheses and theories not supported by trustworthy
and methodical scientific studies.
Anecdotal Observations - correct answer ✔✔ Observation of one or only a few instances of a
phenomenon.
Characteristics of Life - correct answer ✔✔ (pg. 31)
1, Spring 2025 questions and answers
Science - correct answer ✔✔ A body of knowledge based on observation, description,
experimentation, and explanation of natural phenomena.
Biology - correct answer ✔✔ The study of living things.
Biological Literacy - correct answer ✔✔ The ability to use scientific inquiry to think creatively
about problems with a biological component, to communicate these thoughts to others, and to
integrate these ideas into one's decision making.
Scientific Literacy - correct answer ✔✔ A general, fact-based understanding of the basis of
biology and other sciences, the scientific method, and the social, political, and legal implications
of scientific information.
Superstition - correct answer ✔✔ The irrational belief that actions not related by logic to a
course of events can influence an outcome.
Scientific Method - correct answer ✔✔ A process of examination and discovery of natural
phenomena that involves making observations, constructing hypotheses, testing predictions,
experimenting, and drawing conclusions and revising them as necessary.
Empirical - correct answer ✔✔ Describes knowledge that is based on experience and
observations that are rational, testable, and repeatable.
Hypothesis - correct answer ✔✔ A proposed explanation for an observed phenomenon.
,Null Hypothesis - correct answer ✔✔ A hypothesis that proposes a lack of relationship between
two factors.
Critical Experiment - correct answer ✔✔ An experiment that makes it possible to determine
decisively between alternative hypotheses.
Placebo - correct answer ✔✔ An inactive substance used in controlled experiments to test the
effectiveness of another substance.
Theory - correct answer ✔✔ An explanatory hypothesis for a natural phenomenon that is
exceptionally well supported by empirical data.
Treatment - correct answer ✔✔ In a research study, any condition applied to subjects that is not
applied to subjects in the control group.
Experimental Group - correct answer ✔✔ In an experiment, the group of subjects exposed to a
particular treatment; also known as the treatment group.
Control Group - correct answer ✔✔ In an experiment, the group of subjects not exposed to the
treatment being studied but otherwise treated identically to the experimental group.
Variables - correct answer ✔✔ The characteristics of an experimental system subject to change.
Placebo Effect - correct answer ✔✔ A frequently seen and poorly explained phenomenon in
which there is a positive response to treatment with an inactive substance.
Blind Experimental Design - correct answer ✔✔ An experimental design in which subjects do
not know what treatment (if any) they are receiving.
, Double-Blind Experimental Design - correct answer ✔✔ An experimental design in which
neither the subjects nor the experimenters know what treatment (if any) individual subjects are
receiving.
Randomized - correct answer ✔✔ In a research study, describes a manner of choosing subjects
and assigning them to groups on the basis of chance.
Independent Variable - correct answer ✔✔ A measurable entity that is available at the start of a
process being observed and the value of which can be changed as required; generally
represented on the x-axis in a graph.
Dependent Variable - correct answer ✔✔ A measurable entity that is created by the process
being observed and whose value cannot be controlled; generally represented on the -axis in a
graph and expected to change in response to a change in the independent variable.
Statistics - correct answer ✔✔ A set of mathematical and analytical tools designed to further
the understanding of numerical data.
Positive Correlation - correct answer ✔✔ A relationship between variables in which they
increase (or decrease) together.
Pseudoscience - correct answer ✔✔ Hypotheses and theories not supported by trustworthy
and methodical scientific studies.
Anecdotal Observations - correct answer ✔✔ Observation of one or only a few instances of a
phenomenon.
Characteristics of Life - correct answer ✔✔ (pg. 31)
