BIOL 101 Essential Biology

BIOL 101 Module 1 | Essential Biology I w/Lab Exam Q&A
| Portage Learning
These are original, instructor-style practice questions written for study. They are not
official questions from any university, exam, or copyrighted question bank. Because the
course/subject line specifies BIOD 101 Module 1 Biology, these items are biology-
focused with NCLEX-style clinical framing where appropriate.



Question 1:
A nurse notices that a new wound-care protocol seems to reduce infection rates. Which
action best represents the first step of the scientific method?
A. Change the protocol for all clients immediately
B. Form a hypothesis and make an observation
C. Publish the results before collecting data
D. Ask another nurse to agree with the idea

Correct answer: B
Rationale: The scientific method begins with observation and a testable hypothesis.
Implementation or publication occurs after data collection and analysis.



Question 2:
A client’s body temperature remains near 98.6°F despite changes in room temperature.
Which characteristic of life does this best illustrate?
A. Reproduction
B. Homeostasis
C. Evolution
D. Metabolism

Correct answer: B
Rationale: Homeostasis is the maintenance of a relatively stable internal environment
despite external changes.



Question 3:
Which sequence correctly orders levels of biological organization from smallest to
largest?
A. Cell → molecule → atom → tissue
B. Atom → molecule → cell → tissue
C. Tissue → cell → organ → atom
D. Molecule → atom → organ → cell

,Correct answer: B
Rationale: Atoms form molecules, molecules form cells, and cells form tissues.



Question 4:
A researcher gives one group a new drug and another group a sugar pill. The sugar pill
group is best described as the:
A. Experimental group
B. Control group
C. Independent variable
D. Dependent variable

Correct answer: B
Rationale: The control group does not receive the experimental treatment and provides
a baseline for comparison.



Question 5:
A nursing student states, “If hand hygiene is performed more often, then hospital-
acquired infections will decrease.” This statement is best described as a:
A. Theory
B. Law
C. Hypothesis
D. Conclusion

Correct answer: C
Rationale: A hypothesis is a testable prediction about the relationship between
variables.



Question 6:
When blood glucose rises, insulin is released and glucose returns toward normal. This is
an example of:
A. Positive feedback
B. Negative feedback
C. Denaturation
D. Osmosis

Correct answer: B
Rationale: Negative feedback reverses the direction of change to restore homeostasis.

, Question 7:
During childbirth, uterine contractions intensify until delivery. This is an example of:
A. Negative feedback
B. Positive feedback
C. Homeostatic imbalance
D. Passive transport

Correct answer: B
Rationale: Positive feedback amplifies a change until a specific end point is reached,
such as delivery.



Question 8:
In an experiment testing whether caffeine affects heart rate, heart rate is the:
A. Independent variable
B. Dependent variable
C. Control group
D. Constant

Correct answer: B
Rationale: The dependent variable is what is measured and may change in response to
the independent variable.



Question 9:
Which action best describes analyzing data in a scientific study?
A. Guessing the outcome before the study
B. Comparing results using statistics
C. Changing the hypothesis to match the data
D. Ignoring outliers without reason

Correct answer: B
Rationale: Data analysis involves organizing and statistically evaluating results to
determine whether the hypothesis is supported.



Question 10:
A well-supported explanation that has withstood repeated testing is called a:
A. Hypothesis
B. Theory
C. Observation
D. Variable