TEST BANK FOR
concepts of Biology Openstax
Verified questions and answers
,Test bank questions for [concepts of Biology Openstax]
Chapter 01: Introduction to Biology
1. A scientist observes that when she opens the back door of her house to let her cat out, the songs
of a certain species of bird abruptly change. She wants to follow up on her observations with an
informal experiment. Which of the following is the best hypothesis for explaining the birds’ song
changes? (outcome #Ia) (DOK 2) (Paired item 1)
A. The bird species switches from song to warning call whenever it sees a potential
predator.*
B. The bird species has a variety of songs that it sings, regardless of what is happening
In its environment.
C. The scientist is Mistaken and the songs do not change.
2. A scientist wants to test the hypothesis that a certain bird species in her back yard changes its
songs to warning calls whenever it detects the presence of a potential predator. Which of the
following Most likely describes her initial observations? (outcome #Ia) (DOK 2) (Paired item 2)
A. The scientist noticed that whenever she opened a door to her house, she heard birds
beginning to sing.
B. Each time the scientist let her cat outside, the birds abruptly changed their songs.*
C. The scientist noticed that the birds only appeared at certain times of the day, always
singing the same song during those times.
3. What is the Main purpose of conducting experiments? (outcome #Ib) (DOK 1) (Paired
item1)
A. Proving a theory
B. Making initial observations
C. Disproving a hypothesis*
4. The attempt to disprove a hypothesis is accomplished by which of the following tasks?
(outcome #Ib) (DOK 1) (Paired item 2)
A. Conducting experiments*
B. Making initial observations
C. Proposing a theory
5. A scientist wishes to test a new antibiotic’s ability to treat stubborn bacterial infections. He tests
his hypothesis that the antibiotic works better than existing treatments by giving bacterial
infections to Mice and treating them with the antibiotic. He then determines how Many of the
Mice recover from their infections. What is Missing from his experimental design? (outcome #Ib)
(DOK 3) (Paired item 1)
A. He is Missing a control group of Mice that received a half dose of the new antibiotic.
B. He is Missing a control group of Mice that did not receive the new antibiotic.*
C. Nothing is Missing—he has done everything he needs to do for this to be a successful
experiment.
6. A scientist wants to determine whether a new chemical she isolated can cure a certain
disease. To test her hypothesis that the new chemical cures the disease More effectively than
current treatments, she infects Mice with the disease and gives them the new chemical. She
, then assesses how Many Mice were cured of the disease. What is missingfrom her
experimental design? (outcome #Ib) (DOK 3) (Paired item 2)
A. She is not Missing anything—her experimental design is adequate to test her
hypothesis.
B. She is Missing a control group of Mice that received a half dose of the new chemical.
C. She is Missing a control group of Mice that did not receive the new chemical.*
7. A scientist believes that she has found a new life form. Which of the following conditions is not
considered essential in determining whether the putative new life form is alive? (outcome #Ic)
(DOK 2) (Paired item 1)
A. The creature possesses purposeful anatomical structures that differ from one
another.
B. The creature’s body is bilaterally symmetrical.*
C. The creature seems to react to being touched.
8. A scientist discovers a putative new life form and notes that the creature’s body is bilaterally
symmetrical and consequently satisfies the criteria for defining life in which of the following
categories? (outcome #Ic) (DOK 2) (Paired item 2)
A. None, symmetry is not a basic characteristic of life*
B. Order
C. Growth and development
9. Which of the following lists correctly presents levels of organization from simplest to
Mostcomplex? (outcome #Ic) (DOK 2) (Paired item 1)
A. Organs, organ systems, organelles, organisms
B. Biosphere, atoms, communities, organisms
C. Molecules, cells, populations, ecosystems*
10. Which of the following lists correctly presents levels of organization from Most complex
tosimplest? (outcome #Ic) (DOK 2) (Paired item 2)
A. Cell, organelle, atom, Molecule
B. Biosphere, community, organism, organ system*
C. Macromolecule, population, community, ecosystem
11. An “educated guess” as to what causes an observed phenomenon is known as a: (outcome #1)
(DOK 1)
A. Theory
B. Hypothesis*
C. Control
12. Why are theories stronger and More reliable than hypotheses? (outcome #1) (DOK 2)
A. Because we believe in them More
B. Because they have a control group
C. Because they are based on Many experimentally tested hypotheses*
, Supplemental Test items to accompany openstax College Concepts of Biology. Note that not all chapters of
openstax College Concepts of Biology have accompanying test items. Building on the community- oriented
nature of openstax College resources, we invite you to submit items to be considered for future inclusion.
Chapter 02: chemistry of Life
1. Water Molecules have one oxygen atom that is More electronegative than the two
hydrogenatoms bound to it. As a result, which type of bonding holds water Molecules
together? (outcome #Id) (DOK 2) (Paired item 1)
1. Non-polar covalent bonding
2. Polar covalent bonding*
3. Ionic bonding
2. Which of the following statements correctly identifies and describes the type of covalent bond
found between oxygen and hydrogen in water Molecules? (outcome #Id) (DOK 2) (Paired item
2)
A. Polar covalent bonds because hydrogen is More electronegative than oxygen
B. Hydrogen bonds because hydrogen is More electronegative than oxygen
C. Polar covalent bonds because oxygen is More electronegative than hydrogen*
3. A team of researchers is investigating a new carbon-rich Molecule important to life. They find
evidence for the presence of both cis and trans isomers of the Molecule in a Mixture of near-pure
Molecules. Which of the following Must be contained in the new Molecule? (outcome #Id) (DOK
2) (Paired item 1)
A. A double bond*
B. An aliphatic hydrocarbon
C. A hydrocarbon ring structure
4. A team of researchers is investigating a new carbon-rich Molecule important to life. They find
evidence for the presence of a carbon-carbon double bond in the Molecule. This observation
Means that the new Molecule likely exists as which of following? (outcome #Id)(DOK 2)
(Paired item 2)
A. A hydrocarbon ring
B. Both cis and trans isomers*
C. An aliphatic hydrocarbon
5. Consider the following chemical equation which depicts the mechanism by which
humansmaintain an acid-base balance in the blood:
H+ + HCO3- ↔ H2CO3 ↔ H20 + CO2
What happens if the carbon dioxide on the right is not removed from the blood via the lungs?
(outcome #Id) (DOK 3) (Paired item 1)
A. The reaction will be driven toward the left, resulting in the blood becoming More
acidic.*
concepts of Biology Openstax
Verified questions and answers
,Test bank questions for [concepts of Biology Openstax]
Chapter 01: Introduction to Biology
1. A scientist observes that when she opens the back door of her house to let her cat out, the songs
of a certain species of bird abruptly change. She wants to follow up on her observations with an
informal experiment. Which of the following is the best hypothesis for explaining the birds’ song
changes? (outcome #Ia) (DOK 2) (Paired item 1)
A. The bird species switches from song to warning call whenever it sees a potential
predator.*
B. The bird species has a variety of songs that it sings, regardless of what is happening
In its environment.
C. The scientist is Mistaken and the songs do not change.
2. A scientist wants to test the hypothesis that a certain bird species in her back yard changes its
songs to warning calls whenever it detects the presence of a potential predator. Which of the
following Most likely describes her initial observations? (outcome #Ia) (DOK 2) (Paired item 2)
A. The scientist noticed that whenever she opened a door to her house, she heard birds
beginning to sing.
B. Each time the scientist let her cat outside, the birds abruptly changed their songs.*
C. The scientist noticed that the birds only appeared at certain times of the day, always
singing the same song during those times.
3. What is the Main purpose of conducting experiments? (outcome #Ib) (DOK 1) (Paired
item1)
A. Proving a theory
B. Making initial observations
C. Disproving a hypothesis*
4. The attempt to disprove a hypothesis is accomplished by which of the following tasks?
(outcome #Ib) (DOK 1) (Paired item 2)
A. Conducting experiments*
B. Making initial observations
C. Proposing a theory
5. A scientist wishes to test a new antibiotic’s ability to treat stubborn bacterial infections. He tests
his hypothesis that the antibiotic works better than existing treatments by giving bacterial
infections to Mice and treating them with the antibiotic. He then determines how Many of the
Mice recover from their infections. What is Missing from his experimental design? (outcome #Ib)
(DOK 3) (Paired item 1)
A. He is Missing a control group of Mice that received a half dose of the new antibiotic.
B. He is Missing a control group of Mice that did not receive the new antibiotic.*
C. Nothing is Missing—he has done everything he needs to do for this to be a successful
experiment.
6. A scientist wants to determine whether a new chemical she isolated can cure a certain
disease. To test her hypothesis that the new chemical cures the disease More effectively than
current treatments, she infects Mice with the disease and gives them the new chemical. She
, then assesses how Many Mice were cured of the disease. What is missingfrom her
experimental design? (outcome #Ib) (DOK 3) (Paired item 2)
A. She is not Missing anything—her experimental design is adequate to test her
hypothesis.
B. She is Missing a control group of Mice that received a half dose of the new chemical.
C. She is Missing a control group of Mice that did not receive the new chemical.*
7. A scientist believes that she has found a new life form. Which of the following conditions is not
considered essential in determining whether the putative new life form is alive? (outcome #Ic)
(DOK 2) (Paired item 1)
A. The creature possesses purposeful anatomical structures that differ from one
another.
B. The creature’s body is bilaterally symmetrical.*
C. The creature seems to react to being touched.
8. A scientist discovers a putative new life form and notes that the creature’s body is bilaterally
symmetrical and consequently satisfies the criteria for defining life in which of the following
categories? (outcome #Ic) (DOK 2) (Paired item 2)
A. None, symmetry is not a basic characteristic of life*
B. Order
C. Growth and development
9. Which of the following lists correctly presents levels of organization from simplest to
Mostcomplex? (outcome #Ic) (DOK 2) (Paired item 1)
A. Organs, organ systems, organelles, organisms
B. Biosphere, atoms, communities, organisms
C. Molecules, cells, populations, ecosystems*
10. Which of the following lists correctly presents levels of organization from Most complex
tosimplest? (outcome #Ic) (DOK 2) (Paired item 2)
A. Cell, organelle, atom, Molecule
B. Biosphere, community, organism, organ system*
C. Macromolecule, population, community, ecosystem
11. An “educated guess” as to what causes an observed phenomenon is known as a: (outcome #1)
(DOK 1)
A. Theory
B. Hypothesis*
C. Control
12. Why are theories stronger and More reliable than hypotheses? (outcome #1) (DOK 2)
A. Because we believe in them More
B. Because they have a control group
C. Because they are based on Many experimentally tested hypotheses*
, Supplemental Test items to accompany openstax College Concepts of Biology. Note that not all chapters of
openstax College Concepts of Biology have accompanying test items. Building on the community- oriented
nature of openstax College resources, we invite you to submit items to be considered for future inclusion.
Chapter 02: chemistry of Life
1. Water Molecules have one oxygen atom that is More electronegative than the two
hydrogenatoms bound to it. As a result, which type of bonding holds water Molecules
together? (outcome #Id) (DOK 2) (Paired item 1)
1. Non-polar covalent bonding
2. Polar covalent bonding*
3. Ionic bonding
2. Which of the following statements correctly identifies and describes the type of covalent bond
found between oxygen and hydrogen in water Molecules? (outcome #Id) (DOK 2) (Paired item
2)
A. Polar covalent bonds because hydrogen is More electronegative than oxygen
B. Hydrogen bonds because hydrogen is More electronegative than oxygen
C. Polar covalent bonds because oxygen is More electronegative than hydrogen*
3. A team of researchers is investigating a new carbon-rich Molecule important to life. They find
evidence for the presence of both cis and trans isomers of the Molecule in a Mixture of near-pure
Molecules. Which of the following Must be contained in the new Molecule? (outcome #Id) (DOK
2) (Paired item 1)
A. A double bond*
B. An aliphatic hydrocarbon
C. A hydrocarbon ring structure
4. A team of researchers is investigating a new carbon-rich Molecule important to life. They find
evidence for the presence of a carbon-carbon double bond in the Molecule. This observation
Means that the new Molecule likely exists as which of following? (outcome #Id)(DOK 2)
(Paired item 2)
A. A hydrocarbon ring
B. Both cis and trans isomers*
C. An aliphatic hydrocarbon
5. Consider the following chemical equation which depicts the mechanism by which
humansmaintain an acid-base balance in the blood:
H+ + HCO3- ↔ H2CO3 ↔ H20 + CO2
What happens if the carbon dioxide on the right is not removed from the blood via the lungs?
(outcome #Id) (DOK 3) (Paired item 1)
A. The reaction will be driven toward the left, resulting in the blood becoming More
acidic.*
