CHAPTER 1—PHYSICS AND THE LIFE SCIENCES
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The principle of Occam's Razor is a principle of reasoning; what does it say we should generally do?
a. Prefer simpler or more parsimonious explanations to the more complicated ones.
b. Reason from detailed particular observations to general or universal principles.
c. Accept nothing as true without compelling empirical or mathematical evidence of its truth.
d. Reason from general or universal principles to particular results.
ANS: A
RAT: The principle is often inaccurately summarized as "the simplest explanation is most likely the
correct one." Rather, the principle generally recommends that, when faced with competing hypotheses
that are equal in other respects, one should select the one that makes the fewest new assumptions.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 4
BLM: Remember
2. When creating of a model to explain a certain physical concept, what are observations and collected
data most useful for?
a. making predictions
b. proving that the model is correct without a doubt
c. testing predictions made by the model
d. generating catalogues
ANS: C
RAT: Observations are used in testing predictions of a model.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 4
BLM: Higher Order
3. How many significant figures are in 20 006?
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 5
ANS: D
RAT: all zeroes are significant here
PTS: 1
REF: p. 5
BLM: Higher Order
,4. How many significant figures are in 0.0235?
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 5
ANS: B
RAT: leading zeroes are not significant
PTS: 1
REF: p. 5
BLM: Higher Order
5. When would the measurement of weight with a scale be precise but not accurate?
a. If it is precise it has to be accurate.
b. The scale does not read zero at zero.
c. The zero is not consistently set for all measurements.
d. If it is precise it cannot be accurate.
ANS: B
RAT: Accuracy measures the degree of closeness of measurements to the true value, whereas
precision is the degree of variation of measurements among themselves, when the underlying true
quantity is unchanging.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 5
BLM: Higher Order
6. Which of the following is the value for (6.28 0.21 1125), with the correct number of significant
figures?
a. 34000
b. 33640
c. 33643
d. 33642.871428
ANS: A
RAT: The result has the same number of significant figures as the least accurate number used in
calculation.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 5
BLM: Higher Order
7. Which of the following numbers has the highest precision?
a. 12.534
b. 6 10-8 m3
c. 2.38675 109 m3
d. 1.200008
ANS: B
RAT: The smallest power of ten quoted in a result should represent the precision of the result.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 5
BLM: Higher Order
1-2 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Limited
, 8. Which of the following numbers has the highest accuracy?
a. 12.534
b. 6 10-8 m3
c. 2.38675 109 m3
d. 1.200008
ANS: D
RAT: The number of significant figures should represent the accuracy of the result.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 5
BLM: Higher Order
9. Which of the following is the value for the product of (1.362 105) · (8.5 106), with the correct
number of significant figures?
a. 1.1577 1012
b. 1.158 1012
c. 1.16 1012
d. 1.2 1012
ANS: D
RAT: The result has the same number of significant figures as the least accurate number used in
calculation.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 7
BLM: Higher Order
10. To convert a quantity from m s2 to km hr s, what must you do?
a. Multiply by 1000 and divide by 60.
b. Multiply by 1000 and divide by 3600.
c. Multiply by 60 and divide by 1000.
d. Multiply by 3600 and divide by 1000.
ANS: D
RAT: m s2 = (m/s) s = [(1 1000) km / (1 3600) h] s = 3600 1000 [(km h) s]
PTS: 1
REF: p. 8
BLM: Higher Order
11. Total lung capacity of a male, on average, is about 6 litres of air. What would this be, expressed in
cubic metres?
a. 6 m3
b. 6 10-3 m3
c. 6 10-6 m3
d. This cannot be done. The dimensions are different.
ANS: B
RAT: 6 (10-1)3 m3 = 6 10-3 m3
PTS: 1
REF: p. 8
BLM: Higher Order
Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Limited 1-3
, 12. The largest blue whale ever measured weighed around 420 000 pounds (lb.). The SI unit for weight is
the Newton (N), and one pound (1 lb.)? 6~ 4.5 N. Which of the following values represents the mass of
the whale in SI units?
Note: weight = mass g, where g = 9.8 m/s2.
a. 1.9 105 g
b. 1.9 105 kg
c. 1.9 107 g
d. 1.9 107 kg
ANS: B
RAT: (420 000 4.5) N / 9.8 m/s2 = 1.9 105 kg
PTS: 1
REF: p. 9
BLM: Higher Order
13. Which of the following is a fundamental unit in the SI?
a. kilometre (km)
b. kilogram (kg)
c. gram (g)
d. Newton (N)
ANS: B
RAT: metre is a fundamental SI unit, not kilometre, kilogram not gram
PTS: 1
REF: p. 9
BLM: Remember
14. Which of the following relationships is dimensionally consistent? In these equations, a is acceleration,
v is velocity, t is time, and x is distance.
a. a = v t2
b. a = v x2
c. a = v2 t
d. a = v2 x
ANS: D
RAT: m s2= m2 s2m
PTS: 1
REF: p. 11
BLM: Higher Order
1-4 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Limited
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The principle of Occam's Razor is a principle of reasoning; what does it say we should generally do?
a. Prefer simpler or more parsimonious explanations to the more complicated ones.
b. Reason from detailed particular observations to general or universal principles.
c. Accept nothing as true without compelling empirical or mathematical evidence of its truth.
d. Reason from general or universal principles to particular results.
ANS: A
RAT: The principle is often inaccurately summarized as "the simplest explanation is most likely the
correct one." Rather, the principle generally recommends that, when faced with competing hypotheses
that are equal in other respects, one should select the one that makes the fewest new assumptions.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 4
BLM: Remember
2. When creating of a model to explain a certain physical concept, what are observations and collected
data most useful for?
a. making predictions
b. proving that the model is correct without a doubt
c. testing predictions made by the model
d. generating catalogues
ANS: C
RAT: Observations are used in testing predictions of a model.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 4
BLM: Higher Order
3. How many significant figures are in 20 006?
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 5
ANS: D
RAT: all zeroes are significant here
PTS: 1
REF: p. 5
BLM: Higher Order
,4. How many significant figures are in 0.0235?
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 5
ANS: B
RAT: leading zeroes are not significant
PTS: 1
REF: p. 5
BLM: Higher Order
5. When would the measurement of weight with a scale be precise but not accurate?
a. If it is precise it has to be accurate.
b. The scale does not read zero at zero.
c. The zero is not consistently set for all measurements.
d. If it is precise it cannot be accurate.
ANS: B
RAT: Accuracy measures the degree of closeness of measurements to the true value, whereas
precision is the degree of variation of measurements among themselves, when the underlying true
quantity is unchanging.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 5
BLM: Higher Order
6. Which of the following is the value for (6.28 0.21 1125), with the correct number of significant
figures?
a. 34000
b. 33640
c. 33643
d. 33642.871428
ANS: A
RAT: The result has the same number of significant figures as the least accurate number used in
calculation.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 5
BLM: Higher Order
7. Which of the following numbers has the highest precision?
a. 12.534
b. 6 10-8 m3
c. 2.38675 109 m3
d. 1.200008
ANS: B
RAT: The smallest power of ten quoted in a result should represent the precision of the result.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 5
BLM: Higher Order
1-2 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Limited
, 8. Which of the following numbers has the highest accuracy?
a. 12.534
b. 6 10-8 m3
c. 2.38675 109 m3
d. 1.200008
ANS: D
RAT: The number of significant figures should represent the accuracy of the result.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 5
BLM: Higher Order
9. Which of the following is the value for the product of (1.362 105) · (8.5 106), with the correct
number of significant figures?
a. 1.1577 1012
b. 1.158 1012
c. 1.16 1012
d. 1.2 1012
ANS: D
RAT: The result has the same number of significant figures as the least accurate number used in
calculation.
PTS: 1
REF: p. 7
BLM: Higher Order
10. To convert a quantity from m s2 to km hr s, what must you do?
a. Multiply by 1000 and divide by 60.
b. Multiply by 1000 and divide by 3600.
c. Multiply by 60 and divide by 1000.
d. Multiply by 3600 and divide by 1000.
ANS: D
RAT: m s2 = (m/s) s = [(1 1000) km / (1 3600) h] s = 3600 1000 [(km h) s]
PTS: 1
REF: p. 8
BLM: Higher Order
11. Total lung capacity of a male, on average, is about 6 litres of air. What would this be, expressed in
cubic metres?
a. 6 m3
b. 6 10-3 m3
c. 6 10-6 m3
d. This cannot be done. The dimensions are different.
ANS: B
RAT: 6 (10-1)3 m3 = 6 10-3 m3
PTS: 1
REF: p. 8
BLM: Higher Order
Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Limited 1-3
, 12. The largest blue whale ever measured weighed around 420 000 pounds (lb.). The SI unit for weight is
the Newton (N), and one pound (1 lb.)? 6~ 4.5 N. Which of the following values represents the mass of
the whale in SI units?
Note: weight = mass g, where g = 9.8 m/s2.
a. 1.9 105 g
b. 1.9 105 kg
c. 1.9 107 g
d. 1.9 107 kg
ANS: B
RAT: (420 000 4.5) N / 9.8 m/s2 = 1.9 105 kg
PTS: 1
REF: p. 9
BLM: Higher Order
13. Which of the following is a fundamental unit in the SI?
a. kilometre (km)
b. kilogram (kg)
c. gram (g)
d. Newton (N)
ANS: B
RAT: metre is a fundamental SI unit, not kilometre, kilogram not gram
PTS: 1
REF: p. 9
BLM: Remember
14. Which of the following relationships is dimensionally consistent? In these equations, a is acceleration,
v is velocity, t is time, and x is distance.
a. a = v t2
b. a = v x2
c. a = v2 t
d. a = v2 x
ANS: D
RAT: m s2= m2 s2m
PTS: 1
REF: p. 11
BLM: Higher Order
1-4 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Limited
