PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY EXAM STUDY GUIDE
2026 PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
◉Deductive Reasoning . Answer: reasoning in which a conclusion is
reached by stating a general principle and then applying that principle to
a specific case (The sun rises every morning; therefore, the sun will rise
on Tuesday morning.)
◉Inductive Reasoning . Answer: A type of logic in which
generalizations are based on a large number of specific observations.
◉Descriptive Science . Answer: a form of science that aims to observe,
explore, and find things out
◉Hypothesis-Driven Science . Answer: the process of scientific inquiry
that uses the steps of the scientific method to answer questions about
nature
◉Scientific Method . Answer: A series of steps followed to solve
problems including collecting data, formulating a hypothesis, testing the
hypothesis, and stating conclusions.
◉Observation . Answer: Information obtained through the senses.
,◉Question . Answer: A statement that requires an answer.
◉Hypothesis . Answer: A testable prediction, often implied by a theory
◉Prediction . Answer: A statement of what will happen next in a
sequence of events.
◉Independent Variable . Answer: The experimental factor that is
manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.
◉Dependent Variable . Answer: The outcome factor; the variable that
may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.
◉Control Experiment . Answer: independent variable is unaltered
◉Test Experiment . Answer: independent variable is changed
◉Controlled Variables . Answer: the variables in an experiment which
are held constant to test the effect of the independent variable upon the
dependent variable
, ◉Pseudoscience . Answer: a collection of beliefs or practices
mistakenly regarded as being based on scientific method.
◉Reductionism . Answer: the reduction of complex systems to simpler
components that are more manageable to study
◉Systems Biology . Answer: An approach to studying biology that
aims to model the dynamic behavior of whole biological systems based
on a study of the interactions among the system's parts.
◉Emergent Properties . Answer: New properties that arise with each
step upward in the hierarchy of life, owing to the arrangement and
interactions of parts as complexity increases.
◉Basic Research . Answer: pure science that aims to increase the
scientific knowledge base
◉Applied Research . Answer: scientific study that aims to solve
practical problems
◉Scientific Theory . Answer: a well-tested concept that explains a
wide range of observations
◉Binomial Naming System . Answer: genus and species
2026 PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
◉Deductive Reasoning . Answer: reasoning in which a conclusion is
reached by stating a general principle and then applying that principle to
a specific case (The sun rises every morning; therefore, the sun will rise
on Tuesday morning.)
◉Inductive Reasoning . Answer: A type of logic in which
generalizations are based on a large number of specific observations.
◉Descriptive Science . Answer: a form of science that aims to observe,
explore, and find things out
◉Hypothesis-Driven Science . Answer: the process of scientific inquiry
that uses the steps of the scientific method to answer questions about
nature
◉Scientific Method . Answer: A series of steps followed to solve
problems including collecting data, formulating a hypothesis, testing the
hypothesis, and stating conclusions.
◉Observation . Answer: Information obtained through the senses.
,◉Question . Answer: A statement that requires an answer.
◉Hypothesis . Answer: A testable prediction, often implied by a theory
◉Prediction . Answer: A statement of what will happen next in a
sequence of events.
◉Independent Variable . Answer: The experimental factor that is
manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.
◉Dependent Variable . Answer: The outcome factor; the variable that
may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.
◉Control Experiment . Answer: independent variable is unaltered
◉Test Experiment . Answer: independent variable is changed
◉Controlled Variables . Answer: the variables in an experiment which
are held constant to test the effect of the independent variable upon the
dependent variable
, ◉Pseudoscience . Answer: a collection of beliefs or practices
mistakenly regarded as being based on scientific method.
◉Reductionism . Answer: the reduction of complex systems to simpler
components that are more manageable to study
◉Systems Biology . Answer: An approach to studying biology that
aims to model the dynamic behavior of whole biological systems based
on a study of the interactions among the system's parts.
◉Emergent Properties . Answer: New properties that arise with each
step upward in the hierarchy of life, owing to the arrangement and
interactions of parts as complexity increases.
◉Basic Research . Answer: pure science that aims to increase the
scientific knowledge base
◉Applied Research . Answer: scientific study that aims to solve
practical problems
◉Scientific Theory . Answer: a well-tested concept that explains a
wide range of observations
◉Binomial Naming System . Answer: genus and species
