BIOL 101 Exam 1 UPDATED WITH MOST TESTED QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS | GRADED A+ | ASSURED SUCCESS WITH
DETAILED RATIONALES
Which statement best defines science?
A. A body of opinions about the unknown
B. A process of objective observation and experimentation to understand the natural world
C. A catalogue of immutable facts
D. Pure philosophy without experiments
Rationale: Science is a method — observation, hypothesis, testing, and revision — used to
understand natural phenomena.
Which option best defines biology?
A. The study of rocks and minerals
B. The study of chemical reactions only
C. The study of human behavior only
D. The study of living organisms and life processes
Rationale: Biology is the branch of science concerned with living systems, from molecules to
ecosystems.
What does biological literacy primarily enable you to do?
A. Memorize species names only
B. Use scientific inquiry, communicate biology concepts, and apply biology in decision-making
C. Avoid learning any science
D. Practice pseudoscience confidently
Rationale: Biological literacy involves critical thinking, communication, and applying biological
knowledge responsibly.
Which of the following is NOT a standard step of the scientific method?
A. Make observations
B. Formulate a hypothesis
C. Accept the hypothesis without testing
D. Conduct critical experiments
Rationale: Hypotheses must be tested; accepting them without experiments is not scientific.
Are the steps of the scientific method always strictly linear (must follow a fixed order)?
A. Always linear — never revisited
B. No — scientists often iterate steps and revise hypotheses
C. Only for biology, not physics
, ESTUDYR
D. Only in textbooks
Rationale: Real science is iterative; data can cause revision of hypotheses and new
experiments.
Which characteristic is essential for a useful scientific hypothesis?
A. It must be proven true immediately
B. It must be complex and mysterious
C. It must generate testable predictions and be falsifiable
D. It should never be revised
Rationale: A hypothesis must be testable and capable of being falsified.
What is the role of a critical experiment in testing a hypothesis?
A. To endlessly gather irrelevant facts
B. To confirm a hypothesis without risk of falsification
C. To clearly distinguish whether the hypothesis is supported or refuted
D. To avoid making decisions
Rationale: A critical experiment is designed so outcomes decisively support or refute the
hypothesis.
How is a scientific theory different from a hypothesis?
A. A theory is a guess; a hypothesis is proven
B. A theory is untestable
C. A theory is a well-supported explanation that integrates many tested hypotheses
D. There is no difference
Rationale: Theories are broader, well-tested frameworks (e.g., evolution, cell theory).
Which of the following is an example of a scientific theory?
A. Gravity sometimes applies, sometimes not
B. Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection
C. A personal opinion about life
D. An untested rumor
Rationale: The theory of evolution is an extensively tested explanatory framework.
Which two minimal characteristics are commonly used to define “life”?
A. Movement and color
B. Ability to replicate and ability to carry out metabolism
C. Ability to speak and walk
D. Electric charge and radioactivity
Rationale: Living systems replicate genetic information and transform energy (metabolism).