Question 1

Which of the following best describes the main goal of biology as a scientific discipline?

Accepted Answer

To unravel the mysteries of life itself by studying living systems.

Question 2

Which scientist is credited with co-developing the theory of evolution by natural selection in 1859?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin

Question 3

A scientist wants to test the effect of fertilizer on plant growth. She sets up two groups: one receives fertilizer, the other does not. What is the independent variable in this experiment?

Accepted Answer

The presence or absence of fertilizer

Question 4

In a controlled experiment, which variable is measured to determine the effect of the independent variable?

Accepted Answer

Dependent variable

Question 5

Which of the following is a key feature of a valid scientific experiment?

Accepted Answer

It can be repeated under the same conditions and produce similar results.

Question 6

A scientist observes that birds migrate south in the fall. She hypothesizes that temperature is the cause. Which step of the scientific method is she performing?

Accepted Answer

Constructing a hypothesis to answer the question

Question 7

Which of the following best describes a field study?

Accepted Answer

A study where subjects are observed in their natural habitat without changing or manipulating the environment.

Question 8

A scientist wants to know if a new drug reduces blood pressure. She randomly assigns participants to receive either the drug or a placebo, and neither the participants nor the researchers know who receives which. What type of experiment is this?

Accepted Answer

Double-blind randomized controlled trial

Question 9

Which of the following statements about scientific theories is correct?

Accepted Answer

A theory is a well-supported explanation that unifies a broad range of observations.

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of a controlled variable in an experiment testing the effect of sunlight on plant growth?

Accepted Answer

The type of soil used for all plants

Question 11

A scientist claims that eating fish oil supplements reduces heart disease risk, based on a study where participants self-reported their supplement use and health outcomes. What is a major limitation of this study?

Accepted Answer

It relies on anecdotal evidence rather than controlled experimentation.

Question 12

Which of the following best describes the difference between reliability and validity in scientific experiments?

Accepted Answer

Reliability refers to repeatability; validity refers to whether the experiment measures what it is supposed to measure.

Question 13

Which equation would you use to calculate the mean (average) of a set of data points $x_1, x_2, ..., x_n$?

Accepted Answer

$\frac{\sum_{i=1}^{n} x_i}{n}$

Question 14

A scientist wants to test whether a new fertilizer increases crop yield. She sets up two plots: one with fertilizer and one without. She measures the yield in kilograms for each plot. Which statistical test would be most appropriate to compare the means of the two groups?

Accepted Answer

Student's t-test

Question 15

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of a scientific hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A statement that can be tested and potentially falsified by experiments.

Question 16

In a study, researchers want to know if elevation affects the number of bird species in a region. What is the dependent variable?

Accepted Answer

Number of bird species

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a step in the scientific method?

Accepted Answer

Ignoring data that does not fit the hypothesis

Question 18

A scientist performs an experiment and gets similar results each time under the same conditions. What does this demonstrate?

Accepted Answer

Reliability

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of secondary research?

Accepted Answer

Analyzing data from previously published studies.

Question 20

A scientist wants to ensure that her experiment is valid. Which of the following should she do?

Accepted Answer

Control all variables except the one being tested.

The Scientific Method and Experimental Design in Biology

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