Concepts of Science Chapter 1 – Flashcards
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The scientific method is used every day in solving common problems. Suppose that the lights suddenly go off in your house. Which of the following is a sensible hypothesis for the lights going out? all of the light bulbs in your house have blown out the power pole that feeds your house has toppled over the electricity gremlins are at work again a circuit breaker (or fuse) has burned out in your house
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a circuit breaker (or fuse) has burned out in your house
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Which of the following is not a suitable question for the scientific method? the beauty of a piece of music the action of a medicine on a disease the effect of tidal action on beach erosion the origin of life on Earth
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the beauty of a piece of music
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Which of the following is a suitable question for the scientific method? the wisdom of advice given by a parent to child the age of a human bone found in an archaeological dig the correct way to pursue happiness the proper number of children for a family to have
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the age of a human bone found in an archeological dig
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Which of the following is true about a control group in an experiment? is not usually necessary in an experiment differs from the experimental group only in the variable being tested in the experiment is not subject to experimental errors is treated exactly the same as the experimental group
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differs from the experimental group only in the variable being tested in the experiment
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When scientists apply the scientific method to problems A. more questions may be generated B. whole theories may be changed or rejected C. more hypotheses may be generated D. all of these are correct
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D. all of these are correct
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The scientific method A. was invented by the Greek philosopher, Plato B. is restricted to use in scientific laboratories C. is a process used to understand our physical surroundings D. always begins with observations
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C. is a process used to understand our physical surroundings
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What is true of a person who states - "that is only a scientific theory"? they are likely confusing the terms hypothesis and theory they are practicing pseudoscience they are correctly interpreting the scientific method they are about to begin the process of the scientific method
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they are likely confusing the terms hypothesis and theory
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If a theory has been tested extensively and seems to apply everywhere in the universe, we call it A. a supernatural theory B. a universal theory C. a universal hypothesis D. a law of nature
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D. a law of nature
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If a scientist is confronted with two competing hypotheses, how does he judge which is better? A. by calculating the differences between the two B. by devising an experiment to test the two hypotheses C. by asking the advice of a fellow scientist about which is correct D. by labeling the more reasonable one a theory
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B. by devising an experiment to test the two hypotheses
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Which of the following is not true of science? A. it is a powerful tool to help understand how our world works B. it provides a framework for learning more about how our universe behaves C. it provides a way to arrive at ultimate truths D. it helps to understand how we interact with our environment
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C. it provides a way to arrive at ultimate truths
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Which of the following is best referred to as a pseudoscience? A. geology B. astrology C. astronomy D. chemistry
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B. astrology
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Where along the scientific method should one begin? observations gather data predictions one may begin anywhere along the scientific method
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one may begin anywhere along the scientific method
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Which of the following usually results from the application of the scientific method to a problem? A. observations B. controlled experiments C. theories D. all of these are correct
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all of these are correct
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Which of the following is not usually a part of a scientific investigation? A. falsifiable hypotheses B. absolute truth C. prediction of new facts D. experimentation
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B. absolute truth
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A solution proposed for a problem that is reasonable, but untested could be called A. a prediction B. a theory C. a conclusion D. a hypothesis
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D. a hypothesis
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Which of the following is an example of an experiment? a scientist studying the migration pattern of birds a scientist studying the effect of different doses of medication on laboratory animals a scientist studying the formation of a tornado a scientist studying the flow of lava after a volcanic eruption
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a scientist studying the effect of different doses of medication on laboratory animals
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Which of the following is a question which can be answered by science? A. Which movie star is the most beautiful? B. Which rock group puts on the best stage performance? C. Which planet in our solar system has the coldest moon? D. Which spoken language is the most pleasant to the human ear?
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C. Which planet in our solar system has the coldest moon?
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After repeated experiments, scientists will usually arrive at a comprehensive explanation for a problem. That explanation is called A. a theory B. a hypothesis C. a prediction D.
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A. a theory
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Which of the following contributions is attributed to the Russian scientist Dimitri Mendeleev? A. the observation that the Earth revolves around the Sun B. discovery of the rings of Saturn C. distinct experiments to discover the circulation of blood in the human body D. development of the Periodic Table of the Elements
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D. development of the Periodic Table of the Element
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The English physician William Harvey is remembered for A. his discovery of the moons of the planet Jupiter B. experiments that studied the circulation of the blood C. development of the Periodic Table of the Elements D. discovery of the rings of Saturn
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B. experiments that studied the circulation of the blood
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The branch of science that studies atoms in combination is A. geology B. physics C. biology D. chemistry
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D. chemistry
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One of the requirements of science is that all experimental results must be A. reproducible B. absolutely without error C. communicated to popular media sources D. all of these are correct
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A. reproducible
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Research and development (R&D)
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A kind of research aimed at specific problems, usually performed in government and industry laboratories
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Hypothesis
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A tentative guess about how the world works, based on a summary of experimental or observational results and phrased so that it can be tested by experimentation
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Biology
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The branch of science devoted to the study of living systems
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Observation
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The act of observing nature without manipulating it
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Scientific method
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A continuous process used to collect observations, form and test hypotheses, make predictions, and identify patterns in the physical world
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Peer review
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A system by which the editor of a scientific journal submits manuscripts considered for publication to a panel of knowledgeable scientist who, in confidence, evaluate the manuscript for mistakes, misstatements, or shoddy procedures. Following the review, if the manuscript is the be published, it is returned to the author with a list of modifications and corrections to be completed
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Prediction
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A guess about how a particular system will behave, followed by observations to see if the system did behave as expected within a specified range of situations
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Law
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A well-confirmed scientific result
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Technology
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The application of the results of science to specific commercial or industrial goals
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Basic Research
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The type of research performed by scientist who are interested simply in finding out how the world works, in knowledge for its own sake
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Theory
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A description of the world that covers a relatively large number of phenomena and has met many observational and experimental tests. A conclusion based upon observations of nature
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Physics
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The branch of science devoted to the study of matter and motion
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National Science Foundation
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A federal agency that funds American scientific research and education in all areas of science
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Measurement
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The act of determining the quantitative value of a variable of interest
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Chemistry
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The branch of science devoted to the study of the combination of atoms and molecules
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Geology
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The branch of science devoted to the study of the solid Earth
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Mathematics
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The branch of study devoted to the study of numbers, equations, and geometry
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Astronomy
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The study of objects in the heavens
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Experiment
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The manipulation of some aspect of nature to observe the outcome
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Reproducible
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A criterion for the results of an experiment. In the scientific method, observations and experiments must be reported in such a way that anyone with the proper equipment can verify the results
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Fact
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The result of an experiment or observation
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Applied research
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The type of research performed by scientists with specific and practical goals in mind. This research is often translated into practical systems by large-scale research and development projects
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Biodiversity
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The number of different species that coexist at a given place
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Pseudoscience
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A kind of inquiry falling in the realm of belief or dogma, which includes subjects that cannot be proved or disproved with a reproducible test. the subjects include creationism, extrasensory perception (ESP), unidentified flying objects, astrology, crystal power, and reincarnation
