A research team studied the effect of habitat loss on endangered species in an
ecosystem. As the habitat was destroyed, the number of organisms declined. Due to
conservation efforts, the habitat was restored. Many years later, the population of
endangered species in theecosystem was near carrying capacity. The researchers
concluded that the endangered species population increased by restoring the lost
habitat. Which explanation is a possible alternative for why the population increased?
The organisms adapted to a smaller habitat range.
B. Conservation efforts introduced new species to the ecosystem.
C. An invasive species moved into the ecosystem and decreased rates of competition.
D. Predators to the endangered species moved to a new habitat when the original habitat
was destroyed.
After performing an investigation, a scientist produced results that did not support the
hypothesis. What should the scientist’s next step be
to make sure any claim made regarding this investigation is valid?
2.
A. Repeat the experiment.
B. Compare the results with others.
C. Publish the results for peer review.
D. Change the hypothesis to match the results.
Scientists investigated how temperature affects the growth of the wood frog. Three
groups of wood frogs were grown at different
temperatures, as shown in the table below.
The researchers determined that the frogs in Group 3 were unhealthy. What is an
alternative explanation for what happened to the frogs in
Group 3?
3.
A. Group 3 grew too quickly.
B. Group 3 cannot grow in captivity.
C. Group 3 had a tank that was too hot.
D. Group 3 was outcompeted by Group 1 and Group 2.
An environmental group claimed that an oil company drilling very close to coral could
damage the coral habitat. Which step should be
taken to determine whether the drilling is affecting the coral?
4.
A. Stop drilling because the environmentalists’ claim should be considered valid
evidence.
B. Compare coral areas near the drilling site to coral away from the drilling site.
C. Continue drilling until an eyewitness sees damage being done to the coral.
D. Debate the controversy of damage to the coral reef.
James Lind, an 18th century Scottish physician, grew extremely concerned about the
prevalence of scurvy among the British Royal Navy.
Scurvy is a disease of the connective tissues which can prevent a person's wounds
from healing, cause a person to lose their teeth, and, if
untreated, lead to death. He thought that an infusion of acid into the diets of sailors with
scurvy might improve their outcome because he
believed the food they were eating was putrefying inside of them. Thus, in 1747, he
carried out the first clinical trial in medical history. He
took several groups of scurvy sailors and gave them each a different daily dietary
supplement. He then monitored their progress over time.
His results at the end of the trial are summarized in the table below.
EFFECTS OF ACIDS OR CONTROLS ON SCURVY PATIENTS
Dietary Supplement Contains Acid? Treated Scurvy?
Cider Y Y
Elixir of Vitriol Y Y
Raw Oranges and Lemons Y Y
Seawater N N
Spicy Paste and Barley Water Y Y
Vinegar Y Y
Because of these results, he advocated that the Royal Navy give all sailors a dietary
supplement of oranges and lemons. To make this
supplement easier to store on extended assignments, he boiled juice from the oranges
and lemons into a thick syrup. However, this syrup
did not prevent or treat scurvy. Which statement best explains why the sailors still
experienced scurvy?
5.
A. The only supplement that effectively treated scurvy was the one that was not acidic.
B. The cider might have been effective if it had been boiled into a syrup and given at
increased doses.
C. The ingredient in oranges and lemons that treated scurvy must have been
inactivated when the fruit was boiled into a syrup.
D. The beneficial effects that sailors experienced on the ship must have been due to a
combination of elixir of vitriol and
vinegar.
Which article seems the most credible as a source of information?
6.
A. an article with no references supporting its research or the claims it makes
B. an article that does not cite other authors who have done similar research in the field
C. an article that is on the website of an internationally recognized research institute
D. an article in which the author insults scientists who have good reputations in the
scientific community
Which source gives the most reliable information on scientific findings related to a new
drug?
7.
A. a television show featuring the new drug
B. a newspaper advertisement for the new drug
C. a peer reviewed journal article about the new drug
D. a popular media website featuring the new drug
A student reads an article about a geologist performing an X-ray fluorescence
experiment to determine the chemical composition of
samples of igneous rocks. The percent error of the X-ray fluorescence instrument is +/0.2%. Which aspect of the research indicates the
reliability of the paper?
8.
A. choice of instrument
B. use of igneous rocks
C. the geologist's conclusions
D. the chemical composition of the rocks
A student wants to find reliable information about the Yellowstone Caldera, a volcano in
Yellowstone National Park. Which of the following
sources would provide the most scientifically reliable information?
9.
A. A travel brochure from the National Park Service about Yellowstone National Park.
B. A newspaper article about possible North American volcanic eruptions.
C. A geologist's blog about the most active volcanoes in the world.
D. An article about active hotspots in a journal of volcanology.
If a scientific conclusion about the mineral content of a rock deposit is based on
experiments, what is an important sign of reliability in the
results?
10.
A. The results can be reproduced.
B. The results support a hypothesis.
C. The results agree with other scientists’ theories.
D. The results are consistent with expectations of the scientist examining the rock.
The image compares the locations of Earth's landmasses 225 million years ago and
today. Scientists use both direct and indirect evidence
to study these changes.
Which statement offers direct evidence of the movement of Earth's landmasses?
11.
A. trace fossils found on the coasts of Antarctica and Australia
B. fossil bones found on the coasts of South America and Africa
C. glaciation patterns that only make sense if continents have shifted
D. measurements showing that Europe and North America are slowly moving apart
A student examines a simple pendulum in lab. The pendulum is allowed to swing
through small angles, and experiences friction. The
pendulum's maximum angle of displacement Qmax for each completed swing is shown
in the table. The student later writes a lab report
about the pendulum experiment.
Swing # Qmax (radians)
1 0.12
2 0.096
3 0.071
4 0.053
5 0.039
Which of these statements from the student's lab report is an observation, rather than
an inference?
12.
A. The pendulum's max decreases with each swing.
B. The steady decrease in maximum displacement of the pendulum is due to friction.
C. The length of the pendulum can be calculated from the rate of decrease in maximum
displacement.
D. The amount of friction can be determined from a curve fitted to the rate of decrease
in maximum displacement.
Thomas is studying a piece of bread that is partially covered in mold. Thomas uses a
microscope to examine the mold on the bread. After
one week, he writes the following notes in a lab book:
The mold is alive.
The mold has an odor.
The mold has many cells.
The mold sample size is increasing.
The mold is greenish-gray and fuzzy.
Which note about the mold is an inference?
13.
A. The mold is alive.
B. The mold has an odor.
C. The mold has many cells.
D. The mold is greenish-gray and fuzzy.
Some students are making a short film on the law of superposition. They observe and
study a local sedimentary rock formation. The
students decide to call the film Time Travel. Which observation would lead to the
inference suggested in the film title?
14.
A. One layer of rock is marked with indentations from gas bubbles.
B. The lower layers of rock are hard and glassy, while the top layers of rock are sandy
and brittle.
C. The fossils in the bottom layers of rock are much older than the fossils in the top
layers of rock.
D. The fossils in the upper layers of rock are from water animals, while the fossils in the
lower layers of rock are from land
animals.
The table shows the typical power consumption of different types and sizes of
televisions.
POWER CONSUMPTION OF TELEVISIONS
Television Power (W)
27-inch CRT 57
32-inch LED 28
42-inch LCD 101
50-inch Plasma 275
75-inch LED 88
Which statement can best be concluded about the power consumption of these
televisions?
15.
A. LED televisions require less power to run than similar sized televisions of other types.
B. LCD televisions require the smallest amount of power to run of all types.
C. A larger television requires less power to run than a smaller television for all types.
D. LCD televisions require more power to run than plasma televisions of a similar size.
At a science fair, a student presented a project that used a mathematical equation to
determine the height of a basketball after a certain
number of bounces.
In what order should he present his work to demonstrate that he followed the scientific
method?
16.
A. conclusions, hypothesis, experimental results
B. experimental results, conclusions, hypothesis
C. experimental results, hypothesis, conclusions
D. hypothesis, experimental results, conclusions
According to the scientific method, why is Newton's law of universal gravitation
accepted as a valid law?
17.
A. because Newton used common sense
B. because Newton established the law over 300 years ago
C. because Newton made only subjective observations
D. because Newton presented reproducible, experimental results
A student wants to find the benefit of a certain structural trait in mice. What is the first
step the student should follow?
18.
A. Design a classroom experiment.
B. Research the genetics of mouse traits.
C. Breed mice with and without the trait together.
D. Observe the survival rate of mice with the trait in nature.
For her science fair project, Samantha would like to see how different substances affect
bone mass.
She collects several chicken leg bones from the grocery store, records each bone’s
mass, and soaks
them in different liquids for 48 hours. After 48 hours Samantha measures the mass of
each bone
again. Below is a data chart of Samantha’s experiment.
Based on the data chart, which liquid caused the most bone loss?
19.
A. coffee
B. diet soda
C. lemon juice
D. milk
A scientist in Florida measures the pH of soil near Lake Okeechobee. He finds that the
pH is 6.5. Which of the following is most likely to be
true if another scientist takes a soil sample in the same location, seals it tightly, and
later tests its pH in the mountains of North Carolina
using the same methods?
20.
A. She will find the pH to be 8 because the latitude is different.
B. She will find the pH to be 10.5 because the altitude is different.
C. She will find the pH to be 4 because the atmospheric humidity is different.
D. She will find the pH to be 6.5 because the soil was from the same location.
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