Unit 1 Assessment: Nature of Science

Which of the following is NOT true about science?

• Science aims to explain things that happen in our world.
• Science is both a subject and a process.
• Science relies on evidence.
• Science knowledge always stays the same.

John is planning to build a scale model of a tree for his biology project. What is an essential aspect of his scale model?

• The model must be as tall as the actual tree.

• The model must be made from the same type of wood as the actual tree.

• The model must have the same leaf color as the actual tree.

• The model must maintain the same proportions as the actual tree.

A car company is designing a new seatbelt. To test the design, engineers place a simulation dummy into the car and crash the car into a wall at a high speed. What benefit does this method of testing provide?

• The company can save money by testing fewer cars.
• The company can test the design without harming any real people.
• The company can eliminate the need for testing in the future.
• The company can design many different types of seatbelts at once.

Rather than dissecting real frogs some schools have students use a computer simulation. The simulation allows students without access to a laboratory to better understand the frog's anatomy. What could be a potential limit of this model?

• The model shows the placement of the frogs' organs.
• The model does not show students the natural variation (differences) between individual frogs.
• The model illustrates the steps a person might take if doing a dissection.
• The simulation takes less time than a real frog dissection.

The atom is the basic building block for all matter in the universe. Atoms are extremely small and are made up of a few even smaller particles. The basic particles that make up an atom are electrons, protons, and neutrons. Over time we have used several different models to show how atoms may look and work. Why do models change over time?

• Models change when new evidence is presented that changes our current scientific knowledge on the subject.
• Models change over time to become simpler so people understand them better.
• Models change when the scientist who created them is no longer alive.
• Models do not change. All of these models are considered valid.

The pictured model of the earths layers is NOT to scale. Given this information what information could BEST be gathered from the model?

• Characteristics of each layer of the earth such as temperature and material.
• The relative size of each layer of the earth.
• The relative order of the layers of the earth.
• No information can be gathered from a model that is not to scale.

William Harvey studied the human circulatory system during the mid-1600s. He suspected that tiny vessels must bring blood from the arteries to individual cells. Because of the limitations of technology available at that time, Harvey was unable to view the small vessels. In 1661, Malpighi used the newly invented microscope to actually view these small vessels, which he called capillaries. His work confirmed Harvey's hypothesis about the movement of blood in the body. Which of the following best describes a fact about the scientific process that this example illustrates?

• Many discoveries in science happen by accident.
• Scientific advancements can have unintended negative consequences.
• Scientific discoveries often come from several different contributors.
• Lack of technology rarely hinders the search for natural phenomena.

The following graph shows data collected from a classroom of students about how study time impacts quiz grades. What is the DEPENDENT variable in this graph?

• Hours Worked
• We do not have enough information to determine the variable.
• Grade
• Line of best fit

Analyse the following data points. What is the mean? What is the range?

• Mean = 8 and Range = 5
• Mean = 5 and Range = 8
• Mean = 9 and Range= 5
• Mean = 7 and Range = 9

The scientific theory of evolution holds a group of statements to be true: that all life is related, that natural selection exists, and that the fittest individuals of a group will survive to reproduce. How is the scientific theory of evolution different than a claim made by an individual person?

• The scientific theory of evolution is an opinion.
• The scientific theory of evolution is supported by a great variety of data.
• The scientific theory of evolution was first developed by a group of researchers.
• The scientific theory of evolution is not supported by data collected from research investigations.