Nature of Science: NGSSS

It was previously believed that Earth was the center of the solar system based on the motion of celestial bodies through the sky each day. However, as knowledge and technology improved, other ideas began to emerge. With the advent of the telescope, the path of the solar system bodies could be more accurately determined. New evidence began to emerge, and eventually a new theory of a Sun-centered solar system was developed.

Which of the following explains why knowledge about Earth's position in the solar system changed?

• because scientists could not find enough evidence to support their original solar system theories

• because celestial bodies changed their positions in space and eventually Earth orbited the Sun

• 
  because new technology made it easier for scientists to think of more plausible stories to describe natural events

• because new technology gave scientists new evidence that changed their interpretation of celestial movement

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Which is an example of scientists using empirical evidence while researching tectonic plates?

• Scientists making observations from the plate movement data they have collected.

• Scientist reading information from a book on the structures of Earth.

• Scientists creating descriptions based on their opinions and knowledge of tectonic plates.

• Scientists speaking to and learning from a fellow scientist about plate movements.

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What must always be present in order to form a true scientific explanation?

• dependent variables

• 
  subjective evidence

• 
  controlled variables

• 
  empirical evidence

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Two students are debating over whether there are more students with blue eyes, green eyes, or brown eyes in their classroom. Which of the following is the best solution?

• Have each student predict which eye color is more prominent in their classmates.

• Hold an official class debate to let the other students in the class decide which student is correct.

• Take a vote from the students in the class to see what color they think is most predominant.

• Work through the steps of the scientific method to count and document student eye color.

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Which of the following is correct about debates in science?

• Scientists always make the same observations and inferences about an experiment, so debate is not a vital part of gaining knowledge about the natural world, as it only wastes time and slows down studies.

• Scientists do not always make the same observations and inferences about an experiment, so debates are an important part of determining the best explanation of an aspect of the natural world.

• Scientists who have the most data collected from replicating other scientists' experiments will always win debates about a piece of scientific knowledge.

• Scientist who have the most data collected from repeating their own experiment will always win a debates about a piece of scientific knowledge.

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Which of the following is a characteristic of the scientific method?

• 
  Most scientific experiments cannot be duplicated

• 
  Scientific conclusions are subject to personal opinions

• Science is based on objective analysis of experimental data

• 
  Data that do not fit established theories are always rejected

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Does the student's proposed procedure include repetition? Why or why not?

• Yes, the experiment includes repetition because the student tests 5 different brands of diapers.

• Yes, the experiment includes repetition because the student performs the experiment multiple times.

• No, the experiment does not include repetition because the student only tests the diapers on his sister and not any other babies.

• 
  No, the experiment does not include repetition because the student only has the baby wear the diaper for 1 hour at a time instead of repeating the experiment with different time periods.

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Students are studying the growth of the two plants as shown below. The students are comparing the effect of different amounts of water on the plants.

What is the main flaw in the lab set up?

• The students used two different types of plants.

• The students used the same type of planter for the plants.

• The plants are growing at different rates.

• The student only used two planters with plants.

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Students want to know which ramp makes a toy car travel a greater distance on the floor. The students roll a toy car down each ramp as shown below.

What is a flaw in the lab set up?

• The cars are starting on ramps that are two different heights.

• The students are using two different cars.

• The cars are not rolling in the same direction.

• 
  There are not any flaws in the lab set up.

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Shawn conducted an experiment and did not get the results he was expecting. What should he do first?

• Shawn should write conclusions.

• 
  Shawn should share his results.

• Shawn should check his experiment for errors and try again.

• Shawn should explain what he thought should have happened.

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