Scientific Method

This practice quiz is based on the Lab #1: Basic Biological Concepts. After thorough preparation for the first lab exam, to help test your readiness, quiz yourself and determine which concepts need more attention. The actual exam will not be the same as this one, however some questions may repeat. You may repeat taking this quiz. Questions will vary.
Please note that the actual lab exam will be mostly one word or short answers. For this quiz most questions are multiple choice because this computer corrected version will only count your answer as correct if your answer is exactly the same as the answer key. Therefore some correct answers may be marked wrong.

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Select the term that applies. Your answer may be correct even though it is not an exact match.

1. What characteristic of life does a crystal have?

2. What characteristic of life does fire lack that is a macromolecule that is required for evolve?

3. You notice that a flashlight is not working. What step in the scientific method is the following: Is the flashlight not working because the batteries are dead?
Theory
Evaluation / Conclusion
Hypothesis
Question
Observation
Experiment

4. You notice that a flashlight is not working. What step in the scientific method is being used if you replace the batteries to see if the flashlight will work?
Theory
Evaluation / Conclusion
Question
Observation
Experiment
Hypothesis

5. In an experiment to determine the effectiveness of a medication for a fish fungal infection which of the following are true?
It is important to have a large sample size to avoid chance events.
The question in a scientific experiment must be relevant and testable.
It is important to consider all possible outcomes, not just the one we perfer to be true.
It is important to include all the possible data, not just the data that supports the hypothesis
all the statements are true

6. What could Pasteur conclude from his experiment?
Spontaneous generation does not occur
Spontaneous generation does occur
Spontaneous generation occurs for microorganisms, but not larger organisms
Living things can be generated from non-living material
Air is required for spontaneous generation

7. Fransisco Redi set up an experiment with meat in one covered jar and one uncovered jar. What was his hypothesis?

8. In John Needham’s experiment he boiled broth and placed it to a flask that was then sealed. What was the mistake that he had made?

9. The discredited belief that life could be generated from now living things is called ________________.
spontaneous generation
control group
microbial life
a theory
a hypothesis

10. Describe the experimental flask best demonstrated that life could not be generated spontaneously

11. Francesco Redi did a controlled experiment with meat and flies. As a result of this experiment he concluded that spontaneous generation ______ occur.

12. Spallanzani boiled broth in a flask and sealed it before it cooled. It did not grow microorganisms. Needham said this wasn't evidence that spontaneous generation did not occur, becuase the flask lacked _________.

13. Which specimen did not meet ANY of the criteria for life?
wood
mounted birds
nylon rope
egg
crystal

14. Consider all the criteria for life. List all the examples that are currently alive and actively growing.
paper clip
crystal
flame
bean seeds
egg

15. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of all living things?
cellularity
movement
growth
response to stimuli
DNA (genetic material)

16. Consider all the criteria for life. List all the examples that are currently alive.
bean seeds
wood
bones
mounted birds
flame

Select the term that applies.

17. Aliens visit Earth, but evidence is suppressed by the government. Does this statement meet the criterion for hypotheses? Pick from the following possibilities. It is (testable or not testable), and it is (falsifiable or is not falsifiable).

18. There are extraterrestrial beings that are not possible to contact. Does this statement meet the criterion for hypotheses? Pick from the following possibilities. It is (testable or not testable), and it is (falsifiable or is not falsifiable).

19. Bright light seen 30 degrees NNW on July 4th at 9:55PM at Oakland Airport was a UFO. Does this statement meet the criterion for hypotheses? Pick from the following possibilities. It is (testable or not testable), and it is (falsifiable or is not falsifiable).

20. Each experimental set-up is designed in a pair. In one of the pair nothing is altered, in the other only one thing is changed. The name of the set-up that is not altered is the _________ group.