Scientific Inquiry Review

1. Scientific Inquiry Review

2. Question 1 Two students are studying the effect of insects on plant growth. They prevent insects from eating some plants by covering the plants with a transparent mesh cloth. The students leave the other plants uncovered. Both students use the same pots and the same type of soil for each plant. The table shows details of their investigations. Which statement describes a weakness in the investigation? • Student X used an equal number of plants. • Student X exposed the plants to varying sunlight. • Student Y covered half the plants with mesh cloth. • Student Y potted the plants in the same type of soil. Answer: Student X exposed the plants to varying sunlight.

3. Question 2 Dan wants to test the effects of different amounts of antibiotic on bacteria. While setting up his experiment he makes sure to use the same type of antibiotic, the same type of bacteria, and the same type of incubator for each trial. Which phrase below best describes this part of the experiment? • forming a hypothesis • analyzing results • setting up constants/controls • collecting data Answer: setting up constants/controls

4. Question 3 A society that lives on a rocky island has decided to invest in cellular communication technology. What is the most likely reason they chose cellular telephones instead of traditional landlines? • Cellular phones are new. • Cellular phones are inexpensive. • Cellular phones get better reception. • Cellular phones don’t require laying down long runs of cable. Answer: Cellular phones don’t require laying down long runs of cable.

5. Question 4 Density Experiment The two graduated cylinders pictured can hold the same amount of water and use the same scale. A student measures the masses of two metal balls. One ball is made of aluminum and the other ball is made of lead. The student adds 50 mL of water to each graduated cylinder and then drops one metal ball into each graduated cylinder. Which tool did the student use to measure the mass of each metal ball? • Ruler • Timer • Balance • Graduated cylinder Answer: Balance

6. Question 5 Density Experiment The two graduated cylinders pictured can hold the same amount of water and use the same scale. A student measures the masses of two metal balls. One ball is made of aluminum and the other ball is made of lead. The student adds 50 mL of water to each graduated cylinder and then drops one metal ball into each graduated cylinder. The student includes the sentence below in the write-up of this investigation. The lead ball has a measured mass of 113 grams. Which kind of scientific statement is this sentence? • Inference • Prediction • Explanation • Observation Answer: Observation

7. Question 6 The data table below shows the masses &volumes of three objects (A, B, and C). The formula for calculating an object’s density is: Density = Mass Volume Which statement about the densities of these three objects is correct? • B is more dense than A • A is more dense than C • B and C have equal densities • A and C have equal densities Answer: A and C have equal densities

8. Question 7 A group of students is given the procedures for an experiment and data collected by another class that previously did the experiment. The group of students is asked to check the accuracy of the other class’s data. How could the students check the other class’s data for accuracy? • By graphing data that the other class collected. • By drawing conclusions from the other class’s data. • By repeating the experiment with the same procedures and comparing data. • By adding another variable and repeating the experiment with modified procedures. Answer: By repeating the experiment with the same procedures and comparing data

9. Question 8 An automaker is introducing a new car. The vehicle is intended for families and must be inexpensive. What constraints are most likely to affect the design of this car? • Style, speed, comfort • Comfort, cost, safety • Speed, materials, environmental impact • Environmental impact, cost, time Answer: Comfort, cost, safety

10. Question 9 A class investigating the motion of a tire swing collected the data in the table below. The students were able to draw conclusions about the factors that affect the motion of a swing. Two students from the class decide to use the class data to build a different-size tire swing in their backyard. They build the tire swing shown in the diagram. After testing the swing, they decide that they want to make it swing faster. Based on the data from the class investigation, what could the students do to make their tire swing move back and forth faster? • Use a shorter rope • Use a longer rope • Use a less massive tire • Use a more massive tire Answer: Use a shorter rope

11. Question 10 When conducting a scientific experiment, it is important to get the most accurate data and results possible. Which of the following would most likely prevent a study from doing this? • bias • reproduction • objectivity • large sample size Answer: bias

12. Question 11 Planaria are flatworms that are found in shallow streams, often attached to the bottom of rocks. A class is studying a population of planaria in a nearby shallow stream. The graph below shows data collected over 11 weeks. The population started to decrease after 5 weeks. The students concluded that the stream did not have enough food to support a large population of planaria. If this trend continues, how many planaria will be living in the stream by the 12th week? • 600 • 500 • 400 • 300 Answer: 400

13. Question 12 Which of the following is true about the impact of new technologies on the environment? • New technologies have negative effects on the environment. • New technologies have positive effects on the environment. • New technologies have little effect on the environment. • New technologies have positive and negative effects on the environment. Answer: New technologies have positive and negative effects on the environment

14. Question 13 When creating a hypothesis, which of the following is the most important? • the exact conditions in which the experiment will be conducted • the reason the experiment is being conducted • the type of data being collected • the amount of data that will be collected Answer: The reason the experiment is being conducted

15. Question 14 Block and Ramp Students investigated the motion of wooden blocks on ramps. They used two boards, each two meters long, to create ramps. They set the ramps up at different heights, as shown in the diagram below. Next they took two identical blocks (I and II) and placed one at the top of each ramp. They placed the blocks so that the back edge of each block was even with the edge of the ramp (distance = 0 meters). The students held the blocks so that the blocks would not slide until the students released them. The students released the blocks at time = 0 seconds. They measured the total distance traveled by each block at 1-second intervals as the blocks slid down the ramps. The students recorded their results as shown below. Which conclusion is supported by the results of this investigation as expressed in the data table? • As the travel time increases, the speed of the block decreases. • As the ramp steepness is increased, the travel time of the block increases. • As the distance traveled increases, the average speed of the block increases. • As the height of the ramp is increased, the average speed of the block decreases. Answer: As the distance traveled increases, the average speed of the block increases.

16. Question 15 Butterfly Data A school butterfly club did a field study to document the species of butterflies present in their Ohio town. Students divided a circular field study area into five sections. The students took photographs and recorded notes describing each section. Students always observed butterflies in the study area at the same time of the day during the same four months of the year. Butterflies within 10 feet of the students were captured in nets, photographed for identification and then released. Data collected for four years are shown in the table below. In addition to a butterfly net, what tools would the students need to collect data for this study? • Camera and balance • Stopwatch and camera • Tape measure and camera • Tape measure and balance • Answer: Tape measure and camera

17. Question 16 • In the summer of 2000, a large number of Gypsy moths were seen on the trees. To protect the trees from the Gypsy moths, the town government sprayed a pesticide that kills only insect larvae. Which correctly explains the probable relationship between the spraying of pesticide and the number of butterflies observed in 2001? • There were more butterflies because there was less competition for food from the Gypsy moths. • There were fewer butterflies because the butterflies left the area to get away from the pesticide. • There were more butterflies because the butterflies ate the Gypsy moth larvae killed by the pesticide. • There were fewer butterflies because the pesticides killed the larvae of both the Gypsy moths and the butterflies. • Answer: There were fewer butterflies because the pesticides killed the larvae of both the Gypsy moths and the butterflies. Butterfly Data A school butterfly club did a field study to document the species of butterflies present in their Ohio town. Students divided a circular field study area into five sections. The students took photographs and recorded notes describing each section. Students always observed butterflies in the study area at the same time of the day during the same four months of the year. Butterflies within 10 feet of the students were captured in nets, photographed for identification and then released. Data collected for four years are shown in the table.

18. Question 17 Sally Scientist wants to test the quality of a new fertilizer. She chooses two identical sunflowers and plants them in an identical mixture of soil and compost. Each flower receives 10 hours of sunlight and 500 mL of water each day. Flower A receives no fertilizer. Flower B receives 5 grams of fertilizer. She measures them every three days at 8:00 in the morning. Sally Scientist created a data table and a graph. Which of the following is NOT a controlled variable in the experiment? • Type of soil • Amount of sunlight • Type of fertilizer • Amount of water Answer: Type of fertilizer

19. Question 18 Sally Scientist wants to test the quality of a new fertilizer. She chooses two identical sunflowers and plants them in an identical mixture of soil and compost. Each flower receives 10 hours of sunlight and 500 mL of water each day. Flower A receives no fertilizer. Flower B receives 5 grams of fertilizer. She measures them every three days at 8:00 in the morning. Sally Scientist created a data table and a graph. What is the independent variable? • Number of days • Time of day • Amount of compost • Amount of fertilizer Answer: Amount of fertilizer

20. Question 19 Sally Scientist wants to test the quality of a new fertilizer. She chooses two identical sunflowers and plants them in an identical mixture of soil and compost. Each flower receives 10 hours of sunlight and 500 mL of water each day. Flower A receives no fertilizer. Flower B receives 5 grams of fertilizer. She measures them every three days at 8:00 in the morning. Sally Scientist created a data table and a graph. What is the dependent variable? • Height • Weight • Color • Number of flowers Answer: Height

21. Question 20 Mary decides to conduct a study of local weather patterns for school. Mary's teacher wants her to turn in detailed and accurate notes as well as her results and conclusion. Why would it be important to include Mary's notes? • The conclusion of Mary's study will not make sense without the notes. • Mary’s teacher can learn about weather patterns. • The notes provide a way to understand Mary's hypothesis. • Mary's teacher needs the notes to make sure Mary's study was conducted following valid scientific methods. Answer: Mary’s teacher needs the notes to makes sure Mary’s study was conducted following valid scientific method.

22. Question 21 Gertrude cut two bars of different types of soap into four pieces each. She put one piece from each bar into each of four beakers, labels Beaker W, Beaker X, Beaker Y, and Beaker Z. Each beaker contained a different unknown liquid. According to the results shown, which beaker contained the liquid that was the least dense? • Beaker W • Beaker X • Beaker Y • Beaker Z Answer: Beaker Y

23. Question 22 How is an inference different from a prediction? • An inference is usually not influenced by personal bias, and a prediction almost always is • An inference is a guess based on feelings, and a prediction is a conclusion based on fact • An inference is rarely used for further scientific thinking, but a prediction can lead to new discoveries • An inference says what is happening now, and a prediction says what will happen in the future Answer: An inference says what is happening now, and a prediction says what will happen in the future.

24. Question 23 The purpose of technology is to • Make new scientific discoveries • Produce products and services that people want and need • Assist in the engineering design phase • Limit science and engineering so they do not become harmful to society Answer: Produce products and services that people want and need

25. Question 24 How does the scientific community confirm that the work of one scientist or a group of scientists is valid? • The most prominent scientists get together and take a vote • Scientists know that anything written in a textbook in valid • If the theory seems logical, the conclusion must be logical, regardless of the experimental results • Other scientists carry out the same experiment to see if they get the same result Answer: Other scientists carry out the same experiment to see if they get the same result

26. Question 25 What is true about 1 cm3 of each of the four substances shown? • They have different volumes. • They have the same chemical properties. • They most likely have different masses. • They most likely have the same physical properties. Answer: They most likely have different masses.

27. Question 26 Openness is a valuable quality in science. An open person is a person who is willing to consider new ideas or ways of looking at the world. If taken too far, however, openness can lead people to accept ideas that are not true. How does the quality of skepticism prevent people from accepting ideas that are not true? • A skeptical person finds inventive and interesting ways of completing tasks • A skeptical person questions and tests new ideas before accepting them • A skeptical person rejects all ideas except those already accepted by other people • A skeptical person accepts only those ideas that already fit his or her view of the world Answer: A skeptical person questions and tests new ideas before accepting them.

28. Question 27 Consider the following data taken from several unknown objects: What would this data be useful in calculating? • force • depth • size • Density Answer: Density

29. Question 28 Mario believes he has found the reason that some things glow in the dark while others do not. What is the most important thing he will need to do before his theory will be accepted by other scientists? • Create a petition and ask everyone who believes in his theory to sign it. • Develop tests and experiments that can be repeated to prove his theory. • Write a book promoting his theory. • Develop an on-line survey so people can vote on the accuracy of his theory. Answer: Develop tests and experiments that can be repeated to prove his theory.

30. Question 29 Which of the following things can a scientist do to reduce potential bias of the results in a scientific exploration and make it more acceptable to other scientists? • make sure that everyone in the scientific community agrees with the results • change the results so that there is nothing controversial to other scientists • show the investigation can be repeated and reproduce the same results • throw out any data or procedures that gave different results Answer: Show the investigation can be repeated and reproduce the same results

31. Question 30 Most factories now use robots and computer automation to help construct products like cars and appliances. In what way might this change the needs of the factory? • The factory will need less manual labor. • The factory will produce fewer products. • The products become more expensive to produce. • The products become less reliable to users. Answer: The factory will need less manual labor.

32. Question 31 In chemistry, objects as small as a single atom are studied. In astronomy, objects as large as entire solar systems and galaxies are studied. Why is it that, although they study such drastically different objects, both fields are considered science? • They both use the same technology. • They both require the same basic knowledge. • They both use the same basic scientific methods. • They are both based on the same original experiments. Answer: They both use the same basic scientific methods.

33. Question 32 A farmer grows and sells flowering plants. The best-selling plants are the ones with the most blossoms. The farmer reads an advertisement for a plant food saying that it will make plants grow faster and taller. The farmer predicts that taller plants will have more blossoms and performs the following experiment. Two groups of 10 plants each are grown in identical pots filled with equal amounts of identical soil. The amount of sunlight, the room temperature, and the amount of water are held constant for both groups. Group A is given plant food at regular intervals according to the instructions on the package. Group B is not given plant food. The farmer observes the plants after 15 weeks of growth. The results are recorded above. • Which of the following is not a control in the experiment? • Type of soil • Amount of sunlight • Amount of plant food • Temperature • Answer: Amount of plant food