Assignment 1: Introduction to Science and Biology

How do hypotheses differ from theories?

Theories are more comprehensive than hypotheses

What accounts for the different breeds of domesticated dogs?

artificial selection

What is the fundamental unit of life?

cell

Even though biology is a broad field of study, __________ serves as a central theme that unifies all of biology.

evolution

The branch of biology that explains both the diversity and the unity of life is ______.

evolution

More than half of all known species are ________.

insects

Relative to prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells are usually ______.

larger and more complex

What are the two main processes that ecosystems depend upon?

nutrient recycling and energy flow

Discovery science is primarily based on ________.

observation

Members of the kingdom Plantae differ from members of the other kingdoms of Eukarya in that most members of the kingdom Plantae ______.

produce their own food

What does "adaptation" mean in an evolutionary context?

the accumulation of favorable variations in a population over time

Science is...

the inquiry-based effort to describe and explain nature

What is biology?

the scientific study of life

Which of the following structures can perform all the activities required for life? A) cells B) DNA molecules C) nuclei D) organelles

A) cells

A hypothesis is a(n) ________. A) tentative answer to a question B) guess C) theory D) observation

A) tentative answer to a question

You try to start your car, but it does not start. Which of these is a prediction? A) My car's battery is dead. B) If I recharge the battery, then my car will start. C) What is wrong with my car? D) My car is too old to function properly.

B) If I recharge the battery, then my car will start.

You try to start your car, but it does not start. Which of these is a hypothesis? A) My car is too old to function properly. B) My car's battery is dead. C) If I recharge the battery, then my car will start. D) What is wrong with my car?

B) My car's battery is dead

Which of the following is not a property of life? A) Organisms take in energy and use it to perform all of life's activities. B) Populations of organisms rarely change over time. C) Organisms reproduce their own kind. D) Living things exhibit complex but ordered organization.

B) Populations of organisms rarely change over time

Which domain(s) consist(s) of prokaryotic cells?

Bacteria and Archaea

Which of these would be a valid scientific hypothesis? A) Humans are controlled by forces beyond our understanding. B)Humans should help in the conservation of other animal species. C) Humans and bacteria share a common genetic code. D) Human history is determined by a series of supernatural events.

C) Humans and bacteria share a common genetic code.

Which of these statements is CORRECT? A) Science can be used to prove or disprove the idea that deities or spirits cause earthquakes and other natural disasters. B) Only discovery science can lead to important conclusions about nature. C) Science does not require observations that other people can confirm. D) Scientific ideas are subjected to repeated testing.

D) Scientific ideas are subjected to repeated testing

What is the difference between discovery science and hypothesis-driven science?

Discovery science is mostly about describing nature, whereas hypothesis-driven science tries to explain nature

A newly discovered multicellular organism obtains food by digesting dead organisms. Such an organism is most likely a member of the kingdom ______.

Fungi

Regulation in biological systems depends on feedback, which is an example of information flow. When diabetes destroys insulin-producing cells, what information flow is disrupted?

The body is unable to send signals that indicate the amount of sugar in the blood.

Which of these is a prokaryotic cell?

a bacterial cell