Study Island Scientific Evidence Answers

A scientific theory is a well-tested explanation for a wide range of observations or experimental results. A hypothesis is a possible answer to a question. When does a hypothesis become a scientific theory?

after the hypothesis has been confirmed through extensive testing

Scientific conclusions that are influenced by the opinions or beliefs of the experimenter are ______.

biased

Which of the following would make experimental results more reliable?

performing the experiment multiple times

A scientist collected the following data on algal growth during an experiment: Which of the following conclusions could be drawn from the data?

Algae multiply most rapidly at 20°C.

Kimberly is investigating how different materials produce different amounts of friction. At a local park, there are two slides that are completely identical, except that one is metal and the other is plastic. She measures how long it takes for a wooden block to slide down each ramp. On the first trial, she noticed that there was moisture on the metal slide, which resulted in a faster sliding time for the block. Based on these results, what would be the next logical question that Kimberly should address?

How do lubricants such as water affect friction?

ABC Gasoline wants to prove that its fuel produces more gas mileage in cars than the leading competitor's fuel. In a test, one gallon of ABC gasoline is put in a car and the car is driven at 50 mph until it runs out of gas. Then, the test is repeated using the competitor's gasoline in the same car on the same road. The results are shown below. Which of the following is true?

No conclusion can be drawn; the differing weather conditions could have influenced the results.

A scientist observing a group of spider monkeys noticed that the adult females often spend time picking leaves off of tree branches. The scientist hypothesizes that this behavior is caused by boredom. Is the scientist's hypothesis valid?

No, emotions of non-human organisms cannot be tested.

A pharmaceutical company states in advertisements that their new ScarX Cream is guaranteed to erase scars in one month. The company based their claims on a study done by the company's dermatologists. The study showed that 84 percent of users said the sizes of their scars were reduced after using the product for 50 days. Do the study results support the company's claims?

No, the results indicated that the scars were reduced, not erased.

IceTreats is a company that sells ice cream bars. Inside every box of IceTreats, there is a survey that asks customers their favorite ice cream brand. Ninety percent of the survey-takers chose IceTreats. Based on the survey, IceTreats says that 90% of the public likes IceTreats more than any other brand of ice cream bar. Is this a fair statement?

No, the survey method is biased.

Derrick just got home from playing soccer on a muddy field. He is curious how different brands of laundry detergent compare in removing mud from clothes, so he sets up an experiment. In one laundry load, he puts his muddy socks with Brand A detergent. In the next load, he puts his muddy jersey with Brand B detergent. In the final load, he puts his muddy shorts with Brand C detergent. Afterward, he noticed that the jersey came out the cleanest. He concludes that Brand B is the best detergent for removing mud from clothes. Is his conclusion valid?

No; there were too many variables in the experiment.

A scientist is studying which flower color attracts the most bees. To do this, the scientist releases a group of ten honey bees into a chamber with white walls. The chamber contains potted flowers of the following varieties: yellow daffodils, red roses, white daisies, purple asters, and orange lilies. The results of the experiment is shown in the table below: From the data, the scientist concludes that bees prefer red flowers. Are the scientist's conclusions valid?

Not necessarily; the honey bees may have been attracted to traits other than flower color.

A patient suffering from a bacterial infection was given antibiotics to take by her doctor. The patient took the antibiotics for 6 days out of a 10 day period. The percentage of bacteria surviving during each day of this period is shown in the table below. Which of the following conclusions is most likely correct?

The bacteria developed resistance to the antibiotics.

A student would like to determine how heating a liquid changes its volume. The student hypothesizes that the liquid will increase in volume. The following list shows the steps taken by the student in order to test the hypothesis. What is wrong with how the student conducted the investigation?

The volume of the liquid should be measured before it is heated.

A student reads in her science textbook that orange juice is a good source of vitamin C. The student then examines the following nutrition facts label from a bottle of orange juice. Does the nutrition facts label support the claims made by the science textbook?

Yes, orange juice contains a large amount of vitamin C.