Bio Midterm Exam Questions

Recently, beekeepers have noticed an alarming and sudden disappearance of honeybees from their hives. Some beekeepers and environmentalists worry that crops that are genetically engineered to produce Bt insecticidal toxin may be killing the bees. Without data from a scientific experiment, is it reasonable to state that Bt-containing crops are responsible for the loss of honeybees? a. No, because there could be some other unknown or unmentioned factor affecting the survival of honeybees. b. Yes, because it is obviously the Bt crops that are killing the bees. c. Yes, because there cannot possibly be any other explanation for the loss of the honeybees. d. No, because there is no reason to suspect that an insecticide would kill honeybees.

a. No, because there could be some other unknown or unmentioned factor affecting the survival of honeybees.

Based on the scientific evidence presented in more than 100 peer-reviewed, published research articles that evaluated millions of children, which of the following is NOT the reason for the observed increase of autism in the United States and other countries since the 1970s? a. The MMR vaccine is being more broadly administered, so more children are getting autism. b. More schools are screening more students for autism. c. There is a heightened awareness of autism in society. d. People are generally more willing to label a broader range of conditions within the spectrum of autism disorders.

a. The MMR vaccine is being more broadly administered, so more children are getting autism.

Some questions fall outside the realm of science. Which of the following questions could NOT be answered using the scientific method? a. Why is it unethical to test newly developed drugs in animals? b. What is the function of the appendix in human beings? c. Why is it so difficult to quit smoking? d. Why do smokers develop lung cancer more frequently than nonsmokers?

a. Why is it unethical to test newly developed drugs in animals?

When scientists generate a single informed, logical, and plausible explanation for a question and observations of the natural world, they are proposing a scientific a. hypothesis. b. theory. c. correlation. d. observation.

a. hypothesis

Announcing "scientific" findings in a press conference before they have been published in an established scientific journal is an example of a. neither primary nor secondary literature because it has not yet undergone peer review to be primary literature, and secondary literature follows primary literature. b. secondary literature. c. both primary and secondary literature because it does not need to undergo peer review to be either primary or secondary literature. d. primary literature.

a. neither primary nor secondary literature because it has not yet undergone peer review to be primary literature, and secondary literature follows primary literature.

Scientists are human beings and, like all human beings, are susceptible to personal and group biases that may influence how they interpret evidence. Before original research work is accepted and added to a growing body of scientific understanding it must be scrutinized by experts in the field who have no direct connection to the research under review. The main mechanism for doing this is a. peer-reviewed publications b. hypothesis rejection c. fact checking d. controlled experiments

a. peer-reviewed publications

Is it important for scientists to communicate their results to fellow scientists? a. Yes. The scientific method generates data, but only other scientists can determine the morally correct way to act on that information. b. Yes. The quality and accuracy of the scientific work can be enhanced by input, further review, and even repetition by other scientists working in the same field. c. No. Communication between scientists is discouraged because it can confuse the details of the experiments. d. No. There is no reason for scientists to communicate their results to fellow scientists.

b. Yes. The quality and accuracy of the scientific work can be enhanced by input, further review, and even repetition by other scientists working in the same field.

David Blehert and his research team captured 117 healthy bats to study in the laboratory and divided them into four groups. Group 1 was housed in an area free from the fungus Geomyces destructans. Group 2 was housed in an area that shared the same air as bats infected with white-nose syndrome (WNS), but these bats did not have direct contact with the infected bats. Group 3 was housed in direct contact with other bats infected with WNS. Bats in group 4 were directly exposed to Geomyces destructans when it was applied to their wings. During the study period the bats were monitored for signs of WNS. Which group is the control group? a. group 2 b. group 1 c. group 4 d. group 3

b. group 1

In science, when a hypothesis or group of hypotheses supported by repeated experimental evidence holds true through time, it can be developed into a a. peer-reviewed prediction. b. scientific theory. c. scientific fact. d. proven explanation.

b. scientific theory

David Blehert and his research team captured 117 healthy bats to study in the laboratory and divided them into four groups. Group 1 was housed in an area free from Geomyces destructans. Group 2 was housed in an area that shared the same air as bats infected with white-nose syndrome (WNS), but these bats did not have direct contact with the infected bats. Group 3 was housed in direct contact with other bats infected with WNS. Bats in group 4 were directly exposed to Geomyces destructans when it was applied to their wings. During the study period the bats were monitored for signs of WNS. In this experiment, the independent variable was __________ and the dependent variable was __________. a. whether the bats became sick with WNS; the number of bats included in the study b. the type of exposure to Geomyces destructans; whether the bats became sick with WNS c. whether the bats became sick with WNS; the type of exposure to Geomyces destructans d. the number of bats included in the study; the type of exposure to Geomyces destructans

b. the type of exposure to Geomyces destructans; whether the bats became sick with WNS

Which of the following statements about the process of science is accurate? a. Science does not use evidence and data collected to advance our understanding of natural and supernatural phenomena. b. Science attempts to solve a problem by evaluating the plausibility of only one solution without considering other possible explanations. c. Science is a systematic method designed to answer questions by evaluating evidence. d. Science can answer all questions regarding the human experience and personal values.

c. Science is a systematic method designed to answer questions by evaluating evidence.

Which of the following is a scientific theory? a. A fungal infection causes bats to wake up repeatedly during the winter and use up their fat reserves. b. Bats with white noses have been observed in the wild. c. Specific pathogens are directly responsible for specific diseases and conditions. d. A fungal infection is responsible for the spread of white noses and associated higher mortality across bat populations and species.

c. Specific pathogens are directly responsible for specific diseases and conditions.

Recently, beekeepers have noticed an alarming and sudden disappearance of honeybees from their hives. Some beekeepers and environmentalists worry that crops genetically engineered to produce Bt insecticidal toxin may be killing the bees. Select the controlled experiment that tests the hypothesis that Bt toxin is killing the bees. a. collecting hundreds of bees and spraying half of them with Bt toxin and the other half with DDT, another insecticide; the survival rate for both sets of bees would be calculated and compared b. introducing two different species of bees to a field that was sprayed with the Bt toxin; the number of dead bees from each species would be calculated and compared c. exposing 100 bees to plants that express the gene for Bt toxin, while another 100 bees of the same species are exposed to normal plants; the survival rate for both sets of bees would be calculated and compared d. spraying Bt toxin on a field and counting the number of bees present after spraying

c. exposing 100 bees to plants that express the gene for Bt toxin, while another 100 bees of the same species are exposed to normal plants; the survival rate for both sets of bees would be calculated and compared

New medications undergo extensive human testing before receiving FDA approval. These tests represent an experiment, and variations in the dosage given to participants represent the a. correlation coefficient. b. invariable. c. independent variable. d. dependent variable.

c. independent variable

Scientists analyzed 62 studies and determined that a strong physician recommendation for the HPV vaccine was a positive determining factor in whether or not parents chose to vaccinate their children. This analysis of various studies is referred to as a. beta-analysis. b. secondary study. c. meta-analysis. d. secondary analysis.

c. meta-analysis.

A group of researchers conducted an experiment and collected the data that is presented in the following graph. The hypothesis that the fungus is sufficient to cause death is __________ by the data because all members of the control group __________ while most of the members of both treatment groups __________ by the end of the study. a. not supported; died; survived b. proven; survived; died c. supported; survived; died d. proven beyond a doubt; survived; died

c. supported; survived; died

A scientific hypothesis must be __________; if not, science cannot evaluate it. a. accepted b. rejected c. testable d. provable

c. testable

Which of the following would be a scientific fact? a. A fungal infection is solely responsible for the spread of white noses and associated higher mortality across bat populations and species. b. A fungal infection causes bats to wake up repeatedly during the winter and use up their fat reserves. c. Specific pathogens are directly responsible for specific diseases and conditions. d. Bats with white noses have been observed in the wild.

d. Bats with white noses have been observed in the wild.

A scientific hypothesis must be constructed with which of the following characteristics? a. It provides an explanation consistent with accepted theological ideas and does not need to be tested. b. It is always provable and clearly states what is already known to be fact. c. It does not require testing by experimentation or additional observations; it is not falsifiable. d. It provides a reasonable explanation to a question and is consistent with current observations; it must also be testable and falsifiable.

d. It provides a reasonable explanation to a question and is consistent with current observations; it must also be testable and falsifiable.

Scientific understanding can always be challenged, and even changed, with new ways of observing and with different interpretations. For example, new tools and techniques have resulted in new observations and the discovery of additional information. Hence, there is no certainty in science, only degrees of probability (likelihood) and potential for change. In light of this understanding, which of the following statements is most meaningful? a. Scientific knowledge is a rigid collection of invariable facts. b. Scientific knowledge is a static and unchanging collection of facts. c. Scientific knowledge is absolute knowledge. d. Scientific knowledge is based on current knowledge.

d. Scientific knowledge is based on current knowledge.

A tissue is defined as a. the basic unit of life b. two or more atoms held together by strong chemical bonds. c. a network of organs that perform a wide range of functions. d. a group of cells that performs a unique set of tasks in the body.

d. a group of cells that performs a unique set of tasks in the body.

Hypotheses can be tested through observational studies or experimental studies. Which of the following represents an experimental approach to testing a hypothesis? a. measuring crop yields to better document the impacts of a severe drought b. searching for fossils in a recently exposed outcropping of rock c. predicting migration routes for monarch butterflies in light of anticipated future climate change d. injecting trees with insecticide to determine whether it protects against a certain insect pest

d. injecting trees with insecticide to determine whether it protects against a certain insect pest

You are reading an article in National Geographic regarding the evolution of humans. This would be an example of __________ literature. a. primary b. meta-analysis c. peer-reviewed scientific journal d. secondary

d. secondary

Once it has been supported by a predictable experimental outcome, a scientific hypothesis a. is elevated to the status of theory. b. cannot be refuted by future experiments. c. is never reexamined. d. still cannot be considered to have been proven true.

d. still cannot be considered to have been proven true.