Biology - The Scientific Study of Life
Select all the true statements about double-blind studies:
A double-blind study helps avoid bias in medical research. Neither the researchers nor the participants know who received the placebo and who received the treatment substance.
Domain names in the taxonomic hierarchy of life:
Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Select two scientists that independently developed the idea of natural selection:
Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace
In reproduction, what is transmitted to the offspring that will determine what the offspring are like?
DNA
What domain is characterized by having unicellular and multicellular organisms whose cells contain a nucleus?
Eukarya
Select all of the qualities of a valid hypothesis:
It must be testable. It can be rejected.
_______ is characterized by cellular organization, energy requirements, homeostasis, reproduction, growth, development, and evolution.
Life
Rank the following steps of the generalized scientific method in order from the first step at the top to the last step at the bottom:
Observe and ask questions about something in the natural world. Create a hypothesis to explain your observations and make predictions. Carry out experiment(s) to test the hypothesis and collect data. Analyze your data and draw conclusions.
Asexual reproduction:
Offspring are virtually identical to each other. Genetic information comes from only one parent.
________ are groups of specialized cells that function together.
Tissues
The variable of an experiment is
a changeable element of an experiment
a) producer b) consumer c) decomposer
a) autotroph that obtains energy and nutrients from nonliving sources b) heterotroph that obtains energy and nutrients by eating other organisms c) heterotroph that obtains energy and nutrients from wastes and dead organisms
Match each example to its correct level of biological organization: a) organism b) community c) molecule d) ecosystem e) organ system f) atom
a) bacterial cell b) plants, animals, and microorganisms that inhabit a particular field c) DNA d) organisms, water, air, and nutrients in a desert area e) heart and blood vessels f) carbon
Match the following types of variables to their correct definition: a) independent variable b) dependent variable c) standardized variable
a) the manipulated portion of the experiment b) the response that an investigator measures c) a parameter of the experiment that is held constant
Outside of science, the word theory is often used to describe
an opinion
A scientist who is unaware of his or her biases might be slow to accept
an unexpected result
Emergent properties show that biological function and structure
are interdependent
What are the small chemical units that can combine to form molecules?
atoms
A level of biological organization called the _________ includes all parts of Earth and its atmosphere where life can survive.
biosphere
A living thing, or organism, exhibits certain properties of life and is composed of one or more _________, the basic units of life.
cells
What describes metabolism?
chemical reactions that occur within cells to acquire and use energy and molecules
What is the term for all the populations of different species that occupy the same location at the same time?
community
The group in an experiment that is untreated and provides and basis for comparison is called the
control
What process describes the cell division and growth of specialized tissues that produces a multicellular organism from a single, fertilized egg?
development
What biological level includes the living and nonliving components of a particular area?
ecosystem
New complex functions and characteristics that arise when the lower level components of an organism interact are called __________ properties.
emergent
In the scientific method, a(n) _________ is an investigation carried out under controlled conditions to test a hypothesis.
experiment
Select all of the following that are ways to collect data in a scientific inquiry:
experimentation and discovery science
Characteristics of scientific theory:
falsifiable encompass multiple hypotheses can be used to make predictions supported by a large body of evidence
The data and results of an experiment may support or reject a(n)
hypothesis
It can difficulty to scientifically study events that occured in the past and that left little evidence because
it can be hard to accurately re-create conditions from the past
What happens to a theory when additional observations do not support its predictions?
it weakens
Biologists begin a study by asking questions and
making observations
Select all of the following that can be limitations to scientific studies
misinterpretations of results reluctance to accept unexpected conclusions biases of scientists
What is a group of joined atoms, such as DNA?
molecule
The traits of individuals that have higher reproductive success in a particular environment become more common within a population due to
natural selection
Because science is __________, theories can change to accommodate new ideas and discoveries.
open to new information
Multiple organs are linked together into
organ systems
A(n) _________ is an inert substance given to a portion of the experimental group to act as a control.
placebo
Consider a species of frog that lives in many ponds throughout central California. A group of the frogs in one of the ponds, NOT including the other species of organisms living there, is an example of a(n)
population
In the scientific method, hypotheses should lead to specific if-then statements called
predictions
Theories are not only testable but also suggest
predictions about future discoveries
Characteristics of life:
reproduction, growth, development, homeostasis, energy use, evolution, and organization
Natural __________ is a mechanism of evolution in which certain individuals from a population exhibit enhanced reproductive success based on inherited characteristics.
selection
In _________ reproduction, offspring are produced that contain a combination of genetic material from two parents.
sexual
When examining evolutionary relationships, taxonomists strive to classify organisms according to
shared common ancestors
What is the basic unit of classification and is denoted by a unique two-part scientific name?
species
Select all of the organisms that are able to reproduce asexually:
sponges, some plants, and fungi
After an experiment is completed, scientists determine if their results support their hypothesis by applying
statistical analyses
Advances in _________, such as DNA sequencers and radio-tracking devices, have enhanced biological discovery.
technology
The practical application of scientific knowledge is called
technology
Select all of the past scientific conclusions that were later revised due to technological inventions and new data analysis methods
the Earth is the center of the universe all organisms are either plants or animals the Earth is flat
What suggests that the current diversity of life evolved from a common ancestor?
the similarities among organisms
Biologists would describe evolution as a
theory
Science and technology are often ___________ because new advances in one may spawn new advances in the other.
tied together
True or false: Natural selection is a mechanism of evolution.
true
True or false: The ultimate energy source in most ecosystems is the sun.
true
The scientific definition of theory is "a _________," whereas the nonscientific definition of theory is "a _________."
well-tested explanation; guess