Chapter 1: Scientific Method

As the text cites, atoms are incredibly tiny, numerous, perpetually moving, and what else? A. New in science B. Ageless C. Migratory D. Mainly in the air

B. Ageless

Which of the following is an element? A. A supernova B. Hydrogen C. Carbon dioxide D. H2O

B. Hydrogen

What are steps of the scientific method? A. Using Occam's razor to eliminate excess facts. B. Hypothesis, predictions, and experimental findings. C. Reasoning and derivation from axioms. D. Assembling and organizing facts and checking them against dogma.

B. Hypothesis, predictions, and experimental findings.

How does one isotope differ from another? A. It has a different number of electrons. B. It has a different number of neutrons. C. It has a different number of protons. D. It has a different electric charge.

B. It has a different number of neutrons.

Are most of the atoms around us younger or older than the Sun? A. Most are the same age as the Sun B. Most are older than the Sun C. Most are younger than the Sun D. Most are much younger than the Sun

B. Most are older than the Sun

When the Sun was directly overhead in Syene, why wasn't it directly overhead in Alexandria? A. The Sun is a sphere. B. The Earth is a sphere C. Gravity bends light D. Syene is in a different time zone than Alexandria.

B. The Earth is a sphere

What is the most abundant element in the known universe? A. Carbon B. Helium C. Hydrogen D. Iron

C. Hydrogen

Briefly, what is science? A. Science describes the order in nature and the causes of that order. B. Science is a way of knowing about the world and making sense of it. C. Science creates testable laws and theories. D. All of the above.

D. All of the above

Distinguish between a hypothesis and a theory. A. A hypothesis and a theory are both educated guesses. ' B. A hypothesis is an educated guess, whereas a theory encompasses well tested and verified hypotheses. C. A theory is an educated guess, whereas a hypothesis has been tested and verified by experiment. D. A hypothesis and a theory have both been tested and verified by experiment.

B. A hypothesis is an educated guess, whereas a theory encompasses well tested and verified hypotheses.

What is the test for whether a hypothesis is scientific or not? A. A hypothesis is scientific if the appropriate scientific body says it is. B. A hypothesis is scientific if it is possible to prove it wrong. C. A hypothesis is scientific if it is possible to prove it right. D. A hypothesis is scientific if it can be written as an equation.

B. A hypothesis is scientific if it is possible to prove it wrong.

A scientific hypothesis deemed valid must have a test for proving it ______. A. correct B. wrong C. none of these D. more than one time

B. wrong

What kind of attraction pulls electrons close to the atomic nucleus? A. Magnetic B. Nuclear C. Electric D. Gravitational

C. Electric

An important feature of atoms is that they __________. A. can barely be seen with the naked eye B. make up electric beams C. have wave properties D. are actually tiny solar systems

C. have wave properties

What did Robert Brown see under the microscope? A. atoms moving around B. atoms mixed with specks of dust moving around C. specks of dust moving around

C. specks of dust moving around

How does the Moon's diameter compare with the distance between Earth and the Moon? A. The Moon's diameter is 1/3.5 times the distance between Earth and the Moon. B. The Moon's diameter is 1/110 the distance between Earth and the Moon. C. The Moon's diameter is 1/2.5 times the distance between Earth and the Moon. D. The Moon's diameter is equal to the distance between Earth and the Moon.

B. The Moon's diameter is 1/110 the distance between Earth and the Moon.

Why did the particles jiggle around? A. The particles were struck equally on all sides by atoms that were moving around. B. The particles were struck by atoms, but unequally on different sides. C. There was a constant external force that propelled the particles.

B. The particles were struck by atoms, but unequally on different sides.

Which of the following are scientific hypotheses? A. Earth rotates about its axis because living things need an alternation of light and darkness. B. Chlorophyll makes grass green. C. Tides are caused by the Moon.

B. and C.

Distinguish between mass number and atomic mass. A. Mass number is the number of electrons; atomic mass is the total mass of an atom. B. Mass number is the number of neutrons; atomic mass is the total mass of an atom. C. Mass number is the number of nucleons; atomic mass is the total mass of an atom. D. Mass number is the number of protons; atomic mass is the total mass of an atom.

C. Mass number is the number of nucleons; atomic mass is the total mass of an atom.

How does the Sun's diameter compare with the distance between Earth and the Sun? A. The Sun's diameter is 1/3.5 the distance between Earth and the Sun. B. The Sun's diameter is equal to the distance between Earth and the Sun. C. The Sun's diameter is 1/110 the distance between Earth and the Sun. D. The Sun's diameter is 1/2.5 the distance between Earth and the Sun

C. The Sun's diameter is 1/110 the distance between Earth and the Sun.

If you place a Styrofoam cup on the table and a bunch of BBs move around it randomly, what will happen to the cup, and why? A. The cup will not move, because it is much larger than the BBs. B. The cup will move steadily in one direction because of the uniform force exerted by the BBs pushing it in that direction. C. The cup will move randomly in different directions because the BBs will exert unequal forces on the cup in different directions.

C. The cup will move randomly in different directions because the BBs will exert unequal forces on the cup in different directions.

Which of these atoms has the largest number of neutrons in the nucleus? A. Carbon B. Hydrogen C. Helium D. Gold

D. Gold

A theory in science is ______. A. an educated guess B. an agreement between trained investigators C. forever true D. a synthesis of well-tested ideas

D. a synthesis of well-tested ideas

A fact in science is ______. A. forever true B. a synthesis of well-tested ideas C. an educated guess D. an agreement between trained investigators

D. an agreement between trained investigators

Listed following are a series of statements that each make a claim. Classify these as either testable by accepted methods of science or non-testable by accepted methods of science. Be sure to note that this question does not ask whether a statement would pass or fail a test; it only asks whether it is testable in principle. Hurricane Katrina was an act of God - bacteria acquire resistance to antibiotics through changes in their DNA - Earth orbits the Sun every 365.25 days - Mars once had liquid water on its surface - Vince Young is the greatest quarterback of all time - people born under the sign of Sagittarius are twice as likely to be teachers as anyone else - there will be a solar eclipse next Tuesday at 11 am

Testable By Science: - bacteria acquire resistance to antibiotics through changes in their DNA - Earth orbits the Sun every 365.25 days - Mars once had liquid water on its surface - people born under the sign of Sagittarius are twice as likely to be teachers as anyone else - there will be a solar eclipse next Tuesday at 11 am Not Testable By Science - Hurricane Katrina was an act of God - Vince Young is the greatest quarterback of all time