Bio 100 Chapter 1 Launchpad Questions
Which example describes the set-up of a controlled experiment?
A.) A doctor treats one subject for a disease and observes how quickly the patient recovers. B.) Twenty subjects with knee pain receive the same treatment to relieve joint pain. C.) Ten subjects receive a new drug and another ten subjects receive a sugar pill. D.) Fifteen subjects with the common cold take a cold medicine and answer questions about its effects. E.) Researchers collect lifestyle data from fifty questionnaires submitted by subjects with the same disease. - Answer C
What is the hygiene hypothesis?
A.) Children who grow up in the cleanest environments have the fewest allergies as adults. B.) Growing up in a very clean environment can make a person more susceptible to some diseases. C.) Frequent and thorough hand washing reduces the spread of communicable diseases. D.) Living in clean conditions makes people more relaxed and less likely to develop mental illness. -Answer B
Which statement describes a correlation between two variables?
A.) Correlated variables are independent; how one varies does not have an effect on how the other varies. B.) Correlated variables are dependent; how they change is predicted by change in a third unknown variable. C.) Correlated variables demonstrate causality; change in the independent variable directs change in the dependent variable. D.)Correlated variables strongly imply their change is caused by a third, perhaps unknown, variable. E.) Correlated variables are interdependent; as one varies so does the other in a predictable fashion. -Answer E
Which example describes the set-up of a controlled experiment?
A.) Fifteen subjects with the common cold take a cold medicine and answer questions about its effects. B.) Researchers collect lifestyle data from fifty questionnaires submitted by subjects with the same disease. C.) A doctor treats one subject for a disease and observes how quickly the patient recovers. D.) Ten subjects receive a new drug and another ten subjects receive a sugar pill. E.) Twenty subjects with knee pain receive the same treatment to relieve joint pain. -Answer D
You hear a news report about a new asthma treatment. What information is NOT something you would want to know before asking your doctor if this treatment was right for you?
A.) How many participants were in the trial? B.) Is asthma a genetic disorder? C.) In what populations were the clinical trials conducted? D.) Was there a statistically significant difference between the effect of the new drug and the treatment used in the control group? E.) Was the drug tested in a randomized clinical trial? -Answer B
How do food allergy rates compare between children from urban areas and those from rural areas?
A.) In urban areas, 10% of children have food allergies whereas only 6% of rural children do. B.) Children in urban areas have half as many food allergies as children in rural areas. C.) Urban children have allergies to nearly twice as many foods as rural children do. D.) Almost 6% of urban children have food allergies whereas more than 10% of rural children do. -Answer A
How does ingesting dog dust appear to affect the gut bacteria of mice?
A.) It triggers gut bacteria to reproduce in large numbers. B.) It produces a greater diversity of gut bacteria. C.) It adds yeast that replaces much of the original gut bacteria. D.) It prompts gut bacteria to signal the immune system. -Answer B
Can an epidemiologist who finds a correlation between the use of tanning beds and melanoma (an aggressive form of skin cancer) in college-age women conclude that tanning beds cause skin cancer?
A.) No, the correlation would have to hold with males and females and in different age groups. B.) Yes, but only melanoma skin cancer, not other forms of skin cancer. C.) No, correlation is not proof of causation. D.) Yes, but only for college-age women. E.) Yes, as long as the correlation was statistically significant. -Answer C
What are hypotheses suggesting why urban children have more food allergies than children from rural areas? Select the TWO answers that are correct.
A.) Rural children with food allergies may be misdiagnosed as having another type of illness or not diagnosed at all. B.) Urban children may be introduced to allergy-inducing foods earlier in life before their immune systems can defend against them. C.) Rural children are in contact with many allergens from an early age that train their immune systems better. D.) Urban children are exposed to chemical pollutants that sensitize their immune systems and make them more prone to allergies. -Answer C,D
Why is sample size important?
A.) Statistical significance is best achieved with a small sample size. B.) Larger sample size increases the likelihood that the results of a study are not due to random chance. C.) Legitimate scientific studies can be performed using only a large sample size. D.) Relationships between variables can be determined only using a large sample size. E.) Researchers will always draw the right conclusions about a set of data if the sample size is large enough. -Answer B
What characteristics does a scientific hypothesis have? Select the TWO answers that are correct.
A.) The hypothesis is based on an opinion. B.) The hypothesis contains a supernatural element. C.) The hypothesis has already been proven correct. D.) The hypothesis could be proven false. E.) The hypothesis is something that can be tested. -Answer D,E
What characteristics does a scientific hypothesis have? Select the TWO answers that are correct.
A.) The hypothesis is based on an opinion. B.) The hypothesis could be proven false. C.) The hypothesis contains a supernatural element. D.) The hypothesis has already been proven correct. E.) The hypothesis is something that can be tested. -Answer B,E
You are listening to a news report that claims a new study has found convincing evidence that a particular weight-loss product is much more effective than diet and exercise Which statement would be an example of scientifically "convincing" evidence in this case?
A.) The study has a hypothesis. B.) All the participants lost at least 10 pounds. C.) Only the participants who used the weight-loss product lost weight. D.) The participants who used the weight-loss product lost an average of 3 pounds, whereas the participants who used diet and exercise lost an average of 2 pounds. E.) Statistical tests showed significantly more weight loss in the participants who used the weight-loss product than those who relied on diet and exercise. -Answer E
How did mice that were exposed to dog dust respond when infected with the RSV virus?
A.) They became more susceptible to infection with other viruses as well. B.) They began showing symptoms that resembled those of asthma. C.) They exhibited more viral symptoms than mice from dust-free environments. D.) They were able to fight off the infection without developing symptoms. -Answer D
How can statistics be used in a scientific study?
A.) They can reveal whether or not the data have been fabricated. B.) They can only be used to refute the hypothesis. C.) They determine whether observed differences are significant or a result of chance. D.) They can only be used to support the hypothesis. E.) They can determine whether the hypothesis is testable and falsifiable. -Answer C
Which statements describe the relationship between correlation and causation? Select the TWO answers that are correct.
A.) When a correlation has a high probability, it strongly implies causation. B.) Correlation alone is not sufficient evidence to attribute causation. C.) When two variables correlate, it strongly implies that a third unknown variable is the causal factor. D.) Either variable might be the cause, or both variables might be influenced by a third unknown variable. E.) Strong correlations among variables are evidence of causation by the independent variable. -Answer B,D
From what you have read in this chapter, would you say a 21-year-old Caucasian female can count on caffeinated coffee to reduce her risk of Parkinson's disease?
A.) Yes, the peer-reviewed study proved that coffee reverses the symptoms of Parkinson's disease in people of all ethnicities and ages. B.) Yes, because the results of a peer-reviewed study indicated that drinking caffeinated beverages reduced the risk of Parkinson's disease. C.) No data are available on the relationship between drinking caffeinated beverages and Parkinson's disease because it would be unethical to conduct such an epidemiological study. D.) No, she would have to restrict her consumption of coffee to decaffeinated coffee to reduce her risk of Parkinson's disease. E.) No, because participants in that peer-reviewed study were Japanese American males; it cannot be inferred that the same results would hold for Caucasian females. -Answer E
Using the same independent and dependent variables as in the first experiment, researchers could extend the studies to test which of the following hypotheses? Select the TWO answers that are correct.
A.) Young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 are less likely to drink coffee than elderly adults. B.)Caffeine does not improve memory function in women aged 20 to 40. C.) The risk of developing cancer in advanced age increases with caffeine consumption. D.) Antioxidant-rich foods improve memory function in men and women over the age of 65. E.)Caffeine improves memory function in elderly people when consumed at least two hours before testing. -Answer B, E
Which of the following sources is most likely to provide the most scientifically rigorous and accurate information?
A.) an epidemiological study with 15,000 subjects B.) a non-randomized clinical trial with 15,000 subjects C.) an endorsement of a product by a movie star D.) a randomized clinical trial with 15,000 subjects E.) a report on a study presented by a news organization -Answer D
You conduct a clinical trial to test whether a new drug relieves the symptoms of arthritis better than a placebo. You have four groups of participants, all of whom have moderately painful arthritis (rated 7 on a scale of 1 to 10). Each group receives a daily pill as follows: group 1—placebo; group 2—15 mg; group 3—25 mg; group 4—50 mg. At the end of 2 weeks, participants in each group are asked to rate their pain on a scale of 1 to 10. Based on the process of science, what should your next step be?
A.) conclude that the drug doesn't work very well B.) invest in the drug company C.) conclude that the drug relieves arthritis pain D.) Develop a new hypothesis based on the unanalyzed data. E.) run a statistical analysis on the data collected -Answer E
What future benefit might this research have for the prevention of food allergies?
A.) determining whether children should be exposed to urban allergens B.) reducing the severity of food allergies in urban and rural children C.) finding environmental factors that trigger food allergies D.) pinpointing the foods children should avoid in order to prevent allergies -Answer C
A close friend has joined a clinical trial. When you ask her about the types of treatment she might be given, she tells you that neither she nor the doctor running the trial will know until the process has been completed. What type of trial has she joined?
A.) double-blind B.) peer reviewed C.) epidemiological D.) theoretical F.) unsafe -Answer A
Of the following, which is the first step in the scientific process?
A.) drawing a conclusion B.) analyzing data C.) developing questions based on observations D.) generating a hypothesis E.) conducting an experiment -Answer C
Anna is majoring in public health. She is designing an epidemiological study to examine the relationship between alcohol consumption and academic performance at her university. In addition to ensuring that she has a large enough sample size, what strategy should she take to make sure her conclusions are accurate?
A.) hand out the survey only to friends and to fellow students enrolled in public health classes B.) give the surveys out to members of the student groups known for throwing the wildest parties on campus C.) target the surveys to the students that are involved in the designated driver campaign on campus D.) randomly survey a group of participants that are representative of the general student body E.) give the survey to the students that are most likely to respond because they carry a smaller course load -Answer D
When scientists carry out an experiment, they are testing a _____.
A.) hypothesis B.) variable C.) question D.) theory E.) control -Answer A
In the studies of coffee and memory discussed, the independent variable is _____ and the dependent variable is _____.
A.) memory; caffeinated coffee B.) caffeinated coffee; decaffeinated coffee C.) caffeine; memory D.) memory; caffeine E.)decaffeinated coffee; caffeinated coffee -Answer C
Use the following information for the question below: You conduct a clinical trial to test whether a new drug relieves the symptoms of arthritis better than a placebo. You have four groups of participants, all of whom have moderately painful arthritis (rated 7 on a scale of 1 to 10). Each group receives a daily pill as follows: group 1-placebo; group 2-15 mg; group 3-25 mg; group 4-50 mg. At the end of 2 weeks, participants in each group are asked to rate their pain on a scale of 1 to 10. What is the independent variable in this experiment?
A.) the degree to which symptoms changed B.) the level of pain experienced C.) the drug itself D.) the amount of pain experienced at the end of the experiment by the different drug treatment groups E.) the different drug treatment groups -Answer C
In a controlled experiment, which group receives the placebo?
A.) the independent group B.) the control group C.) all groups D.) the experimental group E.) the dependent group -Answer B
Which of these is NOT a factor that may lead to different conclusions from two different studies investigating the same thing (eg., the relationship, if any, between caffeinated coffee and memory)?
A.) using a control group B.) different amounts of caffeine C.) different ways of evaluating memory (eg., long-term vs. short-term memory) D.)different types of participants (eg., participants of different ages or professions) E.) different sample sizes -Answer A
When is a hypothesis considered scientific?
A.) when it can be tested and is refutable B.) when it relies on anecdotal evidence C.) All hypotheses are considered scientific until experiments determine otherwise. D.) when it relies on mystical explanations E.) when it is based on something other than observation -Answer A
What did the researchers conclude about how caffeine consumption affects memory function from the experiment?
A.)Caffeine has no effect on memory function in elderly people. B.)Decaffeinated coffee worsens memory function in elderly people. C.)Caffeine improves memory function in elderly people. D.)Elderly people should drink coffee in the afternoon to boost memory function. E.)Elderly people have poorer memory function in the afternoon as compared to young adults. -Answer C
