Deck 1: Human Biology, Science, and Society

Question 1

Which one of the following is a kingdom?

A) Eukarya
B) Primates
C) Archaea
D) Animalia
E) Bacteria

Answer 1

D

Question 2

All of these criteria are used to classify an organism as a member of the plant, animal, or fungi kingdom EXCEPT which one?

A) the organism's life cycle
B) the means by which the organism transports itself
C) the structure or body plan of the organism
D) the mode of nutrition of the organism

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Peer review is essential to the scientific process because

A) it ensures that the findings from experimentation are modified prior to publication
B) the process immediately validates any hypotheses tested in the experiments
C) the process can lead to improvements in articles prior to being published
D) it is the primary means for informing other scientists about new information in the field
E) it tests hypotheses proposed by investigators

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Humans possess several characteristics that, when taken together, differentiate them from other organisms. These characteristics include all of the following EXCEPT which one?

A) opposable thumbs
B) capacity for complex language
C) bipedalism
D) large brain relative to body mass
E) the inability to maintain a constant internal body temperature

Question 5

Which one of the following best describes the proper sequence of steps involved in the scientific method? a. state hypothesis d. support or disprove hypothesis
B) observe e. form a prediction
C) experiment

A) b, a, d, e, c
B) a, b, c, d, e
C) b, a, e, c, d
D) a, b, c, e, d
E) e, b, a, c, d

Question 6

Which kingdom in the Domain Eukarya contains multicellular photosynthesizers?

A) Plantae
B) Bacteria
C) Fungi
D) Archaea
E) Animalia

Question 7

Which one of the following is the lowest level of biological organization in which evolutionary change can occur?

A) cell
B) organism
C) community
D) population

Question 8

The branch of science that studies living organisms and their life processes is

A) biology
B) geology
C) chemistry
D) physics

Question 9

Based on the figure above, which group of organisms is most closely related to members of the Kingdom Animalia?

A) Protista
B) Fungi
C) Plantae
D) Bacteria
E) Archaea

Question 10

Which one of the following is a TRUE statement?

A) Molecules are considered to be the smallest unit capable of exhibiting all the characteristics of life.
B) Cells arise spontaneously from nonliving chemical elements.
C) All living things are made up of at least one cell.
D) Cells are incapable of maintaining homeostasis because they are too small.
E) Complex organisms can be unicellular.

Question 11

Which one of the following sequences is CORRECT in terms of level of organization from least to most complex?

A) cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organism
B) atoms, cells, organs, community, population
C) atoms, cells, organism, organ systems, ecosystem
D) tissues, organ systems, population, cells, organism

Question 12

Which one of the following statements regarding scientific theory is FALSE?

A) A scientific theory is a speculation as to the possible outcome of an experiment.
B) A hypothesis that has been repeatedly tested over time, and found to be true, usually becomes a scientific theory.
C) A scientific theory explains scientific facts with a high degree of reliability.
D) As new information is gained over time, scientific theories can be modified.
E) The highest status that a hypothesis can achieve is becoming a scientific theory.

Question 13

Which one of the following sequences represents taxa arranged in order from largest, most all inclusive, to smallest?

A) kingdom, domain, phylum, order, class, genus, species, family
B) domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
C) domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, species, family
D) species, genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom, domain
E) kingdom, phylum, domain, class, order, genus, species, family

Question 14

Which one of the following of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Science is a process.
B) Scientists use the scientific method to gain knowledge about the natural world.
C) Because scientific knowledge is empirical, it cannot be tested.
D) Knowledge gained through the scientific method can be used to predict the natural world.
E) The scientific method involves many different ways of obtaining information.

Question 15

Which one of the following best describes the evolutionary advantage of bipedalism?

A) allows an organism to have precise control over the action of the thumb and fingers
B) frees the hands for carrying objects
C) results in improved eye-hand coordination
D) in early humans, allowed for complex motions associated with the use of tools
E) increases the chance that an organism can communicate through the written word

Question 16

Molecules of life include which one of the following?

A) water, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, carbohydrates
B) proteins, saturated fats, monosaccharides, but not polysaccharides
C) lipids and proteins only
D) any noncarbon base molecule
E) nonsugar carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, water

Question 17

Which one of the following taxa (subgroups used in classification) applies to humans?

A) Mammals
B) Protista
C) Invertebrates
D) Prokarya
E) Bacteria

Question 18

Which one of the following is a CORRECT statement regarding metabolism?

A) Few living organisms require raw materials and a constant source of energy.
B) Plants get the raw materials they need for life processes entirely from the air.
C) Cells maintain life through the breakdown of molecules and energy by chemical and physical processes.
D) Cells do not require energy to change molecules from one form to another.
E) Animals use energy obtained directly from the sun and chemicals obtained from plants, other animals, air, and water.

Question 19

The process by which living organisms maintain a fairly constant internal environment despite changes in the external environment is known as

A) metabolism
B) biology
C) homeostasis
D) evolution
E) chemistry

Question 20

The graph above depicts the relative increase in autism in children from 1997 to 2007 living in California. In 2001, the additive thimerosal was removed from most childhood vaccines. Based on the information presented in the graph, what can be concluded about the hypothesis that thimerosal causes autism?

A) Thimerosal, at the very least, contributes to the occurrence of autism as evidenced by the almost logarithmic increase in children with autism from 2001 to 2007.
B) Prior to 2001, thimerosal clearly influenced the cases of autism in California.
C) A sharp decrease in the cases of autism would be expected after 2001 if thimerosal was the causative agent of autism.
D) The results of the study are inclusive.
E) Thimerosal requires some other agent to help induce autism.

Question 21

According to a recent study of nearly 140,000 women who were enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative, women who breast-fed their babies had a lower risk of developing heart disease and diabetes later in life than women who did not breast-feed their babies. These research findings are an example of

A) causation
B) skepticism
C) hypothesis testing
D) correlation
E) deductive reasoning

Question 22

Which one of the following is TRUE regarding knowledge gained through scientific investigation?

A) The knowledge can be used to prove or disprove religious beliefs.
B) Scientific knowledge cannot be used to improve human life through technology.
C) The information can be used to detect problems at an early stage and correct mistakes.
D) Society as a whole generally ignores scientific information.
E) The knowledge has resulted in less-efficient sources of energy yet better health care.

Question 23

One of the most common ways to get information out to a wide audience in the least amount of time regarding hot topics in science is by using

A) peer-reviewed journals
B) science magazines
C) the Discovery Channel on television
D) general interest news magazines or newspapers
E) books

Question 24

The validity of a prediction in the scientific method is determined by experimentation or observation.

Question 25

After years of experimentation and testing, it is possible to prove that a hypothesis is true, at which point it becomes absolute truth.

Question 26

A farmer wants to improve crop yield in his fields by testing the effectiveness of a new pesticide available on the market. Which one of the following is the best control for this experiment?

A) a higher concentration of new pesticide used on the control field than the experimental field
B) more shade on the control field than on the experimental field
C) a lower concentration of new pesticide used on the control field than on the experimental field
D) more water on the control field than on the experimental field
E) no new pesticide used on the control field; new pesticide used only on the experimental field

Question 27

"Blind" experiments are designed to reduce the possibility that the outcome of an experiment might be affected by the power of suggestion.

Question 28

Plants obtain their energy directly from the sun and their raw materials from the soil, air, and water in their environment.

Question 29

The Internet has been used as a rapid means to obtain information, including scientific ideas. Which one of the following statements about the Internet as a source of scientific information is FALSE?

A) At present, the Internet is less regulated than broadcast and print media.
B) Anyone can post "scientific" information, regardless of whether the information is misleading or not true.
C) Information on the Internet is generally very reliable because inaccurate information is quickly removed or corrected.
D) Individuals and/or groups may post information to promote their own personal interests rather than ideas that have been tested through the scientific process.

Question 30

Because the natural world includes all energy and matter, it also includes all living organisms.

Question 31

The kingdom Protista primarily includes multicellular eukaryotic organisms.

Question 32

How does scientific information in peer-reviewed journals differ from that in newspapers?

A) Information is more technical; readers usually require a background in the field in order to understand the article.
B) The article is written by a reporter, not a researcher.
C) Articles often include political, ethical, and economic ramifications of the scientific findings.
D) Information is less in-depth and easily understood by the average reader.
E) Information is not approved by other scientists before its publication.

Question 33

Not only does science involve gaining knowledge about the natural world, it also involves the process of obtaining that knowledge.

Question 34

Approaching new information with a questioning attitude and looking for evidence to support the claim involves

A) inductive reasoning
B) the process of predicting an outcome
C) deductive reasoning
D) curiosity
E) skepticism

Question 35

Human are only one species of many different primates that prefer to walk upright on two legs.

Question 36

According to the Health & Wellness essay, The Growing Threat of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, which one of the following is TRUE?

A) The more we use antibiotics, the more we encourage the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.
B) Antibiotics should be prescribed to treat viral infections, such as the common cold.
C) Consumers should support the use of antibiotics in livestock feeds and on fruit trees to decrease the incidence of food-borne infections.
D) Antibiotics kill only harmful bacteria.
E) Because of the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in medicine and society, some bacterial strains have now become less resistant to almost all currently existing antibiotics.

Question 37

A student needs information from the National Institutes of Health, a government agency. Which one of the following endings should he or she look for in the Internet address?

A) edu
B) com
C) gov
D) nih
E) org

Question 38

In science, graphs are often used to display data collected from an experiment. Which one of the following is TRUE regarding a graph?

A) Most graphs are plotted on three axes.
B) The dependent variable is plotted on the y-axis.
C) Independent variables are generally not included on a graph.
D) The horizontal axis is known as the ordinate.
E) Graphs always involve plots of individual data points.

Question 39

Which one of the following experiments would be considered acceptable in our society?

A) Determining the effects of cocaine use on babies born to cocaine-using mothers.
B) Determining the response of a patient's "incurable" cancer to a newly developed cancer drug.
C) Testing the effects of radiation exposure on volunteers.
D) Testing the effectiveness of a new AIDS vaccine using deliberate exposure of human volunteers to HIV.
E) Testing the effectiveness of a newly developed antibiotic using deliberate exposure of humans to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Question 40

The mathematics of interpreting and organizing data is known as

A) algebra
B) differential equations
C) statistics
D) graphing
E) correlation and causation

Question 41

A group of tissues working together for a common purpose is known as a(n) ________.

Question 42

The pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine has virtually eliminated whooping cough in the United States.

Question 43

The four organic molecules found in all living systems are carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids, and ________.

Question 44

The ability to stand upright and walk on two legs is termed ________.

Question 45

Unicellular microorganisms that lack a membrane-bound nucleus and other membranous organelles are classified into two domains: ________ and ________.

Question 46

Scientific knowledge cannot prove or disprove the existence, or importance to us, of issues that fall outside of the natural world.

Question 47

The available evidence suggests that the measles vaccine may cause autism.

Question 48

A(n) ________ is a tentative statement about the natural world that can lead to a testable deduction.

Question 49

The chemical and physical processes that are involved in energy and molecular transformations in living organisms are collectively termed ________.

Question 50

Organisms made up of one cell are said to be ________.

Question 51

A carefully planned and executed manipulation of the natural world used to test a prediction in the scientific method is a(n) ________.

Question 52

A(n) ________ is a higher classification system of organisms that encompasses kingdoms.

Question 53

The process by which an individual makes a generalization after examining specific cases is termed ________ reasoning.

Question 54

Humans can grasp objects between their thumbs and fingers because the thumb is ________.

Question 55

Special-interest groups are not permitted to post information as science on the Internet unless it has undergone peer review.

Question 56

Factors that are manipulated during an experimental procedure are called ________.

Question 57

A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring is a(n) ________.

Question 58

The first step of the scientific method is ________.

Question 59

Explain how the characteristics of bipedalism and opposable thumbs are advantageous to humans.

Question 60

When data are presented in a graph, independent variables such as time or age should be plotted on the ________ (abscissa/ordinate).

Question 61

The application of scientific knowledge to improve the condition of humans is known as ________.

Question 62

While out on a trip to a remote location in South America, you discovered an organism on a beautiful tropical flower. You have no idea about the classification of this organism. What features or characteristics of the new organism should you look for to at least be able to determine the kingdom it belongs to?

Question 63

You have been asked to test the effectiveness of drug X in preventing the growth of certain types of cancerous cells. Your responsibilities include designing and executing the experimental approach. After completing the study, you realize that no control variables were defined. How will this impact your drug study?

Question 64

A properly designed controlled experiment should include both a(n) ________ group and a(n) ________ group.

Question 65

Information that takes the form of a testimonial is considered to be ________, not scientific.

Question 66

Data obtained from scientific experiments can best be displayed in a(n) ________, which can be used to explain the results of an experiment as well.