Question 1

Electromagnetic energy travels in _____.
A)waves
B)packets
C)nodes
D)modules
E)chunks

Accepted Answer

Electromagnetic energy travels in the form of waves, which are characterized by their frequency and wavelength. These waves can travel through a variety of media, including vacuum, and are responsible for energy transmission in many different applications, from radio communication to x-ray imaging.

Question 2

What is the distinct piece of DNA containing instructions for making proteins?
A)chromosome
B)nucleotide
C)amino acid
D)cell membrane
E)hydrocarbon

Accepted Answer

C

Question 3

What is the most basic building block of matter?
A)molecules
B)compounds
C)ions
D)atoms
E)minerals

Accepted Answer

Atoms are the most basic building blocks of matter. They are the smallest unit of matter that has the chemical properties of an element. Molecules are made up of multiple atoms, compounds are made up of multiple elements bonded together, ions are atoms or molecules that have gained or lost electrons and have a net electrical charge, and minerals are naturally occurring substances with a crystalline structure.

Question 4

Complex carbohydrates are a type of ____.
A)lipid
B)chemical formula
C)monomer
D)protein
E)organic polymer

Accepted Answer

Complex carbohydrates are organic polymers made up of monosaccharides (simple sugars) joined together by glycosidic bonds.

Question 5

What is the fundamental structural and functional unit of life?
A)atom
B)macromolecule
C)DNA
D)cell
E)organism

Accepted Answer

The cell is the fundamental structural and functional unit of life. All organisms are made up of cells, which carry out all of the basic functions necessary for life, such as metabolism, growth, and reproduction. Although atoms and macromolecules are important components of cells, they do not have the same level of complexity or autonomy as cells do. DNA is also important, but it is a molecule that is contained within cells and does not function on its own. Organisms are made up of cells, but they are not the smallest unit of life.

Question 6

What law states that when matter undergoes a physical or chemical change, no atoms are created or destroyed?
A)The second law of thermodynamics
B)The law of conservation of matter
C)The first law of thermodynamics
D)The atomic exchange law
E)The law of conservation of energy

Accepted Answer

The law of conservation of matter states that the total amount of matter in a closed system remains constant over time, and that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a physical or chemical change. This is also known as the law of conservation of mass.

Question 7

What is a well-tested and widely accepted description of what scientists find happening repeatedly in nature in the same way?
A)theory
B)scientific law
C)hypothesis
D)conclusion
E)model

Accepted Answer

A scientific law is a well-tested and widely accepted description of what scientists find happening repeatedly in nature in the same way. It is different from a theory, which is an explanation for why things happen, and a hypothesis, which is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon that requires further testing and observation. A conclusion is a statement based on data or observations, and a model is a simplified representation of a complex system.

Question 8

Which substance is a compound?
A)water
B)oxygen
C)nitrogen
D)hydrogen
E)carbon

Accepted Answer

Water is a compound because it is made up of two different elements, hydrogen and oxygen, combined in a fixed ratio of two hydrogen atoms to one oxygen atom. Oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and carbon are all elements, meaning they are made up of only one type of atom.

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of an organic compound? A)H₂O B)NaCl C)H₂SO₄ D)N₂O E)CH₄

Accepted Answer

Organic compounds are compounds that contain carbon atoms bonded to each other and to other elements, such as hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Choice E contains carbon and hydrogen atoms bonded together, making it an organic compound. Choices A, C, and D contain sulfur and/or oxygen atoms but do not contain carbon atoms, while choice B is an ionic compound comprised of sodium and chloride ions.

Question 10

When an overwhelming body of observations and measurements supports a scientific hypothesis or group of related hypotheses, it becomes a(n)____.
A)hypothesis
B)scientific law
C)scientific variable
D)scientific theory
E)conclusion

Accepted Answer

When there is a significant amount of evidence supporting a scientific hypothesis, it becomes a scientific theory. A scientific law is a description of an observed phenomenon, while a hypothesis is an educated guess that needs further testing to be confirmed. Scientific variables refer to factors that are being measured or manipulated in an experiment. A conclusion is a summary of results or findings.

Question 11

Fundamental types of matter that have unique sets of properties and cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means are called ____.
A)mixtures
B)compounds
C)isotopes
D)elements
E)atoms

Accepted Answer

Elements are the fundamental types of matter that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. Mixtures are a combination of two or more substances with no fixed proportion or chemical reaction, compounds are formed by two or more elements chemically bonded together, isotopes are variants of a particular element with differing numbers of neutrons, and atoms are the smallest unit of matter that retains the chemical properties of an element.

Question 12

What is the definition of a scientific hypothesis?
A)A simulation of a system being studied
B)A possible explanation for an observation or experimentation
C)The data needed to answer a question
D)Procedures carried out under controlled conditions to gather information
E)A widely accepted theory

Accepted Answer

A scientific hypothesis is a possible explanation for an observation or experimentation. It is a proposed explanation that can be tested through further research and experimentation.

Question 13

Radioactive decay is best characterized as a type of ____.
A)physical change
B)nuclear change
C)chemical change
D)chemical decay
E)organic change

Accepted Answer

Radioactive decay involves the spontaneous breakdown of the nucleus of an atom, resulting in the emission of particles and/or radiation. This is a type of nuclear change, as it affects the nucleus and not the electrons or chemical bonds.

Question 14

Matter is anything that ____.
A)has mass and takes up space
B)has the capacity to do work
C)can be changed in form
D)can produce change
E)moves mass

Accepted Answer

Matter is defined as anything that has mass and takes up space. This includes all physical substances, both living and non-living, such as air, water, rocks, plants, animals, and humans.

Question 15

In 1963, Bormann and Likens compared the output of two river valleys, one forested and the other clear cut. What were their findings?
A)The deforested valley had higher water flow and a decrease in nutrient loss.
B)The forested valley had higher water flow and a decrease in nutrient loss.
C)The forested valley had lower water flow and increase in nutrient loss.
D)The deforested valley had lower water flow and increase in nutrient loss.
E)The deforested valley had higher water flow and increase in nutrient loss.

Accepted Answer

Bormann and Likens found that the deforested valley had higher water flow due to the lack of vegetation to absorb and retain water. Additionally, there was an increase in nutrient loss because the soil was more exposed and eroded more easily, washing nutrients away.

Question 16

Protons, neutrons, and electrons are all ____.
A)forms of energy
B)equal in mass
C)subatomic particles
D)negative ions
E)charged particles

Accepted Answer

Protons, neutrons, and electrons are all subatomic particles. Protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus of an atom, while electrons orbit the nucleus.

Question 17

Nuclear ____ occurs when two nuclei are forced together.
A)decay
B)fission
C)dissipation
D)fusion
E)equilibrium

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fusion occurs when two nuclei are forced together to form a heavier nucleus. This process releases large amounts of energy and is the process that powers stars. Fission, on the other hand, is the process of splitting a nucleus into two smaller nuclei, and this also releases energy, but less than fusion. Decay is the natural breakdown of unstable nuclei, while dissipation refers to the scattering or dispersal of energy. Equilibrium refers to a state of balance or stability.

Question 18

Thousands of genes make up a single ____.
A)chromosome
B)DNA
C)cell nucleus
D)trait
E)organism

Accepted Answer

Thousands of genes make up a single chromosome. Genes are segments of DNA that contain the instructions for building the proteins that make up our bodies. These genes are organized into structures called chromosomes, which are found in the nucleus of our cells. Every person has 23 pairs of chromosomes, each of which contains thousands of genes.

Question 19

Which statement is an example of a chemical change?
A)Confetti is cut from pieces of paper.
B)Water evaporates from a lake.
C)Ice cubes are formed in the freezer.
D)A plant converts carbon dioxide into carbohydrates.
E)A tree is cut down in the forest.

Accepted Answer

In choice D, a chemical change occurs as the plant is converting carbon dioxide into carbohydrates through the process of photosynthesis. Chemical changes involve the formation or breaking of chemical bonds, resulting in the formation of new substances with different properties. Choices A, B, C, and E are examples of physical changes, which involve a change in the state or appearance of a substance without altering its chemical composition.

Question 20

What is the correct order of applying the scientific process to a problem?
A)hypothesis − question − observation − experimentation − conclusion − analysis
B)hypothesis − conclusion − question − observation − experimentation − analysis
C)observation − hypothesis − conclusion − experimentation − analysis − question
D)observation − question − hypothesis − experimentation − analysis − conclusion
E)hypothesis − experimentation − observation − analysis − question − conclusion

Accepted Answer

The correct order of scientific process is  observation − question − hypothesis − experimentation − analysis − conclusion. First, observation and data collection occur, followed by questioning and developing a hypothesis to explain observations. Then, an experiment is designed and conducted to test the hypothesis. After the experiment, the results are analyzed and compared to the hypothesis, and a conclusion is drawn based on the findings.

Quiz 2: Science, Matter, Energy, and Systems

Electromagnetic energy travels in _____.

What is the distinct piece of DNA containing instructions for making proteins?

What is the most basic building block of matter?

Complex carbohydrates are a type of ____.

What is the fundamental structural and functional unit of life?

What law states that when matter undergoes a physical or chemical change, no atoms are created or destroyed?

What is a well-tested and widely accepted description of what scientists find happening repeatedly in nature in the same way?

Which substance is a compound?

Which of the following is an example of an organic compound?

When an overwhelming body of observations and measurements supports a scientific hypothesis or group of related hypotheses, it becomes a(n) ____.

Fundamental types of matter that have unique sets of properties and cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means are called ____.

What is the definition of a scientific hypothesis?

Radioactive decay is best characterized as a type of ____.

Matter is anything that ____.

In 1963, Bormann and Likens compared the output of two river valleys, one forested and the other clear cut. What were their findings?

Protons, neutrons, and electrons are all ____.

Nuclear ____ occurs when two nuclei are forced together.

Thousands of genes make up a single ____.

Which statement is an example of a chemical change?

What is the correct order of applying the scientific process to a problem?