SCI 135 - First Exam Spring 2015

 

Links in each number connect to the pertinent sections of the online book.

MULTIPLE CHOICE. 

 

On the line to the left, place the letter of the choice that best  answers the question.

Three Points Each.                  NOTE:  "e" answers are never the correct answer.

 

                        1.   When it was discovered that doctors could be dealing differently

                                                with the groups within their studies, there was a shift

_______                       a.  So studies were no longer done by doctors

                                    b.  From single-blind studies to double-blind

                                    c.  To masked studies

                                    d.  That swapped the groups around

                                    e.  To just yelling randomly at everybody

 

2.   Some people still think that horsehair worms happen when horse tail

                        hairs fall into ponds – they turn into the worms. 

                        This is an example of

_______                    a.  Muddification                  b.  Immaculate creation

     c.  Bio-origination                d.  Spontaneous generation

            e.  Why we need better schools

 

                        3.   Which is the almost-universal fuel created by respiration processes?

_______                    a.  ATP           b.  Oxygen       c.  Carbon dioxide       d.  DNA

                                                e.  It’s not some gross smelly thing, is it?

 

                        4.   “Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny” was a concept based

                                                upon observations of

_______                    a.   Single-celled organisms                               b.  Embryos

                                 c.   Fossils                                                      d.  DNA

                                                            e.   The dictionary

 

                        5.   The placebo effect is a type of

_______                    a.  Hypothesis                       b.  Extraneous result

                                 c.  Hypervariable                  d.  Confounding factor

                                                e.  Effect…from a, um…placebo…

 

                        6.   A grouping is not colonial if

                                    a.  It has fewer than 100 members

                                    b.  The individuals are all doing the same jobs

_______                       c.  The individuals could survive on their own

                                    d.  All of the above

                                    e.  It didn’t try to overthrow the British 

 

 

                        7.    In molecular clocks, the clock’s “ticks” are actually

_______                    a.  DNA point mutations                 b.  Radioactive decay

                                 c.  Fossil layers                              d.  Population increases

                                                e.  Mores like “tocks,” really
 

 

                        8.    When fruit flies are used to understand the basic workings of genetics,

                                                they are known as

_______                    a.  Surrogates                                    b.  Substitutes                       c.  Models

                                 d.  Laboratorians                                           e.  Slightly less creepy

 

 

                        9.   Results that support the null hypothesis should indicate that

_______                       a.  There’s nothing wrong  

                                    b.  The experimental hypothesis is wrong

                                    c.   The experiment was poorly designed

                                    d.   The control gave confusing results

                                    e.  You’ve read way too many science books

 

 

10.  The main driver of evolution is

_______                    a.  Changing conditions                                  b.  Improvements

     c.  New features appearing as needed              d.  A Great Plan

            e.  To annoy as many people as possible

 

 

11.  A test of a new drug uses and experimental group of sick people,

                        a control group of sick people, and a placebo treatment. 

                        In the experiment, what is the variable?

_______                a.  The people                       b.  The illness                       c.  The drug

d.  The results           e.  Can I get something for my headache?

 

 

                        12.  Using many subjects or repetitions in an experiment should

                                                reduce the impact of _________ on the results?

_______                    a.  Chance                              b.  Dishonesty

                                 c.  Bias                                   d.  Statistics

                                                            e.  Laziness

 

 

SHORT ANSWER.  

 

Answer any eight of the following questions for 4 Points Each.

Note:  if you answer more than eight, only the first eight  will be corrected.

You can get partial credit on these answers.

1.   The two features of a good scientific hypothesis:

 

2.   Deciding whether groups are separate species: give the “newest” accepted approach for this.

 

 

  
3a.  Redi’s first maggot experiment -  what was the criticism that made him change it?


 3b.  How did he change the experiment?
4.   Put, in order,  the three levels of a typical food chain.

   
5.  Put the following groups in order from the largest to the smallest:  Class, Family, Genus, Kingdom, Order, Phylum, Species, Subphylum, Superorder.
1 4 7
2 5 8
3 6 9
6.   In disagreements about classification, what are scientists -

NOT USUALLY

  ALLOWED

    TO DO?

ALLOWED

  TO DO

 EASILY?

7.   Briefly explain how the concept of postmodernism applies to science.

 

 

 

 

8.   What is the definition of an organelle?

 

 

 

9.   Define peer review as part of the system of science.

 

 

 
10.  The two major advantages of quantitative data over qualitative data:


 
11.  Give two different reasons why a biologist would have to do a field study instead of a lab experiment.


 
12.  Asexual reproducers compensate for their main disadvantage by producing huge numbers of offspring.  Give two reasons why that helps lessen the disadvantage.


 
13.  What are the two broad categories of indirect observations?


 
14.  Photosynthesis transforms  A energy into B energy.
A B

15.  In an experiment, what is an artifact?

 

 

 
16. What are two different “features of Life” that typically are not found in viruses?


 

 

 

 

LONG  ANSWER. 

 

Answer any four of the following questions for Eight Points Each.

Note:  if you answer more than four, only the first four will be corrected.

You can get partial credit on these answers.

 

 

1.   Put these in order so that each later level contains the earlier ones:  Community, Ecosystems, Individuals, Populations.

     

 

2.    Give the following for asexual reproduction -

BASIC

DEFINITION

  

ADVANTAGE

compared to sexual

  

DISADVANTAGE

compared to sexual

  

 

3.    Define the terms -

CONVERGENT

EVOLUTION

DIVERGENT

EVOLUTION


4.  What are four basic features that all living things are supposed to have?

 

 

 
5.   Give two different rules that apply to each in binomial nomenclature:

FIRST

WORD

    

SECOND

WORD

    

ENTIRE

NAME

    

 

6.   For four of the six basic Kingdoms of Life, give the name of the Kingdom and enough features to clearly set that Kingdom's members apart from those of the other five.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to Answer Key

 

BONUS QUESTIONS.

 

Answer as many as you are able.  Wrong answers will not result in points being lost from the main exam.   You can get partial credit on these answers.

 

Where is the best place to look for an ecosystem based upon chemosynthesis?  Three Points.

 

 

What is the biosphere?  Three Points.

 

 

 

Organisms that become fossils tend to settle in what sort of location?  Three Points.

 

 

Viruses produce more mutations than the cells they infect do.  Why?  Three Points.

 

 

 

Why is it  wrong to say that results prove a hypothesis?  Three Points.

 

 

 

In the Baltimore study of crack babies, identification by experienced nurses was compared to what other form of identification as a control?  Three Points.

 

 

The “first” Kingdoms of Nature were Animals, Plants, and what?  Three Points.

 

 

Our (humans’) subphylum (previously our phylum) gets its name from what structure?  Three Points.

 

 

What is the informal rule for making up species names?  Three Points.

 

 

What is uniformitarianism?  Three Points.

 

 

 

 

  
 
 

 

SCI 135 

Michael McDarby

 

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