SCMH 1010 CHAPTER 1 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE 2026

SCMH 1010 CHAPTER 1 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE 2026 Which of the following is considered a science? a. astrology b. astronomy c. creationism d. extrasensory perception (ESP) e. study of crop circles - Answers b. astronomy Which of the following can be measured scientifically? a. the beauty of a painting b. the age of a rock c. religious beliefs d. value of a sale item e. meaning of a poem - Answers b. the age of a rock In science, every theory must be tested by using it to make a. a hypothesis. b. laws of nature. c. experiments. d. predictions. e. a mathematical formula. - Answers d. predictions. Which of the following statements would be true of the scientific method? a. The scientific method is a linear process starting with observation and following several other rigidly defined steps. b.The scientific method is a continuous process by which people learn about the physical universe and share their knowledge with others. c. Scientists may report findings in such a way that experiments and observations remain known only to the original experimenters. d. When the results of an experiment do not fit the hypothesis, a scientist may ethically discard the results and repeat the experiment. e. The scientific method has no connection to the way people conduct their lives every day. - Answers b.The scientific method is a continuous process by which people learn about the physical universe and share their knowledge with others. At the time Dimitri Mendeleev produced the periodic table of the elements, which of the following was not true? a. There were more than 60 known chemical elements. b. Chemists used the concept of atomic mass. c. Chemists knew that each element had distinct physical properties and chemical behaviors. d. It was the mid-18th century. e. all of the above - Answers d. It was the mid-18th century. Basic research scientists a. are interested in finding out how the world works for the sake of acquiring fundamental knowledge. b. believe in the healing power of meditation. c. want their research to have practical application to industry or technology. d. are also known as theorists. e. would be likely to have a patent on a discovery. - Answers a. are interested in finding out how the world works for the sake of acquiring fundamental knowledge. What is SETI? a. a pseudoscience b. the theory of intelligent life c. the search for intelligent life d. the application of science to astrology e. short-wave interference in radio signals - Answers c. the search for intelligent life Laws of nature can be characterized by saying that they a. arise from repeated observation and testing. b. represent our best understanding of how the universe works in certain circumstances. c. are subject to change based upon additional observations. d. are subject to change. e. all the above - Answers e. all the above The scientific method depends on a. reproducible results. b. clearly stated laws of nature. c. accurate initial predictions. d. fact-based hypotheses. e. communication of findings. - Answers a. reproducible results. A theory is a. an educated guess based on data collected. b. a statement that describes how a system will behave. c. a precise mathematical equation. d. based on many observations and experiments. e. a proven hypothesis. - Answers d. based on many observations and experiments. Which pair are both examples of pseudoscience? a. astronomy and cosmology b. reincarnation and evolution c. geology and biology d. astrology and extrasensory perception e. extrasensory perception and psychology - Answers d. astrology and extrasensory perception Which could be studied using the scientific method? a. a poem b. an ecosystem c. a painting d. religion e. all of the above - Answers b. an ecosystem Peer review in science alizes most young scientists before they can become established. accomplished in the editorial offices of major scientific journals. c. causes delays between the conclusion of an experiment and the communication of the results. d. is conducted in confidence by a panel of experts in the field. e. has become outdated since the advent of computers. - Answers d. is conducted in confidence by a panel of experts in the field. Natural philosophers, in the mid-nineteenth century, a. advised the government on policy issues. b. recommended allocation of funds for research. c. argued for the natural coalition of church and state. d. were the landed gentry with little interest in science e. understood the physical and biological worlds. - Answers e. understood the physical and biological worlds. Which of the following could be funded by a federal grant? a. computer time to run analyses b. salaries of investigators c. equipment to conduct the research d. travel to field sites e. All of the above could be funded. - Answers e. All of the above could be funded. What percent of research grants submitted are federally funded? a. 10% to 40% b. 20% to 60% c. 30% to 70% d. 40% to 80% e. 50% to 90% - Answers a. 10% to 40% T/F: The only source of stem cells is human embryos. - Answers F T/F: In the scientific method, every hypothesis has to be tested. - Answers T T/F: Scientists must ignore their intuition and hunches since they are not a part of the scientific method. - Answers F T/F: Scientific results must be reproducible before being accepted. - Answers T The periodic table of the elements was a minor achievement in science. - Answers F T/F: When confronted by a new phenomenon, scientists usually test one hypothesis at a time. - Answers T T/F: The scientific method is a cycle that can be initiated at any point. - Answers F T/F: The periodic table of elements predicted the characteristics of elements that had not yet been discovered. - Answers T T/F: Laws of nature have been tested extensively and seem to apply everywhere in the universe. - Answers T T/F: Biodiversity insures ecosystem success in natural environments. - Answers T T/F: Mendeleev eventually identified all elements in the periodic table. - Answers F T/F: Hypotheses are sometimes stated as mathematical expressions. - Answers T T/F: Peer review is an important part of the scientific process. - Answers T T/F: Basic research is conducted with a specific goal in mind. - Answers F T/F: Most research and development is conducted in government laboratories and private academic institutions. - Answers F T/F: Every scientific theory must be stated in a manner that will allow it to be tested. - Answers T T/F: Observations make the language of science more accurate. - Answers F What is the main difference between observations and experiments? - Answers Observations look at nature without manipulating it, while experiments involve manipulating nature and then observing the result. What were the independent and dependent variables in the Cedar Creek Natural History Area experiment described in this chapter? - Answers The amounts of nitrogen and other nutrients are the independent variables and the biodiversity of vegetation in each plot is the dependent variable. What are two of the ways that statements describing relationships between measurements can be stated? - Answers In words; as a mathematical equation; and in symbolic form Name a major source of funding for American scientific research. - Answers Any agency or department listed in Table 1-3: Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of the Interior, Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Standards and Technology, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, National Science Foundation. Explain the difference between basic research and applied research. - Answers Basic research is pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, while applied research is aimed at specific problems. Name the three essential parts of every experiment. Give an example of a simple experiment that you might perform and identify these three parts in your experiment. - Answers Answers will vary but should include the three parts associated with the example experiment. Experiments should be logical and reasonable. What are some of the ways scientists communicate with each other? - Answers Answers could include email, professional papers, conferences, collegial work, and so forth. How does science differ from pseudoscience? a. Pseudoscience conclusions have alternate explanations. b. Science requires a higher standard of proof. c. Scientific statements can be tested d. Pseudoscience is based on anecdotes. e. all of the above - Answers e. all of the above When scientists have finished research and wish to communicate the results, they are most likely to do which of the following? a. immediately repeat the research b. call a press conference c. sell their findings to a research and development company d. write a concise paper and submit it to a scientific journal e. submit an abstract to a popular science magazine - Answers d. write a concise paper and submit it to a scientific journal Which statement is true about the discipline of science? a. Science is a set of facts about the physical world. b. Science provides answers to all questions about our environment. c. Science is a tool for understanding with our physical and biological environment. d. Science and intuition are mutually exclusive.