Test Bank For
The Physical Universe 2026 Release Konrad B. Krauskopf, Arthur Beiser; Emeritus and
Elizabeth Shay Carter
Chapters 1-19
Chapter 01
The Scientific Method
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What distinguishes the scientific method from other ways of looking at the natural world is
A. the eternal truth of its laws and theories.
B. its replacement of existing laws and theories at regular intervals.
C. its reliance on the opinions of expert scientists to decide which laws and theories to believe.
D. its reliance on experiment and observation.
Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Section: 01.02
Topic: Scientific Method
2. A regularity in observed data or a relationship between different quantities is usually called
a
A. hypothesis.
B. law.
C. theory.
D. model.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.01
Topic: Scientific Method
3. When first proposed, a scientific idea is usually called a
A. hypothesis.
B. law.
C. theory.
D. model.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.01
Topic: Scientific Method
,4. Scientific theories
A. must be constantly reviewed to see whether they are in accord with new experimental
observations.
B. represent guesses that have not yet been compared with observational data.
C. are summaries of particular experiments.
D. are laws of nature not subject to revision.
Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Section: 01.01
Topic: Scientific Method
5. Living things
A. were created as they are today several thousand years ago.
B. were created as they are today several billion years ago.
C. were created several thousand years ago and have evolved since then.
D. have evolved throughout the earth's history.
Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Section: 01.02
Topic: Evolution
6. The object in the sky that lies very nearly on an extension of the earth's axis is
A. the sun.
B. the moon.
C. Mercury.
D. Polaris.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.03
Topic: The Night Sky
7. The stars in a constellation
A. are about the same age.
B. are about the same distance from the earth.
C. form a pattern in the sky as seen from the earth.
D. are members of the solar system.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Figure: 01.04
Section: 01.03
Topic: Constellation
,8. The time at which a given star rises above the horizon each night is
A. earlier than the night before.
B. the same as the night before.
C. later than the night before.
D. Any of the choices, depending on which star is involved.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Section: 01.03
Topic: The Night Sky
9. Relative to the stars, the moon seems to move
A. northward.
B. southward.
C. eastward.
D. westward.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Section: 01.03
Topic: The Night Sky
10. A year is the time needed for
A. the sun to drift completely around the sky.
B. the moon to drift completely around the sky.
C. the earth to turn completely on its axis.
D. None of the choices are correct.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.03
Topic: Cycles of the Sky
11. A week is the time needed for
A. the sun to drift completely around the sky.
B. the moon to drift completely around the sky.
C. the earth to turn completely on its axis.
D. None of the choices are correct.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.03
Topic: Cycles of the Sky
, 12. A day is the time needed for
A. the sun to drift completely around the sky.
B. the moon to drift completely around the sky.
C. the earth to turn completely on its axis.
D. None of the choices are correct.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.05
Topic: Cycles of the Sky
13. The length of the year is
A. less than 365 days.
B. exactly 365 days.
C. more than 365 days.
D. Any of the above choices, depending on the year.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.05
Topic: Cycles of the Sky
14. A planet that cannot be seen with the unaided eye is
A. Neptune.
B. Jupiter.
C. Mars.
D. Mercury.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Figure: 01.08
Section: 01.03
Topic: Solar System
The Physical Universe 2026 Release Konrad B. Krauskopf, Arthur Beiser; Emeritus and
Elizabeth Shay Carter
Chapters 1-19
Chapter 01
The Scientific Method
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What distinguishes the scientific method from other ways of looking at the natural world is
A. the eternal truth of its laws and theories.
B. its replacement of existing laws and theories at regular intervals.
C. its reliance on the opinions of expert scientists to decide which laws and theories to believe.
D. its reliance on experiment and observation.
Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Section: 01.02
Topic: Scientific Method
2. A regularity in observed data or a relationship between different quantities is usually called
a
A. hypothesis.
B. law.
C. theory.
D. model.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.01
Topic: Scientific Method
3. When first proposed, a scientific idea is usually called a
A. hypothesis.
B. law.
C. theory.
D. model.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.01
Topic: Scientific Method
,4. Scientific theories
A. must be constantly reviewed to see whether they are in accord with new experimental
observations.
B. represent guesses that have not yet been compared with observational data.
C. are summaries of particular experiments.
D. are laws of nature not subject to revision.
Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Section: 01.01
Topic: Scientific Method
5. Living things
A. were created as they are today several thousand years ago.
B. were created as they are today several billion years ago.
C. were created several thousand years ago and have evolved since then.
D. have evolved throughout the earth's history.
Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Section: 01.02
Topic: Evolution
6. The object in the sky that lies very nearly on an extension of the earth's axis is
A. the sun.
B. the moon.
C. Mercury.
D. Polaris.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.03
Topic: The Night Sky
7. The stars in a constellation
A. are about the same age.
B. are about the same distance from the earth.
C. form a pattern in the sky as seen from the earth.
D. are members of the solar system.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Figure: 01.04
Section: 01.03
Topic: Constellation
,8. The time at which a given star rises above the horizon each night is
A. earlier than the night before.
B. the same as the night before.
C. later than the night before.
D. Any of the choices, depending on which star is involved.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Section: 01.03
Topic: The Night Sky
9. Relative to the stars, the moon seems to move
A. northward.
B. southward.
C. eastward.
D. westward.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Section: 01.03
Topic: The Night Sky
10. A year is the time needed for
A. the sun to drift completely around the sky.
B. the moon to drift completely around the sky.
C. the earth to turn completely on its axis.
D. None of the choices are correct.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.03
Topic: Cycles of the Sky
11. A week is the time needed for
A. the sun to drift completely around the sky.
B. the moon to drift completely around the sky.
C. the earth to turn completely on its axis.
D. None of the choices are correct.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.03
Topic: Cycles of the Sky
, 12. A day is the time needed for
A. the sun to drift completely around the sky.
B. the moon to drift completely around the sky.
C. the earth to turn completely on its axis.
D. None of the choices are correct.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.05
Topic: Cycles of the Sky
13. The length of the year is
A. less than 365 days.
B. exactly 365 days.
C. more than 365 days.
D. Any of the above choices, depending on the year.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Section: 01.05
Topic: Cycles of the Sky
14. A planet that cannot be seen with the unaided eye is
A. Neptune.
B. Jupiter.
C. Mars.
D. Mercury.
Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Figure: 01.08
Section: 01.03
Topic: Solar System
