C165 Study Quiz
1. A mathematical model is used to predict the trajectory of a bullet fired from a gun. Which discipline of
physical science is used to develop this model?: Physics
2. An environmental scientist monitors pollutants in a lake. Which two disci- plines of physical science does this
scientist use?: Chemistry and Earth science
3. Which study involves both Earth science and physics?: Calculating how much energy is associated with a
hurricane
4. Which question could be answered with a controlled experiment?: Does ice melt faster in an empty glass or in a
glass full of water?
5. Which topic would be appropriate for a controlled experiment?: Determining how fast different chemical
pollutants dissolve in water
6. Which question requires a controlled experiment to answer?: Which type of rock contains the most calcium?
7. Sir Isaac Newton discovered that the force of gravity between two masses increases if the masses increase,
and decreases if the distance between the masses increases. No experiments have ever contradicted this
relationship. Which type of scientific statement is this?: Law
8. The well-accepted scientific explanation for many characteristics of Earth's crust states that the crust is
broken into several large plates. These plates move slowly over the mantle below because of convection and other
process- es. Earthquakes and volcanoes are most common at places where the plates interact. Evidence from
physics, chemistry, and geology supports this expla- nation. Which type of scientific idea is this explanation an
example of?: Theory
9. A student proposes that sugar will dissolve faster in rubbing alcohol than in water. The student reasons that
sugar and rubbing alcohol both contain carbon so they will mix more easily. Which type of scientific idea is the
student's proposal an example of?: Hypothesis
10.Law: A body of enforceable rules governing relationships among individuals and between individuals and their
society.
11.Theory: A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant amount of data
12.Hypothesis: A testable prediction, often implied by a theory
13.Observation: Information obtained through the senses.
14.Why was the shrinking Earth idea replaced by the theory of plate tecton- ics?: Plate tectonics explained
observations about Earth that the shrinking Earth idea could not explain.
15.Astronomers have long accepted that plate tectonics exists nowhere in our solar system except on
Earth. In 2011, a scientist analyzed 100
NASA-space-mission photographs of Valles Marineris on Mars, the longest known series of canyons in the solar
system. The scientist found that Valles
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, C165 Study Quiz
Marineris showed features found only in locations on Earth where major tectonic plates divide. What would be th
appropriate response of scientists to this information?: Carry out further research to gain more understanding of
possible plate tectonics on Mars
16.According to the theory of plate tectonics, volcanoes are especially likely to form along plate boundaries
because of rising magma. New satellite data mapping the ocean floor reveals thousands of seamounts, which are
small volcanoes. Some of the seamounts are in lines that could correspond to past or present plate boundaries, but
many are not aligned in this way. How should scientists appropriately respond to the idea that some new
mechanism of forming the volcanoes is involved?: Carry out more research to understand better how the seamounts
form
17.For many decades, scientists thought they understood how ozone breaks down in the stratosphere, creating
ozone holes. However, new data show significantly lower reaction rates than can be explained by the long-held
model. What is the appropriate scientific approach for dealing with this con- tradiction?: The existing theory was
changed to account for new data
18.A woman does pushups by lowering her body to the floor using her arms and then pressing against the floor
with her hands to push herself back up, as shown in the image below.
{Woman in Plank Pose}
Which force causes her to rise?: The upward force that the ground exerts on the woman
19.Two boxes sitting on the floor look identical, but one has more mass than the other. What happens when the
same net force, sufficient to overcome static friction, is applied to each box?: The box with less mass accelerates
more.
20.Two identical train engines are parked on parallel tracks. One engine has ten cars attached, and the other
has no cars attached. Each engine exerts the same net force, which allows the train to overcome static friction.
Which engine will be able to accelerate more?: The engine not pulling any cars will accelerate more.
21.A woman applies an upward force to a basket filled with groceries. Assume she is standing still. What will
happen to the basket if the force she applies is greater than the force of gravity?: The basket will move up.
22.A heavy truck and a light car travel at the same velocity side-by-side on the highway. Both drivers apply the
same braking force at the same moment. What will happen to the two vehicles?: The car will slow down more
quickly than the truck.
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6
1. A mathematical model is used to predict the trajectory of a bullet fired from a gun. Which discipline of
physical science is used to develop this model?: Physics
2. An environmental scientist monitors pollutants in a lake. Which two disci- plines of physical science does this
scientist use?: Chemistry and Earth science
3. Which study involves both Earth science and physics?: Calculating how much energy is associated with a
hurricane
4. Which question could be answered with a controlled experiment?: Does ice melt faster in an empty glass or in a
glass full of water?
5. Which topic would be appropriate for a controlled experiment?: Determining how fast different chemical
pollutants dissolve in water
6. Which question requires a controlled experiment to answer?: Which type of rock contains the most calcium?
7. Sir Isaac Newton discovered that the force of gravity between two masses increases if the masses increase,
and decreases if the distance between the masses increases. No experiments have ever contradicted this
relationship. Which type of scientific statement is this?: Law
8. The well-accepted scientific explanation for many characteristics of Earth's crust states that the crust is
broken into several large plates. These plates move slowly over the mantle below because of convection and other
process- es. Earthquakes and volcanoes are most common at places where the plates interact. Evidence from
physics, chemistry, and geology supports this expla- nation. Which type of scientific idea is this explanation an
example of?: Theory
9. A student proposes that sugar will dissolve faster in rubbing alcohol than in water. The student reasons that
sugar and rubbing alcohol both contain carbon so they will mix more easily. Which type of scientific idea is the
student's proposal an example of?: Hypothesis
10.Law: A body of enforceable rules governing relationships among individuals and between individuals and their
society.
11.Theory: A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant amount of data
12.Hypothesis: A testable prediction, often implied by a theory
13.Observation: Information obtained through the senses.
14.Why was the shrinking Earth idea replaced by the theory of plate tecton- ics?: Plate tectonics explained
observations about Earth that the shrinking Earth idea could not explain.
15.Astronomers have long accepted that plate tectonics exists nowhere in our solar system except on
Earth. In 2011, a scientist analyzed 100
NASA-space-mission photographs of Valles Marineris on Mars, the longest known series of canyons in the solar
system. The scientist found that Valles
1/
6
, C165 Study Quiz
Marineris showed features found only in locations on Earth where major tectonic plates divide. What would be th
appropriate response of scientists to this information?: Carry out further research to gain more understanding of
possible plate tectonics on Mars
16.According to the theory of plate tectonics, volcanoes are especially likely to form along plate boundaries
because of rising magma. New satellite data mapping the ocean floor reveals thousands of seamounts, which are
small volcanoes. Some of the seamounts are in lines that could correspond to past or present plate boundaries, but
many are not aligned in this way. How should scientists appropriately respond to the idea that some new
mechanism of forming the volcanoes is involved?: Carry out more research to understand better how the seamounts
form
17.For many decades, scientists thought they understood how ozone breaks down in the stratosphere, creating
ozone holes. However, new data show significantly lower reaction rates than can be explained by the long-held
model. What is the appropriate scientific approach for dealing with this con- tradiction?: The existing theory was
changed to account for new data
18.A woman does pushups by lowering her body to the floor using her arms and then pressing against the floor
with her hands to push herself back up, as shown in the image below.
{Woman in Plank Pose}
Which force causes her to rise?: The upward force that the ground exerts on the woman
19.Two boxes sitting on the floor look identical, but one has more mass than the other. What happens when the
same net force, sufficient to overcome static friction, is applied to each box?: The box with less mass accelerates
more.
20.Two identical train engines are parked on parallel tracks. One engine has ten cars attached, and the other
has no cars attached. Each engine exerts the same net force, which allows the train to overcome static friction.
Which engine will be able to accelerate more?: The engine not pulling any cars will accelerate more.
21.A woman applies an upward force to a basket filled with groceries. Assume she is standing still. What will
happen to the basket if the force she applies is greater than the force of gravity?: The basket will move up.
22.A heavy truck and a light car travel at the same velocity side-by-side on the highway. Both drivers apply the
same braking force at the same moment. What will happen to the two vehicles?: The car will slow down more
quickly than the truck.
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6
