Scientific Method Quiz
On a separate sheet of paper, answer the questions below using complete sentences. Your
points will be doubled if you can explain each answer according to the scientific method.
1. Sarah designed an experiment to find out which mouthwash was
most effective against some bacteria. She cut out four different
circles from a paper towel and soaked each circle in a different
mouthwash. She put the circles on a nutrient agar-coated Petri dish
that was covered with bacteria commonly found in the mouth. She
then incubated the plate for 24 hours. The picture shows the results
of this test. Which of the following should Sarah do to improve her
experiment?
Your answer:
Use different kinds of bacteria.
Use the same type of mouthwash on each paper circle.
Use the same size paper circles for all mouthwashes.
Use a smaller Petri dish.
2. A student decided to set up an experiment to see if cats preferred
skim milk or 2%milk. She put out a cup of milk for 5 kittens and
then measured how much the kittens drank over the course of a day.
The same kittens were used and the milk was served at the same
temperature. The student discovered that the cats liked the 2% more
than the skim milk. What is wrong with the above experiment?
Your answer:
Repeated experimentation is needed.
The milk should be served at different temperatures.
There are no constants present.
There is no independent variable.
3. What can be concluded by looking at the graphs above?
Your answer:
Euglena are photosynthetic organisms.
Parameciums are photosynthetic organisms.
Both organisms are photosynthetic.
Neither of these protists are photosynthetic.
4. An experiment for a new asthma medication was set up into two
groups. Group one was given the new drug for asthma, while group
2 was given a sugar pill. The sugar pill serves as a ____________.
Your answer:
control
constant
experimental variable
dependent variable
5. According to the graph, enzymes are substances that:
Your answer:
speed up the rate of chemical reactions
work best at specific temperatures
cease to work at certain high temperatures
all of the above
6. A scientist plants two rows of corn for experimentation. She puts
fertilizer on row 1 but does not put fertilizer on row 2. Both rows
receive the same amount of water and light intensity. She checks the
growth of the corn over the course of 5 months. What is a constant
in this experiment?
Your answer:
Plant height
Corn without fertilizer
Corn with fertilizer
Amount of water
7. Which sentence best states the importance of using control groups?
Your answer:
Control groups eliminate the need for large sample sizes, reducing the number
of measurements needed.
Control groups eliminate the need for statistical tests and simplify
calculations.
Control groups provide a method by which statistical variability can be
reduced.
Control groups allow comparison between subjects receiving a treatment and
those receiving no treatment
8. The measurable factor in an experiment is known as the:
Your answer:
control
independent variable
constant
dependent variable
9. A student decides to set up an experiment to see if detergent affects
the growth of seeds. He sets up 10 seed pots. 5 of the seed pots will
receive a small amount of detergent in the soil and will be placed in
the sun. The other 5 seed pots will not receive detergent and will be
placed in the shade. All 10 seed pots will receive the same amount of
water, the same number of seeds, and the same type of seeds. He
grows the seeds for two months and charts the growth every 2 days.
What is wrong with his experiment?
Your answer:
More than one variable is being tested.
The student should have a larger number of pots.
There is no way of measuring the outcome.
There is no control set-up.
10.A scientific study showed that the depth at which algae were found
in a lake varied from day to day. On clear days, the algae were found
as much as 6 meters below the surface of the water but were only 1
meter below the surface on cloudy days. Which hypothesis best
explains these observations?
Your answer:
Nitrogen concentration affects the growth of algae.
Precipitation affects the growth of algae.
Light intensity affects the growth of algae.
Wind currents affect the growth of algae.
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