Scientific Method — Practice Quiz

A Biology cheat sheet for Scientific Method — every key formula with its symbols defined — plus a medium-level practice quiz to test recall.

Formulas & key concepts

A process of noticing and describing events or processes in a careful, orderly way.

Observation

A possible explanation for a set of observations or a possible answer to a scientific question.

Hypothesis

An experiment in which only one variable is changed. All other variables should be kept unchanged, or controlled.

Controlled Experiment

The variable that is deliberately changed (also called the manipulated variable).

Independent Variable

The variable that is observed and that changes in response to the independent variable (also called the responding variable).

Dependent Variable

The group in an experiment that is exposed to the same conditions as the experimental group except for one independent variable.

Control Group

Evidence; information gathered from observations.

Data

A method of research with defined steps that include experiments and careful observation.

Scientific Method

A thoroughly tested and confirmed explanation for observations or phenomena.

Scientific Theory

A description, often in the form of a mathematical formula, for the behavior of some aspect of nature under certain specific conditions.

Scientific Law

A certain preference or point of view that is personal, rather than scientific.

Bias

A scientific report that is reviewed by a scientist’s colleagues before publication.

Peer-reviewed Article

A form of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion.

Inductive Reasoning

A form of logical thinking that uses a general statement to predict specific results.

Deductive Reasoning

Able to be disproven by experimental results.

Falsifiable

Practice quiz

  1. A scientist notices that plants watered with distilled water grow taller than plants watered with tap water. What step of the scientific method is this?

    • Hypothesis
    • Observation
    • Experiment
    • Conclusion

    Answer: Observation

  2. Which of the following is the best example of a testable hypothesis?

    • Blue is a pretty color.
    • If fertilizer X is applied, then plant growth will increase.
    • All birds can fly.
    • The universe is infinite.

    Answer: If fertilizer X is applied, then plant growth will increase.

  3. In a study investigating the effect of a new drug on blood pressure, researchers administer the drug to one group and a placebo to another. What is a key characteristic of this experimental design?

    • Multiple independent variables are changed
    • Only one variable is changed between groups
    • No control group is necessary
    • The dependent variable is manipulated

    Answer: Only one variable is changed between groups

  4. A student wants to determine if the amount of light affects the rate of photosynthesis in a plant. What is the independent variable in this experiment?

    • The type of plant
    • The amount of light
    • The rate of photosynthesis
    • The amount of water

    Answer: The amount of light

  5. Following the previous question, what would be the dependent variable?

    • The type of plant
    • The amount of light
    • The rate of photosynthesis
    • The amount of water

    Answer: The rate of photosynthesis

  6. In an experiment testing the effectiveness of a new fertilizer, one group of plants receives the new fertilizer, while another group receives no fertilizer. The group receiving no fertilizer is known as the:

    • Experimental group
    • Independent group
    • Dependent group
    • Control group

    Answer: Control group

  7. A researcher records the growth measurements of plants over several weeks. This collected information is best described as:

    • A hypothesis
    • A theory
    • Data
    • An observation

    Answer: Data

  8. Which statement accurately distinguishes a scientific theory from a scientific law?

    • A theory is a guess, while a law is proven fact.
    • A theory explains why phenomena occur, while a law describes what happens.
    • A law is always expressed mathematically, a theory is not.
    • A theory can become a law if enough evidence is gathered.

    Answer: A theory explains why phenomena occur, while a law describes what happens.

  9. A good scientific hypothesis must be:

    • Proven true
    • Supported by personal belief
    • Falsifiable
    • Complex and detailed

    Answer: Falsifiable

  10. A scientist observes that all swans they have ever seen are white. They conclude that all swans must be white. This is an example of:

    • Deductive reasoning
    • Controlled experimentation
    • Inductive reasoning
    • Hypothesis testing

    Answer: Inductive reasoning

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