Name: Scientific Method Unit Exam Date: 10/20/20

1. Base your answer to the following question on the information below and on your knowledge of
biology.

A student designed an experiment to determine if air temperature had an effect on the rate of
photosynthesis in corn plants.
The independent variable in this experiment is the
A) air temperature at which the corn plants were grown
B) amount of carbon dioxide used by the corn plants
C) volume of oxygen produced by the corn plants
D) number of corn plants used
2. An experiment is carried out to determine how different pH values of soil will affect the growth of
tomato plants. In this experiment, the dependent variable could be the
A) height of the tomato plants B) pH of the soil
C) specific variety of tomato plants used D) pH of enzymes in tomato leaf cells
3. A company that manufactures a popular multivitamin wanted to determine whether their multivitamin
had any side effects. For its initial study, the company chose 2000 individuals to take one of their
multivitamin tablets per day for one year. Scientists from the company surveyed the participants to
determine whether they had experienced any side effects. The greatest problem with this procedure is
that
A) only one brand of vitamin was tested B) the study lasted only one year
C) the sample size was not large enough D) no control group was used
4. How does the CONTROL GROUP setup in an 5. The bar graph below shows the height of a plant at the
experiment differ from the other setups in the same end of each week of a five-week growth period.
experiment?
A) It tests a different hypothesis.
B) It has more variables.
C) It does not receive the experimental treatment
(Independent Variable).
D) It utilizes a different method of data collection.

Which statement represents a valid conclusion based

on the information in the graph?
A) The plant was given water during the first three
weeks, only.
B) The plant will grow faster during the sixth week
than it did during the fifth week.
C) The plant grew fastest during the first three
weeks, and then it grew slower.
D) The plant grew slowest during the first three
weeks, and then it grew faster.
 Scientific Method Unit Exam

6. Base your answer to the following question on the information below and on your knowledge of
biology.

An experiment was carried out to answer the question "Does the pH of water affect the growth
of radish plants?" Two groups of ten radish plants were set up. One group was watered with water
having a pH of 3.0, and the other group was watered with water having a pH of 7.0. Both groups of
plants received the same amount and intensity of light, the same amount of water, and they were
grown in the same type of soil. The heights of the radish plants were measured every 2 days for a
period of 2 weeks.
What was the dependent variable in this experiment?
A) heights of the plants B) pH of the water
C) temperature of the water D) type of soil
Base your answers to questions 7 and 8 on the 9. A new drug for the treatment of asthma is tested on
information and diagrams below and on your 100 people. The people are evenly divided into two
knowledge of biology. groups. One group is given the drug, and the other
group is given a placebo (fake pill). The group that is
An experiment was performed to determine the effect given the placebo (fake pill) serves as the
of different mineral salts on plant growth. Forty pots
A) experimental group B) limiting factor
containing identical plants were divided into four
C) control D) indicator
equal groups and placed in a well-lighted
greenhouse. Each pot contained a nonmineral potting 10. Diagrams, tables, and graphs are used by scientists
medium and one plant. Materials were then added to mainly to
each experimental group of pots as shown
A) design a research plan for an experiment
B) test a hypothesis
C) organize data
D) predict the independent variable

7. Which measurement would most likely be taken to

determine the effect of different mineral salts upon
the experimental groups?
A) weight of the medium in each pot
B) temperature of the 40 pots
C) height of the 40 plants
D) distance of each plant from the light source
8. What was added to the control group of pots?
A) water, only
B) nitrogen salts, only
C) potassium salts, only
D) potassium and phosphorus salts
 Scientific Method Unit Exam

11. Base your answer to the following question on the investigation described below and on your
knowledge of biology.

As part of an investigation, 10 bean seedlings in one setup were grown in the dark, while 10
seedlings in another setup were grown in sunlight. All other growth conditions were kept the same in
both setups. The seedlings grown in the dark were white with long, slender stems. These seedlings
soon died. The seedlings grown in the sunlight were green and healthy.
Identify the independent variable in this investigation.

12. This question is worth 4 points.

A scientist wants to determine the best conditions for hatching brine shrimp eggs. In a laboratory,
brine shrimp hatch at room temperature in glass containers of salt water. The concentration of salt in
the water is known to affect how many brine shrimp eggs will hatch.

Design an experiment to determine which of three saltwater concentrations (2%, 4%, or 6%) is best
for hatching brine shrimp eggs. Answer each question below based on the information you read
above.

a) State the independent variable:

b) What is the dependent variable:

c) The experiment is set up with four containers with different amounts of fertex. Which container
would be your control group?

Container A: 0%
Container B: 2%
Container C: 4%
Container D: 6%

d) State two factors that must be kept constant in all the containers.