chapter 2

Question 1

Science is both the accumulated body of knowledge produced by many scientists and ______.
a rigid set of ideas and rules
a process for understanding the natural world
the collection of stories used to explain unknowable events

Answer 1

a process for understanding the natural world

Question 2

Match some of the basic principles of science with their correct description.
Empiricism
Uniformitarianism
Parsimony
Uncertainty

Answer 2

Empiricism: It is important to learn about the world through careful observation of real, observable phenomena.
Uniformitarianism: It is important to know that basic patterns and processes are similar across time and space and that the forces at work today are the same as those that shaped the world in the past.
Parsimony: When two plausible explanations are reasonable, the simpler one is preferred. This rule is also known as Ockham’s razor.
Uncertainty: When new evidence appears, knowledge

Question 3

Scientists will not accept a test or experimental result just once; they demand replication and ____ .

Answer 3

reproducibility, repeatability, reproduction, or repetition

Question 4

Contrast the words accuracy and precision by matching each to its correct meaning.
Accuracy
Precision

Answer 4

Accuracy: How close you are to the real measurement
Precision: How close your measurements are to each other

Question 5

Requiring a certain number of _____ figures in a measurement is a direct reflection of a certain level of accuracy in a measurement.

Answer 5

significant

Question 6

The process through which we understand the natural world by making precise observations, and conduct methodical research to test hypotheses, is _____. It is also a cumulative body of knowledge.

Answer 6

science

Question 7

Match the type of reasoning to its correct description.
deductive reasoning
inductive reasoning

Answer 7

deductive reasoning: Reasoning that logically follows a general principle and applies it to a specific instance
inductive reasoning: Reasoning that uses specific observations to create a general rule

Question 8

In science, focusing on real, observable phenomena is Blank______; the understanding that basic patterns and processes are similar across time and space is ______.
empiricism; uniformitarianism
parsimony; repeatability
uniformitarianism; empiricism
uniformitarianism; parsimony

Answer 8

empiricism; uniformitarianism

Question 9

Reproducibility and replication are ______.
demanded by scientists; they won’t accept just a single test result
important for generating statistics but are not required for proper scientific testing
so expensive that scientists cannot be bound to conduct multiple tests in order to verify a hypothesis or to develop a theory

Answer 9

demanded by scientists; they won’t accept just a single test result

Question 10

Put the steps of the scientific method in the correct order with the first step at the top and the last step at the bottom.

Answer 10

make observations
propose a hypothesis
develop a test for your hypothesis
gather test data
interpret test results
accept or alter the hypothesis

Question 10

You have a group of 5 students who all measure the length of a salamander that is 17 cm long. The measurements are: 16.1 cm, 16. 2 cm, 16.1 cm, 16.2 cm, and 16.2 cm. These measurements are ______.
precise but not accurate
accurate and precise
accurate but not precise
neither accurate nor precise

Answer 10

precise but not accurate

Question 11

A researcher reports the total amount of rain for the month of January by measuring daily values for rain. The researcher used a ruler measuring centimeters that could not provide values of anything less than a half centimeter. Which of the following shows the correct number of significant figures that could be presented accurately? (All answers are presented in cm.)
6.013
6.0
6.01

Answer 11

6.0

Question 12

Which of the following is not a scientific hypothesis?
God does not exist because people get sick.
The lamp does not work because it is not plugged into the electrical outlet.
The sun appears to rise each day because the earth is rotating.

Answer 12

God does not exist because people get sick.

Question 13

The type of scientific reasoning that logically follows a general principle and applies it to a specific instance is ______ reasoning, whereas ______ reasoning uses specific observations to create a general rule.
deductive; inductive
inductive; deductive

Answer 13

deductive; inductive

Question 14

Which of the following statements is true regarding a scientific theory?
The term scientific theory is interchangeable with the term hypothesis.
Scientific theories are tentative, simplistic explanations of phenomena.
A scientific theory takes longer to develop than a hypothesis.

Answer 14

A scientific theory takes longer to develop than a hypothesis.

Question 15

The first steps in the scientific method are to make an observation and formulate an explanation, or hypothesis. Once the hypothesis is tested it ______.
is always accepted and new data is tweaked to fit the explanation
automatically becomes a theory
may either be accepted as is and tested again, or reformulated dependent on the test results

Answer 15

may either be accepted as is and tested again, or reformulated dependent on the test results

Question 16

The likelihood of an event occurring is estimated by ______.
a theory
a hypothesis
probability

Answer 16

probability

Question 16

A possible explanation of scientific phenomena that is testable is a(n) ____.

Answer 16

hypothesis

Question 17

The probability that you will catch the flu this winter depends on whether you encounter someone else who has the virus. This example shows how probability is influenced by ______.
statistics
chance
seasons

Answer 17

chance

Question 18

An explanation supported by many tests and accepted by a general consensus of scientists is a(n) ______.
hypothesis
statistic
scientific theory

Answer 18

scientific theory

Question 19

If a scientist collected rainfall data for every day of the week, summed all the rainfall values together, and divided that total by the total number of days sampled, the researcher would find the ______ level of rainfall for the week.
probability
maximum
minimum
mean

Answer 19

mean

Question 20

Statistics are useful in environmental science, as we use them to ______.
provide a degree of confidence in research findings
calculate the probability that observed results could have occurred by chance
prevent natural disasters from occurring
determine the true nature of different phenomena

Answer 20

provide a degree of confidence in research findings
calculate the probability that observed results could have occurred by chance

Question 21

The likelihood of something occurring is measured in terms of probability, which is based on ______.
how many different scientists have studied it
standard statistical measures
previous measurements
how long it has been since it last occurred

Answer 21

standard statistical measures
previous measurements

Question 22

What is a natural experiment?
Study of an event that occurs outside
Study of processes that do not involve humans
Study of an event that has already occurred

Answer 22

Study of an event that has already occurred

Question 23

Probability can be influenced by a combination of ______. scientific theory and hypothesis rationalism and irrationalism chance and circumstances

Answer 23

chance and circumstances

Question 24

Manipulative experiments are those in which at least some of the conditions are ______. randomly chosen unknown to the researcher controlled

Answer 24

controlled

Question 25

In a study of a new back pain drug, neither the subject who received either the drug or a placebo nor the researcher knows who is in the treatment group or who is in the control group. This is an example of a ______ experiment. blind natural double-blind

Answer 25

double-blind

Question 26

In descriptive statistics, the mean is basically ______. an outlier variable the probability of a particular variable occurring an average for a particular variable

Answer 26

an average for a particular variable

Question 26

One of the primary benefits of using a numeric model to represent an environmental system is that ______. variables can be altered without actually destroying anything it can be created quite easily and quickly the output allows us to predict the future

Answer 26

variables can be altered without actually destroying anything

Question 27

Determining the probability that observed results could have occurred by chance is accomplished through ______. theories statistics hypotheses

Answer 27

statistics

Question 28

A study of events that have already happened is a(n) _____ experiment.

Answer 28

natural

Question 29

Choose all the examples of manipulative experiments below. A nutritionist records how much body fat people lose when they eat a vegetarian diet for 3 months. A geologist records the details of rock layers to determine the conditions in which they were formed. A hydrologist records the velocity of water flow in different parts of a river to determine where erosion is occurring. A behaviorist records reactions of toddlers when their favorite toy is taken away, both in the presence of a parent and in the absence of a parent.

Answer 29

A nutritionist records how much body fat people lose when they eat a vegetarian diet for 3 months. A behaviorist records reactions of toddlers when their favorite toy is taken away, both in the presence of a parent and in the absence of a parent.

Question 30

Representations of environmental systems are known as _____. Although some are physical, most are numeric, and they vary from the simple to the very complex. At the present time, these are often used to predict climate change.

Answer 30

models

Question 31

In a study looking at the impacts of sleep deprivation, a researcher interviews subjects that have either been kept up all night or who have had a normal night's sleep. The researcher does not know which subjects fall into each of these categories until after the interview data have been collected and analyzed. This is an example of a ______ experiment. double-blind blind natural

Answer 31

blind

Question 32

A system in science describes a ______. network of interdependent components and processes, with materials and energy flowing from one component of the system to another pattern of change toward a climax community, such as in bare land transforming over time into a forest simple representation of something more complex

Answer 32

network of interdependent components and processes, with materials and energy flowing from one component of the system to another

Question 33

Looking at natural processes in terms of systems is useful in science because ______. the information can be used to stop climate change it allows us to manipulate data to fit our explanations it helps organize the way we make observations

Answer 33

it helps organize the way we make observations

Question 34

Match the appropriate "system" scientific terms to their correct definitions. open system closed system throughput

Answer 34

open system: Receives inputs and produces outputs closed system: Exchanges no energy with its surroundings throughput: Energy that flows in, through, and out of a system

Question 35

If a plant grows rapidly and produces lots of leaves, but there is not enough soil moisture to sustain the large plant, the plant ends up losing too much water through transpiration and eventually dies. This is an example of ______ processes. unnatural negative feedback positive feedback closed system

Answer 35

negative feedback

Question 36

In a system, a negative feedback ______ a change, whereas a positive feedback ______ a change. amplifies; suppresses suppresses; amplifies

Answer 36

suppresses; amplifies

Question 37

A network of processes and interdependent components through which matter and energy flow is a(n) _____.

Answer 37

system

Question 38

The tendency for a system to remain stable is ______, and an event that changes a system is a ______. The ability for a system to recover from a change is ______, and a large-scale change to a system due to multiple disruptions is ______. state shift; disturbance; homeostasis; resilience homeostasis; disturbance; resilience; a state shift resilience; state shift; homeostasis; a disturbance

Answer 38

homeostasis; disturbance; resilience; a state shift

Question 39

The goal of studying a group of related natural phenomena as a(n) ____is to help us organize and understand the numerous and complex relationships between them.

Answer 39

system

Question 40

A system that receives inputs from its surroundings and produces outputs that leave the system is a(n) _____ system. A(n) _____ system, which is extremely rare, exchanges no energy or matter with its surroundings.

Answer 40

open closed

Question 41

If a plant grows leaves allowing it to capture more sunlight which it converts to energy and the plant is then able to grow even more leaves, this would be an example of ______. a closed system negative feedback a negative system positive feedback

Answer 41

positive feedback

Question 42

Which of the following is not an example of an emergent property of a forest tree? It provides shade that cools the ground. Its roots hold the soil in place. It provides habitat for other organisms. It is a mass of stored carbon.

Answer 42

It is a mass of stored carbon.

Question 43

Feedbacks in a system can either support the change that is occurring or go against that change. In a cooling climate, more ice leading to more reflection of sunlight off the surface results in an even cooler climate: this is a ____ feedback.

Answer 43

positive

Question 43

Match the system science terms to their correct definitions. homeostasis disturbance resilience state shift

Answer 43

homeostasis: tendency for a system to remain stable disturbance: An event that changes a system resilience: The ability for a system to recover from a change state shift: A large-scale change to a system due to multiple disturbances

Question 44

Scientific ______ involves the work of many people exchanging, debating, testing, and retesting problems and hypotheses to improve our understanding of natural processes because 100 percent proof in science is not common. dissent consensus isolation

Answer 44

consensus

Question 44

Well-established scientific ideas may be abandoned for new explanations due to new technologies and data. These paradigm shifts often ______. do not affect anyone except the scientists in that particular field are easily accepted by everyone are not readily accepted by scientists and the general public

Answer 44

are not readily accepted by scientists and the general public

Question 45

Politicians, private enterprise, and the media may not present scientific information accurately, such as information about climate change, because: they may have an interest in how the information affects them. scientific studies are inherently biased there is no scientific information available.

Answer 45

they may have an interest in how the information affects them.

Question 46

With many private concerns involved in promulgating partial or questionable scientific studies, it is important for the educated citizen to think ______ about the scientific information being presented. One way to do this is to consider the reason someone is taking a specific stance on the topic at hand. extensively logically acceptingly critically

Answer 46

critically

Question 46

What is the most current trend in those interested in supporting the continued widespread use of fossil fuels? Stating the alternatives are too expensive. Denying climate change exists. Bad-mouthing the scientists who study climate change.

Answer 46

Stating the alternatives are too expensive.

Question 47

True or false: Scientific consensus means that all scientists in that field of study believe in a presented idea

Answer 47

false

Question 48

Major changes in scientific thought are ______ that occur when old explanations no longer are adequate for explaining new observations. permutations evolutions paradigm shifts theoretical changes

Answer 48

paradigm shifts

Question 49

Scientific information is commonly misunderstood by the general public because: scientific papers are poorly written. the media, politicians, and private enterprise do not present the facts in an unbiased manner. scientists really do not understand the information either.

Answer 49

the media, politicians, and private enterprise do not present the facts in an unbiased manner.

Question 50

Instead of arguing that climate change doesn't exist, fossil-fuel-funded think tanks are ______. running smear campaigns on all earth scientists questioning the solutions to climate change supporting using fossils fuels in "cleaner" applications supporting anti-ecoterrorists in sabotaging wind and solar farms

Answer 50

questioning the solutions to climate change supporting using fossils fuels in "cleaner" applications

Question 51

Scientific ______ involves the work of many people exchanging, debating, testing, and retesting problems and hypotheses to improve our understanding of natural processes because 100 percent proof in science is not common. dissent consensus isolation

Answer 51

consensus

Question 51

When you analyze the sources and motives of a person presenting scientific data, you are thinking _____ in order to understand the validity and reliability of the information.

Answer 51

critically

Question 52

Our acceptance of scientific information is often a reflection of our ___ identity.

Answer 52

group

Question 52

Which of the following would be the least appropriate step in evaluating the validity of scientific claims? Establishing if the group that financed the study has a partisan goal Examining the position of the majority of the scientific community on the issue Seeking evidence for competing theories that have been published Conducting internet research on your own and examining the top links found on major search engines

Answer 52

Conducting internet research on your own and examining the top links found on major search engines

Question 53

With many private concerns involved in promulgating partial or questionable scientific studies, it is important for the educated citizen to think ______ about the scientific information being presented. One way to do this is to consider the reason someone is taking a specific stance on the topic at hand. critically acceptingly logically extensively

Answer 53

critically

Question 54

Your willingness to drive an electric vehicle or install solar panels on your home is strongly tied to your ______. spirituality gender group identity age

Answer 54

group identity

Question 55

Which of the following are reliable steps in evaluating the validity of scientific claims? Examining the agency or group that funded the study Conducting Internet research on your own and examining the top links found on major search engines. Critically thinking about the logic of the claim and whether or not it contradicts established theories Examining the expertise of the researcher(s) who conducted the study Watching multiple popular media shows to see what information they present

Answer 55

Examining the agency or group that funded the study Critically thinking about the logic of the claim and whether or not it contradicts established theories Examining the expertise of the researcher(s) who conducted the study