11th grade working scientifically
11th grade (Year 12 in England) · 16 questions · Common Core: NGSS.SEP 7, NGSS.SEP 8 · England: KS4 Working scientifically
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Date
Score/ 16
Question 1
A new observation contradicts a well-tested theory. What usually happens?
- A. The observation is always thrown away
- B. The theory is never changed
- C. Scientists check the observation, then improve or replace the theory if it holds up
- D. Science stops
Question 2
Two students explain why a ball rolling on a flat floor eventually stops. Student 1: Objects naturally slow down and stop when nothing keeps pushing them. Student 2: Friction and air resistance act against the motion; with no resistive forces, the ball would keep moving at a steady speed. The ball rolls much further on smooth ice than on carpet. This result…
- A. supports Student 2
- B. shows friction makes things faster
- C. supports neither student
- D. supports Student 1
Question 3
Two scientists explain why the Moon shows phases. Scientist 1: Earth's shadow covers different amounts of the Moon during the month. Scientist 2: Half of the Moon is always lit by the Sun; as the Moon orbits Earth, we see different amounts of the lit half. Which scientist's explanation is accepted by astronomers today?
- A. neither
- B. Scientist 2
- C. Scientist 1
- D. both
Question 4
Peer review means…
- A. friends vote on the result
- B. the scientist checks their own work only
- C. other scientists check work before it is published
- D. the result can never be questioned
Question 5
Two scientists explain why some lakes have fewer fish than ten years ago. Scientist 1: Farm fertiliser washed into the lakes caused algae to grow; when the algae died, bacteria used up the oxygen in the water. Scientist 2: Warmer water from climate change holds less dissolved oxygen, so fewer fish survive. A lake far from any farm also lost fish as it warmed. This supports…
- A. neither scientist
- B. only that fertiliser is harmless
- C. Scientist 2
- D. Scientist 1
Question 6
Two scientists explain why the Moon shows phases. Scientist 1: Earth's shadow covers different amounts of the Moon during the month. Scientist 2: Half of the Moon is always lit by the Sun; as the Moon orbits Earth, we see different amounts of the lit half. Which scientist's explanation is accepted by astronomers today?
- A. Scientist 1
- B. Scientist 2
- C. neither
- D. both
Question 7
What makes a scientific explanation stronger than another?
- A. It is more complicated
- B. It explains more of the evidence and makes predictions that are confirmed
- C. More people like it
- D. It is older
Question 8
Two students explain why a ball rolling on a flat floor eventually stops. Student 1: Objects naturally slow down and stop when nothing keeps pushing them. Student 2: Friction and air resistance act against the motion; with no resistive forces, the ball would keep moving at a steady speed. The ball rolls much further on smooth ice than on carpet. This result…
- A. supports Student 1
- B. supports neither student
- C. supports Student 2
- D. shows friction makes things faster
Question 9
Two scientists explain why the Moon shows phases. Scientist 1: Earth's shadow covers different amounts of the Moon during the month. Scientist 2: Half of the Moon is always lit by the Sun; as the Moon orbits Earth, we see different amounts of the lit half. Which scientist's explanation is accepted by astronomers today?
- A. Scientist 2
- B. both
- C. neither
- D. Scientist 1
Question 10
Two hypotheses explain the same data. How can scientists decide between them?
- A. Vote on them
- B. Choose the shorter one
- C. Ignore the data
- D. Design an experiment where they predict different results
Question 11
Two students explain why a ball rolling on a flat floor eventually stops. Student 1: Objects naturally slow down and stop when nothing keeps pushing them. Student 2: Friction and air resistance act against the motion; with no resistive forces, the ball would keep moving at a steady speed. The ball rolls much further on smooth ice than on carpet. This result…
- A. supports Student 1
- B. supports Student 2
- C. shows friction makes things faster
- D. supports neither student
Question 12
Two scientists explain why the Moon shows phases. Scientist 1: Earth's shadow covers different amounts of the Moon during the month. Scientist 2: Half of the Moon is always lit by the Sun; as the Moon orbits Earth, we see different amounts of the lit half. Which scientist's explanation is accepted by astronomers today?
- A. Scientist 2
- B. Scientist 1
- C. both
- D. neither
Question 13
What makes a scientific explanation stronger than another?
- A. More people like it
- B. It explains more of the evidence and makes predictions that are confirmed
- C. It is more complicated
- D. It is older
Question 14
Two scientists explain why some lakes have fewer fish than ten years ago. Scientist 1: Farm fertiliser washed into the lakes caused algae to grow; when the algae died, bacteria used up the oxygen in the water. Scientist 2: Warmer water from climate change holds less dissolved oxygen, so fewer fish survive. A lake far from any farm also lost fish as it warmed. This supports…
- A. Scientist 2
- B. Scientist 1
- C. neither scientist
- D. only that fertiliser is harmless
Question 15
Two scientists explain why some lakes have fewer fish than ten years ago. Scientist 1: Farm fertiliser washed into the lakes caused algae to grow; when the algae died, bacteria used up the oxygen in the water. Scientist 2: Warmer water from climate change holds less dissolved oxygen, so fewer fish survive. What do both scientists agree on?
- A. Fertiliser is the only cause.
- B. The water is getting colder.
- C. Fish numbers have increased.
- D. Low oxygen in the water harms the fish.
Question 16
What makes a scientific explanation stronger than another?
- A. It is older
- B. It explains more of the evidence and makes predictions that are confirmed
- C. It is more complicated
- D. More people like it
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