MTEL Biology Practice Exam - Question List

Select how would you like to study

1.
Formulating a testable hypothesis is particularly important when:
  1. Determining cause and effect relationships between observable phenomena.
  2. Interpreting a model that can be used to describe the workings of a natural system.
  3. Explaining the interactions of all natural phenomena in terms of a few basic laws.
  4. Describing as many characteristics as possible of living and nonliving things.
2.
Which of the following best describes the importance of having a control group in an experiment?
  1. Insuring reproducibility of the results.
  2. Facilitating the peer review process.
  3. Reducing potential bias by the observer.
  4. Isolating the effect of a single variable.
3.
A scientist planning to survey the characteristics of individuals in a particular plant population is careful to choose methods that guarantee random selection of the individuals to be measured. This randomization will:
  1. Reduce potential bias in the results.
  2. Increase the statistical significance of the results.
  3. Ensure reproducibility of the results.
  4. Provide a sufficient number of samples in the results.
4.
A student is doing an experiment to determine how change in acidity affects enzyme activity. The time it takes for a disk soaked with catalase at different acidities to rise to the top of a vial containing 1% hydrogen peroxide will be measured. If the student presents the findings in a line graph, which of the following conditions will be represented on the x-axis of the graph?
  1. pH values
  2. Catalase concentrations.
  3. Disk rise times.
  4. Percent hydrogen peroxide.
5.
A group of 14 students is monitoring the acidity level in a nearby stream over a period of two weeks. At the same time every day, a student will take one of four available digital pH meters to measure the pH of the stream, and record the result in a laboratory notebook. Which of the following factors represents a systematic error associated with the design of the experiment?
  1. The rounding of the pH readings in the digital displays.
  2. The measurements being made by different students.
  3. The use by the students of four different pH meters.
  4. The sampling being done at the same time every day.

Select how would you like to study