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Review for Final Exam – Science 210  Fall 2005

Readings in Textbook

Units 1 and 3 through 8

When studying for the test, be sure to read the entire overview section for each unit.  You are responsible for all information in the overview section. 

Read each one of the labs that we did in class.  You are responsible for the labs we did in class.

C.  Handouts

D. Review Questions.  The list of questions on this page is intended to assist you in preparing for the exam.  The list is not meant to have every possible question that might appear on the exam.  There will be questions on the exam which are not on this list.  Answering these questions does not guarantee an A on the exam.

General Questions

1. What are the ten science process skills?
2. Explain each process skill.
3. How do we do science?
4. Explain the role of communication in doing science.

Unit 1: Observation

1. What are the 2 types of observations?
2. Compare and contrast the 2 kinds of observations.
   1. Define each kind of observation.
   2. State how they are alike.
   3. State how they are different.
   4. Give examples which illustrate the differences.
3. Given an object, situation or picture, identify and list quantitative and qualitative observations using as many of the five senses as possible
4. Given a series of statements about a situation, identify the statements that are observations and classify them as qualitative, quantitative or both.

Unit 3:  Measurement and Metrics

1. What is the basic unit of length?
2. What is the basic unit of liquid volume?
3. What is the basic unit of weight?
4. Explain how you would find the volume of:
   1. a regularly shaped object
   2. an irregularly shaped object.
5. Explain the relationship between volume and weight of the cubograms.

Objectives for metric system

1. Given a decimal unit between 0.001 and 1000, write the corresponding metric prefix and vice versa.

2. Given a metric measurement for length, area, volume, or mass, convent it to a different metric unit of the same dimension.

1,000 grams equals 1 _______________.

10 centimeters equals 1 ____________.

1 liter equals 1,000 ____________.

10 millimeters equals _________ centimeters

1 liter equals ____________ milliliters

100 grams equals ___________ kilograms

3. Name the standard metric units for volume, mass, and length and show how these units are related.

For water, ____gram = _____ ml = _____cm³

4. Given a metric unit, provide the abbreviation for it and vice versa.

The abbreviation for a decimeter is __________

The abbreviation for a kilogram is ________

5. Given an object, measure its linear dimensions using a meter or centimeter ruler.

The line below is _____ cm long.

The same line is _____ mm long

The same line is _____ dm long

 
6. Given a regular area (rectangle, triangle, circle), calculate its perimeter and area from its linear dimensions.

The perimeter of the rectangle is ____mm.

The perimeter of the rectangle is ____ cm.

This rectangle has an area of ____ mm².

This rectangle has an area of ____ cm².

For the following questions assume that each square is 1 centimeter on a side.

The perimeter of this figure is ____ centimeters

                        The area of this figure is ____ square centimeters

7. Calculate the area for a circle with a radius of 2 cm.

8. Calculate the area for a rectangle with sides of 4 dm and 3 dm.

9. Given a regular solid or one composed of cubes, calculate its surface area and volume.

For the following diagram, assume that each cube is 1 centimeter on a side.

                        Length = ____ centimeters

                        Width = ____ centimeters

Height = ____ centimeters

Volume = ____ cubic centimeters

                        Surface area = ____ square centimeters

10. Calculate the volume of a rectangular prism with a height of 2 cm, width of 5 cm and length of 10 cm.

11. Calculate the surface area of a cube with sides of 5 m.

12. Given a volume in cubic centimeters, convert it to milliliters.

30 cm³ = _____ ml

1000 cm³ = ____ ml

13. Given a volume in milliliters, convert it to cubic centimeters.

60 ml = _____ cm³

500 ml = ____ cm³

A step diagram can be used to convert metric measurements form one unit to another.  Fill in the missing units.

Fill out the following table

Write out the formulas

Perimeter of a square

Perimeter of a rectangle

Circumference of a circle

Area of a rectangle or square

Area of a circle

Volume of a cube or rectangular prism

Symbols used in formulas

Unit 4:  Making Inferences and Predictions

1.      Define an inference.

2.      Define a prediction.

3.      Explain how an inference is different from a prediction.

4.      Explain how an observation is different from an inference.

5.      Given an object, situation or picture thereof, construct as least two alternate inferences about the situation based on observations of the given situation.

6.      Given a series of statements about an object or situation, distinguish between those statements that refer to observations and those that express inferences.

Unit 5:  Controlling Variables and Testing Hypotheses

1.      Define variable.

2.      Define controlled variable

3.      Define manipulated variable

4.      Define responding variable.

5.      What is the difference between a control group and a controlled variable?

6.      Why do some variables need to be controlled?

7.      Explain how a manipulated variable is different from a responding variable.

8.      Given a description of a laboratory experiment, or the directions for conducting one, identify the manipulated variables(s), the responding variables(s) and the controlled variables(s). 

Example:   On a hot sunny day, Sarah left two buckets of water out in the sun.  The two buckets were the same except that one was black and the other was white.  She made certain that there was the same amount of water in each bucket.  She carefully measured the temperature of the water in both buckets at the beginning and the end of the day.  What are the independent, dependent and controlled variables in this experiment?

Unit 6:  Operational Definitions

1. Define an operational definition and give an example.
2. Define a non-operational definition and give an example.
3. Given various definitions of variables or words, distinguish between operational and non-operational ones.
4. Given a hypothesis, inference, question, graph or data table, identify variables for which an operational definition is needed.
5. Given an experimental context, construct operational definitions for appropriate variables, properties, concepts, or procedures.

Unit 7:  Communication and Graphing

1.      When should data be graphed as a bar graph?

2.      When should the data be graphed as a histogram?

3.      How is a histogram different from a standard bar graph?

4.      When should the data be graphed with a best-fit line graph?

5.      Given a set of observations, construct a bar graph to indicate the frequency distribution of the data.

6.      Given a data table, draw a graph to illustrate the relationship between the manipulated and responding variables. 

Decide on the appropriate type of graph – line, bar or pie

Give the graph a title, select the proper axes for the variables, label the axes with the appropriate units, choose the scale for the axes, and plot the data points

Example:  The data table below has the scores for an exam.  What is the frequency of A’s, B’s, C’s, D’s and E’s?  Make a frequency table and a histogram.

Example:   On a hot sunny day, Sarah left two buckets of water out in the sun.  The two buckets were the same except that one was black and the other was white.  She made certain that there was the same amount of water in each bucket.  She carefully measured the temperature of the water in both buckets at the beginning and the end of the day.  The following table shows what she found

What type of graph should be made?

What is the title for the graph?

What variable goes on the x-axis?

What variable goes on the y-axis?

Label the axes with the appropriate units.

Choose the scale for the axes.

Plot the data points on the graph.

7.      Given a graph, distinguish between observed points and those obtained by interpolation.

8.      Given a graph, apply the techniques of interpolation to predict unobserved points.

9.      Given a graph, apply the techniques of extrapolation to predict unobserved points.

Example:  On the following graph, use interpolation to predict the volume of water that would be collected at 3.5 minutes.

On the following graph, use extrapolation to predict the volume of water that would be collected at 6 minutes.

10.  Given a graph, draw the best-fit line or curve through the observed points.

11.  Given a graph, describe verbally the relationship between the responding and manipulated variables.

12.  You do not have to know how to interpolate from a table.

Unit 8:  Formulating Hypotheses and Experimenting

1.      What is a hypothesis?

2.      How is a hypothesis different from an inference?

3.      Given a description of an investigation, identify the hypothesis being tested.

Example:  Fill 3 beakers with 100 ml of water.  Slowly lower a sugar cube into each container.  Place one beaker in a container with ice-cold water, leave one beaker at room temperature and place the third beaker in a container with very hot water.  Observe the 3 beakers and make records of what is seen every 10 minutes. 

What is the hypothesis for this experiment? 

What is the independent variable? 

Give an operational definition for the independent variable.

What is the dependent variable?

Give an operational definition for the dependent variable.

4.      Given data, table, graphs, or pictures concerning a phenomenon, construct a hypothesis to investigate the phenomenon further.

5.      Given the experimental data of an investigation, analyze it to confirm, reject, or modify the hypothesis.

Electricity Unit

1. What is electricity?
2. What is the difference between static electricity and current electricity?
3. What is electric current?
4. Be able to draw a simple electric circuit, a series circuit and a parallel circuit.
5. What allows some materials to conduct electricity?
6. Why can’t all materials conduct electricity?
7. Write an operational definition of an electric circuit.
8. If you remove a bulb in the series circuit, do the other bulbs stay lit?
9. If you remove a bulb in the parallel circuit, do the other bulbs stay lit?
10. How can you tell if an object possesses an electric charge?
11. Do like charges attact or repel one another?
12. Why did rubbing the plastic straw on our hair cause the straw to become charged?
13. Were we able to charge the paper?
14. Why were the pieces of paper attracted to both the A and the B strip of tape?

Physiology Unit

1. If given a description of an experiment be able to determine the manipulated, responding and controlled variables. 
2. How did we measure reaction time?
3. If given reaction time data be able to graph it correctly and interpret it correctly.
4. If given tactile discrimination data be able to graph it correctly and interpret it correctly.
5. If given hand-eye coordination data be able to interpret it correctly.
6. If given reaction to sound, light and touch data be able to interpret it correctly.

Environmental Science Labs

1. Why is the emerald ash borer a problem in Michigan?
2. Why is Dutch elm disease a problem?
3. What is ecological succession?
4. What is a watershed?
5. How many square miles are in a township in Michigan?
6. How many acres are in a square mile?
7. Describe what lines of longitude look like on a globe of the Earth.
8. Describe what parallels of latitude look like on a globe of the Earth.
9. What is the difference between altitude and latitude?
10. How does a 2-dimensional map indicate the 3-dimensional surface of the Earth?
11. What is a topographic map?
12. How is a topographic map different from a road map?
13. On a topographic map, as the contour lines become closer together, the slope is ________.
14. On a topographic map, as the contour lines become further apart, the slope is ________.

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