Critical Thinking Questions

12.
Yes or no—Is mathematics a natural science? Explain your reasoning.
  1. No, it is not a natural science because it is not used in the study of the natural world.
  2. No, it is not a natural science. Mathematics focuses on understanding mathematical relations and calculations, which is useful in natural sciences but which is distinct.
  3. Yes, it is a natural science. Mathematics deals with verifying the experimental data.
  4. Yes, it is a natural science. It uses chemical and physical measurements.
13.

Read questions 1 through 4.

Question 1. Is macaroni and cheese tastier than broccoli soup?
Question 2. Are hummingbirds attracted to the color red?
Question 3. Is the moon made out of green cheese?
Question 4. Is plagiarism dishonest?

Which questions lend themselves to investigation using scientific methods? In other words, is the hypothesis falsifiable (can be proven false)?

  1. Questions 1 and 2 are subjective and cannot be disproven using scientific methods. Questions 3 and 4 can be tested using scientific methods.
  2. Questions 3 and 4 are subjective and cannot be disproven using scientific methods. Questions 1 and 2 can be tested using scientific methods.
  3. Questions 1 and 3 are subjective and cannot be disproven using scientific methods. Questions 2 and 4 can be tested using scientific methods.
  4. Questions 1 and 4 are subjective and cannot be disproven using scientific methods. Questions 2 and 3 can be tested using scientific methods.
14.
Consider the levels of organization of the biological world and place each of these items in order from smallest level of organization to most encompassing: skin cell, elephant, water molecule, planet Earth, tropical rainforest, hydrogen atom, wolf pack, liver.
  1. hydrogen atom, water molecule, skin cell, liver, elephant, wolf pack, tropical rainforest, planet Earth
  2. hydrogen atom, skin cell, water molecule, liver, elephant, wolf pack, tropical rainforest, planet Earth
  3. hydrogen atom, skin cell, water molecule, liver, wolf pack, elephant, tropical rainforest, planet Earth
  4. water molecule, hydrogen atom, skin cell, liver, elephant, wolf pack, tropical rainforest, planet Earth
15.

What scientific evidence was used by Carl Woese to determine that there should be a separate domain for Archaea?

  1. a sequence of DNA
  2. a sequence of rRNA
  3. a sequence of mRNA
  4. a sequence of tRNA
16.
Both astronomy and astrology study the stars. Which one is considered a natural science? Explain your reasoning.
  1. Astrology is a natural science as it indirectly influences human affairs and the natural world.
  2. Astronomy is a natural science as it deals with observations and prediction of events in the sky, which is based on the laws of physics.
  3. Astrology is a natural science as it deals with observations and prediction of events in the sky, influences human affairs and the natural world.
  4. Astrology is a natural science as it deals with the study of asteroids and comets, which is based on the laws of natural sciences.