01
Choose one
1 point
Which claim is not empirically falsifiable, as described in the material?
Free Practice Quiz Question List
6 Testing Theories and Falsification Online Quiz Questions
Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 6 Testing Theories and Falsification, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.
20 questions
02
True or false
1 point
If observed evidence matches a prediction derived from a hypothesis, that evidence can support the hypothesis without proving it true.
- A
True
- B
False
03
Written response
1 point
What term describes evidence that provides support for a hypothesis without proving it?
04
Fill in the blank
1 point
In Popper’s account, a theory that withstands serious attempts to refute it is , rather than conclusively verified.
05
Choose one
1 point
A carefully designed study finds better outcomes among patients given a medicine than among comparable control patients. What is the most justified conclusion?
- A
It proves the medicine caused the difference.
- B
It shows that all other explanations are impossible.
- C
It supports the hypothesis, while leaving room to consider replication, bias, and alternative explanations.
- D
It establishes that the control group was unnecessary.
06
Fill in the blank
1 point
A prediction depends not only on a theory but also on claims about the setup, instruments, and initial conditions. These additional claims are called .
07
Written response
1 point
What term names the claims about an experiment’s setup, instruments, and initial conditions that help connect a theory to a prediction?
08
Choose all
1 point
A prediction from a theory fails in an experiment. Which responses are consistent with the material’s approach to this result? Select all that apply.
- A
Check whether instruments or procedures failed.
- B
Treat the central theory as disproven without checking other assumptions.
- C
Test auxiliary assumptions independently where possible.
- D
Repeat the experiment.
09
True or false
1 point
Revising an auxiliary assumption is scientifically reasonable when there is independent evidence for the revision; changing assumptions only to protect a favored theory risks making it immune to testing.
- A
True
- B
False
10
Choose one
1 point
Two theories both fit all currently available observations, and no observation so far distinguishes between them. What does this situation illustrate?
- A
Theories have been conclusively verified.
- B
The available observations do not uniquely determine which explanation is correct.
- C
A theory has no conceivable observation that could count against it.
- D
An instrument has necessarily malfunctioned.
11
Choose all
1 point
When comparing two theories, which considerations does the material identify as useful for guiding scientific judgment? Select all that apply.
- A
How well each theory fits the evidence.
- B
Whether each theory makes new predictions that can distinguish it from alternatives.
- C
Whether the theory has been declared true by its supporters.
- D
How well-tested each theory’s assumptions are.
- E
How coherently each theory connects with established knowledge.
12
Open ended
1 point
A theory predicts that an instrument will register a particular outcome under specified experimental conditions, but the instrument registers something else. Explain why this result does not by itself establish that the central theory is wrong, and describe appropriate next steps for investigating the failure.
13
Choose one
1 point
A prediction derived from a hypothesis and several background assumptions fails. Which conclusion best follows from the material?
- A
A failed prediction challenges the hypothesis together with the background assumptions used to derive it.
- B
A failed prediction proves that the hypothesis is false, regardless of the experimental setup.
- C
A successful prediction proves the hypothesis true if the test was carefully designed.
- D
A failed prediction is irrelevant if the hypothesis has previously been supported.
14
Choose one
1 point
A hypothesis makes a prediction that differs from those of competing explanations. A demanding test produces the predicted result. What does this result warrant?
- A
A successful prediction conclusively verifies the hypothesis if it is surprising.
- B
A demanding successful prediction can strengthen support, especially when competing explanations predict differently, but it still does not prove the hypothesis.
- C
A successful prediction provides no support unless every competing explanation has been disproved.
- D
A successful prediction means that auxiliary assumptions no longer need examination.
15
Choose one
1 point
Which claim is falsifiable because a conceivable observation could count against it?
- A
Every possible observation is compatible with the claim that invisible forces determine all events.
- B
The claim that all swans are white conflicts with finding a reliably identified non-white swan.
- C
A claim that an event will happen, whatever the observed outcome, is supported by that outcome.
- D
A claim is scientific only if repeated tests have already proved it true.
16
Choose one
1 point
A carefully designed study finds that patients receiving a medicine have better outcomes than a comparable control group, as the hypothesis predicted. What conclusion is warranted?
- A
The result supports the hypothesis, but does not prove it true.
- B
The result conclusively verifies the hypothesis.
- C
The result has no bearing on the hypothesis unless it is repeated.
- D
The result proves that every alternative explanation is false.
17
True or false
1 point
True or false: If a theory survives one successful test, that test conclusively proves the theory true.
- A
True
- B
False
18
Written response
1 point
In Popper’s account, what term describes a theory that has withstood serious attempts to refute it without being conclusively verified?
19
Choose one
1 point
A scientific prediction fails in an experiment. Because the prediction relied on assumptions about the instruments and experimental conditions, what follows from the failure alone?
- A
It proves that the central theory is false.
- B
It shows that the experiment had no evidential value.
- C
It challenges the combined assumptions but does not by itself identify which assumption is at fault.
- D
It establishes that the prediction was not derived from a scientific theory.
20
Written response
1 point
What term describes a situation in which available observations fit more than one theory and do not uniquely determine which explanation is correct?