Free Practice Quiz Question List

7 Theory Choice and Scientific Change Online Quiz Questions

Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 7 Theory Choice and Scientific Change, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.

20 questions

True or false

1 point

If evidence supports a scientific theory, that evidence must prove the theory conclusively.

A
True
B
False

Fill in the blank

1 point

A research team compares a theory’s predicted results with observed results. The criterion they are assessing is .

Choose one

1 point

Which result would count as a novel, risky prediction of a theory?

A
A result the theory is adjusted to explain after observations have already established it
B
A prediction not built into the theory’s original formulation that could have turned out differently
C
A prediction that repeats an observation the theory was originally designed to explain
D
A claim that cannot be tested against any possible observation

Written response

1 point

Which theory-assessment criterion asks whether a theory suggests new questions, experiments, or useful models?

Choose one

1 point

A theory is internally coherent and fits well-supported knowledge in a relevant field. Which criterion does this most directly illustrate?

A
Fruitfulness, because the theory suggests a new experiment
B
Consistency, because the theory is internally coherent and fits well-supported knowledge in a relevant field
C
Scope, because the theory explains many phenomena
D
Simplicity, because the theory uses fewer adjustable parameters

Fill in the blank

1 point

When two theories perform similarly, avoiding unnecessary assumptions can count in favor of the theory with greater .

True or false

1 point

The simplest imaginable explanation must be true, even if it fits the evidence less well than a more complex theory.

A
True
B
False

Written response

1 point

What is the process called in which scientists compare alternative theories and decide which is best supported or most useful for further research?

Choose all

1 point

A team is assessing a theory’s performance across observations, its range of explanation, its potential to guide further research, and its assumptions. Select all the criteria that match these considerations.

A
How closely predictions match observations
B
How many different phenomena the theory explains
C
Whether the theory suggests new questions or experiments
D
Whether the theory’s conclusion stays the same regardless of the evidence
E
Whether unnecessary assumptions can be avoided when alternatives perform similarly

Choose one

1 point

Two theories both fit the observations collected so far. What kind of new test would be most informative for comparing them?

A
Choose a test both theories predict will produce the same result.
B
Repeat only observations that both theories already explain equally well.
C
Choose a test for which the theories predict different outcomes.
D
Prefer the theory with fewer assumptions before examining the test results.

Choose all

1 point

A theory appears to conflict with one observation. Which steps are appropriate before deciding that the theory should be rejected? Select all that apply.

A
Review whether the measurements and experimental methods were reliable.
B
Examine auxiliary assumptions used alongside the theory.
C
Reject the theory immediately without examining other evidence.
D
Assess the broader body of evidence and test alternatives where possible.

Choose one

1 point

An orbital anomaly can be explained by either a special adjustment for one planet or a general mechanism that also predicts related effects elsewhere. What would best justify preferring the general mechanism?

A
Prefer the special adjustment because it accounts for the original anomaly, regardless of any other evidence.
B
Prefer the general mechanism because broader explanations are always true.
C
Assess whether the general mechanism’s related predictions are supported and whether it explains several findings.
D
Choose whichever proposal has the fewest words in its description.

Open ended

1 point

Two proposals explain an observed orbital anomaly: one adds a special adjustment for that planet, while the other proposes a general mechanism that predicts related effects elsewhere. What evidence and theory-assessment criteria should scientists consider before preferring either proposal? Explain why the general mechanism’s apparent simplicity would not, by itself, settle the comparison.

Written response

1 point

What theory-assessment criterion describes a theory's ability to suggest new questions, experiments, or useful models?

Choose one

1 point

A theory proposed to explain one kind of event is later found to explain several other kinds of phenomena as well. Which criterion does this most directly demonstrate?

A
Its accuracy
B
Its scope
C
Its simplicity
D
Its consistency

Choose one

1 point

Two theories explain all observations collected so far. Which new test would be most informative for choosing between them?

A
A test that repeats observations both theories already explain equally well
B
A test selected because it is easy to conduct, regardless of the theories' predictions
C
A test whose possible outcomes are predicted differently by the competing theories
D
A test that assumes one theory is correct before collecting evidence

Written response

1 point

What is the name for the problem that arises when different theories make the same predictions for the observations available so far, leaving further evidence or methods necessary to distinguish them?

True or false

1 point

True or false: The theory-assessment criteria provide a fixed decision rule that automatically identifies the best theory in every comparison.

A
True
B
False

Choose one

1 point

Two theories perform similarly against current evidence, but one requires several extra assumptions that do no explanatory work. How should simplicity affect the comparison?

A
Treat fewer unnecessary assumptions as a comparative advantage, while still weighing evidence and explanatory performance
B
Always choose the theory with the fewest assumptions, even if its predictions fail
C
Reject any theory with adjustable parameters, regardless of how well it explains observations
D
Assume that two theories with different levels of complexity cannot both fit the evidence

Choose one

1 point

Which prediction would provide the kind of support associated with a novel, risky test of a theory?

A
A result the theory accommodates after it has already been observed
B
A prediction that repeats an outcome built into the theory's original formulation
C
A prediction that cannot turn out to be wrong
D
A prediction not built into the theory's original formulation that could have failed