Scientific Method MCQs for MDCAT Practice

Science Reasoning section, Scientific Method chapter. Sample questions from past PMC papers.

1. Question 1
   Blue green algae and bacteria belong to kingdom
   • A.Animalia
   • B.Monera
   • C.Protista
   • D.Protozoa
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2. Question 2
   Battery companies make impressive claims about how long their batteries will last. A student decided to test the running time of different batteries to determine which battery lasts the longest. The student tested 6 different batteries, 4 brand name and 2 generic, using flashlights. The results show that the battery referred to as Name Brand A lasted the longest, with 101 hours of runtime: It could be argued that this experiment was not set up using proper experimental protocol. What would need to change in the experiment for the results to be valid?
   • A.The batteries should have all been either name brand or generic
   • B.Only two groups should have been tested at a time
   • C.The same battery should have been used in each flashlight
   • D.The same flashlight should have been used to test each battery
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3. Question 3
   Which is the correct sequence of the scientific method?
   • A.Observation → Theory → Experiment → Hypothesis
   • B.Theory → Experiment → Observation → Hypothesis
   • C.Observation → Hypothesis → Experiment → Conclusion
   • D.Hypothesis → Observation → Theory → Law
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4. Question 4
   An experimenter is attempting to determine the effects of smoking on VLBW (Very Low Birth Weight) and of VLBW on IQ. Which of the following statements are correct? I. Smoking is an independent variable. II. Smoking is a dependent variable. III. VLBW is an independent variable. IV. VLBW is a dependent variable.
   • A.I and IV only.
   • B.II and IV only.
   • C.I, III, and IV only.
   • D.II, III, and IV only.
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5. Question 5
   A scientist tests a drug on 100 patients, but there is no control group. What is the most significant flaw?
   • A.The sample size is too small
   • B.The drug may have side effects
   • C.There's no basis for comparison
   • D.The patients might not have followed instructions
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6. Question 6
   Order the following steps to separate a mixture of sodium chloride, sand, and iron.I- Mix in waterII- EvaporateIII- hold a magnet bar above the mixture/solutionIV- Filter and dry filtrate
   • A.I → II → III → IV
   • B.II → III → IV → I
   • C.I → III → IV → II
   • D.III → I → IV → II
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7. Question 7
   Change the narration:He said, "Are you interested in my book?"
   • A.He told me if I was interested in his work
   • B.He asked to me that I was interested in my work
   • C.He asked if I was interested in his book
   • D.He asked if he was interested in my work
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8. Question 8
   What is the best method to test if a gas is oxygen?
   • A.Bubble it through limewater
   • B.Bring a glowing splint near it
   • C.Smell it
   • D.See if it dissolves in water
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