Lesson 1.1.3

1.1.3 Communication, science in society and decision making Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Physics, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 1.1.3, Communication, science in society and decision making: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Physics (9PH0), Unit 1: Working as a Physicist, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which best describes peer review?

    • Evaluation of a scientist's work by independent experts before it is published.
    • A public vote on whether a scientific claim is true.
    • A test of a scientific claim by a news organisation.
    • Government approval of a research funding bid.

  2. Why is it important that a scientific result is reproduced by other scientists?

    • It proves that the original experiment had no errors.
    • It helps validate new knowledge and reduces the chance that it reflects error or bias.
    • It makes the result legally binding.
    • It guarantees that the result will be funded.

  3. Which pairing correctly matches a benefit with its associated risk for nuclear power?

    • Low-carbon electricity; production of radioactive waste
    • High efficiency; fuel is unlimited and safe
    • Cheap fuel; no environmental impact
    • Low-carbon electricity; no waste of any kind

  4. Which is the best description of the purpose of a control group in an experiment?

    • It is used to replace the independent variable.
    • It provides a baseline to compare against the group that receives the tested change.
    • It is the group that receives the largest dose of the variable.
    • It is the group that must be ignored in the analysis.

  5. A risk of harm is 1 in 10,000 per year and each year is independent. What is the approximate probability of harm over 10 years?

    • About 0.1%
    • About 10%
    • About 1%
    • About 0.01%

  6. Risk A is 1 in 100,000 and risk B is 1 in 1,000,000. How many times greater is risk A than risk B?

    • 1000 times
    • 2 times
    • 100 times
    • 10 times

  7. A survey of 50 people finds that 30 agree with a proposal. What percentage agree?

    • 70%
    • 50%
    • 60%
    • 30%

  8. Which is the most appropriate way to communicate a scientific finding to the general public?

    • A single headline number with no context or uncertainty.
    • A set of unexplained equations taken from the original paper.
    • A clear summary that explains the conclusion, its uncertainty and its limitations in plain language.
    • A full technical report with all raw data and no summary.

  9. Which factor is most important when a science-based decision is made about a new medicine?

    • The cost of advertising the medicine.
    • The personal opinion of the decision maker.
    • The balance between evidence of benefit and evidence of harm, from controlled trials.
    • The number of people who have heard of the medicine.

  10. Which statement about scientific models is most accurate?

    • A model is valid only if it has no simplifying assumptions.
    • A model is a fixed truth that never changes.
    • A model is a guess that cannot be tested.
    • A model is a simplified representation that is useful for predictions, and it is revised when new evidence appears.

  11. A new technology has a 2% chance of a serious fault per year. What is the chance of no serious fault in one year?

    • 96%
    • 98%
    • 50%
    • 2%

  12. Which is the best example of an ethical consideration when applying a scientific technology?

    • Ensuring that the people affected are informed and that the benefits are shared fairly.
    • Ignoring the views of those who will use the technology.
    • Ensuring the technology is as expensive as possible.
    • Keeping the risks secret so the project is not delayed.

  13. Which is the strongest evidence that a relationship between two variables is causal?

    • A controlled experiment in which only the independent variable is changed and the effect is repeatable.
    • A correlation found in a single observation.
    • A result that agrees with what people already believe.
    • An opinion from a well-known expert.

  14. A scientist states that a result is 'significant' in everyday language. What is the main risk of this?

    • Everyday language is always more accurate than scientific language.
    • The everyday meaning of significant can be confused with the statistical meaning, misleading the public.
    • It prevents the result from being published.
    • It proves that the scientist made an error.

  15. Which is an appropriate way to show the uncertainty in a result to a non-specialist audience?

    • Give only the single most extreme value recorded.
    • Use a large number of decimal places to look precise.
    • Omit the uncertainty so the message is simpler.
    • Give a range of likely values, such as 4.2 to 4.8 units, with a plain-language explanation.

  16. The benefits of a technology are judged to outweigh its risks. Which additional step best supports a responsible decision?

    • Waiting until every possible risk has been eliminated before any use.
    • Stopping all monitoring once the decision is made.
    • Relying only on the first study ever published.
    • Monitoring the outcomes after introduction and revising the decision if new evidence appears.

  17. Which statement about the role of the scientific community is correct?

    • It decides the final truth of every claim by majority vote.
    • It accepts all claims without any independent checks.
    • It keeps methods secret to protect commercial interests.
    • It checks new claims through peer review, replication and open publication of methods and data.

  18. A pilot study finds an effect in 8 out of 10 participants. What percentage of participants showed the effect?

    • 20%
    • 80%
    • 8%
    • 18%

  19. Which describes an unintended consequence of a technology?

    • A result the scientist planned for and reported in full.
    • A decision made without any evidence at all.
    • A measurement that is always exactly equal to the true value.
    • An effect on people or the environment that was not foreseen when the technology was introduced.

  20. A study reports that the risk of an event falls from 2 in 100 to 1 in 100 with a treatment. What is the absolute reduction in risk?

    • 50 percentage points
    • 1 percentage point
    • 2 percentage points
    • 0.5 percentage points

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