Biology
What term refers to a group of organisms with similar features that can breed together and produce fertile offspring? (20 sec)
Species
Which specific column on the Periodic Table contains elements with full outer shells that make them chemically unreactive? (15 secs)
Noble gases
In a displacement-time graph, what does the gradient represent? (20 sec, no calc)
The gradient represents velocity
What is biodiversity? (30 secs)
The variety of life in an ecosystem
Which planet is referred to as the "Red planet"? (20 secs)
Mars
This is the specific, small region on an enzyme where substrate molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction? (20 sec)
Active Site
In a chemical laboratory, what basic piece of equipment is used to measure temperature changes? (20 sec)
Thermometer
What type of wave is a sound wave? Is it transverse or longitudinal? (30 sec, no calc)
A sound wave is a longitudinal wave
What type of system is Earth best described as for matter and why? (30 sec)
Closed system because matter doesn’t go out and can’t come in
What is sublimation?
The change of state from a solid directly into a gas.
While a phenotype is what you can physically see, this term refers to the specific combination of alleles an organism has inherited? (20 sec)
Genotype
What is the term for the minimum amount of energy needed to kickstart a chemical reaction? (30 sec)
Activation energy
A force of 10 Newtons moves an object a distance of 5 meters in the same direction. Calculate the work done on the object. (45 sec, no calc)
Work done equals force multiplied by distance. The calculation is 10 Newtons multiplied by 5 meters, which equals 50 Joules.
Name three greenhouse gases
Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.
What is the circulatory system? (30 secs)
The organ system responsible for transporting oxygen and nutrients around the body.
What is the evolutionary mechanism that prevents local variations from mixing back into a common gene pool, allowing minor differences to transform into entirely new species over geological time? (30 sec)
Reproductive Isolation
In redox chemistry, what is the word for the process where an atom loses electrons? (40 secs)
Oxidation
Why is the temperature of a substance constant during a phase change, such as boiling or melting, even if heat is being added? (45 sec, no calc)
The thermal energy is used to break intermolecular bonds rather than increasing the kinetic energy of the particles.
What is a food chain?
A sequence showing the transfer of energy between organisms in an ecosystem.
What is heredity? (30 secs)
The process by which traits are passed from parents to offspring.
A patient poisoned by an industrial chemical presents with a dangerously high venous oxygen saturation (>90%) and severe cellular energy failure.
Identify the toxin and explain how blocking the electron transport chain shuts down ATP production even though the tissues have plenty of delivered oxygen. (1 min)
Cyanide
Mechanism: It blocks Complex IV in the electron transport chain, stopping cells from using oxygen to produce ATP.
Effect: Because cells cannot consume the delivered oxygen, it remains unused in the blood and returns to the veins, causing high venous oxygen saturation and cellular energy failure.
A compound is found to contain 6.00 grams of Carbon and 2.00 grams of Hydrogen. What is its empirical formula? (Molar masses: C = 12.00 g/mol, H = 1.00 g/mol). (60 sec, calculator allowed)
CH4
An object with a mass of 2 kilograms is moving at a velocity of 4 meters per second. Calculate its kinetic energy. (90 sec, calc allowed)
The calculation is 0.5 multiplied by 2 kilograms multiplied by 4 squared. This is 1 multiplied by 16, which equals 16 Joules.
What is eutrophication?
An increase in nutrient levels that can cause algal blooms and oxygen depletion.
What is the Mpemba effect? (45 sec)
Hot liquid freezes faster than cold water