Science in Movies
What fundamental science principle does Dr. Bruce Banner break when he transforms into the Incredible Hulk?
a. for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction
b. energy can neither be created or destroyed
c. all green things can do photosynthesis
d. isolated systems head towards increasing disorder
b. energy can neither be created or destroyed
What precious chemical element connects songs by Eva Cassidy, The Spanglers, Spandau Ballet, and Shirley Bassey?
a. silver
b. gold
c. iron
d. rubidium
b. gold
Edward Jenner discovered the smallpox vaccine. He found that a person who contracted a kind of disease would never contract smallpox. He proved his hypothesis by preformed an experiment on a farm boy. What was the disease?
a. Meningitis
b. Arthritis
c. Sickle cell anemia
d. Cowpox
d. Cowpox
Forensic anthropology involves the retrieval and identification of human remains. A skeleton is able to provide a lot of information about the deceased. Which of the following CANNOT be learned from a modern human skeleton?
a. ethnic background
b. state of health
c. occupation
d. intelligence
d. intelligence
Here's another science-fictional idea that's theoretically possible. Sometimes called a 'skyhook' or an 'orbital tower', the idea is to run a cable from Earth through a geostationary point to a counterweight way out into space, so you'd have a way to quickly and cheaply get things into orbit and out of the planet's gravity well.
a. space elevator
b. Indian rope trick
c. magic carpet
d. the golden stair
a. space elevator
How many years of training would it take for someone to become as good a fighter as Batman?
a. 6 months
b. 1-33 years
c. 7-10 years
d. 15-18 years
d. 15-18 years
What song title, written by Coldplay, is synonymous with a certain type of wave that travels at 343.2 meters per second in dry air?
a. speed of light
b. speed of sound
c. speed of thunder
d. speed of sloth
b. speed of sound
Alexander Flemming is known for his discovery of penicillin. He noticed a colony of staphylococcus that came in contact with penicillin was accidentally destroyed. What is staphylococcus?
a. a virus
b. a bacteria
c. a protozoa
d. an algae
b. a bacteria
When identifying victims of disasters, such as plane and train crashes, approximately 93% of identifications are made using what?
a. personal effects
b. skeletal characteristics
c. dental records
d. DNA analysis
c. dental records
A popular idea in science fiction is a spacecraft propelled by light--huge mirrors catch photons or solar winds from the sun, or light beams from Earth, and move the ship. What is this idea called?
a. golden parachute
b. solar sail
c. beam accelerator
d. sun surfing
b. solar sail
Which popular film delves into the world of quantum physics were subatomic particles only come into existence when they are observed.
a. The Nutty Professor
b. A Beautiful Mind
c. What the Bleep Do We Know?
d. Planet of the Apes
c. What the Bleep Do We Know?
Which energetic British girl band gave life to the song “Biology” in 2005?
a. Spice Girls
b. B*Witched
c. The Bangles
d. Girls Aloud
d. Girls Aloud
Henri Becquerel contributed greatly to the field of radioactivity. What crystal did he use that led him to discover radioactivity?
a. helium
b. uranium
c. potassium
d. scandium
b. uranium
DNA is the genetic material in our cells. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
a. identical twins will have almost identical DNA
b. DNA can show a person’s gender but not their age or race
c. identical twins can have different fingerprints
d. red blood cells are the best source of DNA
d. red blood cells are the best source of DNA
A concept that's been around since 1959 has become more popular in recent fiction now that it's getting closer to reality. What is the scientific term for the controlling of matter on an atomic level or a molecular level?
a. macrobiotics
b. nanotechnology
c. biorhythms
d. wave-sine technology
b. nanotechnology
Why is trying to blow up an asteroid on an imminent collision course for Earth as in Armageddon a really, really bad idea?
a. We don’t have a nuclear bomb big enough to do the job
b. Blowing up a big asteroid could create many equally dangerous smaller asteroids
c. A less dense asteroid could absorb the blast rather than be destroyed in it
d. All of the above
d. All of the above
Robert Plant was a highly influential singer with a career spanning over 40 years. Which band was he a part of?
a. The Guess Who
b. The Rolling Stones
c. Led Zeppelin
d. Black Sabbath
c. Led Zeppelin
Charles Goodyear accidentally mixed a rubber with an element in powder form that the rubber became more elastic and durable. What was the element?
a. sulfur
b. nitrogen
c. phosphorus
d. chlorine
a. sulfur
Forensic odontology involves the study of teeth. When old skeletons are found, the teeth are an important source of information. In such cases, which of the following statements is true?
a. teeth can indicate a person’s occupation and ethnic background
b. forensic scientists can usually tell the victim’s age by their teeth
c. teeth are a good source of DNA for forensic analysis
d. all three statements are true
d. all three statements are true
In early science fiction, giant animals were common (whether through chemical experiments or just prehistoric creatures coming back to life), but science fiction authors rarely use the concept anymore. Which scientific principle are giant bugs and bunnies forbidden by?
a. Law of Conservation of Mass
b. The Square-Cube Law
c. The Second Law of Thermodynamics
d. Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity
b. The Square-Cube Law
What would NOT be a major limitation of a real life Harry Potter invisibility cloak?
a. The cloak would only be able to shield two dimensional objects
b. The cloak would only be able to shield stationary objects not moving ones
c. The wearer of the cloak wouldn’t be able to see out
d. It would only work for limited wavelengths of light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation
a. The cloak would only be able to shield two dimensional objects
There are numerous songs that deal with astronomy. Which of the following pairs is INCORRECTLY matched?
a. Venus- The Rolling Stones
b. Starlight- Muse
c. Walking on Sunshine- Katrina and the Waves
d. Can’t Fight the Moonlight- Leann Rimes
a. Venus- The Rolling Stones
Henri Victor Regnault accidentally discovered PCV by accidentally leaving a flask of liquid in the sun. What does PCV stand for?
a. polyvinyl chromate
b. polyvanadium chromate
c. polyvanadium chloride
d. polyvinyl chloride
d. polyvinyl chloride
In 1984, Sir Alec Jeffrey’s developed the first genetic fingerprinting test. It was first used to solve the murders of two girls in England. In which year did this occur?
a. 1984
b. 1985
c. 1986
d. 1987
d. 1987
Where would science fiction be without mechanical creatures? From Shelley's "Frankenstein" all the way up through Hollywood's "The Terminator", robots and androids have become so important to the genre that it's hard to imagine sf without them. So--which science fiction author coined the word 'robotics' (not robot)?
a. Jules Verne
b. David Brin
c. Arthur C. Clarke
d. Isaac Asimov
d. Isaac Asimov