Household Science
Earth Science
Biology
Chemistry
Astronomy
100
True/False - Natural Gas, in its natural form, has a sulfur odor.
False - The odor is added artificially by gas distribution companies. Natural Gas is naturally odorless.
100
Birds are often seen flying in formation in the shape of a V. Why is this?
To eliminate wind resistance. Flying in a V causes the wind to slide past the birds, rather than pushing them head-on. It is for this same reason that newer cars have more slanted windshields.
100
All known lifeforms require DNA to function. What is the reason for this?
Protein manufacturing - DNA acts as instructions for building proteins, which help build up and shape the rest of the body and even do work inside of it.
100
Which of these three subatomic particles is considered negatively charged? A) Proton, B) Electron, C) Neutron, D) Quark
B) Electron - Electrons are the extremely lightweight negatively charged particle found on the exterior of atoms.
100
The word "solar" in solar system comes from the same root that "Sol" does, which is the name of the sun. What defines a solar system?
Sun - The sun defines a solar system. The planets are all grouped with the sun.
200
Many kitchen fires have simple methods of extinguishing them. Pot fires can be easily extinguished by putting the lid on the pot. Why is this?
Oxygen - Fires require oxygen to burn. Placing the lid on the pot removes the oxygen supply, causing the fire to die out naturally.
200
Sometimes trees can be seen in a J shape as shown below. What does this suggest is happening with those trees?
Landslide - This shape signifies that a landslide is impending or has occurred here. The trees grew differently as a result of the ground moving slowly over time.
200
Many lifeforms share DNA characteristics with each other, suggesting a common ancestor. Another shared trait is the "mitochondrial Eve," meaning the same mitochondria have been passed down for thousands of years among the Sapien family. How are the same mitochondria continually passed down?
Ova - The female ova carries the mitochondria for a new zygote (newly conceived organism). The same mitochondria have been passed down through ova for millennia.
200
What is the most abundant element in the universe? A) Helium, B) Hydrogen, C) Nitrogen, D) Oxygen
B) Hydrogen:
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, often found in stars and in other large clusters in outer space. Hydrogen, as the simplest element, eventually changes to other elements later on.
200
The sun is an example of which type of celestial body? A) Star, B) Moon, C) Comet, D) Galaxy
A) Star - The sun is a star, a giant nuclear fusion reactor, essentially. It is responsible for the creation of matter in its solar system.
300
Water is known as the universal solvent, meaning it dissolves many substances. Will water dissolve oil or other fat-based products? Why or why not?
No - Water will not dissolve fat-based products because water contains a strong opposing electrical charge, while fats contain a more neutral electrical charge. As a result of this, fat repels water as its charges do not align.
300
Volcanos are a common source of new land on the planet. Magma cools and becomes rock. Based on this observation, where did the first land on the planet likely come from?
Magma Surface - The planet originally had a surface composed entirely of magma. Over millions (or even billions) of years, the magma cooled and formed the first layer of surface rock on the planet.
300
Out of the following energy consumers, which one would you remove for the greatest impact on the energy pyramid? A) Tertiary Consumers, B) Secondary Consumers, C) Primary Consumers, D) Autotrophs
(You may ask for an explanation of these terms)
Autotrophs - Without autotrophs, there are no plants for the primary consumers to consume, meaning there are no primary consumers for secondary consumers to consume, and so on.
300
Could a single molecule of water be lysed, causing the release of breathable oxygen? Why or why not?
(Think about the composition of water [H2O] vs. breathable oxygen [O2])
No - A single molecule of water contains only one atom of oxygen. At least two atoms of oxygen must bond to form a molecule of breathable oxygen.
300
The moon, the sun, and all celestial bodies rise in which direction? Why?
East - The Earth rotates toward the East, so all celestial bodies appear to rise from that direction.
400
In a glass of water, small bits of water on either side curve slightly higher or slightly lower than the rest of the water as shown below. Explain this property.
Adhesion - The curve of water is caused by the water's proclivity to adhere (stick) to other molecules. The water is adhering to the sides of the container.
400
Deciduous tree leaves change colors and fall each cold season. The leaves fall to preserve energy, sort of like a period of hibernation. Why do the leaves change color before they fall?
To preserve chlorophyll - Chlorophyll is the substance responsible for the green color of leaves. Chlorophyll is very chemically expensive, requiring lots of nutrients to synthesize it. As such, prior to dropping their leaves, trees pull the chlorophyll back into the tree, that way when the new leaves sprout in the spring, they simply reuse last year's chlorophyll.
400
In recent years scientists have discovered cave archaea that survive purely on hydrogen sulfide and cannot tolerate oxygen. These lifeforms are hypothesized to have been the first life on the planet. What is the reason for that hypothesis?
Atmospheric contents - Some three billion years ago, the Earth's atmosphere did not contain any oxygen. It was largely hydrogen and sulfur, both of which are relatively toxic to most kinds of life. The aforementioned archaea could have survived back then, though, and it makes no sense for them to have developed now in a time of oxygen.
400
If you were trying to create a salt, which of the following elements would you mix with sodium? A) Potassium, B) Gold, C) Bromine, D) Rubidium
C) Bromine - Bromine is the only non-metallic element on the list, and a salt must contain at least one metal (sodium) and one non-metal (bromine).
400
In large cities, stars and moonlight are often invisible. What is the reason for this?
Light Pollution - The simple explanation is: Imagine a small flashlight shining on a wall in a dark room. The flashlight is very visible. Now a large overhead light is turned on. The flashlight becomes practically invisible. This is light pollution. The stars and moonlight are the flashlight, while the city's lights are the overhead light. Without light pollution, views such as the ones shown below are possible.
500
Many people, particularly in city life, resort to keeping their houses artificially lit and blocking out sunlight, for a number of reasons. Why might this be an unhealthy way to live?
Besides for the obvious electricity usage, natural light is better suited for helping with sleep cycles. Ensuring you have exposure to natural light provides a more accurate circadian rhythm, can improve mood, and is just more aesthetically pleasing.
500
What factors affect the color of a sunset?
The colors of a sunset change largely due to the air and the angle of the sun. When the sun is lower down in the sky its light passes through more layers of air and dust. This causes the blue and violet light you normally see to be scattered, causing you to see the remaining colors on the horizon.
The sun's light is red on the horizon because red is the color with the longest wavelength.
500
A person has an infection. They suspect they acquired their infection during a hike in the woods. They were given methicilin antibiotics and showed no noticeable improvement. Antiviral medication was also not helpful. The pathogen ceases growth at around 102 degrees. What kind of pathogen might it be?
Fungus - The pathogen is most likely a fungus. Fungi are usually acquired from natural environments, as they grow by feeding off their environment. Fungi are also very temperature sensitive. On the other hand, it could also be a resistant bacteria, but due to the temperature sensitivity it is likely a fungus.
500
A king ordered a solid gold crown. When he received his crown, he suspected that it was not solid gold, but was a combination of other metals. What is the most reliable way to determine the purity of the crown?
Mass - Every element has a defined mass. By measuring the overall mass of the crown, you could reverse the calculations to determine if the crown is in fact solid gold by totalling the mass of that much gold. If the number does not match the mass of the crown, then the crown is not pure gold.
500
When scientists use telescopes to look into deep outer space, they can see up to over a million years in the past. How is this possible?
Speed of Light - The light from that location that you are viewing through the telescope can only move so fast. Thus, there is only so far a distance you can look without viewing the past, as it takes too much time for the light to travel to your eyes. By the time the light in the question reaches the telescope, over a million years had already passed.