Numbers & Units
Explain how repeating a measurement reduces uncertainty.
Repeating a measurement reduces random uncertainty because averaging multiple measurements cancels out random variations, giving a more reliable estimate of the true value.
The more you take, the more you leave behind.
Footsteps
Which planet has the most moons in our Solar System?
Saturn (over 80 confirmed, more than Jupiter).
Which human activity is the single largest source of global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions?
Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), mainly for electricity, heat, and transport. Fossil fuels release stored carbon when burned, industry and transport are big contributors.
The band .Feast is famous for mixing music with social and political commentary. What is the title of their 2017 album that brought them mainstream recognition?
Multiverse.
The density of air is 1.225 kg/m³. Convert this to g/cm³ (show reasoning).
1.225 x 10-3 g/cm3
I have keys but no locks. I have space but no room. You can enter but can’t go outside. What am I?
Keyboard
Why do astronauts wear space suits outside their spacecraft?
To provide oxygen to breathe, pressure for their body, and protection from extreme temperatures & radiation.
Name two major differences between renewable and non-renewable energy sources, and give one example of each !
Renewable: naturally replenished, lower long-term emissions (example: solar).
Non-renewable: finite supply, often higher emissions (example: coal).
Why: Renewables use ongoing flows (sun, wind); fossil fuels are mined and limited.
The album AM (2013), featuring the hit Do I Wanna Know?, belongs to which British indie rock band?
Arctic Monkeys.
A metal block has mass 2.345 kg and volume 1.20 × 10⁻³ m³. Calculate its density in kg/m³ with correct significant figures.
Density = mass / volume = 2.345 kg÷1.20×10−3 m3=1.954×103 kg/m3
With correct s.f. (limited by 1.20×10⁻³ → 3 s.f.) → 1.95 × 10³ kg/m³.
I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?
An echo. An echo doesn’t have a physical body, but it can be heard when sound waves bounce back and forth between surfaces.
What is the speed of light in vacuum, approximately?
3 × 10⁸ m/s.
Which type of radiation from the Sun causes sunburn, and how can physics help protect us?
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation;
Which Indonesian film won the Camera d’Or award at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, directed by Mouly Surya?
Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts.
A number is written as 0.0000725. Convert to scientific notation and state the number of significant figures.
0.0000725=7.25×10−5,3 significant figures
f you drop me I’m sure to crack, but give me a smile and I’ll always smile back. What am I?
Mirror
Why does the Moon cause tides on Earth ?
Because of gravitational pull on Earth’s oceans
Explain how deforestation in tropical regions can both (a) increase atmospheric CO₂ and (b) reduce local rainfall, two linked but different effects.
(a) CO₂ rise: Cutting and burning trees releases carbon stored in biomass; fewer trees means less CO₂ removed by photosynthesis.
(b) Reduced rainfall: Forests recycle moisture through transpiration; removing them lowers local atmospheric humidity and can weaken regional rainfall patterns.
Why: Forests act as carbon sinks and components of the water cycle; removing them alters both climate and hydrology.
In 2020, which South Korean film made history by winning the Academy Award for Best Picture, becoming the first non-English film to do so?
Parasite (directed by Bong Joon-ho).
Explain the difference between accuracy and precision in measurements.
Accuracy is closeness to the true value, while precision is closeness of repeated measurements to each other.
A boy was at a carnival and went to a booth where a man said to the boy, “If I write your exact weight on this piece of paper then you have to give me $50, but if I cannot, I will pay you $50.” The boy looked around and saw no scale so he agrees, thinking no matter what the carny writes he’ll just say he weighs more or less. In the end the boy ended up paying the man $50. How did the man win the bet?
The man did exactly as he said he would and wrote “your exact weight” on the paper.
How does a solar eclipse occur, and why don’t we see one every month?
Occurs when the Moon blocks the Sun; orbit is slightly tilted so alignment is rare.
Which physics principle allows undersea internet cables to transmit light signals over thousands of kilometers?
Total internal reflection in optical fibers.
The 2023 Oscar-winning film Everything Everywhere All at Once starred Michelle Yeoh. Which award did she make history by winning for this role?
Academy Award for Best Actress (first Asian woman to win).