MIT Full STEAM Ahead 2025 Final Jeopardy

Earth Story

1

When analyzing your samples, the soil you collected was primarily made up of these three substances.

Sand, Silt, and Clay

2

These three tests were used in this activity to help determine the make up of different soil samples.

Plasticity Test, Particle Size Distribution (Sieve) Test, and Jar Test

3

This approach to innovation seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies.

Biomimicry

4

Name two animal "Earth builders" that were used for inspiration in this activity.

Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus)
Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica)
Termites
Potter Wasps (Eumeninae)
Mud Dauber Wasps (Sphecidae)

5

Constructed in ~300 AD, 11 story buildings made from rammed earth that have been continuously inhabited for 1700 years can be found in this city and country.

Shibam, Yemen

Climate Change Happens Below Water

1

This scale measures whether a substance is acidic or alkaline and ranges from 0 to 14.

The pH Scale

2

Name three acidic substances you measured during this activity.

Lemon juice, citric acid mixture, vinegar, cola

3

This term describes the ongoing decrease in the pH level of Earth's oceans. Between 1950 and 2020, the average pH of the ocean surface fell from approximately 8.15 to 8.05.

Ocean Acidification

4

These calcified structures are broken down over time due to the ocean's acidification.

Shells and skeletons

5

These small, mostly invisible organisms consume CO2 through photosynthesis and keep acidity levels constant.

Phytoplankton, algae

Urban Heat Islands

1

Name two factors that contribute to higher temperatures and an increase in the Urban Heat Island effect.

Layout of neighborhoods (urban geometry); lack or removal of vegetation and water sources; more heat absorbing surfaces like asphalt/roads; located near roads, factories, or large buildings

2

This is the practice of designing and creating graphic or visual representations of quantitative and qualitative data and information.

Data Visualization

3

This term describes how reflective a surface is.

Albedo

4

Name two ways that communities can address the urban heat island effect.

Create more reflective surfaces (roofs, roads), increase green space (tree planting, green roofs), sharing information via data visualization, volunteering, advocating policy to local government

5

Define "CUHI" and explain what it means.

Canopy Urban Heat Island (CUHI) is the difference between the air temperature of a given urban area and that of its surrounding rural area

Right Beneath Our Feet: Geothermal Networks

1

The term "geothermal" comes from two roots: "geo" meaning Earth and "thermal" which refers to this.

Heat

2

This term describes the act of protecting something by surrounding it with material that reduces or prevents the transmission of sound, heat, or electricity.

Insulation

3

These networks of shared water pipes move heat in or out of buildings to provide clean, low-cost heating and cooling.

Thermal Energy Networks (TENS)

4

This is the approximate temperature one finds in the Earth when drilling about 1000 feet below the ground.

~55° F

5

Annual thermal load is measured in this unit.

MMBtu or million British thermal units

Miscellaneous

1

The ideal shape when building a sturdy structure.

What is a triangle?

2

The names of all Program Assistants.

Saloni, Farah, Zeeshan, and Klei

3

These are the 3 keys to Healthy Skin.

What is...

- Hydration

- Sunscreen

- Starting with a Clean Face

4

You go shopping and you code this program that asks for the costs of a product (as an integer) and its quantity. If the total cost of your purchase is greater than $100, you get $25 dollars off from the total cost, otherwise you pay the whole amount. In what line is the code wrong? Just say the number (Ex. The first line is line 1)

cost = input("How much does it cost?: ")

quantity = input("How many are you buying?: ")

total_cost = int(cost * quantity)

if total_cost > 100:

print("The total cost will be", int(total_cost)-25)

else:

    print("The total cost will be", total_cost)

Python crashes at line 3: We are taking the integer of the product of two strings. We need to convert the numbers into integers before doing any operation. The correct line is

total_cost = int(cost) * int(quantity)

5

Name 4 fun facts given by the Staff on day one of the program.

What is

- Nisha - gave speech on toilets

- Erin - skincare

- Farah - Does Bollywood Dancing

- Zeeshan - Plays Violin

- Klei - Basketball

- Lauren - Been dancing for 16 years

- Saloni - Competitive Swimmer

- Casey

- Timber - Dyed hair every color of rainbow

- Juan - From Colombia

- Joe - Static Electricity Hair