Rational Numbers
Space Exploration
Telescopes
Math Mystery Box
Science Mystery Box
100

Is the answer to the following question positive (+), negative (-) or zero (0)?

-3.41 - (-3.41)

-3.41 -(-3.41) = -3.41 + 3.41 = 0

100

What is the primary difference between a star and a planet?

A star makes it own light (by nuclear fusion). A planet does not (it just reflects light).

100

FAST, the world's largest telescope built in China, is a ground-based reflecting telescope. But, when I look at it, it doesn't look shiny like a mirror. 

Why is this a reflecting telescope?

It observes radio waves, which bounces off (reflects) off of the metal dish like a mirror! Our "mirrors" are only shiny because they reflect visible light.


100

TRUE OR FALSE: 0 is a natural number.

FALSE! Natural numbers are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ...

100

Name two differences between a plant and animal cell.

Number and size of vacuoles

Presence of chloroplasts

Presence of cell wall

Shape

Size 

Presence of lysosomes

200

What is 

3/8 - 1/16 = ?

3/8 - 1/16 = 6/16 - 1/16 = 5/16

200

Which element in the universe is the SIMPLEST, with only 1 proton and 1 electron?

Hydrogen! (H)

200

What is the most dangerous form of electromagnetic radiation?

Gamma rays (shortest wavelength, highest energy!)

200

What shapes is the net of a cylinder made from?

Two circles and a rectangle.
200

The James Webb Space Telescope has a number of small hexagonal mirrors that fit together to make one big mirror. How many hexagonal mirrors does this telescope have?

18! 

300

Is the answer to the following question positive (+), negative (-) or zero (0)?

(-6)times(+5)times(-4)times(+3)times(-2)times(+1)times(0)

Zero! The last number is 0, and 0 x anything = 0.

300

What type of spectrum is this?

Bonus: can you name the element this comes from?

Emission spectrum

300

The Spitzer telescope is an infrared space telescope. What is the primary reason it is a space telescope?

That particular type of infrared is blocked by our atmosphere, so to see it, you have to be in space!
300

TRUE OR FALSE: These fractions are equivalent. 

(-2/-3) and (8/12)

True!

300

Name 4 simple machines.

Screw

Inclined plane (ramp)

Lever

Wheel and axle

Pulley

Wedge

400

Convert the following to a fraction:

0.019


(0.019)/1 = 19/1000

400

What is the approximate azimuth and altitude of the planet NEPTUNE that is on the wall in the class?

<to be assessed my Mr. Gazer for reasonablness!)

400

Why are radio telescopes so large?

Telescope mirrors need to be at least as big as the wavelength (size) of the light wave. Radio waves are big, so the dish must be big!
400

What is 30% of 80?

24 (first, what is 10%? Then x 3!)

400

Name 4 parts of the eye (remember Grade 8 Science?)

Retina

Pupil

Ciliary Muscle

Optic Nerve

Lens

Iris

500

Estimate the following to within an error of 1:

(-1.1)(-3.3)(+5.5)(-9.99)

(-1.1)(-3.3)(+5.5)(-9.99)≈ (-1)(-3)(+6)(+10)≈+180

500

What type of spectrum is shown, and explain why a star's spectrum might look like this:

Absorption Spectrum.

Explanation: The inside of stars emit a continuous spectrum (full rainbow, it's hot and dense!)

The outer layer/atmosphere of the star is thin and cool and absorbs specific wavelengths (colours) that depend on what's in the atmosphere.

That's why some dark lines appear - those colours were absorbed by those elements (like H, He, ...)

500

In the Atacama Desert, high up in the mountains of Chile, there are a bunch of telescopes connected together in an array. Connecting telescopes together to make one "giant" telescope is called ____________.

Interferometry


500

Which of the following numbers DOES NOT BELONG?

11, 22, 33, 44, 55

11 - it's the only prime number!

500

The largest star known to us (at least as of ~5 years ago) is called "Canis Majoris", which in latin means ___________.

Canis Majoris = Big Dog