Animals
Which animal is an obligate carnivore?
A. Dog
B. Bear
C. Cat
D. Pig
C. Cat
Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they must eat meat to survive and thrive.
The 1892 Homestead Strike was primarily a conflict between steelworkers and:
A. The U.S. Army
B. The Pennsylvania State Police
C. The Pinkerton Detective Agency
D. Local coal unions
C. The Pinkerton Detective Agency
Why do pressure cookers dramatically reduce cooking time?
A. They force water into food
B. Higher pressure raises water’s boiling point
C. Steam cooks faster than liquid water
D. Heat transfer triples
B. Higher pressure raises water’s boiling point
Which cloud type is most associated with steady, widespread rain?
A. Cumulus
B. Cirrus
C. Stratus
D. Nimbostratus
D. Nimbostratus
What was bubble wrap originally invented for?
A. Packing fragile items
B. Wall insulation
C. Soundproofing recording studios
D. Textured wallpaper
D. Textured wallpaper
Bubble wrap was originally invented in 1957 by Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes as a textured wallpaper, not for packaging. They sealed two shower curtains together, trapping air bubbles, but the product failed as wall decor.
Why do poison dart frogs lose toxicity in captivity?
A. Stress reduces poison production
B. Toxins evaporate
C. Their diet no longer provides toxin precursors
D. Water quality removes toxins
C. Their diet no longer provides toxin precursors
Poison dart frogs lose their toxicity in captivity because they don't produce the poison themselves; they accumulate it from specific ants, mites, and beetles in their rainforest diet, and when fed a captive diet of non-toxic insects (like fruit flies and crickets), they can't acquire these defensive alkaloids, causing their toxin levels to drop or disappear entirely.
Before being named Pittsburgh, the settlement was originally known as:
A. Fort Duquesne
B. Fort Pitt
C. Allegheny City
D. Logstown
A. Fort Duquesne
Why does bread become stale faster in the refrigerator than at room temperature?
A. Cold air removes moisture
B. Refrigeration accelerates starch crystallization
C. Yeast activity increases
D. Mold forms faster
B. Refrigeration accelerates starch crystallization
Which cloud type most often indicates stable atmospheric conditions?
A. Cumulonimbus
B. Cumulus
C. Stratus
D. Towering cumulus
C. Stratus
What color is Coca-Cola without food coloring?
A. Clear
B. Brown
C. Green
D. Yellow
A. Clear
Without coloring, Coke would be clear or a very light yellowish-brown, similar to water, because its dark color comes from added caramel color.
Why does the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood limit animal size in insects?
A. Insects lack hearts
B. Oxygen diffuses through tracheae inefficiently over large distances
C. Exoskeletons prevent circulation
D. Oxygen levels are too low
B. Oxygen diffuses through tracheae inefficiently over large distances
Which famous philanthropist helped fund many of Pittsburgh’s libraries and institutions?
A. John D. Rockefeller
B. Andrew Carnegie
C. Cornelius Vanderbilt
D. Henry Ford
B. Andrew Carnegie
Why does standing still in cold weather feel worse than walking?
A. Muscles produce no heat
B. Blood pressure decreases
C. Convection heat loss increases when inactive
D. Sweat evaporates faster
C. Convection heat loss increases when inactive
What primarily determines wind direction at the surface?
A. Earth’s rotation only
B. Pressure gradient force modified by friction
C. Ocean currents
D. Temperature alone
B. Pressure gradient force modified by friction
What is the fear of long words called?
A. Lexophobia
B. Sesquipedalophobia
C. Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia
D. Verbophobia
C. Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia
(Yes, that’s cruel.)
True or false: Cold-blooded animals cannot survive in cold climates.
False
That statement is a myth; many cold-blooded animals (ectotherms like reptiles, amphibians, fish) do survive in cold climates by slowing down their metabolism to near-zero, using antifreeze proteins/glycerol to prevent cell freezing, hiding in shelters, and some even have specialized mechanisms to tolerate extreme cold.
Pittsburgh officially dropped the “h” from its name from 1891 to 1911 due to:
A. A local referendum
B. State legislation
C. U.S. Board on Geographic Names standardization
D. Postal Service efficiency rules
C. U.S. Board on Geographic Names standardization
Why does cutting onions cause eyes to water?
A. Acidic vapors rise
B. Sulfur compounds react to form irritant aerosols
C. Enzymes release ammonia
D. Onion cells release salt crystals
B. Sulfur compounds react to form irritant aerosols
Why does wind direction typically change with height in the atmosphere?
A. Temperature decreases
B. Earth’s rotation weakens aloft
C. Friction decreases with height, altering force balance
D. Pressure disappears
C. Friction decreases with height, altering force balance
Which of these animals sleeps the most?
A. Python
B. Koala
C. Sloth
D. Little Brown Bat
B. Koala
The animals that sleep the longest are Koalas, often topping the list at 18-22 hours daily, followed closely by Sloths (10-20 hrs) and Little Brown Bats (up to 20 hrs).
True or false: Natural selection acts on traits acquired during an organism’s lifetime.
False
Natural selection acts on heritable traits (passed through genes), not traits acquired during a lifetime, like muscles from exercise, which don't change the genetic code passed to offspring (a concept known as Lamarckism).
Which incline is the oldest continuously operating funicular in the United States?
A. Duquesne Incline
B. Monongahela Incline
C. Castle Shannon Incline
D. Mount Washington Incline
B. Monongahela Incline
A 50°F (10°C) metal bench feels colder than a 50°F wooden bench because:
A. Metal is actually at a lower temperature
B. Metal reflects cold into your skin
C. Metal conducts heat away faster, increasing heat flux from your body
D. Wood generates heat internally
C. Metal conducts heat away faster, increasing heat flux from your body
Metal is a far better thermal conductor, rapidly drawing heat away from your warmer skin, while wood is an insulator, slowing the rate of heat transfer.
Which factor most limits the exact timing and location of severe weather forecasts?
A. Satellite resolution
B. Lack of historical data
C. Small-scale processes below model resolution
D. Instrument error
C. Small-scale processes below model resolution
Which animal can regenerate entire limbs?
A. Frog
B. Salamander
C. Lizard
D. All of the above
B. Salamander
The axolotl (a type of salamander) is famous for regenerating entire limbs, regrowing legs, tails, jaws, and even parts of their brain or heart without scarring.
(Lizards regenerate tails, not limbs.)