Science Trivia Questions for Students — page 33

As a satellite falls toward Earth, the gravitational force between the satellite and Earth increases. Which statement best explains why there is an increase in gravitational force?

• AAs the satellite approaches Earth, the satellite rotates faster.
• BThe mass of the satellite increases as it nears Earth.
• CAs the satellite gets closer to Earth, the satellite cools.
• DThe distance between Earth and the satellite decreases.

Which of these is most likely a result of using pesticides on farm crops?

• Acaterpillars could become extinct
• Brainfall levels could decrease
• Cair temperatures could increase
• Dwater sources could become polluted

Robert is a fisherman who wants to find a way to catch more fish. He decided to try different sizes of hooks. Robert caught 4 catfish, 3 trout, and 7 perch while using worms for bait. Which is the independent (manipulated) variable in Robert's investigation?

• Asize of hook
• Btype of bait
• Cnumber of fish caught
• Dtype of fish caught

Which natural event would take the longest time to happen?

• Aa cloud forming
• Ba pond evaporating
• Ca mountain forming
• Da river flooding its banks

Which source produces light from nuclear energy?

• Aa stove burner
• Ba light bulb
• Cthe Moon
• Dthe Sun

What type of galaxy is the Milky Way?

• Airregular
• Boval
• Celliptical
• Dspiral

Which of the following is an example of organisms becoming dormant?

• Aearthworms living underground all year
• Bplants flowering in the summer
• Ctrees losing their leaves in the fall
• Dbirds flying south in the winter

Which of the following units best represents the density of an object?

• Akg
• Bm/s^2
• Chr
• Dg/cm^3

A science class is studying the states of matter. One group of students freezes 100 grams (g) of water in a cup. Another group of students melts 50 g of ice in a cup. Which of these will most likely occur at the end of the experiment?

• ABoth groups will have the same mass with which they started.
• BBoth samples in the cups will be in the same state.
• CThe temperature of both cups will be the same.
• DThe time required for the changes in states of matter will be the same.

What should students use to identify the percent chance of a trait being passed down from a parent to its offspring?

• Aa graph
• Ba flow chart
• Ca data table
• Da Punnett square

A flowing stream contains water at 18°C. Cans of soft drinks at 28°C are lowered into the stream. Which of the following will most likely occur?

• AThe cans will cool until their temperature is the same as the stream's.
• BThe temperature of the cans will decrease to freezing as long as the stream is flowing.
• CThe temperature of the soft drinks will not change since the cans are sealed.
• DThe soft drink cans will absorb cold energy from the stream's water.

Plants have special tissues that transport food, water, and minerals throughout the plant. What are these tissues similar to in animals?

• Aspinal cord and brain
• Bstomach and intestines
• Carteries and veins
• Dkidneys and liver

A student is given a sample of an unknown liquid to test in the laboratory. The student thinks that the liquid is water. Which of the following physical properties of the sample is most helpful to determine if the liquid is water?

• Aboiling point of the liquid
• Bmass of the liquid
• Cvolume of the liquid
• Dcolor of the liquid

Which part of a pond ecosystem gives small fish shelter?

• Awater
• Bfrogs
• Crocks
• Dsoil

In a rubber duck race, the winning duck traveled 300 meters in 10 minutes. What was the duck's average speed?

• A30 m/s
• B1.0 m/s
• C7.5 m/s
• D0.5 m/s

Which list has objects in order from the smallest to the largest?

• AEarth, the Sun, solar system, the Milky Way galaxy
• Bsolar system, the Milky Way galaxy, Earth, the Moon
• Cthe Sun, the Moon, Earth, the Milky Way galaxy
• Dthe Moon, the Sun, Earth, the Milky Way galaxy

Which rock type is most useful in studying the history of living organisms?

• Alimestone
• Bgranite
• Cbasalt
• Dmarble

Which human activity will help conserve Earth's natural resources?

• Acutting down trees
• Bburning trash in the yard
• Crecycling plastic bottles
• Dleaving the television on all day

A student hears on the radio that the outside temperature is 32°C. What type of weather will the student most likely expect when she steps outside?

• Acold, snowy winter weather
• Bhot, sunny summer weather
• Ccool, rainy fall weather
• Dspring weather with flowers blooming

Scott was looking at the results of a cross between red and white flowers. Which is the most likely result of a cross that demonstrates incomplete dominance?

• A100% pink flowers
• B25% white flowers
• C0% pink flowers
• D50% red flowers

A metal spoon, a wooden spoon, and a plastic spoon are placed in hot water. After 15 seconds, which spoon will feel hottest?

• AThe wooden spoon
• BThe plastic spoon
• CThe metal spoon
• DThe three spoons will feel the same.

Certain lakes in the northeastern part of the United States have had decreases in pH levels, causing the deaths of many fish. What is the most likely reason for this change in pH levels?

• Anoncommercial farms
• Bhydroelectric power plants
• Ccoal-burning factories
• Dnuclear power plants

All living organisms are dependent on plants because plants

• Aare consumers
• Bremove oxygen from the air
• Cproduce carbon dioxide
• Dare producers

Which of the following activities is the best example of instinctive behavior in an animal?

• AA dog sits when told to sit by its owner.
• BA bird avoids an insect that has a bad taste.
• CA newly hatched sea turtle walks toward the ocean.
• DA chimpanzee uses a stick to pull termites from a tree stump.

Ten people became sick with the flu after attending a school dance. What is the scenario that could best explain how the people got sick?

• Acontact with a contaminated object
• Bcontact with an infected person
• Ccontact with environmental sources
• Dcontact with an infected animal

The Moon lacks weather and climate changes like those on Earth. What causes the lack of weather on the Moon?

• Athe lack of water
• Bthe presence of igneous rock
• Cthe lack of magnetic poles
• Dthe very thin atmosphere

A young ocean animal has two parents. Each of the parents has eight arms. How many arms does the young animal most likely have?

• A16
• B4
• C8
• D2

Which human activity directly affects the quality of freshwater resources?

• Aburning gasoline in car engines
• Ballowing runoff from agricultural fields
• Cthrowing trash out of car windows
• Ddepleting the ozone layer

A student finds a round, smooth pebble on a beach. Which action made the pebble smooth?

• Awaves moving
• Bwind blowing
• Crain falling
• Dsnow melting

When astronauts walked on the Moon, they used weighted boots to help them walk due to the lower gravitational pull. What difference between Earth and the Moon accounts for the difference in gravity?

• Adiameter
• Bmass
• Cvolume
• Ddensity

Which characteristic of motion could change without changing the velocity of an object?

• Athe speed
• Bthe acceleration
• Cthe position
• Dthe direction

A student is investigating which type of soil is best for growing tomato plants from seeds. The student plants four tomato seeds in each of three different containers of soil. Which step of the procedure would help the student get the most reliable results?

• AUse different types of tomato seeds.
• BWater each container with a different amount of water.
• CChange only the soil type in each container.
• DPlace one container in a dark room.

A tropical rain forest contains many tall trees. Smaller plants with large leaves grow at the base of the tall trees. The large leaves are most likely an adaptation of the plant due to which condition?

• Alack of sunlight
• Black of food
• Clack of water
• Dlack of oxygen

The Earth's equator receives more direct sunlight than the regions to its north and south. This distribution of sunlight accounts directly for which phenomenon?

• AThe westward deflection of equatorial winds.
• BThe formation of calm "eyes" in the centers of cyclones.
• CThe rotation of storm systems.
• DThe movement of rising air currents away from the equator.

Which change in Earth's surface is most directly related to the water cycle?

• Amovement of tectonic plates
• Bformation of ocean trenches
• Cdeposition of sediments
• Duplifting of a mountain

Which of these characteristics best helps scientists classify organisms?

• Asize
• Bstructure
• Cgender
• Dcolor

Which is the best way to help protect the environment?

• Awash hands before each meal
• Bpack a lunch instead of buying a school lunch
• Cride a bike to school instead of riding in a car
• Ddo a science project about energy

The body is made up of many systems that interact with one another. For example, the skeletal system and the muscular system work together to help the body move. Which system works with the respiratory system to distribute oxygen to the body?

• Alymphatic system
• Bcirculatory system
• Cdigestive system
• Dmuscular system

During which season of the year would a rabbit's fur be thickest?

• Afall
• Bsummer
• Cwinter
• Dspring

Vein deposits of gold and silver are often formed in areas that have experienced which geologic process?

• Achemical weathering
• Btransport by water
• Ccompaction by pressure
• Digneous intrusion

What particle always has a mass of one atomic mass unit (amu) and no charge?

• Aan electron
• Ba proton
• Can atom
• Da neutron

Which scientist is best known for studying plants and animals?

• ANicolaus Copernicus
• BIsaac Newton
• CCharles Darwin
• DAlbert Einstein

Which of the following is a property of CO2 gas?

• AIt is colorless.
• BIt feels like a rock.
• CIt is hard.
• DIt smells like a lemon.

Leslie's science teacher told her she must take a flexible approach to solving problems. What did Leslie's teacher most likely mean?

• ALeslie should only write down lab results that seem to be correct.
• BLeslie should accept all scientific theories even if they have been proven wrong.
• CLeslie should not follow the experimental instructions exactly.
• DLeslie should be willing to consider many possible causes for her observations.

Metals that easily transfer electricity are called

• Amagnets.
• Bresistors.
• Cconductors.
• Dinsulators.

Which weather condition commonly occurs along a cold front?

• Awarm temperatures
• Bprecipitation
• Cdry air
• Dclear skies

Benjamin Franklin invented many different things. Among his inventions were bifocal glasses, the lightning rod, and a type of iron stove. Which personal quality most likely led to the invention of these things?

• Ahumor
• Bcuriosity
• Chonesty
• Dleadership

Formation of the ozone layer helped protect which type of living organisms as they evolved?

• Amarine
• Beukaryotic
• Cterrestrial
• Dphotosynthetic

Which adaptation allows a fish to get oxygen underwater?

• Aheart
• Blungs
• Cfins
• Dgills

Which scientist developed the mathematical models used to describe the changes in the motion of objects as well as the forces that cause the change in motion?

• AAristotle
• BDalton
• CNewton
• DPtolemy