Science Trivia Questions for Students — page 92

A student must explain the role of dead leaves in the ecosystem. Which statement will the student most likely provide to explain the importance of these leaves?

• AThe leaves release chlorophyll into the grass as they decay.
• BThe leaves prevent fungus from growing at the base of the tree.
• CThe decay of the leaves provides nutrients to other plants.
• DThe leaves provide shelter to growing seeds.

Why is the ozone content of the stratosphere important to living organisms?

• AOzone in the atmosphere prevents radiation of heat from Earth.
• BOzone absorbs infrared radiation from the Sun.
• COzone is necessary to create oxygen for living things.
• DOzone absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.

Scientists who have studied global climate changes have found that the average temperature of Earth has risen. There has also been an increase in the accumulation of atmospheric greenhouse gases. What is the goal of the scientific community in collecting this type of data?

• Ato change public attitude on using natural resources
• Bto increase the amount of ice in the Arctic
• Cto decrease the temperature using fossil fuels
• Dto understand how greenhouse gases are related to global warming

Which of these activities is used to conserve water?

• Aplanting crops that survive in droughts
• Bwashing vehicles frequently
• Crunning water while brushing teeth
• Dwatering grass after a rainfall

A scientist compares ancient animal tracks to modern animal tracks. Which conclusion is the scientist most likely to reach?

• AMost ancient animals and most modern animals hunt animals for food.
• BThe same animals that lived long ago also live today.
• CSome ancient animals and some modern animals walk on four legs.
• DAll animals can walk.

An object composed mainly of ice is orbiting the Sun in an elliptical path. This object is most likely

• Aa comet.
• Ba planet.
• Ca meteor.
• Dan asteroid.

What happens at the boiling point of a substance?

• Asolid becomes a gas
• Bliquid becomes a gas
• Csolid becomes a liquid
• Dliquid becomes a solid

Anita heats a beaker containing water. As the temperature of the water increases, which change to the water molecules occurs?

• AThe molecules separate into atoms of hydrogen and oxygen.
• BThe molecules become more massive.
• CThe molecules move at a faster rate.
• DThe molecules expand and become wider.

When iron combines with oxygen in a moist environment, rust forms because of a

• Achange in temperature.
• Bchemical reaction.
• Cphysical reaction.
• Dchange in density.

At night, the Moon is the brightest object in the sky. Where does the Moon's light come from?

• AThe Moon makes light beneath its surface.
• BThe Moon has rocks on its surface that glow.
• CThe Moon reflects light from the Sun.
• DThe Moon reflects light from Earth.

Needles on a cactus plant are actually leaves. This needle shape helps the plant survive by

• Acatching food.
• Breproducing.
• Cpreventing water loss.
• Dstaying in place.

Which is a process that occurs during photosynthesis?

• APlants take in minerals and release carbon dioxide.
• BPlants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
• CPlants take in oxygen and release sugar.
• DPlants take in sugar and release minerals.

Which of the following natural disasters is most likely to result in a narrow path of destruction through a forest?

• Aan earthquake
• Ba tornado
• Ca hurricane
• Da flood

Which of the following was most likely the cause of the extinction of 60-100 species of native birds in Hawaii since the arrival of colonists?

• Avolcanic eruptions
• Bincreased salinity
• Ctidal waves
• Dhabitat destruction

How does ice change the shape of rocks?

• AIt dissolves the rocks by pooling on surfaces.
• BIt breaks the rocks by expanding in openings.
• CIt moves the rocks by pressing on them.
• DIt smooths the rocks by colliding with them.

Which of the following statements best describes sandy soils?

• ASandy soils easily break down into clay sediments.
• BSandy soils hold plant roots tightly in place to prevent erosion.
• CSandy soils allow water to drain quickly.
• DSandy soils have high levels of decomposed plant and animal matter.

Which event is an example of conduction?

• ABoiling water in a pot warms a spoon inside the pot.
• BA fire in a fireplace warms the air in a room.
• CCold water is heated in a microwave oven.
• DSunlight travels from the Sun to warm Earth.

Nerve impulses are transmitted along structures of a neuron as an action potential. Which part of a neuron receives the stimulation of these impulses?

• Anodes of Ranvier
• Baxons
• Cdendrites
• Dmyelin sheaths

An old T-shirt can be ripped into smaller pieces and used as rags. An empty milk jug can be used to water houseplants. Both of these are examples of how

• Asaving water conserves future resources
• Busing old materials can waste money
• Ceveryday materials can be reused
• Dplants need water to be healthy

In a meadow ecosystem, mice receive most of the energy they need to survive directly from which of the following sources?

• Aplants
• Bminerals
• Coxygen
• Dwater

Which of these renewable resources results in an increase in pollution when used to produce energy?

• Awind
• Bwater
• Cbiomass
• Dgeothermal

When a compression wave travels through a medium, in what direction is the medium displaced?

• Adownward
• Bupward
• Cin the opposite direction
• Din the same direction

Which of the following is the main reason water at the surface of the ocean is warmer than water at the bottom of the ocean?

• AWater at the surface of the ocean absorbs more energy from the Sun.
• BWater at the bottom of the ocean contains more dissolved solids.
• CFriction is created by fast moving currents at the surface of the ocean.
• DWave action transfers heat from the bottom of the ocean to the surface.

Which statement is true for all objects?

• AAll objects are hard.
• BAll objects are rough.
• CAll objects have mass.
• DAll objects are shiny.

In a completely cooperative relationship, each organism benefits equally. Which sequence lists these relationships in order of increasing cooperativeness?

• Acommensalism, mutualism, parasitism, predation
• Bmutualism, commensalism, parasitism, predation
• Cpredation, parasitism, commensalism, mutualism
• Dparasitism, commensalism, predation, mutualism

Which form of energy is found in food?

• Asound
• Bmechanical
• Celectrical
• Dchemical

Which type of energy does a radiator give off ?

• Alight
• Bsolar
• Celectrical
• Dheat

The Great Miami Aquifer is a large underground water supply that lies under much of southwest Ohio. The water level of the aquifer could be reduced over time by too much

• Airrigation.
• Bevaporation.
• Crainfall.
• Dpollution.

The Big Bang theory states that the universe

• Astarted as a single mass.
• Bis contracting.
• Cis constantly forming hydrogen.
• Dhas no beginning.

Darryl learns that freezing temperatures may help cause weathering. Which statement explains how freezing temperatures most likely cause weathering?

• Aby freezing the leaves on trees
• Bby turning acid rain into acid snow
• Cby causing rocks to stick together
• Dby freezing water in the cracks of rocks

Down feathers are used by many sleeping bag manufacturers because down feathers are

• Acomfortable padding.
• Bgood insulators.
• Cfire resistant.
• Dwater resistant.

Which movement of carbon between reservoirs takes the longest to achieve?

• Afrom burning coal to the atmosphere
• Bfrom the atmosphere to the sugars in plants
• Cfrom plant tissues to coal in the crust
• Dfrom the respiration of fish to the ocean waters

Suppose a new fuel for cars is derived from coal. Cars can go twice as far on a tankful of the new fuel as they can on the same amount of gasoline. How would you categorize the new fuel?

• AIt is a nonrenewable fossil fuel.
• BIt is a nonrenewable biomass fuel.
• CIt is a renewable biomass fuel.
• DIt is a renewable fossil fuel.

The North America Nebula is named for its similarity in shape to the North American continent. It was discovered within the Milky Way by astronomer William Herschel in 1790. What was Mr. Herschel most likely observing?

• Ameteorites as Earth passed through the tail of a comet
• Ba cloud of hydrogen gas and dust where stars are born
• Ca dense cluster of stars of varying magnitudes
• Dthe explosion following the collapse of a star

The Sun releases light and heat energy that cause changes on Earth. How does the Sun's energy change water?

• AThe energy makes water vapor from liquid water.
• BThe energy makes clouds release rain.
• CThe energy makes liquid water freeze.
• DThe energy makes water collect into puddles.

In which of the following cases would a decrease in friction be most beneficial?

• Athe friction between a rotating pulley and the rope that is used with the pulley
• Bthe friction between the shoes of a jogger and the jogging track
• Cthe friction between a rotating pulley and the axle that supports the pulley
• Dthe friction between the wheels of a car and the surface of a road

Students are investigating how a doorbell works. Which is most likely an observation made during the investigation?

• AThe doorbell uses a piece of wire wrapped around a magnet.
• BMost people prefer to use a doorbell over knocking.
• CA battery is the best power source for a doorbell.
• DAll doorbells make pretty sounds.

Two of Earth's plates pushed together, and the ground moved. What happened?

• Aan earthquake
• Ban avalanche
• Ca landslide
• Da volcano

At an archaeological dig site, scientists, volunteers, and students collect items used by people living hundreds of years ago. To determine the history of the different people who may have lived at the site, which is the best method to classify the recovered items?

• Aby the soil layer where the item was found
• Bby the person who located the item
• Cby the type of item
• Dby the size of the item

All animals need air to survive. An insect gets air through tiny holes on the sides of its body. A whale breathes through a blow hole. What body part do fish use to breathe?

• Amouth
• Bgills
• Cnose
• Dskin

Kudzu vines grow by climbing and wrapping around trees. Trees covered by kudzu can die because they are starved of sunlight. What type of relationship exists between the trees and the kudzu growing on them?

• Acompetition
• Bmutualism
• Cpredator-prey
• Dparasitism

On August 21, a flash flood warning was issued for the Las Vegas area. Which statement best describes this warning in terms of weather and climate?

• AIt is a continuous weather feature during the season in which it occurs.
• BIt is a constant climate feature throughout the year.
• CIt is a seasonal weather feature with irregular occurrences.
• DIt is a rare event inconsistent with local climate and weather.

Which component of the cell membrane functions to actively transport molecules into the cell?

• Acytoplasm
• Bphospholipid
• Cprotein
• Dcarbohydrate

In an experiment, water and salt are mixed together. What is the best way to separate the salt from the water?

• Aevaporate the water
• Bfreeze the mixture
• Cpour the water out of the container
• Dfilter the salt

What is the role of the mitochondrion in cells?

• AIt converts sunlight to energy.
• BIt controls all functions of the cell.
• CIt transports water throughout the cell.
• DIt breaks down sugar to release energy.

What is the most likely outcome of the Moon moving away from Earth?

• AEarth's tides decrease in size.
• BA lunar eclipse lasts longer.
• CEarth moves closer to the Sun.
• DA lunar day is shorter.

Rocks are classified as sedimentary, metamorphic, or igneous on the basis of the

• Aage of the rocks
• Bway the rocks were formed
• Cnumber of minerals found in the rocks
• Dtypes of fossils the rocks contain

A teacher places an item in a box. The item takes the shape of the entire container. This item is most likely

• Awater.
• Bmilk.
• Cair.
• Dpaint.

Which trait does a cactus seedling inherit from its parents?

• Athe type of organism that pollinates its flowers
• Bthe amount of water it absorbs
• Cthe number of organisms that consume its fruit
• Dthe length of its spines

Deer are introduced into a grassland ecosystem and their population increases considerably. If the deer population continues to grow, which is the most likely outcome for the ecosystem?

• ABiodiversity would increase, and sustainability would decrease.
• BBiodiversity would decrease, and sustainability would increase.
• CBiodiversity would increase, and sustainability would increase.
• DBiodiversity would decrease, and sustainability would decrease.