Science Trivia Questions — page 103

New technologies have allowed automobile manufacturers to market fuel-efficient hybrid cars, but disposal of hybrid cars at the end of their service lives presents a problem. Which question represents a disposal problem unique to hybrid vehicles?

• AWhat will be done to recycle the batteries?
• BWhat will be done with the refrigerant in the air conditioning system?
• CWhat will be done with the plastic materials in the vehicles?
• DWhat will be done with the fluids in the gas tank, the radiator, and the batteries?

The kinetic energies of particles in a sample of matter are increasing. This sample is most likely

• Aa gas that is turning into a liquid.
• Ba liquid that is warming.
• Ca gas that is cooling.
• Da liquid that is turning into a solid.

Photosynthesis occurs in which of these organisms?

• ALuna moth
• BSunflower plant
• CSunfish
• DMushroom

Mrs. Garry's class wants to know if their area has more acid rain than other parts of the state. Which would be the best way for them to begin research?

• Aexamine soil samples taken at different locations
• Blook for current acid rain studies on the Internet
• Ccontact other schools within the state
• Dstudy science textbooks in the library

Laura adds 50 mL of boiling water to 100 mL of ice water. If the 150 mL of water is then put into a freezer, at what temperature will the water freeze?

• A0°C
• B50°C
• C37°C
• D15°C

7. What is the cause of most earthquakes?

• Athe pull of Earth's gravity
• Bthe rotation of Earth
• Cthe movement of plates on Earth's crust
• Dthe direction of the wind

A streak plate can be used to determine the

• Ahardness of a mineral.
• Bcleavage of a mineral.
• Cstructure of a mineral.
• Dluster of a mineral.

This Spanish architect designed La Sagrada Familia, one of the most famous buildings in Barcelona.

• ACarlo Scarpa
• BAntonio Gaudi
• CAlvar Aalto
• DMario Botta

Which of the following is visible through a reflecting telescope?

• Aplanets around other stars
• Bsurface of Saturn
• Cmoons around Jupiter
• Dblack holes in deep space

Which unit is used to express the amount of energy in food?

• Agram
• BCalorie
• Cdegree Celsius
• Dmilliliter

This substance is a substitute for sugar that can help prevent tooth decay. It decreases plaque formation and blocks the bacteria from producing the acids that cause cavities.

• AAspartame
• BNutraSweet
• CDentin
• DXylitol

If the atomic mass number of an atom is 35, which statement is most accurate?

• AThe atom is not an isotope.
• BThe atomic number is less than 17.
• CThe number of protons does not equal the number of neutrons.
• DThe atom has an odd number of neutrons.

Which of these do scientists most likely do when studying the interaction of animals in their natural habitat?

• Aobserve and record behaviors
• Bcollect samples of types of trees
• Cchange environment and observe responses
• Dconduct experiments in a laboratory

In what way do bushes benefit from bears eating their berries?

• ANearby ground becomes compacted.
• BTheir seeds are spread around.
• COther predators are scared away.
• DTheir stems and branches are broken.

When too much salt is detected in the bloodstream, the brain secretes a hormone that helps the body retain water by reducing the amount of urine produced. This is an example of

• Aa symbiotic relationship.
• Ban acquired trait.
• Ca feedback loop.
• Da balanced ecosystem.

There are MORE hours of sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere during which season?

• Afall
• Bwinter
• Cspring
• Dsummer

What is the derivative of y in this function related to the exponential constant e: If y=e^x?

• Ae^x
• Be^pi
• Ce^x +x
• De

Which gas could cause rust to form on a metal can?

• AOxygen
• BHelium
• CNitrogen
• DHydrogen

Elisa was classifying types of energy as either potential or kinetic. Which is a type of potential energy?

• Asound energy
• Bthermal energy
• Cchemical energy
• Dradiant energy

Which cell part is correctly paired with its function?

• Acell wall-controls what goes in and out of cells
• Bchloroplast-outside boundary of plant cells
• Cnucleus-controls cell activities
• Dcell membrane-where photosynthesis takes place

A green plant absorbs light. A frog eats flies. These are both examples of how organisms

• Aobtain energy
• Bexcrete waste
• Cescape predators
• Dproduce offspring

Which shows one example of a physical change and one example of a chemical change?

• Afreezing water and burning coal
• Bdissolving powder and shredding paper
• Cboiling water and melting wax
• Drusting iron and baking a cake

In flowering plants, what structure containing DNA is transported from one plant to another?

• Anectar
• Bchlorophyll
• Cpollen
• Dglucose

How many basic units of information in a DNA molecule are required to encode a single amino acid?

• A1
• B3
• C4
• D2

A scientist on a field trip discovered a new organism. She examined its cells under a microscope and observed several different structures, including a nucleus, a cell wall, and some chloroplasts. This organism would correctly be classified in which of the following kingdoms?

• AAnimalia
• BMonera
• CFungi
• DPlantae

If a ball rolls at a constant rate on a flat surface, the motion is due to

• Agravitational forces.
• Belectromagnetic forces.
• Cfrictional forces.
• Dbalanced forces.

This is the most recommended activity that helps prevent or fight obesity.

• ADrinking a lot of water
• BQuitting alcohol
• CEating salads only
• DGetting exercise

Who was first to prove that beside an irrational number, pi is also transcendental number (i.e. is not a root to any polynomial equation with rational coefficients)?

• AArchimedes
• BFerdinand von Lindemann
• CAugustin Cauchy
• DLeonhard Euler

Louis Pasteur discovered a process that allows milk to be stored in sealed containers for long periods of time without spoiling. The process, called pasteurization, involves heating the milk before placing it in the sealed containers.Which is the best explanation of how pasteurization works?

• AHeat strengthens molecules that prevent spoiling.
• BThe food particles are better mixed after heating.
• CHeat killed microorganisms that could cause spoiling.
• DThe chemical structure of the food changes with the heat.

What is involved in creating genetically modified bacteria?

• Agrowing them on selected plants
• Bchanging their food source
• Callowing them to reproduce freely
• Dusing biotechnology techniques

Meadow voles are small mouse-like animals that eat plants and insects. Their niche in an ecosystem is a

• Aherbivore.
• Bscavenger.
• Comnivore.
• Dproducer.

The temperature in a hot star is high enough to pull electrons away from atoms. What state of matter results from this process?

• Aplasma
• Bgas
• Cliquid
• Dsolid

In what unit of time does Earth orbit the Sun?

• Ayear
• Bday
• Ccentury
• Dmonth

Mrs. Tucker gives her class samples of different soil types. Which action best helps Tanisha identify each soil type?

• Ameasuring it
• Bweighing it
• Ctouching it
• Dsmelling it

What is the major function of the human excretory system?

• Aabsorb nutrients from food
• Beliminate waste materials
• Crespond to stimuli
• Dbreak down food mechanically

A leaf is covered in mud during a landslide. After one million years, this leaf will most likely be ___.

• Aa nonrenewable fuel
• Ba new plant species
• Ca fossil
• Dan animal species

In what type of rock would a geologist most likely find evidence of ancient life?

• Asedimentary
• Bvolcanic
• Cmetamorphic
• Dfoliated

A group of students have decided that the amount of electricity used by the school should be reduced. The students want to develop a plan to solve this problem. What should the group do first?

• Atest the validity of the plan
• Bdetermine what materials should be used to implement the plan
• Cconduct research on energy conservation to form the plan
• Dimprove the design of the plan

Clouds and fog are made up of

• Awater.
• Blight.
• Cheat.
• Dhelium.

What are petri dishes used for in a lab?

• Aobserving the strength of physical forces
• Bgrowing bacteria in a controlled setting
• Creflecting light to form images
• Dmeasuring the mass of molecules

A particular peach tree produces peaches that are more resistant to disease than other peaches. What method would reproduce these exact peaches?

• Ause bees to pollinate the flowers
• Bensure that the peach tree reproduces asexually
• Cincrease the diversity in the peach tree
• Dreproduce by cross-pollination of different peach trees

Which type of rock is created by intense heat AND pressure?

• AIgneous
• BMetamorphic
• CDiamond
• DSedimentary

Which of the following statements best describes the role of gravity in the formation of stars?

• AGravity causes gases and dust particles to condense into spheres.
• BGravity cools gases and liquids until they become one solid mass.
• CGravity converts solid matter into gases and light energy.
• DGravity pushes rocks and dust particles outward from a dense center.

Many common hand tools create a mechanical advantage by using the basic principles found in simple machines. For example, a screwdriver uses the principles of the wheel and axle. In order to increase gripping force, pliers use the principle demonstrated in the

• Awedge.
• Bpulley.
• Clever.
• Dscrew.

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

• Alimestone
• Bgranite
• Cbasalt
• Dmarble

In the United States, which is responsible for ensuring the safety of the country's drinking water?

• ACenter for Disease Control (CDC)
• BNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• CEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• DFood and Drug Administration (FDA)

It is the only continent that does not have land areas below sea level.

• AAustralia
• BSouth America
• CAntarctica
• DArctica

Ten grams of sugar is dissolved in 100 grams (g) of water. How many grams is the sugar-and-water solution?

• A100 g
• B110 g
• C90 g
• D1000 g

Which location on Earth has the least intense sunlight on December 22?

• ANorth Pole
• BEquator
• CMaine
• DFlorida

What is the hottest planet in the solar system

• AMercury
• BJupiter
• CMars
• DVenus