Science Trivia Questions — page 119

The complex, three-dimensional structure of a protein is sensitive to heat because the structure is maintained by

• Acovalent bonds.
• BBrownian motion.
• Cmagnetic fields.
• Dhydrogen bonds.

Which is a major difference between the life cycles of different types of plants?

• Athe way they make food
• Bthe energy they use
• Cthe way they reproduce
• Dthe way they die

All of the planets in the solar system formed at about the same time from a large cloud of gas and dust. How is Earth different from other planets in the solar system?

• AWater is found in all three phases on Earth.
• BEarth's atmosphere is composed of gases.
• CEarth has no natural satellites.
• DVolcanoes release liquid rock onto Earth's surface.

A scientist plans to investigate the nervous system of sea slugs. What should the scientist do first?

• AObtain several sea slugs and conduct experiments with them.
• BGo to the ocean to observe the behavior of sea slugs.
• CReview the research other scientists have done on sea slugs.
• DDevelop a theory about sea slugs that can be tested.

To keep a heavy box sliding across a carpeted floor at constant speed, a person must continually exert a force on the box. This force is used primarily to overcome which of the following forces?

• AAir resistance
• BThe frictional force exerted by the floor on the box
• CThe weight of the box
• DThe gravitational force exerted by the Earth on the box

Which of these natural disasters are the most unpredictable?

• Atornados
• Bblizzards
• Churricanes
• Dearthquakes

What would be the phenotype of a cross between a homozygous dominant tall plant and a homozygous recessive short plant?

• A50% short, 50% tall
• B100% tall
• C100% short
• D25% short, 75% tall

In a turtle race, each turtle walks one a 3-meter track. If the turtles walk one at a time, how can you tell which turtle was fastest?

• AThe turtle that took the shortest time is fastest.
• BThe turtle that started first is fastest.
• CThe turtle that finished first is fastest.
• DThe turtle that took the longest time is fastest.

During the light reactions of photosynthesis, energy is stored in the compounds ATP and NADPH. A second set of reactions uses this stored energy to produce vital compounds such as glucose. This second set of reactions involves a biochemical pathway called

• Atranspiration.
• Brespiration.
• Cthe Calvin cycle.
• Dcarbon fixation.

Which form of energy is found in food?

• Asound
• Bmechanical
• Celectrical
• Dchemical

During a collision, a seat belt slows the speed of a crash dummy. What is the direction of the net force exerted by the seat belt compared to the direction of the crash dummy's motion?

• Ain a downward direction
• Bin the same direction
• Cin the opposite direction
• Din a vertical direction

A human CANNOT survive the loss of which of the following?

• AThe liver
• BThe appendix
• CA lung
• DA kidney

Which is a major function of the vacuoles found in cells?

• Ato store water and food for cells
• Bto release energy for cells
• Cto control what enters and leaves cells
• Dto provide protection for cells

Which two things are produced when a plant breaks down sugar to release energy?

• Acarbon dioxide and water
• Boxygen and food
• Coxygen and carbon dioxide
• Dcarbon dioxide and food

Which of the following processes is responsible for changing liquid water into water vapor?

• Aevaporation
• Bphotosynthesis
• Cprecipitation
• Dcondensation

The Fallopian tubes are part of this system in the human body.

• AUrinary system
• BRespiratory system
• CReproductive system
• DDigestive system

Which step should be performed first in a scientific investigation?

• Aask a question
• Bconduct the experiment
• Cprepare a conclusion
• Dchoose the correct equipment

What 1997 movie featured Cartesian co-ordinates (the usual type of graph paper) and factoring numbers?

• AProof
• BThe Sphere
• CCube
• DGleaming the Cube

What is the symbol for Magnesium?

• AM
• BMg
• CMa
• DMn

In Mannheim, Germany, people began recycling this.

• ADead pets to make fertilizer
• BOld swords and knives to make I-beams
• COld PCs to make radar equipment for traffic control
• DCoffee grinds to make jewelry

The nucleus of the cell controls cell activity. Which body system performs a similar function in humans?

• Aintegumentary system
• Bcentral nervous system
• Ccirculatory system
• Dskeletal system

Which of these companies recycled old sneakers to make tennis courts?

• AReebok
• BNike
• CAdidas
• DBanta

Campers shouted toward a canyon wall. What characteristic of sound best explains why the campers heard an echo?

• ASound waves were refracted around the canyon.
• BSound waves were absorbed by the canyon wall.
• CSound waves traveled slowly down the canyon.
• DSound waves reflected off the canyon wall.

Find the missing number in the following sequence: 8, 16, 28, 44, ___, 88, 116, 148, 184.

• A64
• B48
• C56
• D52

Where in the cell does glycolysis occur?

• Acytoplasm
• Bchromatin
• Cnucleus
• Dribosome

Which best explains why some reptiles and amphibians lay an abundance of eggs?

• AIt increases the chance of some eggs surviving to hatch.
• BThese animals do not have to stay with their eggs.
• CIt increases the population.
• DThe eggs provide food for predators.

In the 1600s a scientist named Anton van Leeuwenhoek worked toward improving microscopes and created his own lenses. With his microscopes, Leeuwenhoek discovered bacteria and muscle fibers. Which type of job benefited most from these discoveries?

• Ateaching
• Bmedicine
• Cglass making
• Dastronomy

An object is attracted to a magnet. When the magnet is moved away from the object, the magnetic force on the object will

• Aincrease
• Bremain the same
• Cdecrease

The Moons diameter is approximately this long.

• A2,154 miles (3,476 km)
• B2,796 miles (4,500 km)
• C5,567 miles (8,960 km)
• D7,145 miles (11,500 km)

People suffreing from this mental illness manifest a psychiatric condition as a physical complaint.

• AAgoraphobia
• BMunchausen Syndrome
• CSomatization Disorder
• DKleptomania

What color is Arterial Blood?

• AReddish Purple
• BPurple
• CDark Red
• DBright Red

When an iron nail wrapped in a copper wire is attached to a circuit, it forms

• Aan engine.
• Ban electromagnet.
• Can insulator.
• Da battery.

Some bacteria use iron found in their systems as a means to guide their movement. Which stimulus most likely triggers this movement mechanism?

• Alight
• Boxygen
• Cmagnetism
• Dheat

Ricardo measured an empty graduated cylinder on a balance. He then filled the graduated cylinder with 50 mL of a liquid and measured the cylinder again. Which question is Ricardo most likely trying to answer?

• AWhat is the volume of the liquid?
• BWhat is the mass of the liquid?
• CHow quickly will the liquid evaporate?
• DHow quickly will the liquid boil?

A student states that plants grow taller when grown in natural light than they do in artificial light. Which method is the best way to determine if the statement is fact or opinion?

• Adiscuss the statement with other students
• Bconduct a controlled experiment
• Cask several teachers their thoughts
• Dpropose a scientific conclusion

A sample of the element copper is divided into the smallest particles possible such that each particle is still copper. Each particle can best be described as

• Aan atom.
• Ba nucleus.
• Ca molecule.
• Dan electron.

Which of the following changes is caused by removing heat?

• AA solid changes to a liquid.
• BA solid changes to a gas.
• CA liquid changes to a gas.
• DA liquid changes to a solid.

Which of the following can make objects repel each other?

• Aboth gravity and magnetism
• Bgravity
• Cmagnetism
• Dneither gravity nor magnetism

Which of the following takes place during fertilization in animals?

• Ajoining of sperm and egg
• Bdivision of egg
• Cproduction of sperm and egg
• Ddevelopment of embryo

The basic units of structure and function for both plants and animals are

• Asystems.
• Bcells.
• Ctissues.
• Dorgans.

Which of these countries has the highest infant mortality rate according to a 2006 revision of the UN World Population Prospects report?

• ACzech Republic
• BUnited States
• CSingapore
• DSweden

The best explanation of why carnivores are dependent on plants is because they

• Aneed carbon dioxide released by plants.
• Bconsume other animals that eat plants.
• Cneed to consume plant matter.
• Duse plants for shelter.

Which part of the cactus performs the process of photosynthesis?

• ARoots
• BStem
• CSpines
• DBlooms

Which of these is represented by the chemical formula C12 H22 O11?

• Asalt
• Bbaking soda
• Coxygen
• Dsugar

Which of the following best describes how plants use the energy they receive from sunlight?

• AThey change water into heat.
• BThey produce their own food.
• CThey break down nutrients into rocks.
• DThey make minerals for their roots.

In this film, high school student Max Fisher, played by Jason Schwartzman, is asked to use calculus to find the area of an ellipse.

• ARushmore
• BMr. Novak
• CThe High School
• DRoom 222

Snowy owls live in very cold areas. Which adaptation is most likely a result of living in this type of environment?

• Alarge, yellow eyes
• Bsharp claws
• Cthick, white feathers
• Dcurved beaks

Which object most likely has magnetic properties?

• Airon nail
• Bplastic clip
• Crubber eraser
• Dwooden spoon

Which of the following would most likely happen if grasses and shrubs were removed from a rural Massachusetts ecosystem?

• AThere would be a decrease of carbon dioxide available to the ecosystem.
• BThere would be an increase in consumers in the ecosystem.
• CThere would be an increase of photosynthesis in the ecosystem.
• DThere would be a decrease in food energy produced by the ecosystem.

Why are many telescopes used far from cities?

• AThe noise from the cities vibrates the telescopes.
• BThe light from the cities makes it hard to see stars.
• CThe pollution from the cities reflects starlight.
• DThe power lines from the cities produce interference waves.