Science Trivia Questions — page 142

Which of these would help determine the changes in a plant species over geologic time?

• Aexamining the number of plants in a given area
• Bexamining the fossil record of the plant
• Cexamining the type of animals that eat the plant
• Dexamining the type of seeds the plant produces

Plants grow best in soils that are rich in which of the following?

• Agrains of sand
• Bdecaying plants and animals
• Clayers of gravel
• Dlumps of clay

Lori owns a house next to the lake. She uses lots of fertilizer to keep her lawn green. Which impact could fertilizing her lawn have on the lake?

• Aan increase in the algae population
• Ban increase in the lake's depth
• Can increase in the mosquito population
• Dan increase in the fish population

The Heliocentric Theory, as supported by Copernicus, revolutionized scientific theories regarding

• Athe water cycle.
• Bthe life cycle.
• Cthe solar system.
• Dthe immune system.

Does Mercury have a magnetic field?

• AYes
• BNo

Which is an example of primary ecological succession?

• Amangroves stabilizing the soils on tropical coasts
• Blichen growth on rocks
• Cplants and animals invading an abandoned crop field
• Dminerals spurring rapid plant growth

A scientist was digging for dinosaur bones in a dry river bed. It started to rain and the scientist had to leave the area. If another scientist wanted to continue digging in the same place, he would have to

• Ahave the weather records for the past few months.
• Bhave accurate notes describing the location.
• Cknow how far the river bed is from a town.
• Dknow how deep the river got when it rained.

This mental illness, classified by Emil Kraepelin in 1887, is characterized by persistent disorders in the perception or expression of reality. A person who suffers from this disease may have delusions, hallucinations, disorganized or catatonic behavior.

• ADementia
• BHuntingtons Disease
• CSchizophrenia
• DAutism

Which of the following processes makes it possible for plants to use energy from sunlight to produce their own food?

• Ametamorphosis
• Bpollination
• Cphotosynthesis
• Dreproduction

Mangrove trees are an important wetland inhabitant. Which is an example of a limiting factor in mangrove wetlands that is unrelated to the density of the mangrove wetland?

• Anumber of days of sunlight per year
• Bseverity of hurricanes per season
• Csize of stilt- like root systems per tree
• Damount of tannin in the bark

What was the name of the first monkey to go in outer space?

• AGordo
• BBonny
• CSam
• DAlbert I

Which trait of a pet dog is inherited?

• AThe dog avoids a pet cat.
• BThe dog rolls over on command.
• CThe dog jumps on a sofa.
• DThe dog drools when it smells food.

Earth's mantle, primarily composed of silicate and magnesium oxide rocks, floats on top of the liquid iron and nickel outer core. Which difference between these two layers of Earth resulted in their differentiation?

• Aage
• Bvelocity
• Cviscosity
• Ddensity

A student is investigating the properties of a mineral. The student tests the mineral by putting it under an ultraviolet light. Which property of the mineral can be identified using this test?

• Acolor
• Bfluorescence
• Cluster
• Dstreak

The Fujita scale rates a tornados intensity by the damage it inflicts on human-built structures, this scale classifies hurricanes by the intensity of their sustained winds.

• ABeaufort scale
• BHamilton-Norwood scale
• CKardashev scale
• DSaffir-Simpson scale

Newly hatched turtles are easy prey for other animals. What is an important ability turtles have for better survival of their offspring?

• Ato dig a hole and hide from predators
• Bto produce a toxin that makes them taste bad
• Cto lay hundreds of eggs so a few will survive
• Dto fight off predators

What tool is used to determine the mass of an object?

• AThermometer
• BGraduated cylinder
• CMeter stick
• DBalance

Which is the result of mitosis?

• Afour unique cells
• Ba new protein
• Ctwo identical nuclei
• Da decrease in genes

Why should scientists wear goggles during experiments?

• Ato magnify small objects
• Bto see in the dark
• Cto block out bright sunlight
• Dto protect their eyes

Cell division is necessary for an organism to

• Aconserve matter and energy.
• Bgrow and reproduce.
• Cmake proteins.
• Dobtain nutrients.

Which of the following is a reason loggerhead turtles bury their eggs in holes that they dig on the beach?

• Ato keep the eggs covered with water
• Bto provide the eggs with nutrients
• Cto hide the eggs from predators
• Dto protect the eggs from sand

When studying the health of an ecosystem, ecologists consider many factors. Which factor is least likely considered by ecologists when evaluating the impact of human activities on an ecosystem?

• Asolar radiation
• Bplant diversity
• Cair quality
• Dthermal pollution

For which of these global tendencies in nature are fungi responsible?

• ADecline of tree populations
• BGlobal warming
• CDecline of amphibian populations
• DWater poisoning

Which region of the Milky Way contains a population that consists mostly of old stars?

• Athe open clusters
• Bthe nuclear bulge
• Cthe halo
• Dthe spiral arms

What is the major cause of ocean waves?

• Awind
• BEarth's rotation
• CMoon's gravity
• Dsalinity

Which of these correctly lists Earth's layers in order from the center to the surface?

• Ainner core, outer core, asthenosphere, lithosphere
• Basthenosphere, lithosphere, outer core, inner core
• Cinner core, asthenosphere, lithosphere, outer core
• Douter core, inner core, asthenosphere, lithosphere

A student practicing for the outdoor track team begins to sweat. To what stimulus is the body responding?

• Aan increase in body temperature
• Ban increase in heart rate
• Can increase in breathing rate
• Dan increase in oxygen demand

Students want to plant a lemon tree at their school, but the cold winter temperatures in Massachusetts would kill the tree. Which of the following is the best solution to this problem?

• Aplanting several lemon trees together in a row
• Bgiving the lemon tree extra fertilizer in the winter
• Cbuilding a greenhouse to shelter the lemon tree
• Dtying a stake to the lemon tree for support during the winter

During photosynthesis, plants convert sunlight into what substance to be used for energy?

• Aoxygen
• Bcarbon dioxide
• Cglucose
• Diron sulfide

What is the most important property architects must consider when selecting materials for the walls, ceilings, and floors for a new concert hall?

• Achemical properties
• Bthermal properties
• Celectrical properties
• Dacoustical properties

As an object falls, air resistance gradually increases until it is equal with the pull of gravity. This effect is called

• Ainitial velocity.
• Bterminal velocity.
• Cfinal velocity.
• Descape velocity.

Which provides the oldest evidence for oxygen accumulation in Earth's atmosphere?

• Aimpact craters of oxidized-iron asteroids
• Bthe earliest fossils of animals
• Cthe earliest sediments of oxidized rock
• Dextensive volcanic calderas of similar age

We've all heard about the importance of insulin, but where does its name come from?

• AIt comes from the Latin insula, which means island.
• BIt means that it is produced inside the body.
• CIts name means reduces sugar in Greek.
• DInsulin means sugar in Latin.

Life processes require energy. Biochemical processes involve specific reactions. Which is a characteristic of biochemical processes common to all animals?

• Afunction at any pH level
• Buse only anaerobic respiration
• Cheat released as a product
• Damount of energy absorbed

In 2002, which battery manufacturer announced the development of a battery, which would fully recharge in 15 minutes or less?

• ASony
• BRayovac
• CEnergizer
• DDuracell

What is the symbol for Boron?

• ABr
• BBo
• CB
• DBn

What characteristic helps a rabbit survive in a winter environment?

• Asize
• Bstrength
• Clong ears
• Dcamouflage

Which characteristic of a kitten is an acquired trait due to environmental influences?

• Ameowing when it is hungry
• Bsharpening its claws
• Ccleaning its ears
• Dsleeping on a chair

The Sun is a main sequence star and as such generates energy by this process, joining hydrogen nuclei together into helium.

• Ainduced gamma emission
• Bnuclear fusion
• Cisomerisation
• Dnuclear spallation

A person cuts down a living oak tree. The person burns the wood from the oak tree to boil water. Which sequence correctly orders the energy transformations that occurred from the living tree to the boiling of water?

• Aelectrical energy → mechanical energy → chemical energy
• Blight energy → chemical energy → thermal energy
• Cthermal energy → chemical energy → light energy
• Dchemical energy → mechanical energy → electrical energy

The members of only one of these types of microorganisms have a cell nucleus. Which are they?

• AAlgae
• BArchaea
• CBacteria
• DViruses

All of the following foods contain cholesterol EXCEPT this food.

• AFish
• BEggs
• CIce cream
• DOkra fried in vegetable oil

Kerry made a simple flashlight. She recorded the following statements in her lab book. Which statement is an inference?

• AThe bulb was lit for 20 minutes before it burned out.
• BThe flashlight contained a battery.
• CThe wire was 35 cm long.
• DThe plastic switch was better than the metal switch.

What did Charles Darwin major in at the University of Edinburgh where he joined his older brother in October 1825?

• AGeography
• BMedicine
• CMarine biology
• DNatural history

At room temperature, what state of matter is copper?

• Aplasma
• Bgas
• Cliquid
• Dsolid

Control of the Ganges River, sacred to some people, has been much disputed between which two nations?

• AIndia and Pakistan
• BIndia and China
• CIndia and Bangladesh
• DIndia and Myanmar

Organisms can be classified according to the flow of energy in a food chain. Which is the correct order of the flow of energy?

• ACarnivore -> Producer -> Herbivore
• BHerbivore -> Producer -> Carnivore
• CProducer -> Herbivore -> Carnivore
• DProducer -> Carnivore -> Herbivore

Which human activity most often has a harmful effect on the environment?

• Apolluting
• Bgrowing
• Cplanting
• Dbreathing

Which of these most accurately describes the term, Solar System?

• AThe planetary system which our Sun along with the nine planets and other non-stellar objects form
• BA system comprised of a star or group of stars
• CA system of non-stellar objects orbiting a star
• DA system of one or more stars and non-stellar objects, connected in close gravitational association

A stone arch bridge relies primarily on which of the following for its load strength?

• Abending
• Bcompression
• Ctorsion
• Dtension