Science Trivia Questions — page 173

How permeable is the cell membrane?

• AIt is not permeable
• BIt is semi permeable
• CIt is fully permeable
• DIt varies in permeablity

This person is given credit for coining the term surfing the internet.

• AJean Armour Polly
• BGregory Chaitin
• CMarvin Minsky
• DTim Lee-Berniers

Which of the following types of brain cells amplify the neural signals and maintain homeostasis?

• Aspindle cells
• Bglial cells
• Caxons
• Dneurons

At concentrations of 0.1-1 µg/ml colchicine, a natural plant product, can cause the mitotic arrest of dividing cells at metaphase through disrupting the spindle apparatus. Colchicine interferes with which of these cell functions during cell division?

• Amicrotubule organization of spindle fibers
• Bmembrane transport of spindle fibers
• CRNA synthesis of spindle protein
• DDNA synthesis of spindle protein

Which of these statements is not considered part of the Big Bang Theory?

• AThe universe is expanding.
• BThe universe never changes.
• CThe universe began in a hot, dense state.
• DThe universe began at a single point and time.

The distribution of this substance into water is often deadly for seabirds as it destroys the structure of its feathers. Thus cold water quickly reaches the skin and the bird often freezes to death.

• APesticides
• BCarbon monoxide
• CCarbon dioxide
• DOil

Which material is the best conductor of heat at room temperature?

• Awater
• Bair
• Csulfur
• Dcopper

Camels have humps on their backs that store fat, allowing them to survive for many days without food. This makes camels well suited to desert life. This characteristic is an example of

• Aadaptation.
• Bmigration.
• Cinstinct.
• Dhibernation.

An airplane travels at a constant speed of 800 kilometers per hour (km/h). Approximately how long will it take the airplane to travel 200 kilometers?

• A4 hours
• B15 minutes
• C25 minutes
• D2 hours

What does carcinology study?

• AMalignant tumors in animals and humans
• BCrabs, lobsters, and crayfish
• CThe outer shells of invertebrates and reptiles
• DCrustaceans

This plant, native to the shallow waters of the Amazon River basin, is the largest representative of waterlilies.

• ASacred Lotus
• BVictoria waterlily
• CRed lily
• DAmerican Lotus

In New York State, the shortest period of daylight occurs during which month?

• ADecember
• BSeptember
• CJune
• DMarch

A student measures the rising temperature of heated water for 20 minutes in two-minute intervals. Which of these tools will best help the student organize the data?

• Adata table
• Bpie chart
• Cbar graph
• Dflow chart

Sourness is a taste that is a proof of which of the following properties of substances?

• AIonization
• BAcidity
• CTemperature
• DToxicity

Which physical structure would best help a bear to survive a winter in New York State?

• Abig ears
• Bthick fur
• Cbrown eyes
• Dblack nose

In humans, the gene for a free earlobe [E] is dominant over the gene for an attached earlobe [e]. If one parent has a free earlobe [ Ee ] and the other parent has an attached earlobe ( ee ), what is the probability that their offspring will have an attached earlobe?

• A0%
• B50%
• C25%
• D100%

The motion of Earth is responsible for several celestial events. Which of the following events is caused by Earth revolving around the sun?

• Athe hours in a day
• Bthe changes in the atmosphere of Earth
• Cthe position of the constellations in space
• Dthe days in a year

In the lab, students are working with substances that could cause burns. Which of these safety precautions is most important to follow?

• AGlassware is clean.
• BEye protection is worn.
• CElectrical equipment is off.
• DSinks are empty.

The basic life functions of an organism are carried on by

• Ahormones
• Batoms
• Cnutrients
• Dcells

What does SYS mean when used in instant messaging ?

• Asystem is down
• Bsee you soon
• Cstill your spouse
• Dsee your sister

Which of the following structures enables fish to remain at a certain depth without expending energy through swimming?

• Adorsal fin
• Blateral line
• Cswim bladder
• Dgill slits

Water that has its salt removed before it can be used as drinking water is most likely to have come from

• Aa lake
• Ba river
• Cunderground
• Da sea

The crews of two boats at sea can communicate with each other by shouting. Why is it impossible for the crews of two spaceships a similar distance apart in space to do this?

• AThere is no air in space for the sound to travel through.
• BThe sound is reflected more in space.
• CThe pressure is too high inside the spaceships.
• DThe spaceships are traveling faster than sound.

Members of the same species of bird became geographically separated. Over many years, the two groups evolved to become two different species. Which of these observations is the best evidence that two separate species developed?

• AEach group has a different feeding preference.
• BEach group has a different habitat preference.
• CEach group has different mating habits.
• DEach group is active at a different time of day.

A telescope would be most useful in answering which question?

• AWhat shape is a human skin cell?
• BWhat is on the surface of the Moon?
• CHow do worms breathe underground?
• DHow do rockets move in space?

Which best describes all unicellular organisms?

• AEvery cell can make food.
• BEvery cell can move on its own.
• CEvery cell is round.
• DEvery cell performs all life functions.

Which best describes the structure of an atom?

• Aa network of interacting positive and negative particles
• Boverlapping layers of neutral, positive, and negative particles
• Ca massive core surrounded by negatively-charged particles
• Da lightweight core surrounded by neutral particles

Tympanoplasty is a type of reconstructive surgery performed on which part of the body?

• AEardrum
• BKnees
• CSkull bones
• DFingers or toes

Students are attempting to make a doorbell ring using some wire and a battery. What is needed to make the bell ring?

• Afriction
• Ba convection current
• Cgravity
• Dan electrical circuit

When some subatomic particles split from each other, energy is released. What kind of energy is this?

• Anuclear
• Bmechanical
• Celectrical
• Dchemical

The discovery of fossilized coral reefs on land is evidence that

• Acoral reefs can form on dry land.
• Bthe sea level has changed over time.
• Cthe reefs formed in a freshwater lake.
• Dsalt water changes coral into fossils.

A scanning electron microscope is best suited for observing

• Adiffraction of light.
• Btopographical features on the ocean floor.
• Cthe surfaces of small objects.
• Dtectonic features on planets.

The ice cubes in a freezer are melting. Which change most likely is causing the ice cubes to melt?

• Aa decrease in the temperature inside the freezer
• Ban increase in the mass of the ice cubes
• Can increase in the temperature inside the freezer
• Da decrease in the mass of the ice cubes

Which of these is a popular database name?

• AMosque
• BChurch
• CShrine
• DOracle

The average temperatures over a four-month period were 31, 24, 18, and 12 degrees Celsius. What is the median temperature for these four months?

• A21°C
• B15°C
• C27°C
• D33°C

DNA technology has improved greatly in the last twenty years. Which task has been made easier by the development of DNA technology?

• Aobserving distant objects in space
• Bidentifying genetic disorders
• Cmaking very accurate measurements
• Ddetermining the parts of an atom

This is how long it took the Internet to attract 50 million users.

• A4 years
• B10 years
• C5 years
• D20 years

The Moon is in orbit around Earth. What keeps the Moon from changing its orbit?

• Arotation
• Bweight
• Cfriction
• Dgravity

Nutritionally, eggs are considered a good source of what?

• AVitamin C
• BFiber
• CProtein
• DNiacin

Many birds avoid eating the viceroy butterfly because it looks like the monarch butterfly. Monarch butterflies contain a substance that makes the birds sick when monarchs are eaten. The development of the pattern of the viceroy butterfly to look like the monarch butterfly is an example of

• Adiversity.
• Bcoloration.
• Ccamouflage.
• Dmimicry.

Which Solar System celestial bodys revolution around the Sun takes 248 years?

• ASaturn
• BNeptune
• CPluto
• DUranus

What are the properties of the Earth's crust and mantle that are most responsible for Earth's tectonic activity?

• AThey are the same state and have the same temperature.
• BThey are in different states but have the same temperature.
• CThey are in different states and have different temperatures.
• DThey are in the same state but have different temperatures.

The weight of an object can change because of the force that acts on that object. Which force causes the weight of an object to change?

• Amagnetic
• Belectrical
• Cfriction
• Dgravitational

During what geological period did the earliest vascular plants evolve?

• ACambrian
• BDevonian
• CCretaceous
• DSilurian

A student rapidly rubs the palms of both hands together. Which sequence correctly describes the energy transformations that occur?

• Amechanical -> nuclear -> heat
• Bmechanical -> heat -> chemical
• Cheat -> mechanical -> chemical
• Dchemical -> mechanical -> heat

A balloon filled with helium gas is set free and starts to move upward. Which of the following best explains why the helium balloon moves upward?

• AThere is no gravity acting on the helium balloons.
• BThe wind blows the balloon upward.
• CThe air resistance lifts the balloon up.
• DThe density of helium is less than the density of air.

Which outcome is most likely if a person consumes more Calories than needed for daily activities?

• Aweight loss
• Bdeficiency disease
• Cweight gain
• Dinfectious disease

What force pulls things towards the center of Earth?

• Afriction
• Bmagnetism
• Cgravity
• Denergy

Many houses are built on the sides of hills. Which of these actions would best prevent houses from sliding down hills after heavy rainfalls?

• Aincreasing the slope of the hill
• Badding plants to the hill
• Cspraying herbicides on the hill
• Dremoving grass from the hill

Recycling paper reduces the number of trees cut down for paper production. How does this reduction most likely benefit the environment?

• Asaves nonrenewable energy
• Beliminates air pollution
• Ckeeps the habitats of animals from being destroyed
• Dreduces the amount of oxygen in the air