Science Trivia Questions — page 91

Students shake salt into a jar of water, and they shake pepper into a second jar of water. Which statement best compares the two jars?

• ABoth jars contain mixtures.
• BOnly the salt and water is a mixture.
• CBoth jars contain solutions.
• DOnly the pepper and water is a solution.

Early amphibians such as Icthyostega evolved during what geological period?

• ADevonian
• BCarboniferous
• CSilurian
• DPermian

When potassium and bromine atoms form chemical bonds, which of these is produced?

• Aa mixture
• Ba new form of matter
• Ca compound
• Dan element

Earthworms live underground in the soil. As they move through the soil, they create tunnels. The tunnels help improve the soil. Plants grow better in soil that has earthworms. Which statement explains how earthworm tunnels help plants?

• AEarthworm tunnels allow sunlight to reach the plant roots in the soil.
• BEarthworm tunnels create places where insects can hide and protect plant roots.
• CEarthworm tunnels loosen the soil so plant roots can easily grow
• DEarthworm tunnels bring heat into the soil that warms plant roots.

Approximately 50 million acres of tropical rainforest are cleared each year. Which effect most likely would result from the clearing of these forests?

• Aan improvement in air quality
• Ban improvement in water quality
• Ca decrease in soil erosion
• Da decrease in biodiversity

In which example does an object move because of the force of gravity?

• Aa girl hammering a nail into a wall
• Ba boy pushing a box across the floor
• Ca boy falling from a tree onto the ground
• Da girl hitting a ball with a bat

Who was the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon?

• ARichard Rutan
• BJohn Alcock
• CSteve Fossett
• DHeinrich Kubis

A gardener wants to increase the ability of garden soil to retain water. Which of these should the gardener add to the soil?

• Anitrogen pellets
• Bcoarse sand
• Corganic material
• Dloose gravel

Which relationship is mutualistic?

• Aa deer that eats one kind of plant, which allows another kind of plant to grow in its place
• Ban ant that lives on a plant and defends the plant from other insects
• Ca bird that migrates to follow the movements of the butterflies that it eats
• Dan insect that lives and feeds on the body of an alligator

In which part of the human body is the so-called Pouch of Douglas located?

• AAorta
• BPelvis
• CStomach
• DDuodenum

Which statement best explains why the Sun and the Moon appear to be about the same size in the sky?

• AThe Moon is larger in diameter and farther from Earth than the Sun.
• BThe Sun and the Moon are the same distance from Earth.
• CThe Sun and the Moon have the same diameter.
• DThe Moon is smaller in diameter and is closer to Earth than the Sun.

Which property of a mineral can be determined just by looking at it?

• Aluster
• Bweight
• Chardness
• Dmass

Which action forms a different chemical substance?

• Amixing salt and pepper
• Bburning a piece of wood
• Cmelting an ice cube
• Dcrushing a rock

Proof was originally a play about a brilliant mathematician who worries about inheriting her fathers insanity. Which actress was the star of the 2005 movie of the same name?

• AClaire Danes
• BKate Blanchett
• CKirsten Dunst
• DGwyneth Platrow

Because water can hold a large amount of heat, which effect do oceans have on nearby land areas?

• AThey prevent rapid extreme temperature changes.
• BThey form high-pressure areas that cause magma currents.
• CThey lower the freezing point of fresh water.
• DThey provide the energy that triggers volcanic events.

The gravitational attraction of the Moon causes which effect on Earth?

• Atime of day
• Bphases of the Moon
• Cenergy from the Sun
• Docean tides

In which situation would osmosis most likely occur in cells?

• Aacross a permeable membrane that separates solutions of the same concentration
• Bacross a nonpermeable membrane that separates solutions of different concentrations
• Cacross a permeable membrane that separates solutions of different concentrations
• Dacross a nonpermeable membrane that separates solutions of the same concentration

This disease is characterized by the presence of the following symptoms: recurrent, episodic vertigo, hearing loss, a sensation of aural fullness and tinnitus. It is a balance disorder of the inner ear, first described by a French physician in 1861.

• AMenieres Disease
• BAlzheimers Disease
• CKawasaki Syndrome
• DCushings Syndrome

Weathering causes rocks and minerals to break into smaller pieces. Which event is the best example of weathering?

• Aa tree root growing into the crack of a rock
• Ba snowball rolling down a mountain
• Ca river washing away soil from its bank
• Da raindrop splashing in a lake

Acid rain caused by industrial pollution greatly reduces the number of trees in a forested region that is home to a particular species of bird. How might this decrease in the number of trees most likely affect this bird population?

• AThe population will increase as predators move out of the region.
• BThe population will decrease due to lack of resources.
• CThe population will adapt to ground dwelling.
• DThe population will stabilize when it moves to another region.

Jenny's class made an instrument to measure air pressure. The instrument is a

• Arain gauge.
• Bwind vane.
• Cthermometer.
• Dbarometer.

When a patient presents with a sore throat, which of the following diagnoses may indicate immediate intubation?

• APeri-tonsillar Abscess
• BMononucleosis
• CQuinsy
• DEpiglottitis

This term is commonly used to refer to a person who becomes overly upset or angry when confronted with an issue.

• Adefensive
• Bcaustic
• Crepressed
• Dsublime

Baby chicks peck their way out of their shells when they hatch. This activity is an example of which of the following types of behavior?

• Ainstinctive
• Bplanned
• Clearned
• Dsocial

Distances in the universe are enormous compared to those we are used to, so scientists use light years for measurement. Approximately how many miles does a light year represent?

• ASix zillion miles
• BSix million miles
• CSix trillion miles
• DSix billion miles

A researcher observes that an organism placed in a glass container filled with water moves away when a penlight is focused on the container. The researcher concludes that the organism is light sensitive. Which other explanation for the organism's response to the light is most possible?

• AThe organism moves away from vibrations.
• BThe organism moves away from heat sources.
• CThe organism avoids radio waves.
• DThe organism avoids gamma rays.

A student wants to design an experiment regarding the behavior of crickets. Which is the best question to ask to begin the experiment?

• ADo crickets have 6 legs or 8 legs?
• BDo crickets chirp more during the day or at night?
• CHow long are the antennae of a cricket?
• DWhat is the most common cricket species?

A student is investigating the effect of different nutrients on the growth of seedling plants. Which of these would be an independent (manipulated) variable in the investigation?

• Asunlight
• Bwater
• Cseedling plants
• Dsoil nutrients

The World No Tobacco Day, a global event sponsored by the World Health Organization, is held annually on which day?

• AApril 31
• BMarch 31
• CMay 31
• DJanuary 1

There is a shadow under a tree. Which form of energy must be present for the shadow to occur?

• Aheat
• Blight
• Cmechanical
• Dsound

The ileum is located in this part of the body.

• ABrain
• BSmall Intestine
• CSpinal cord
• DLarge intestine

Snapping a rubber band most likely produces which type of energy?

• Alight
• Bsound
• Cheat
• Delectrical

Scientists have observed that, even within the same nest, some young birds call louder than others. Which describes how a louder cry helps to ensure survival?

• AParents are able to identify the nest.
• BLung capacity is increased.
• CParents respond by giving more food.
• DExposure to bacteria is increased.

Which statement describes how the life cycle of butterflies is different from the life cycle of frogs?

• AButterfly life cycles have more stages.
• BButterfly life cycles have an adult stage.
• CButterfly life cycles have a pupa stage.
• DButterfly life cycles have an egg stage.

Actin filaments are part of the contractile machinery in smooth muscle cells of eukaryotic organisms. Which organelle is responsible for contractile movement in these cells?

• Aendoplasmic reticulum
• Bplasma membrane
• Cnucleus
• Dcytoskeleton

Which of these is the main contributor to the formation of hurricanes?

• Awarm ocean air
• Bhigh barometric pressure
• Ccalm ocean surface
• Ddense surface air

Proper use and care of a microscope includes

• Aremoving the objectives after you are done.
• Badjusting the coarse focus under high power.
• Creflecting sunlight to the stage.
• Dcarrying it with both hands.

How does the Sun help move water from the ocean through the water cycle?

• Aby blowing water toward land
• Bby causing surface water to evaporate
• Cby increasing the amount of water
• Dby adding particles to the water

Reptiles become more active as the day gets warmer. This is because

• Atheir body temperature changes with the environment.
• Btheir body temperature stays at a constant level.
• Cthey have slimy skin.
• Dthey have scaly skin.

Which renewable resource is used with photovoltaic cells to produce electricity?

• Anuclear energy
• Bgeothermal energy
• Chydrothermal energy
• Dsolar energy

A new moon occurs about every

• Aweek.
• Byear.
• Cmonth.
• Dday.

Which statement best describes how a mountain range changes over time from wind and water erosion?

• AThe mountain range will become rounded.
• BThe mountain range will become faulted.
• CThe mountain range will be lifted up.
• DThe mountain range will form craters.

If an environment becomes warmer and drier, the change that would most likely help a species adapt would be an increase in its

• Aability to store water.
• Bability to climb trees.
• Camount of body fat.
• Damount of body hair.

What is the total collection of traits that determine the physical and behavioral aspects of an organism called?

• APhenotype
• BAlleles
• CGenotype
• DDNA Markers

In order to distinguish fact from opinion, conclusions in experiments should be

• Aorganized in a table.
• Brecorded on a computer.
• Cpresented in bar graphs.
• Dbased on verifiable data.

What is the size of Mars compared to the size of Earth.

• AMars is smaller than Earth.
• BThey are the same size.
• CThe two planets can not be compared.
• DMars is bigger than Earth.

Maria Mitchell discovered a comet in 1847 that was later named after her. Maria Mitchell's discovery contributed to which branch of science?

• Achemistry
• Bastronomy
• Cgeology
• Dbiology

The number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy is best estimated as

• Aone hundred million.
• Bone hundred billion.
• Cone hundred thousand.
• Done hundred trillion.

How are igneous and sedimentary rocks similar?

• AThey are both formed from cooled lava.
• BHeat and pressure can turn them into metamorphic rock.
• CHeat and pressure can turn them into lava.
• DThey are both formed by erosion.

A train travels at a rate of 13 meters per second (m/s). Over the next 60 seconds, the speed of the train increases to speed to 22 m/s. What is the average rate of acceleration of the train?

• A0.58 m/s^2
• B0.21 m/s^2
• C0.36 m/s^2
• D0.15 m/s^2