Science Trivia Questions — page 99

As this is the closest planet to the Sun, its temperatures at the surface range between -300 and 800 F (hot enough for lead to melt).

• APluto
• BMercury
• CVenus
• DNeptune

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO_{3}) is commonly known as baking soda. Sodium bicarbonate is a white solid that can dissolve in water. Under the proper conditions, sodium bicarbonate can release carbon dioxide (CO_{2}) gas. Which of the following is not a physical property of sodium bicarbonate?

• AIt releases carbon dioxide.
• BIt is a solid.
• CIt is white.
• DIt can dissolve in water.

In a forest ecosystem, the squirrels eat seeds from trees. The squirrels are then eaten by hawks, owls, and foxes. If there were no more owls present in this ecosystem, which would most likely happen in the forest?

• AThe hawk population would decrease.
• BThe fox population would decrease.
• CThe squirrel population would increase.
• DThe tree population would increase.

Which of the following is a crucial piece of evidence supporting scientists' theory of how the continents and the ocean basins formed?

• ACurrents redistribute heat in an unevenly heated liquid.
• BGravitational forces result in the fusion of small atoms.
• CA differentiated iron core expresses magnetic properties.
• DA stream of charged ions disperses lightweight gases.

Some scientists once believed that Earth was solid like a marble. Which of these has been most responsible for changes in the scientific view of the structure of Earth?

• Aa lead scientist explaining the structure of Earth
• Bscientific books defining the layers of Earth
• Ca physical model of Earth showing its layers
• Ddiscussions among earth scientists about new data

Which of the following properties provides the BEST way to identify a mineral?

• Asize
• Bshape
• Ctemperature
• Dhardness

Two objects are at rest and are 1.0 meter apart. To reduce the gravitational pull between the two objects, they should be

• Astacked vertically.
• Bmoved 1.5 meters apart.
• Cmoved 0.5 meter apart.
• Dplaced side by side.

What property of electromagnetic waves makes it possible to use these waves to transmit information between a space shuttle and NASA mission control centers on the ground?

• AElectromagnetic waves have very low velocity.
• BElectromagnetic waves are transverse waves.
• CElectromagnetic waves are all visible to human eyes.
• DElectromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum.

A student wants to use photography to study a process that occurs during one year. Which of these actions would be best for the student to study?

• Atree leaves changing colors
• Bsoil depth increasing
• Ca glacier advancing and retreating
• Da statue being weathered by acid rain

Why would male insects be treated to prevent sperm production?

• ATo prevent insects from mating
• BTo increase the number of female insects
• CTo produce new species of insects
• DTo reduce the total population of insects

Which of the following characteristics will best prevent a tree from being blown over by high winds during a storm?

• Awide leaves
• Blong branches
• Cthick bark
• Ddeep roots

The climate of an area would be expected to have the least fluctuations in temperatures where the

• Adays are longest.
• Batmospheric nitrogen is low.
• Chumidity is high.
• Dvegetation is sparse.

How could you scientifically determine the quietest place to study in your school?

• AHave everyone be as quiet as possible, and then test the decibels in various places in your school.
• BSurvey the student body to see where they like to study.
• CAsk your principal where the best place is to study.
• DRecord the level of decibels in various places in the school, and compare the results.

Which of these is the most common result of greenhouse gases altering the atmosphere of Earth?

• Aan increase in the intensity of visible light
• Ban increase in the air temperature
• Ca decrease in the thickness of the ozone layer
• Da decrease in the air density

Ana is a cross-country runner. After finishing a race she noticed that she felt hot due to the release of thermal energy. Which is the most likely source of the thermal energy?

• Aheat being absorbed from the sun
• Bfriction from the air
• Cmechanical energy being absorbed
• Denergy conversions occurring in her body

Why do trees like oaks and walnuts depend upon squirrels?

• Ato aid in seed distribution
• Bto pollinate their flowers
• Cto remove dead wood
• Dto control population size

Which best describes both a mixture and a solution?

• AA material with new properties forms.
• BA solid dissolves in a liquid.
• CThe combined substances cannot be separated.
• DTwo different substances combine.

An atom would lose the least amount of mass if it lost

• Aa neutron.
• Ban electron.
• Ca nucleus.
• Da proton.

Geologists frequently use mass spectrometers in determining the relative age of rocks. A spectrometer can differentiate between the ratios of isotopes in rock samples and calculates the radioactive decay involving what two isotopes?

• AUranium - Strontium
• BRubidium - Strontium
• CPotassium - Argon
• DUranium - Lead

Which trait gives owls an advantage when hunting at night?

• Astraight beak
• Bbroad wings
• Csmooth feathers
• Dlarge eyes

Newton's work in physics helped to provide mathematical explanations for the earlier conclusions of which scientist?

• ADmitri Mendeleev
• BPtolemy
• CAristotle
• DNicolas Copernicus

During winter months, Amina sometimes notices ice covering the hoods of parked cars. Once the engine of the car runs for a while, the ice on the hood begins to melt. What form of energy is released from the car engine to melt the ice?

• Achemical
• Belectrical
• Clight
• Dheat

A plant that grows red flowers was crossed with the same kind of plant that grows white flowers. Their offspring grew pink flowers. Which best explains why the offspring grew pink flowers?

• AThe genes for flower color exhibited incomplete dominance.
• BThe offspring experienced a genetic mutation.
• CThe offspring resulted from asexual reproduction.
• DA gene for pink-colored flowers was recessive in one of the parents.

Find the mode of this list of numbers: 0,0,0,1,0,3,6,8,0.

• A0
• B3
• C2
• D1

After a volcanic eruption, it takes a long time for large ecosystems to fully recover. Which statement best explains why the development takes so long?

• ASpace is limited for growth.
• BSoil must be created.
• CMinerals are destroyed.
• DThe quality of light is low.

The main function of the human digestive system is to

• Acarry nutrients to all parts of the body
• Brelease energy from sugars within the cells
• Cexchange oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs
• Dbreak down foods for absorption into the blood

Some part of Earth is being heated by the Sun at all times. If Earth absorbed all of the energy it received from the Sun, environmental conditions would change on the planet and existing ecosystems would be unsustainable. Which is a way that Earth loses energy from the Sun?

• AThe atmosphere is heated by the energy.
• BPlants store the energy as chemicals.
• CThe oceans absorb the energy.
• DClouds reflect the energy into space.

Which of the following statements is true about organisms that are producers?

• AThey get energy by breaking down dead plants and animals.
• BThey get energy from eating living animals.
• CThey use energy from the sun to make food.
• DThey absorb energy from a host animal.

Which statement best describes why a calcium-fortified juice would advertise that it is good for growing children?

• ACalcium provides energy for growth.
• BChildren need to drink a lot of fluids.
• CChildren need calcium to prevent allergies.
• DCalcium helps the growth of bones.

Which of these statements is most accurate about the Sun?

• AIt has consumed approximately one-half of its expendable energy.
• BIt is in its infancy in terms of energy consumption.
• CIt has an infinite energy supply.
• DIt is near the end of its life cycle.

Students are investigating the effects of different fertilizers on plant growth. Which units would be best to measure the mass of the fertilizer used?

• Ameters
• Bgrams
• Cmilligrams
• Dcentimeters

What kind of energy change occurs when a battery is operating a remote control toy?

• AKinetic energy is changed to chemical energy.
• BHeat energy is changed to light energy.
• CPotential energy is changed to kinetic energy.
• DLight energy is changed to heat energy.

Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that feed on certain types of plants. Which level of a food web would be occupied by an aphid?

• Asecond-level consumer
• Bproducer
• Cfirst-level consumer
• Ddecomposer

Today's limestone caverns were once solid rock. Acidic rainwater seeping through the rock over hundreds of years dissolved part of the rock, forming caverns. This is an example of

• Aerosion.
• Bchemical weathering.
• Cdeposition.
• Dphysical weathering.

Which of these human activities does not contribute to the extinction of species?

• Aintroduced nonnative species
• Brestoration ecology
• Chunting
• Dhabitat destruction

A combination of processes occurs when stars are forming. Which is one process most likely associated with the formation of new stars?

• AHydrogen in the cores of the stars is exhausted.
• BMaterial accumulates from stars that have died.
• CElements in the stars such as iron undergo fusion.
• DCores of stars become twice as massive as the Sun.

22 Sandy is conducting an investigation to find out which food his dog likes best. Which is the manipulated variable in his investigation?

• AThe amount of food he gives his dog
• BThe kind of food he gives his dog
• CThe color of his dog's food dish
• DThe time of day he feeds his dog

The reaction that releases energy for use by the cell occurs in which site?

• Aendoplasmic reticulum
• Bcytoplasmic membrane
• Cmitochondrial membrane
• DGolgi apparatus

What advantage is gained by using radio telescopes as opposed to optical telescopes?

• Aoperation is less complex
• Bviewed images are clearer
• Cability to see through clouds and dust
• Dability to take up less space

Which statement about all living organisms is true?

• AThey have at least one cell.
• BThey have limbs.
• CThey breathe air.
• DThey produce their own food.

A ball is dropped from different heights. When the ball is dropped from the highest height, it makes the greatest noise or vibration when it lands on the ground. What is the best explanation for the ball making the greatest noise?

• AThe ball is warming up and going faster.
• BThe air pushes down more and the ball goes faster.
• CGravity pulls for a longer time and the ball goes faster.
• DThe ball is gaining weight and going faster.

Which medical specialty largely replaced the old general practice specialty?

• AFamily Practice
• BInternal Medicine
• CObstetrics
• DGeneral Surgery

What number is missing from the following sequence: 5,10,20, ___, 50, 55, 110?

• A30
• B40
• C25
• D35

Which step should a student do in order to be able to repeat an experiment?

• Ado the experiment many times
• Bkeep a record of all procedures
• Cchange some of the conditions of the experiment
• Dmake a model of the set-up of the experiment

A boy can see his face when he looks into a calm pond. Which physical property of the pond makes this happen?

• Atemperature
• Bvolume
• Cflexibility
• Dreflectiveness

Which of the following is NOT a real element?

• APraseodymium
• BLutetium
• CHassium
• DVitrainium

Delilah put a container of water in the freezer and left it there overnight. The next morning she saw that the water in the container had changed to ice. Which of the following statements best explains why the water changed to ice?

• AThe water gained energy.
• BThe water absorbed light.
• CMass was released from the water.
• DHeat was taken away from the water.

When heat flows from a hot spot to a cooler spot, entropy increases. When heat is forced to flow from a cool spot to a warmer spot, entropy decreases. Marta is looking for something in her house that causes a decrease in entropy. Which of these should she choose?

• Athe refrigerator
• Ban ice cube melting
• Cthe toaster
• Dan egg frying

Cancer is most often the result of

• Abiological adaptation
• Babnormal cell division
• Cnatural selection
• Dbacterial infection

Which of the following represents the velocity of a moving object?

• A40 m north
• B40 m/s north
• C40
• D40 m/s