Round #10

Question 1

1) Energy – Short Answer Scientists at Oak Ridge National Lab have developed a method to
use nanoscale spikes of carbon atoms to reduce gaseous nitrogen to what colorless, pungent gas
important in the manufacturing of fertilizer?

Answer 1

ANSWER: AMMONIA

Question 2

1) Energy – Multiple Choice DOE researchers at Idaho National Lab are developing practical
methods to reduce the cost of biodiesel production. From which of the following stocks is
biodiesel made?
W) Corn
X) Wheat
Y) Vegetable oil
Z) Algae

Answer 2

ANSWER: Y) VEGETABLE OIL

Question 3

2) Earth and Space – Short Answer What mechanism of heat transfer in the mantle drives
plate tectonics?

Answer 3

ANSWER: CONVECTION

Question 3

2) Earth and Space – Short Answer Identify all of the following substances that would be able
to scratch the mineral apatite: 1) Fluorite; 2) Quartz; 3) Gypsum.

Answer 3

ANSWER: 2

Question 4

3) Life Science – Short Answer What is the term for a rod-shaped bacterium?

Answer 4

ANSWER: BACILLUS (ACCEPT: BACILLI)

Question 5

3) Life Science – Multiple Choice Which of the following hormones requires iodine for its
synthesis?
W) Thyroid-stimulating hormone
X) Thyroxine [thigh-ROX-in]
Y) Luteinizing [LOO-tin-eye-zing] hormone
Z) Testosterone

Answer 5

ANSWER: X) THYROXINE

Question 6

4) Math – Short Answer Calculate the mean of the following 4 numbers: 12, 18, 30, 20

Answer 6

ANSWER: 20

Question 7

4) Math – Short Answer To the nearest whole number, what is the area of a circle with
circumference 20?

Answer 7

ANSWER: 32

Question 8

5) Physical Science – Multiple Choice The pH scale can be used to quantify which of the
following properties of a solution?
W) Saturation
X) Basicity [bay-SIH-sid-ee]
Y) Boiling point
Z) Osmolarity [oz-mow-LAIR-it-ee]

Answer 8

ANSWER: X) BASICITY

Question 9

5) Physical Science – Short Answer After Rutherford’s experiments in 1918, scientists were
confident that the atom was composed of what two particles?

Answer 9

ANSWER: PROTONS AND ELECTRONS (ACCEPT IN ANY ORDER)

Question 10

6) Earth and Space – Multiple Choice Which of the following star masses, given in solar
masses, is closest to the minimum amount of mass needed to form a black hole?
W) 3
X) 10
Y) 18
Z) 25

Answer 10

ANSWER: W) 3

Question 11

6) Earth and Space – Short Answer Order the following four star colors in decreasing order of
related surface temperature: 1) Yellow; 2) White; 3) Red; 4) Blue.

Answer 11

ANSWER: 4, 2, 1, 3

Question 12

7) Energy – Short Answer Scientists at SLAC National Accelerator Lab are studying
superconducting materials using computational modeling. In these materials, Cooper pairs form
between what particles to allow the conduction of currents?

Answer 12

ANSWER: ELECTRON

Question 13

7) Energy – Short Answer Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Lab are supercooling
liquid water to 136 kelvins, where it freezes extremely quickly to generate a glass-like ice. What
is this temperature to the nearest degree Celsius?

Answer 13

ANSWER: –137

Question 14

8) Math – Short Answer What is the slope of the line with equation 3x + 5y = –30?

Answer 14

ANSWER: –3/5 (ACCEPT: –0.6)

Question 15

8) Math – Short Answer Simplify the fraction with numerator 2 + √2 and denominator 2 – √2.

Answer 15

ANSWER: 3 + 2√2 (ACCEPT: 2√2 + 3)

Question 16

9) Life Science – Short Answer What type of tissue gives flexibility and elasticity to
structures such as the ear and nose?

Answer 16

ANSWER: CARTILAGE

Question 17

9) Life Science – Short Answer Identify all of the following three animals that typically have
an exoskeleton: 1) Lobster; 2) Tuna; 3) Ant.

Answer 17

ANSWER: 1, 3

Question 18

10) Physical Science – Short Answer What type of electrical device stores electrical energy in
the form of an electric field, such as between two conducting plates?

Answer 18

ANSWER: CAPACITOR

Question 19

10) Physical Science – Short Answer If a 50-kilogram person expends 1000 joules of energy
climbing up stairs, then to the nearest meter, what is the maximum theoretical height the person
could climb?

Answer 19

ANSWER: 2

Question 20

11) Earth and Space – Multiple Choice Relative humidity is calculated using what two
quantities?
W) Water vapor pressure and total atmospheric pressure
X) Temperature and total atmospheric pressure
Y) Water vapor pressure and saturation vapor pressure
Z) Temperature and saturation vapor pressure

Answer 20

ANSWER: Y) WATER VAPOR PRESSURE AND SATURATION VAPOR PRESSURE

Question 21

11) Earth and Space – Multiple Choice A geologist has a metamorphic rock sample that she
observes to be nonfoliated and appears to react with dilute acid. Which of the following rocks
could she have?
W) Marble
X) Quartzite
Y) Slate
Z) Schist

Answer 21

ANSWER: W) MARBLE

Question 22

12) Math – Short Answer Rounded to the nearest 100, what is 417 times 8?

Answer 22

ANSWER: 3300

Question 23

12) Math – Short Answer A cube and a right rectangular prism have the same volume. If the
dimensions of the prism are 6, 10, and 12, what is the length of each edge of the cube?

Answer 23

ANSWER: 2 TIMES THE CUBE ROOT OF 90

Question 24

13) Life Science – Short Answer Tanning salons can increase the risk of skin cancer due to exposure to light of what region of the electromagnetic spectrum?

Answer 24

ANSWER: UV (ACCEPT: ULTRAVIOLET)

Question 25

13) Life Science – Short Answer Identify all of the following three organisms that are bryophytes [BRYE-oh-fites]: 1) Mosses; 2) Ferns; 3) Pine trees.

Answer 25

ANSWER: 1

Question 26

14) Physical Science – Short Answer What term do chemists use to describe the tendency of an atom to attract shared electrons in a covalent bond?

Answer 26

ANSWER: ELECTRONEGATIVITY

Question 27

14) Physical Science – Short Answer What is the pH of a solution at 25 degrees Celsius if the concentration of hydroxide ions is 10 –4 molar?

Answer 27

ANSWER: 10

Question 28

15) Earth and Space – Multiple Choice Which of the following types of clouds would be most predictive of heavy rain? W) Cumulonimbus [KYOOM-yoo-loh-NIM-bus] X) Cirrus [SEER-us] Y) Altocumulus Z) Stratus

Answer 28

ANSWER: W) CUMULONIMBUS

Question 29

15) Earth and Space – Short Answer Hoarfrost is produced when water vapor undergoes what physical change?

Answer 29

ANSWER: DEPOSITION

Question 30

16) Life Science – Multiple Choice Which of the following is an example of a zoonotic [ZOH-uh-naw-tik] disease? W) Measles X) Bubonic plague Y) Cholera Z) Chicken pox

Answer 30

ANSWER: X) BUBONIC PLAGUE

Question 31

16) Life Science – Short Answer Identify all of the following three diseases that are caused by viruses: 1) West Nile; 2) Influenza; 3) Tetanus.

Answer 31

ANSWER: 1, 2

Question 32

17) Math – Short Answer What is the remainder when 86 is divided by 14?

Answer 32

ANSWER: 2

Question 33

17) Math – Short Answer What is the area of a right triangle with hypotenuse of length 13 and one leg of length 11?

Answer 33

ANSWER: 22√3

Question 34

19) Physical Science – Multiple Choice Which of the following substances likely has the strongest odor? W) NaCl X) Cu Y) NH3 Z) SiO2

Answer 34

ANSWER: Y) NH3

Question 34

18) Energy – Multiple Choice Nuclear power plants in the United States typically either generate power at their full rated capacity, or not at all, even though they have the capability to vary power output. Researchers at Argonne National Lab recently conducted a study that demonstrated the benefits of varying power output to help grid operators rebalance supply and demand in response to unexpected power events. Which of the following alternative energy sources, if attached to the grid, would be most likely to result in unplanned surpluses or shortfalls? W) Biofuel X) Geothermal Y) Wind Z) Biomass

Answer 34

ANSWER: Y) WIND

Question 34

18) Energy – Multiple Choice Los Alamos National Lab researchers are studying a group of pumps known as RND efflux pumps. These proteins perform which of the following types of transport? W) Passive diffusion X) Osmosis Y) Active transport Z) Facilitated diffusion

Answer 34

ANSWER: Y) ACTIVE TRANSPORT

Question 35

19) Physical Science – Short Answer You toss a baseball. Neglecting air resistance, identify all of the following three quantities that stay constant as the baseball travels: 1) Total speed; 2) Vertical speed; 3) Horizontal speed.

Answer 35

ANSWER: 3

Question 36

21) Math – Short Answer What is the degree of the product of the three binomials x + 3, x6 – 7x2 , and x4 – 12?

Answer 36

ANSWER: 11

Question 36

20) Earth and Space – Short Answer What paradox states that, if the universe is infinite and static, then the night sky should be as bright as the Sun?

Answer 36

ANSWER: OLBER'S PARADOX

Question 37

20) Earth and Space – Short Answer The gas tail of a comet points away from the Sun due to its interaction with what stream of particles?

Answer 37

ANSWER: SOLAR WIND

Question 38

21) Math – Short Answer All 24 people at a party want to shake hands with everyone else. To accomplish this, how many handshakes must take place?

Answer 38

ANSWER: 276

Question 39

22) Life Science – Short Answer If you listen to someone’s heart, the sounds you hear originate from the motion of what structures within the heart?

Answer 39

ANSWER: VALVES

Question 40

22) Life Science – Short Answer In marine birds, glands near their eyes will secrete a fluid that drips off their beaks. What is the primary substance that this process is intended to excrete?

Answer 40

ANSWER: SALT (ACCEPT: SODIUM CHLORIDE, SODIUM)

Question 41

23) Physical Science – Short Answer When pushing a friend on a swing, there is a natural frequency that you can apply to the pushes so that your friend achieves maximal height. What is the adjective for this frequency?

Answer 41

ANSWER: RESONANT

Question 42

23) Physical Science – Short Answer Identify all of the following three objects that are chiral: 1) Human hands; 2) Soda can; 3) Shoe.

Answer 42

ANSWER: 1, 3