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Challenging questions in thermodynamics, genetics, astronomy and more!
1. What is the name of the largest known type of star?
💡 Hypergiants are the largest known stars. UY Scuti, a hypergiant, has a radius about 1,700 times that of our Sun.
2. What is the name of the subatomic particles that make up protons and neutrons?
💡 Protons and neutrons are made of quarks. A proton contains two up quarks and one down quark; a neutron has two down and one up.
3. What is the name of the bond between water molecules due to partial charges?
💡 Hydrogen bonds form between the partial positive charge of hydrogen and the partial negative charge of oxygen in adjacent water molecules.
4. What is the name of the scale used to measure the acidity or alkalinity of a solution?
💡 The pH scale ranges from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most alkaline/basic), with 7 being neutral (pure water).
5. What is the name of the process where plants convert light energy into chemical energy?
💡 Photosynthesis converts CO₂ and water into glucose and oxygen using light energy, summarized as: 6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂.
6. How many chromosomes does a normal human cell contain?
💡 Human cells contain 46 chromosomes arranged in 23 pairs — 22 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes.
7. What is the name of the experiment that demonstrated DNA is the genetic material?
💡 The Hershey-Chase experiment (1952) used bacteriophages to prove that DNA, not protein, is the genetic material.
8. What is the name of the scale that measures the magnitude of earthquakes?
💡 The Richter scale measures earthquake magnitude based on seismic wave amplitude, developed by Charles Richter in 1935.
9. What is the term for the measure of disorder or randomness in a system?
💡 Entropy (S) is a thermodynamic quantity measuring the degree of disorder in a system. It always increases in isolated systems.
10. What is the term for the time it takes for half of a radioactive sample to decay?
💡 Half-life is the time for half the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay. Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,730 years.
11. What is the term for the bending of waves around obstacles?
💡 Diffraction is the spreading of waves around obstacles or through openings, observed in light, sound, and water waves.
12. What is the name of Einstein's famous equation relating mass and energy?
💡 Einstein's E = mc² states that energy equals mass times the speed of light squared, showing mass and energy are equivalent.
13. What is the name of the scientist who proposed the heliocentric model of the solar system?
💡 Copernicus proposed in 1543 that the Sun, not Earth, is the center of the solar system, starting the Copernican Revolution.
14. What is the second law of thermodynamics?
💡 The second law states that entropy (disorder) always increases in an isolated system, explaining why heat flows from hot to cold.
15. What is the name of the fluid-filled sac that cushions the joints?
💡 Bursae are small fluid-filled sacs that reduce friction and cushion bones, tendons, and muscles near joints.
16. What is the name of the structure that connects a muscle to a bone?
💡 Tendons are tough fibrous connective tissue cords that attach muscles to bones, transmitting the force of muscle contraction.
17. What is the name of the naturally occurring process that causes climate change by trapping heat?
💡 The greenhouse effect occurs when atmospheric gases (CO₂, methane) trap outgoing infrared radiation, warming the planet.
18. What is the name of the molecule that transfers amino acids to ribosomes during protein synthesis?
💡 Transfer RNA (tRNA) carries specific amino acids to the ribosome, matching codons on mRNA to build the protein chain.
19. What is the Chandrasekhar limit?
💡 The Chandrasekhar limit (~1.4 solar masses) is the maximum mass a white dwarf star can have before collapsing into a neutron star.
20. What is the study of heredity and genetic variation called?
💡 Genetics is the branch of biology studying genes, heredity, and genetic variation in living organisms.