THE SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM
207-780-4249 www.usm.maine.edu/planet
<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usm.maine.edu%2Fplanet&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHulkHuLP13bOG2PkNrPazsGWFs2A>
70 Falmouth Street Portland, Maine 04103
43.6667° N 70.2667° W
Altitude: 10 feet below sea level
Founded January 1970
Julian Date: 2458872.16
2019-2020: XCI
"If I have seen further than others, it is by standing on the
shoulders of giants."
-Isaac Newton
THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Friday, January 24, 2020
Quiz XIX: A Smattering of Science
We'll often take a break from astronomy on Fridays with our weekly quiz.
These quizzes can pertain to all manner of topics from history to
geography to movies and -for example, next week- the Super Bowl!
Today, while we will dabble in a bit in astronomy, we'll include a
smattering of other sciences, as well, hence the quiz title. Ok, so we
included one geography question, even though some insist geography isn't a
science at all. (If you think we're going to delve headfirst into
that controversy, you're crazy.)
Before we send you off for what we hope will be a splendid weekend, we
wanted to offer this scientific quiz: a perfect sampler of natural
philosophy.
1. Why is grass green?
a. it reflects the green part of sunlight back to your eyes
b. because the Sun's maximum energy output is in the green part of
the visible spectrum
c. it isn't green. It is actually yellow, but only appears green
because you see it under a blue sky
d. nobody knows
2. Why is the sky blue?
a. it is reflecting the color of the ocean
b. the atmosphere scatters blue light across the sky, so it appears
blue
c. the sky is actually purple. It appears blue because you're
seeing a yellow star within it
d. that's the color the programmers chose
3. Hey, someone just hit you in the back with an igneous rock. What is
true about that rock?
a. it formed through the gradual accumulation of sediment
b. it formed from magma that cooled
c. it is a meteorite
d. it will shatter when it hits your back no matter how hard its
thrown.
4. Humans have an estimated number of 762 _____________.
a. bones
b. pancreas regenerations during one lifetime (assuming a 76 year
life span)
c. distinct muscles
d. hairs in each eyebrow
5. ________ kill approximately 1,000,000 people per year
a. beetles
b. fire ants
c. bees
d. mosquitos
6. The temperature each day is generally lowest around ___________.
a. the time of sunrise
b. midnight
c. 2 a.m.
d. 11:00 p.m.
7. If you could travel at light speed, which of the following would be
true? (Could be more than one)
a. time would stop
b. if you took one step forward in the craft's direction, you
could theoretically look back and see yourself
c. division by zero would be possible
d. every star outside the window would appear shrouded in a halo of
eerie blue light
8. Halley's Comet is expected to return to Earth's skies in ______________
a. two weeks
b. 2033
c. 2061
d. 2099
9. ___% of people live south of the Equator
a. 20
b. 40
c. 50
d. 54
10. The air at the summit of Mount Everest has ___ the amount of oxygen
per unit volume than the air at sea level.
a. 1/8
b. 1/3
c. 1/2
d. actually, the amount of oxygen is the same, when measured per
unit volume of air
ANSWERS
1. a. it reflects the green part of sunlight back to your eyes
2. b. the atmosphere scatters blue light across the sky, so it appears
blue
3. b. it formed from magma that cooled
4. c. distinct muscles
5. d. mosquitos
6. a. the time of sunrise
7. a. time would stop
8. c. 2061
9. a. 20
10. b. 1/3
To subscribe or unsubscribe from the "Daily Astronomer"
http://lists.maine.edu/cgi/wa?A0=DAILY-ASTRONOMER
<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Flists.maine.edu%2Fcgi%2Fwa%3FA0%3DDAILY-ASTRONOMER&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFP9Eoz-heh9FLK7snu6AgAaVuFtw>