thumbnail

Science General Knowledge #3

Can you answer these random questions from the realm of science?
Quiz by Quizmaster
Rate:
Last updated: March 13, 2020
You have not attempted this quiz yet.
First submittedMay 15, 2016
Times taken69,828
Average score65.0%
Rating4.46
5:00
Enter answer here
0
 / 20 guessed
The quiz is paused. You have remaining.
Scoring
You scored / = %
This beats or equals % of test takers also scored 100%
The average score is
Your high score is
Your fastest time is
Keep scrolling down for answers and more stats ...
Question
Answer
What are the three major types of rock?
Igneous
Metamorphic
Sedimentary
What theory states that universe expanded from an extremely hot
dense state about 13.8 billion years ago?
Big Bang Theory
What "ology" is the study of weather?
Meteorology
What part of a human cell has its own non-human DNA?
Mitochondria
What prefix is the opposite of hypo?
Hyper
What is thought to be at the center of the Milky Way?
Supermassive
black hole
Through what process does the sun turn hydrogen into helium?
Nuclear fusion
What unit of power is defined as one joule per second?
Watt
Where can one find a stalagmite?
In a cave
What does a thermophile love?
High temperatures
What is the term for the distance between the Earth and the Sun?
Astronomical Unit
What kingdom do yeasts and mushrooms belong to?
Fungi
What is measured on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with the highest rating being EF-5?
Tornadoes
What gas is the primary reason for human-caused global warming?
Carbon Dioxide
What gland, located at the base of the brain, produces human growth hormone?
Pituitary
What substance, added to salt, has largely eliminated cretinism in the developed world?
Iodine
What does a Geiger counter measure?
Ionizing radiation
What gas is commonly known as "laughing gas"?
Nitrous Oxide
+3
Level 85
May 15, 2016
"Human mitochondrial DNA was the first significant part of the human genome to be sequenced." (Wikipedia) Why do you say it is non-human?
+14
Level 83
May 16, 2016
There is both human DNA and "foreign" DNA in mitochondria. The theory is that they are ancient microscopic creatures that evolved to have a symbiotic relationship with eukaryotic cells, and eventually became a part of them. But they still retain some of their own DNA as well as having human DNA in them.
+4
Level 77
Nov 22, 2019
This is nonsense. All of our DNA has evolved from other creatures. But as it's passed on by one human to another it is obviously human DNA.
+4
Level 70
May 29, 2020
@CardinalSin: But every cell in the human body has identical DNA (inherited from both parents), while mitochondria also have a separate set of DNA, which is inherited only from your mother.
+3
Level 62
May 31, 2020
And what? Your mother is not a human being?
+1
Level 69
Sep 18, 2021
No, your mother got her mitochondria from her mother and hers from her mother all the way until that one cell improperly swallowed another. Mitochondria act like separate beings in your body with their own separate DNA.
+6
Level 92
Sep 26, 2022
And when you learn to quiet your mind, you'll hear them speaking to you, telling you the will of the Force.
+1
Level 68
Jan 1, 2024
I'm yet to find any reliable source for the claim that mitochondrial DNA is "non-human". Indeed, as CardinalSin has said - it's a routine aspect of every human's biology, so I don't even think that "non-human" claim makes any sense.

Otherwise we might as well claim that things like shoulder blades are also "non-human" because they originally arose in pierolapithecus catalaunicus (a pre-cursor to homo sapiens).

+1
Level 75
May 15, 2016
Also accept radioactivity?
+1
Level ∞
May 16, 2016
Okay
+1
Level 38
Sep 21, 2016
Discovered by Madame Curie
+1
Level 68
Oct 16, 2020
It's in the air for you and me
+1
Level 77
May 16, 2016
How about "mitochondrium" for us non-English folks? Feels unfair to get "mitochondri" right and then not get it because failed on the last letter. Especially when you accept just "nitrous" for nitrous oxide. (Which should probably also be "nitros" in American, because "colour" becomes "color" and so on..)
+8
Level ∞
May 16, 2016
Mitochondrium would have worked. Also, o and ou have different sounds. Webster didn't just replace every ou with an o.
+6
Level 70
Sep 1, 2021
Thanks four this explanatioun, I just fond ot soumething interesting!
+1
Level 63
Sep 27, 2022
I hate this lmao
+3
Level 77
Feb 24, 2018
Mitochondrium is the singular of mitochondria, so it really should be accepted anyway.
+4
Level 81
May 29, 2020
I thought the singular was mitochondrion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrion

+1
Level 63
Sep 27, 2022
It is.
+3
Level 56
Sep 18, 2016
So, cretin is not only an insult. Today I learned.
+1
Level 59
Nov 10, 2016
+1!
+1
Level 76
Sep 26, 2022
+4
Level 65
Sep 18, 2016
I don't understand why you just accept Nitrous, without the Oxide.

That's like asking who wrote Great Expectations and just accepting Charles! haha

+1
Level 47
Sep 18, 2016
I agree with that. Some people, like me, knew the whole name. Other may only know the first word, and would still get the point, whereas some who only know the second word wouldn't, despite both knowing only 50% of the answer. How is that fair?
+1
Level 22
Sep 22, 2016
Have you played any racing games?
+6
Level 86
Jul 26, 2018
"Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or nitrous . . ." (emphasis mine)
+3
Level 35
Jul 29, 2022
I think its called nitrous colloquially when used as a recreational drug. IMO colloquialisms should be fine, as they are common names used for the substance
+1
Level 57
Sep 18, 2016
I would say a Geiger counter measures decays/counts per second
+1
Level 71
Sep 20, 2016
Bully for you!
+1
Level 72
Mar 3, 2020
what type of decays would those be?
+1
Level 53
Sep 19, 2016
"Meteorology" doesn't work as a valid answer.
+2
Level 63
Sep 19, 2016
You cant type in Meteorology because Meteor solves the clue
+9
Level 51
Sep 21, 2016
I really hoped that "Nougat" worked for the Milky Way question. I was sorely disappointed.
+2
Level 35
Sep 22, 2016
Hahahaha :-)
+1
Level 75
Sep 22, 2016
"Epi" could also fit as the opposite of "hypo" - hypo meaning deep (hypodermic, hypocenter [of earthquakes]; epi mean surface - (epidermis, epicenter).
+1
Level 26
Sep 23, 2016
Accept NO for Nitrous Oxide
+16
Level 53
Sep 27, 2016
NO.
+5
Level 82
Nov 4, 2016
NO is something different. Nitrous oxide is N2O, which is accepted.
+2
Level 76
Sep 26, 2022
+4
Level 50
Feb 9, 2017
The hint should say "What is the power house of the cell.
+9
Level 73
Aug 1, 2017
Three types of rock. Classic, grunge, alternative?
+7
Level 86
Jul 26, 2018
You forgot art, experimental, garage, glam, hard, heartland, indie, occult, progressive, psychedelic, punk, roots, soft, blues, country, dance, electronic, folk, funk, industrial, Latin, noise, pop, raga, rap, reggae, samba, stoner, and sufi.
+1
Level 72
Feb 13, 2018
How about "warmth" for thermophilia?
+1
Level 86
Oct 22, 2019
Or heat?
+1
Level ∞
Mar 13, 2020
Heat would have worked. Warmth will work now as well.
+2
Level 78
Apr 27, 2021
I think you mean now rather than not.
+1
Level 65
Jan 4, 2019
I basicly typed everything besides tornadoes, twice, (4 times if you count singular and plural...) storm, hurricane, typhoon, cycloon, (and another one I believe...) And yea I know, they arent all interchangable.
+2
Level 50
Jan 2, 2020
Put nitrogen oxide and nitric oxide 🙄
+1
Level 43
May 30, 2020
They are not the same. Nitric oxide is NO and nitrous oxide is N2O. They are part of nitrogen oxide (NOx).
+1
Level 76
Sep 26, 2022
Why should they accept incorrect answers?
+1
Level 67
Mar 3, 2020
Got Iodine
+2
Level 76
Mar 3, 2020
On the yeast and mushroom question, for a brief moment I was tempted to write Mushroom Kingdom...
+3
Level 69
Mar 29, 2020
Can you please accept SMBH for SuperMassive Black Hole?
+2
Level 65
May 29, 2020
I feel like hot springs or hydrothermal vents should work for thermophiles because that's really where you hear that term
+1
Level 74
May 29, 2020
Someone really loves his rocks, I've seen that question so many times on this site.
+2
Level 75
May 29, 2020
And yet I always forget one of them every time - usually a different one each time.
+1
Level 88
May 29, 2020
Maybe accept some type ins for the global warming clue? I tried greenhouse gas(ses), gas emissions, emissions, flourocarbons, oil, and a few others.
+2
Level 76
Sep 26, 2022
But the question is asking "Which gas..."
+1
Level 60
May 29, 2020
Accept Wind Speed for Tornadoes, Saprophytes for Fungi and Clorofloro Carbons for CO2
+3
Level ∞
May 29, 2020
No thanks.
+2
Level 57
May 29, 2020
I love that nos is accepted for nitrous oxide. Nice
+1
Level 24
May 30, 2020
Accept metamorphous for metamorphic. That's what I learned in school.
+1
Level 76
Jun 2, 2020
I tried "Nitric Oxide". sigh...
+1
Level 54
Sep 21, 2020
Can you add NO2 as an option for nitrous oxide?
+1
Level 43
Oct 30, 2020
I believe it is N2O, not NO2.
+1
Level 83
Oct 27, 2020
What unit of power is defined as one Joule per second?

Yes!

+1
Level 49
Jun 18, 2021
could you please also add magmatic as an alternative for igneous rocks
+2
Level 48
Aug 15, 2021
But you forgot to mention that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell
+1
Level 27
Mar 8, 2022
You can accept Mycota also for Kingdom Fungi. Both are correct imo.
+3
Level 68
Jun 8, 2022
It is no longer 'thought' that the Milky Way has a black hole at the center, we even have pictures /a> of it now :)
+1
Level 67
Sep 26, 2022
I got "nitrous oxide" from the movie Black Sheep, "Supermassive Black Hole" from the Muse song of the same name, "fusion" from the They Might Be Giants song "Why Does the Sun Shine?" and although I knew the answer anyway, I note that the clue for the Big Bang Theory is a close paraphrasing of the opening line to the theme song of the show of the same name. Education through television!
+1
Level 63
Sep 27, 2022
I put Nitric Oxide and not Nitrous Oxide...gahhh
+1
Level 62
Sep 27, 2022
I love how many people in the comments are so confident correcting the quiz when they know nothing about anything
+3
Level 31
Dec 13, 2022
Omg I didn't read the title and tried to put metal and alternative as types of rocks
+1
Level 67
Feb 2, 2023
Love this
+1
Level 67
Feb 2, 2023
17/20, missed radiation, tornadoes, and astronomical unit
+1
Level 45
Jul 19, 2023
tried warm temperatures, then tried hot temperatures and gave up..... nice
+1
Level 27
Nov 7, 2023
Please accept "stellar nucleosynthesis" as an answer with nuclear fusion, it's valid too
+1
Level 68
Dec 7, 2023
The cause of global warming is a matter of controversy, and shouldn't be a fact question.
+1
Level 76
Jan 8, 2024
It's really not, and it really should.