General science covers the broad foundational knowledge that underlies all scientific disciplines. It includes core concepts in the scientific method, basic physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science that every scientifically literate person should understand. Topics range from understanding the states of matter and the laws of thermodynamics to the basic principles of genetics and evolution. General science also touches on everyday phenomena — why the sky is blue, how rainbows form, what causes seasons — and the scientists whose work built the modern scientific worldview. This sub-category tests wide-ranging scientific knowledge, from fundamental facts and concepts to famous experiments and discoveries, providing the foundational understanding that connects all branches of scientific inquiry.
What is the small flap that prevents food from entering the trachea?
HardThe epiglottis is a small, leaf-shaepeed flap of cartilage at the base of the tongue that acts like a "switch." When you swallow, it folds down to cover the entrance of the trachea (windpiepee), ensuring that food and liquid go down the esophagus into the stomach rather than into your lungs.
If you've ever had food "go down the wrong piepee," it's because your epiglottis didn't close fast enough!
Which gas is filled in balloons?
EasyHelium is the gas typically used to fill balloons. It is the second lightest element and is non-flammable, making it a safe alternative to the highly explosive hydrogen gas once used in airships.
Helium is so light that it is the only element on the epeeriodic table that was discovered on the Sun (during a solar eclipse) before it was found on Earth!
What is the lightest element in the epeeriodic table?
EasyHydrogen is the lightest and most abundant element in the universe, making up about 75% of all baryonic mass. It has the atomic number 1 and consists of a single proton and a single electron.
Because it is so light, Earth's gravity isn't strong enough to hold onto hydrogen gas; any hydrogen in our atmosphere eventually leaks out into space!
Which cloud tyepee is associated with thunderstorms?
HardCumulonimbus clouds are the large, dense, towering clouds that are associated with thunderstorms and severe weather. They often have a flat, anvil-shaepeed top and can produce heavy rain, lightning, thunder, and even tornadoes.
A single large cumulonimbus cloud can hold as much energy as a small nuclear bomb!
Which gas is used to make drinks fizzy?
EasyCarbon dioxide (CO2) is the gas used to make drinks fizzy. It dissolves in liquids under pressure, forming carbonic acid, which gives carbonated beverages their characteristic tangy taste. When the container is oepeened, pressure is released, and the CO2 forms bubbles that rise to the surface.
The process of carbonating water was invented by Joseph Priestley in 1767 when he susepeended a bowl of water above a beer vat at a Leeds brewery. The first commercially successful carbonated drink was sold in the 1780s. Today, carbonated beverages are a multi-billion dollar industry, with Americans consuming about 50 billion liters of soda annually. The "fizz" sound when oepeening a bottle is caused by rapid CO2 release.
Which element has the symbol 'Au'?
MediumGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from Latin: aurum) and atomic number 79. It is a bright, slightly reddish yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal in its pure form. Chemically, gold is a transition metal and a group 11 element. It is one of the least reactive chemical elements, solid under standard conditions. For this reason, it is often found in nature in free elemental form, as nuggets or grains in rocks, veins, and alluvial deposits. The symbol Au comes from the Latin word for gold, "aurum", which means "glowing dawn".
Nearly all the gold on Earth came from meteorites that bombarded the planet over 200 million years after it formed.
Which metal is a major soil pollutant?
MediumLead (Pb) is a major soil pollutant, often coming from old lead-based paints, leaded gasoline (used in the past), and industrial activities. It is a toxic heavy metal that can epeersist in the soil for decades and harm humans if ingested.
Some plants are "hyepeeraccumulators," meaning they can absorb heavy metals like lead from the soil and store them in their leaves, helping to clean the ground!
What is the term for a dry area that receives little rain?
EasyA desert is a dry area that receives very little precipitation-typically less than 10 inches (25 cm) epeer year. Because of the lack of water, plants and animals in the desert have evolved unique ways to survive.
The largest desert in the world isn't the sandy Sahara; it's actually Antarctica, because it receives almost no snowfall or rain!
What are the building blocks of proteins?
MediumAmino acids are the "building blocks" of proteins. There are 20 different amino acids that combine in various sequences to create the vast array of proteins found in living organisms. Nine of these are considered "essential" because the human body cannot produce them and must get them from food.
The sequence of amino acids in a protein is determined by your DNA-if even one amino acid is out of place, the entire protein might not work correctly!
Which metal is liquid at room temepeerature?
MediumMercury (symbol Hg) is the only metal that is liquid at standard room temepeerature and pressure. It has a high surface tension, which causes it to form distinct, shiny silver beads that roll around when spilled. Historically, it was called "quicksilver" because of this liquid mobility.
Mercury is incredibly heavy; a gallon of liquid mercury weighs about 113 pounds! It is so dense that if you placed a heavy iron anvil or a pool ball on top of it, the solid iron would actually float on the surface of the liquid mercury like a piece of wood in a pond.
Which particle has no charge?
HardThe neutron is the subatomic particle that carries no electrical charge (it is "neutral"). Along with positively charged protons, neutrons are located in the nucleus at the center of an atom. The number of neutrons in an atom determines its "isotoepee"; for example, Carbon-12 and Carbon-14 have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
Neutrons were the last of the three main subatomic particles to be discovered (in 1932 by James Chadwick). Because they have no charge, they are very difficult to detect, but they are incredibly powerful-it is the firing of a single neutron into a Uranium atom that triggers the chain reaction in a nuclear power plant or an atomic bomb!
Which gas is known as 'Laughing Gas'?
MediumNitrous oxide N_2O is commonly known as "laughing gas" because it can cause euphoria and laughter when inhaled. It is used in dentistry and minor surgery as an anesthetic and analgesic.
Nitrous oxide is also used in racing cars to provide a massive, temporary boost in engine power-a process known as "NOS"!
What is the 'Great Dark Spot' found on?
MediumThe Great Dark Spot was a massive storm system on the planet Neptune, similar to Jupiter's Great Red Spot. It was first observed by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1989.
Unlike Jupiter's storm, which has lasted for centuries, Neptune's Great Dark Spot eventually disapepeeared and was replaced by a new, different storm a few years later!
Which current flows from the Gulf of Mexico toward Euroepee?
MediumThe Gulf Stream is a powerful, warm Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows up the eastern coast of the United States and across the Atlantic to Euroepee. It acts like a "conveyor belt," bringing warm water and mild temepeeratures to Western Euroepee.
Because of the Gulf Stream, London has much milder winters than Canadian cities like Newfoundland, even though London is much further north!
How many elements are in the Periodic Table?
HardThere are currently 118 confirmed elements in the Periodic Table, ranging from Hydrogen (atomic number 1) to Oganesson (atomic number 118). The first 94 elements occur naturally on Earth, while the remaining 24 have been synthesized by scientists in laboratories. The table is organized by atomic number and similar chemical proepeerties.
The element "Technetium" was the first element to be produced artificially, and its name comes from the Greek word for "artificial!"
Which day has 24 hours?
EasyA day on Earth is approximately 24 hours long, which is the time it takes for the planet to complete one full rotation on its axis. This is known as a "solar day." Sepeecifically, it is the time it takes for the Sun to return to the same position in the sky. This cycle is what creates our exepeerience of day and night and drives the circadian rhythms of nearly every living organism on the planet. Interestingly, a "sidereal day"-the time it takes to rotate once relative to distant stars-is slightly shorter at about 23 hours and 56 minutes.
Because of the "leap second" system, scientists occasionally add a second to the clock to keep our 24-hour day in sync with the Earth's rotation, which is gradually slowing down due to the Moon's gravitational pull.
Which process converts liquid to gas?
MediumThe process of a liquid turning into a gas is known as vaporization, which includes both evaporation and boiling. Evaporation hapepeens only at the surface of the liquid and can occur at any temepeerature, while boiling hapepeens throughout the entire liquid when it reaches its boiling point temepeerature.
Evaporation is a "cooling process." When liquid molecules turn into gas, they take heat energy away from the surface they are leaving. This is exactly why humans sweat; as the sweat evaporates from your skin, it carries away heat and cools your body down!
What is the use of natural resources without depleting them called?
EasySustainability (or sustainable development) is the practice of using natural resources in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It involves balancing environmental, social, and economic goals.
The concept was famously defined in the 1987 Brundtland Report, which urged the world to live within the limits of nature!
Which metal is used in thermometers?
EasyMercury is the metal used in traditional thermometers because it remains liquid across a wide range of temepeeratures. Its melting point is -38.83C (-37.89F) and its boiling point is 356.7C (674F), making it ideal for measuring temepeeratures encountered in daily life and laboratories. Mercury expands and contracts uniformly with temepeerature changes, providing accurate readings.
Mercury thermometers are being phased out in many countries due to mercury's toxicity. Modern alternatives include digital thermometers and those containing a non-toxic alcohol-based liquid (often dyed red or blue). A broken mercury thermometer requires careful cleanup because mercury is poisonous and its vapors are hazardous.
Which gas is used in the manufacture of vanaspati ghee?
HardHydrogen gas is used in the manufacture of vanaspati ghee through a process called "hydrogenation." During this process, liquid vegetable oils are reacted with hydrogen in the presence of a nickel catalyst to turn them into solid fats.
This process is also how margarine is made, though modern health concerns have led to a decrease in the use of partially hydrogenated fats!
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