HS Sample Set 15, Round 3 from NSB

Questions in Packet

TOSS-UP math phrase

In one draw from a deck of cards, what is the probability of getting a red even-numbered card?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 5/26

BONUS math phrase

Solve the following equation for x: 6x – 3 equals the absolute value of (5x – 7).

Acceptable Answers:

  • 10/11

DO NOT ACCEPT:

  • –4

TOSS-UP bio phrase

The malleus bone receives sensory information from what membrane?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Eardrum
  • Tympanic

BONUS bio phrase

Levels of what gas in the blood are most responsible for regulating respiratory rate in humans?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Carbon dioxide
  • CO2

DO NOT ACCEPT:

  • Bicarbonate, Carbonic acid

TOSS-UP ess phrase

The CNO cycle and the triple alpha process are reactions that occur in what entities?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Stars
  • Massive stars

BONUS ess phrase

A satellite is put into orbit about the Sun with a semi-major axis of 4 AU. In Earth years, what will be the period of the satellite's orbit?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 8

TOSS-UP phys phrase

If a particle’s velocity is defined by a certain linear function of time, what physical quantity is defined as the slope of that line?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Acceleration

BONUS phys phrase

What is the power radiated, in watts, by a 50 kΩ resistor that is supplied with a constant 20 mA direct current?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 20

TOSS-UP chem phrase

According to Hund’s rule, how many orbitals of a set of 2p orbitals will have at least one electron in them if the set of orbitals contains four electrons?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 3

BONUS chem multiple_choice

Which of the following bonds is the LEAST polar? W) H-H X) H-C Y) C-N Z) H-N

W: W) H-H

X: X) H-C

Y: Y) C-N

Z: Z) H-N

Answer: W) W) H-H

TOSS-UP energy phrase

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab are developing small-scale experiments to detect low-mass dark matter particles, such as those theorized to compose hot dark matter. What nearly massless leptons could constitute hot dark matter?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Neutrinos
  • Antineutrinos

BONUS energy multiple_choice

Princeton Plasma Physics Lab researchers are exploring the use of lithium metal as a plasma-facing component in the devices they are building. Which of the following devices uses a plasma-facing component? W) Mass spectrometer X) Tokamak Y) Bubble chamber Z) Linear accelerator

W: W) Mass spectrometer

X: X) Tokamak

Y: Y) Bubble chamber

Z: Z) Linear accelerator

Answer: X) X) Tokamak

TOSS-UP phys phrase

A basin of water is connected to two vertically-oriented pistons, one with area 30 cm² and the other with area 75 cm². A 50-kg mass sits on the smaller piston. In kilograms, what mass must be placed on the larger piston in order to place the system in static equilibrium?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 125

BONUS phys phrase

The heat of fusion of water is 80 calories per gram. You wish to fully melt a 50-gram block of ice at 0 °C by adding boiling liquid water. In grams, what is the minimum mass of boiling water you must add?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 40

TOSS-UP math phrase

A bag contains 7 uniquely-colored marbles. Two marbles are drawn simultaneously. How many different combinations are possible?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 21

BONUS math phrase

What is the units digit of 7 raised to the 99th power?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 3

TOSS-UP ess phrase

In what layer of the Earth’s interior will S-waves never be found?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Outer core

BONUS ess multiple_choice

Which of the following statements best describes why the annual temperature range at most latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere is less than that in the Northern Hemisphere? W) Earth is closer to the Sun in the Southern Hemisphere summer X) A larger percentage of the Southern Hemisphere is mountainous Y) There are more cloudy days in the Southern Hemisphere Z) A larger percentage of the Southern Hemisphere is covered by water

W: W) Earth is closer to the Sun in the Southern Hemisphere summer

X: X) A larger percentage of the Southern Hemisphere is mountainous

Y: Y) There are more cloudy days in the Southern Hemisphere

Z: Z) A larger percentage of the Southern Hemisphere is covered by water

Answer: Z) Z) A larger percentage of the Southern Hemisphere is covered by water

TOSS-UP energy multiple_choice

Researchers at Los Alamos National Lab are building long-range radio networks for real-time sensors. Which of the following telescopes is sensitive to radio waves? W) Chandra Observatory X) Hubble Space Telescope Y) Very Large Array Z) Spitzer Space Telescope

W: W) Chandra Observatory

X: X) Hubble Space Telescope

Y: Y) Very Large Array

Z: Z) Spitzer Space Telescope

Answer: Y) Y) Very Large Array

BONUS energy phrase

Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are using computational methods to predict the energies of molecular orbitals. What is the term for a molecular orbital that is symmetric with respect to the inter-nuclear axis?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Sigma orbital
  • Sigma

TOSS-UP chem phrase

What is the adjective for a mixture that has constant composition throughout?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Homogeneous

BONUS chem phrase

Chlorite ions can be reduced by iodide ions to form chloride, water, and solid iodine. In order for a chlorite ion to be completely reduced to chloride, how many molecules of solid iodine are generated?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 2

TOSS-UP bio phrase

A surge in luteinizing hormone is the trigger for what event in the human ovarian cycle?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Ovulation

BONUS bio phrase

Assuming a trophic efficiency of 10%, and expressing your answer as a fraction, what fraction of the energy available in primary producers will be available in the tertiary consumers?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 1/1000

TOSS-UP phys phrase

A parallel-plate capacitor has a capacitance C when it has a certain dielectric between its plates. If the dielectric is switched for one that has a dielectric constant four times as large, by what number will C be multiplied?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 4

BONUS phys phrase

You pull on a 400-newton sled with a rope that makes a 45° angle to the horizontal. If you apply a force of 300 newtons to make the sled move at 2 m/s, how much power, in watts, are you applying onto the sled?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 300√2

TOSS-UP chem multiple_choice

Nick performs an experiment in which he dissolves a known quantity of salt in water at different temperatures and measures the amount of time the salt takes to dissolve completely. What is the independent variable in this experiment? W) The identity of the salt X) The temperature of the water Y) The quantity of the salt Z) The amount of time the salt takes to dissolve completely

W: W) The identity of the salt

X: X) The temperature of the water

Y: Y) The quantity of the salt

Z: Z) The amount of time the salt takes to dissolve completely

Answer: X) X) The temperature of the water

BONUS chem phrase

Consider the reaction of hydrogen and iodine gases to form hydrogen iodide gas at 800 K. If 0.7 mol each of hydrogen and iodine gases are introduced into a 1 L container, and there are 0.6 mol of hydrogen iodide at equilibrium, what is the K₍c₎ for this reaction?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 2.25
  • 9/4, 2 1/4

TOSS-UP ess phrase

The Mesoproterozoic and the Mesozoic are examples of what division of geologic time?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Era

BONUS ess multiselect

Identify all of the following three rock types that could form a pluton: 1) Granite; 2) Andesite; 3) Gabbro.

Choices:

  • Granite
  • Andesite
  • Gabbro

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 3

TOSS-UP bio phrase

Distinct from mitosis, what phenomenon explains why sister chromatids in meiosis are not identical?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Crossing over
  • Chromosomal crossover, crossover events, recombination

BONUS bio phrase

In part of the Hershey–Chase experiment, phages were grown in the presence of a radioactive isotope of what element found in proteins but not in DNA?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Sulfur

TOSS-UP math phrase

A bag contains 24 socks: 6 are red, 8 are white, and 10 are blue. How many socks must you take out to be certain that you will have at least one pair of red socks?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 20

BONUS math phrase

What is the derivative evaluated at x = 7 of the fraction with numerator x³ + 27 and denominator x + 3?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 11

TOSS-UP energy multiple_choice

Brookhaven National Lab researchers are studying leaf properties that change with age of the leaf. Which of the following accurately describes how oak leaves change in their near-infrared absorption over time? W) It increases over the first half of the year, then decreases X) It decreases over the first half of the year, then increases Y) It decreases Z) It increases

W: W) It increases over the first half of the year, then decreases

X: X) It decreases over the first half of the year, then increases

Y: Y) It decreases

Z: Z) It increases

Answer: W) W) It increases over the first half of the year, then decreases

BONUS energy phrase

Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Lab are using microscopy to improve the recycling rate of lithium-ion batteries. What is the most common anode used in lithium-ion batteries?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Graphite

TOSS-UP ess phrase

Puck, Miranda, and Portia are moons of what planet?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Uranus

BONUS ess multiselect

Identify all of the following three statements that are true of sunlight: 1) It is polarized; 2) It is monochromatic; 3) Its peak wavelength corresponds to the color green.

Choices:

  • It is polarized
  • It is monochromatic
  • Its peak wavelength corresponds to the color green

Correct Answers:

  • 3

TOSS-UP chem multiselect

Identify all of the following three compounds that interact mainly via London dispersion forces: 1) Dichloromethane; 2) Phosphorous trichloride; 3) Carbon tetrachloride.

Choices:

  • Dichloromethane
  • Phosphorous trichloride
  • Carbon tetrachloride

Correct Answers:

  • 3

BONUS chem multiselect

Identify all of the following three functional groups that contain double bonds: 1) Carboxyl; 2) Amide; 3) Ester.

Choices:

  • Carboxyl
  • Amide
  • Ester

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

TOSS-UP math phrase

What is the discriminant of the quadratic function y = x² – 6x + 15?

Acceptable Answers:

  • –24

BONUS math phrase

A square has sides of length 10 cm. In square centimeters, what is the difference between the areas of its circumscribing circle and its inscribed circle?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 25π

TOSS-UP bio phrase

Most cases of genomic imprinting involve the addition of what functional group to DNA?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Methyl
  • CH₃

BONUS bio phrase

Whether cleavage is holoblastic or meroblastic in a developing fertilized egg primarily depends on the amount of what substance in the egg?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Yolk

TOSS-UP phys phrase

Calculating the surface integral of an electric field passing through an area results in what physical quantity?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Electric flux

BONUS phys phrase

You are keeping a 2-kg book pressed up against a wall by pushing with just enough force in the horizontal direction to prevent the book from slipping. If you are pushing with 50 N of force, then what is the coefficient of static friction between the book and the wall?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 0.392
  • 49/125