HS Sample Set 11, Round 15 from NSB

Questions in Packet

TOSS-UP chem multiple_choice

Which of the following ligands induces the largest electronic d orbital splitting in a transition metal complex? W) Chloro X) Aqua Y) Cyano Z) Ethylenediamine

W: W) Chloro

X: X) Aqua

Y: Y) Cyano

Z: Z) Ethylenediamine

Answer: Y) Y) Cyano

BONUS chem phrase

Consider an organic compound with no rings in its structure, and with the chemical formula C₁₂H₁₆O₂. What is the number of double bonds in its structure?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 5

TOSS-UP phys phrase

If the radial dependence of the electric field of a monopole is 1/r², what is the long range radial dependence of an electric dipole?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 1/r³

BONUS phys phrase

A weight is sinking in a fluid. The drag force on the weight is equal to a constant times its velocity squared times the density of the fluid. In SI base units, give the dimensions of the constant.

Acceptable Answers:

  • meters squared

TOSS-UP bio multiple_choice

Which of the following cell types is associated with haversian canals? W) Osteocytes X) Chondrocytes Y) Fibroblasts Z) Leukocytes

W: W) Osteocytes

X: X) Chondrocytes

Y: Y) Fibroblasts

Z: Z) Leukocytes

Answer: W) W) Osteocytes

BONUS bio multiselect

Identify all of the following four plants that have evolved mechanisms to reduce bio-energetically wasteful photorespiration: 1) Cactus; 2) Oak trees; 3) Potatoes; 4) Rice.

Choices:

  • Cactus
  • Oak trees
  • Potatoes
  • Rice

Correct Answers:

  • 1

TOSS-UP ess phrase

The greenhouse effect on Venus is primarily attributed to what gas?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Carbon dioxide
  • CO₂

BONUS ess phrase

To the nearest power of ten, how many times as intense is the light we receive from a star with apparent magnitude –1 as that of another star with apparent magnitude 4?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 100

TOSS-UP math phrase

If 6 dice are rolled and the numbers on the top faces are added together, how many different sums are possible?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 31

BONUS math phrase

What is the largest prime factor of the quantity 4²⁰¹⁴ + 4²⁰¹⁵ + 4²⁰¹⁶ + 4²⁰¹⁷?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 17

TOSS-UP energy multiple_choice

The Advanced Light Source can be used to identify elements in batteries and fuel cells. Which of the following tools is most likely used for these purposes at the ALS? W) Fluorescence microscopy X) X-ray absorption spectroscopy Y) NMR spectroscopy Z) Confocal microscopy

W: W) Fluorescence microscopy

X: X) X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Y: Y) NMR spectroscopy

Z: Z) Confocal microscopy

Answer: X) X) X-ray absorption spectroscopy

BONUS energy multiple_choice

Researchers at the Joint Genome Institute have been using new types of fungi to produce biofuels from plant material. Where are these fungi naturally found? W) Forest soils X) Coral reefs Y) Animal guts Z) Swamps

W: W) Forest soils

X: X) Coral reefs

Y: Y) Animal guts

Z: Z) Swamps

Answer: Y) Y) Animal guts

TOSS-UP phys phrase

Compton scattering is the scattering of X-ray photons from what particle?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Electron

BONUS phys multiple_choice

Which of the following is closest to the half-life of a free neutron? W) 1 second X) 10 minutes Y) 100 hours Z) 1000 years

W: W) 1 second

X: X) 10 minutes

Y: Y) 100 hours

Z: Z) 1000 years

Answer: X) X) 10 minutes

TOSS-UP energy phrase

In fluidized bed combustors used for clean coal, what is added to the coal to keep pollutants in check?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Limestone
  • Calcium carbonate

BONUS energy phrase

The great majority of the transistors in integrated circuits are of the CMOS type. What do the letters of the acronym represent?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Complementary metal oxide semiconductor

TOSS-UP chem multiple_choice

Consider the hypothetical reaction 2A (aq) + 2B (g) → 3C (aq) + D (g), ΔH = –22 kJ. Which of the following will drive the reaction toward the products? W) Increasing the temperature X) Increasing the volume of the reaction vessel at constant temperature Y) Increasing the pressure Z) Increasing the amount of D

W: W) Increasing the temperature

X: X) Increasing the volume of the reaction vessel at constant temperature

Y: Y) Increasing the pressure

Z: Z) Increasing the amount of D

Answer: Y) Y) Increasing the pressure

BONUS chem multiple_choice

Which of the following solvents would most accelerate an SN2 reaction? W) Hexane X) Dichloromethane Y) DMSO Z) Ethyl acetate

W: W) Hexane

X: X) Dichloromethane

Y: Y) DMSO

Z: Z) Ethyl acetate

Answer: Y) Y) DMSO

TOSS-UP math phrase

In the integers mod 12, what is 5 times 8?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 4

BONUS math phrase

f(x) is twice differentiable with f′(x) < 0 and f″(x) < 0 for all real x. If f(3) = 12 and f(5) = 8, what is the largest possible integer value for f(7)?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 3

TOSS-UP bio phrase

What is the genus of the harmless gut bacterium that can be transformed by a bacteriophage into a virulent form associated with cholera?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Vibrio

BONUS bio multiple_choice

A disease-linked, spontaneous germ line mutation creates a restriction site for HaeIII. After restriction digestion and agarose gel imaging, which is expected? W) No diagnostic point mutation exists on either chromosome X) Both maternal and paternal chromosomes have the point mutation Y) Either the maternal or the paternal chromosome has the point mutation, but not both Z) The test was inconclusive

W: W) No diagnostic point mutation exists on either chromosome

X: X) Both maternal and paternal chromosomes have the point mutation

Y: Y) Either the maternal or the paternal chromosome has the point mutation, but not both

Z: Z) The test was inconclusive

Answer: Y) Y) Either the maternal or the paternal chromosome has the point mutation, but not both

TOSS-UP ess phrase

According to the Stefan-Boltzmann law, a star with surface temperature three times that of the Sun would emit how many times as much energy as the Sun?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 81

BONUS ess phrase

The closed universe solution of general relativity has mass density exceeding what parameter?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Critical density

TOSS-UP bio phrase

What viral reproductive cycle kills the infected host cell while the virus is dividing?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Lytic cycle

BONUS bio phrase

What is the number of cells present in a mature male angiosperm gametophyte?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 3

TOSS-UP energy multiple_choice

Brookhaven National Lab scientists recently made strides on understanding the nature of Cooper pairs. To which discipline is this most relevant? W) Particle physics X) Superconductor physics Y) Nuclear physics Z) Computational chemistry

W: W) Particle physics

X: X) Superconductor physics

Y: Y) Nuclear physics

Z: Z) Computational chemistry

Answer: X) X) Superconductor physics

BONUS energy multiple_choice

Scientists at Argonne are using x-rays to probe porosity in 3D-printed titanium alloys. Which best explains why porosity is undesirable? W) Porosity decreases resistance to fatigue X) Porosity decreases flexibility Y) A large range of pore sizes reduces printing resolution Z) Porosity limits the size of the structures that can be printed

W: W) Porosity decreases resistance to fatigue

X: X) Porosity decreases flexibility

Y: Y) A large range of pore sizes reduces printing resolution

Z: Z) Porosity limits the size of the structures that can be printed

Answer: W) W) Porosity decreases resistance to fatigue

TOSS-UP ess multiselect

Identify all of the following three statements that are true of the inner planets: 1) Mercury has an atmosphere of primarily methane; 2) All of the inner planets revolve in the same direction around the sun; 3) All of the inner planets rotate in the same direction around their axes.

Choices:

  • Mercury has an atmosphere of primarily methane
  • All of the inner planets revolve in the same direction around the sun
  • All of the inner planets rotate in the same direction around their axes

Correct Answers:

  • 2

BONUS ess multiple_choice

Which of the following is most directly responsible for ocean water downwelling in the mid-ocean gyres? W) Ekman transport X) High surface water density Y) High organic carbon content Z) Sea floor spreading

W: W) Ekman transport

X: X) High surface water density

Y: Y) High organic carbon content

Z: Z) Sea floor spreading

Answer: W) W) Ekman transport

TOSS-UP phys phrase

By what phenomenon can materials emit electrons in response to incident light?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Photoelectric effect

BONUS phys phrase

CPT symmetry is fundamental in physics. What do the C, P, and T stand for?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Charge conjugation; Parity inversion; Time reversal
  • Charge
  • Parity
  • Time

TOSS-UP chem order

Rank the following three elements in order of increasing electron affinities: 1) Carbon; 2) Nitrogen; 3) Oxygen.

Choices:

  • Carbon
  • Nitrogen
  • Oxygen

Correct Order:

  • 2
  • 1
  • 3

BONUS chem phrase

What effect, exploited in the liquefaction of air, causes a gas’s temperature to decrease in an adiabatic isenthalpic expansion?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Joule-Thomson effect
  • Joule-Thomson expansion, Joule-Kelvin effect

TOSS-UP math phrase

What is the volume of a circular cylinder formed by rotating a 5 by 6 rectangular region about one of its shorter sides?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 180π

BONUS math phrase

The sums of three whole numbers taken in pairs are 11, 13, and 14. What is the product of these three numbers?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 240

TOSS-UP ess phrase

What type of extrusive igneous rock, intermediate between basalt and dacite and with approximately 60% silica, is this?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Andesite

BONUS ess multiple_choice

What ocean water mass has the oldest carbon-14 age, meaning it has spent the most time isolated from the atmosphere? W) North Atlantic Deep Water X) Antarctic Bottom Water Y) North Pacific Deep Water Z) Circumpolar Deep Water

W: W) North Atlantic Deep Water

X: X) Antarctic Bottom Water

Y: Y) North Pacific Deep Water

Z: Z) Circumpolar Deep Water

Answer: Y) Y) North Pacific Deep Water

TOSS-UP math phrase

If exactly 10 diagonals of a particular convex polygon contain the same vertex, how many total sides does the polygon have?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 13

BONUS math phrase

In a particular year, if April 15 is on a Wednesday, on what day of the week is December 25?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Friday

TOSS-UP bio phrase

The Ti plasmid can be used to stably transfect some plants. What is the genus of the bacterium that is a vector for this plasmid?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Agrobacterium

BONUS bio multiselect

Identify all of the following four cell types involved in plant transport physiology that are non-living yet functional when mature: 1) Parenchyma; 2) Sclereid; 3) Sieve tube; 4) Tracheid.

Choices:

  • Parenchyma
  • Sclereid
  • Sieve tube
  • Tracheid

Correct Answers:

  • 2
  • 4

TOSS-UP phys multiselect

Identify all of the following three particles that, according to the standard model, can be affected by gravity: 1) Electron; 2) Pion; 3) Gluon.

Choices:

  • Electron
  • Pion
  • Gluon

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 2

BONUS phys phrase

In fluorescence microscopy, energy from absorbed photons is re-emitted as new photons. If the new photons have only two-thirds of the momentum of the absorbed photons, what is the ratio of the wavelength of the new photons to that of the absorbed photons?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 3/2
  • 1.5
  • 1 ½
  • 3 to 2

TOSS-UP chem phrase

What is the IUPAC name for the cyclic saturated hydrocarbon containing four carbon atoms?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Cyclobutane

BONUS chem multiselect

Identify all of the following three functional groups that commonly participate in addition reactions: 1) Aldehyde; 2) Alkene; 3) Alkyl halide.

Choices:

  • Aldehyde
  • Alkene
  • Alkyl halide

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 2