MS Sample Set 14, Round 12 from NSB

Questions in Packet

TOSS-UP ess phrase

In what phase must the moon be during a total solar eclipse?

Acceptable Answers:

  • NEW MOON
  • NEW

BONUS ess multiple_choice

Stony-iron meteorites are most similar in composition to what part of the Earth? W) Core-mantle boundary X) Outer core Y) Inner core Z) Crust

W: W) Core-mantle boundary

X: X) Outer core

Y: Y) Inner core

Z: Z) Crust

Answer: W) W) Core-mantle boundary

TOSS-UP energy multiple_choice

Scientists at the Joint BioEnergy Institute are using CRISPR/Cas9 technology on fungi. Which of the following best describes what they are trying to do to the fungi? W) Edit their genomes X) Sequence their DNA Y) Capture ribosomal protein products Z) Analyze their transcriptome

W: W) Edit their genomes

X: X) Sequence their DNA

Y: Y) Capture ribosomal protein products

Z: Z) Analyze their transcriptome

Answer: W) W) Edit their genomes

BONUS energy phrase

Scientists at the Joint Genome Institute reported that a group of microbes can synthesize methyl benzene. What is the preferred IUPAC name for this compound?

Acceptable Answers:

  • TOLUENE

TOSS-UP bio phrase

Other than skeletal and smooth muscle, vertebrates also possess what type of muscle characterized by high electrical conductivity?

Acceptable Answers:

  • CARDIAC
  • HEART

BONUS bio multiple_choice

Which of the following animals best exhibits aposematic coloration as a defense mechanism? W) Leopard X) Zebra Y) Chameleon Z) Bee

W: W) Leopard

X: X) Zebra

Y: Y) Chameleon

Z: Z) Bee

Answer: Z) Z) Bee

TOSS-UP phys phrase

If a projectile is dropped from a height of one kilometer with no initial speed, how many meters will it fall in 10 seconds?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 490

BONUS phys phrase

The level of glucose in Rishi’s blood is 90 milligrams per deciliter. If the molar mass of glucose is 180 grams per mole, what is the molarity of glucose in Rishi’s blood, to the nearest millimolar?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 5

TOSS-UP math phrase

What is 242 – 212?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 135

BONUS math phrase

To the nearest whole number, 128 kilometers per hour is how many meters per second?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 36

TOSS-UP ess multiple_choice

Which of the following types of clouds would most likely result in precipitation? W) Nimbostratus X) Altostratus Y) Cirrus Z) Cumulus

W: W) Nimbostratus

X: X) Altostratus

Y: Y) Cirrus

Z: Z) Cumulus

Answer: W) W) Nimbostratus

BONUS ess multiselect

Identify all of the following three ocean floor features that are associated with convergent plate boundaries: 1) Deep-ocean trench; 2) Accretionary wedge; 3) Rift valley.

Choices:

  • Deep-ocean trench
  • Accretionary wedge
  • Rift valley

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 2

TOSS-UP energy multiple_choice

Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab are working on methods to increase the recyclability of PET, a common material in plastic. Which of the following terms best describes PET? W) Inorganic material X) Organic polymer Y) Biopolymer Z) Alkane

W: W) Inorganic material

X: X) Organic polymer

Y: Y) Biopolymer

Z: Z) Alkane

Answer: X) X) Organic polymer

BONUS energy phrase

Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley Lab are studying the binding properties of N-acetylglucosamine. This is a sugar in which an acetyl group has been attached to what element in glucosamine?

Acceptable Answers:

  • NITROGEN
  • N

TOSS-UP bio phrase

Rhizobium bacteria, which are often found in legume roots, are responsible for helping their host plant obtain what essential element?

Acceptable Answers:

  • NITROGEN

BONUS bio phrase

In order to fix nearsightedness, a lens must have at least one surface with what type of curvature?

Acceptable Answers:

  • CONCAVE

TOSS-UP ess phrase

Uranus has an inclination to orbit of approximately 98 degrees and an orbital period of approximately 84 Earth years. Giving your answer to the nearest whole Earth year, how much time will pass between the summer solstice and the closest vernal equinox on Uranus?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 21

BONUS ess phrase

The Chandrasekhar limit is an upper bound on the mass of what type of star?

Acceptable Answers:

  • WHITE DWARF

TOSS-UP phys multiple_choice

Ejecting electrons from the ground state of a metal atom typically requires light from which of the following regions of the electromagnetic spectrum? W) Radio X) X-ray Y) Infrared Z) Visible

W: W) Radio

X: X) X-ray

Y: Y) Infrared

Z: Z) Visible

Answer: X) X) X-ray

BONUS phys phrase

Suppose that a projectile is thrown vertically upwards with a speed of 20 meters per second from the top of a building. The projectile takes 6 seconds to reach the ground. How high was the building in meters, given to one significant figure?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 60

TOSS-UP math multiple_choice

A rectangle has side lengths that are integers greater than one. Which of the following could be its area? W) 83 X) 89 Y) 91 Z) 97

W: W) 83

X: X) 89

Y: Y) 91

Z: Z) 97

Answer: Y) Y) 91

BONUS math phrase

The mean number of weekly work hours for 16 part-time employees at a store is 17. The mean number of hours for 5 of the employees is 13. To the nearest whole number, what is the mean number of hours for the rest of the employees?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 19

TOSS-UP energy phrase

Scientists at Oak Ridge National Lab are using carbon nanotubes to remove salt from water. What is the VSEPR hybridization of the carbon atoms in these nanotubes?

Acceptable Answers:

  • SP2

BONUS energy phrase

In order to study post-translational modifications on proteins, Pacific Northwest National Lab researchers are employing a technique that involves two steps of mass spectrometry, in which ions are fragmented between the two mass spectrometry stages. What is the general term for this type of mass spectrometry?

Acceptable Answers:

  • MS/MS
  • MS SQUARED, TANDEM MASS SPECTROMETRY

TOSS-UP bio phrase

What organ in the inner ear serves to detect sound and translate the signal into neurological activity?

Acceptable Answers:

  • COCHLEA
  • ORGAN OF CORTI, SPIRAL ORGAN

BONUS bio phrase

Under physiological conditions, which nitrogenous base has the ability to pair with more than one other type of nitrogenous base?

Acceptable Answers:

  • A
  • ADENINE

TOSS-UP math phrase

One night, Mary started reading at the top of page 124 in her latest science fiction book and finished at the bottom of page 255. How many pages did she read?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 132

BONUS math phrase

What is the remainder when the polynomial $$x^3 + 4x^2 + x - 7$$ is divided by $$x + 5$$?

Acceptable Answers:

  • -37

TOSS-UP ess multiple_choice

Which of the following is found in the littoral zone? W) Deep sea trench X) Seamount Y) Continental rise Z) Beach

W: W) Deep sea trench

X: X) Seamount

Y: Y) Continental rise

Z: Z) Beach

Answer: Z) Z) Beach

BONUS ess multiselect

Identify all of the following three minerals that do not exhibit cleavage: 1) Feldspar; 2) Fluorite; 3) Quartz.

Choices:

  • Feldspar
  • Fluorite
  • Quartz

Correct Answers:

  • 3

TOSS-UP phys phrase

What is the term for the upward force exerted by a fluid on any object submerged in the fluid?

Acceptable Answers:

  • BUOYANT FORCE

BONUS phys phrase

What type of current is produced by a generator that produces electricity by spinning a loop of wire in a magnetic field?

Acceptable Answers:

  • ALTERNATING CURRENT
  • AC

TOSS-UP math phrase

When 25 trillion is expressed in scientific notation, what is the exponent of 10?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 13

BONUS math phrase

A circle with radius 12 is inscribed in a square. To the nearest 10, what is the area of the region inside the square but outside the circle?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 120

TOSS-UP bio phrase

What is the term for the type of symmetry that characterizes the body plan of Cnidarians?

Acceptable Answers:

  • RADIAL

BONUS bio order

Place the following three events in the history of life on Earth in chronological order: 1) Emergence of shelled animals; 2) Emergence of fish; 3) Emergence of amphibians.

Choices:

  • Emergence of shelled animals
  • Emergence of fish
  • Emergence of amphibians

Correct Order:

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

TOSS-UP phys multiple_choice

Which of the following is closest to the diameter, in meters, of the nucleus of a zinc atom? W) 10^-8 X) 10^-10 Y) 10^-12 Z) 10^-14

W: W) 10^-8

X: X) 10^-10

Y: Y) 10^-12

Z: Z) 10^-14

Answer: Z) Z) 10^-14

BONUS phys phrase

Vince measures a cube’s volume in liters, an SI derived unit. If he wants to express the volume in SI base units, what unit should he use?

Acceptable Answers:

  • METERS CUBED
  • CUBIC METERS

TOSS-UP ess phrase

What planet in the solar system has prominent surface features called “coronae”?

Acceptable Answers:

  • VENUS

BONUS ess phrase

The temperature at the core of the Sun, in kelvins, is closest to ten raised to what power?

Acceptable Answers:

  • SEVEN

TOSS-UP math phrase

What is the slope-intercept equation of the line through the origin that contains the point (3, –36)?

Acceptable Answers:

  • y = –12x
  • y = –12x + 0

BONUS math phrase

How many positive integers are divisors of both 60 and 144?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 6

TOSS-UP phys multiple_choice

Which of the following triples of quantum numbers n, l, m are NOT allowed? W) 2, 1, –1 X) 2, 0, 0 Y) 1, 0, –1 Z) 3, 2, 0

W: W) 2, 1, –1

X: X) 2, 0, 0

Y: Y) 1, 0, –1

Z: Z) 3, 2, 0

Answer: Y) Y) 1, 0, –1

BONUS phys phrase

What is the term for the bending of a wave as it moves from one medium to another?

Acceptable Answers:

  • REFRACTION

DO NOT ACCEPT:

  • DIFFRACTION

TOSS-UP bio phrase

Sequencing in the Human Genome Project involved a process of first fragmenting DNA into many overlapping segments, sequencing each fragment, then piecing everything back together. What is the term for this approach to sequencing?

Acceptable Answers:

  • SHOTGUN

BONUS bio multiselect

Identify all of the following three plants that possess vascular tissues: 1) Ferns; 2) Mosses; 3) Gymnosperms.

Choices:

  • Ferns
  • Mosses
  • Gymnosperms

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 3