MS Sample Set 15, Round 3 from NSB

Questions in Packet

TOSS-UP energy phrase

Researchers at Brookhaven National Lab are working with Cu-H mordenite catalysts to oxidize what molecule that is present in natural gas into methyl alcohol?

Acceptable Answers:

  • METHANE

BONUS energy phrase

Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Lab are developing sodium-ion batteries. What element is the anode in this battery made of?

Acceptable Answers:

  • CARBON

TOSS-UP bio phrase

What is the general term for hypersensitivity reactions of the immune system towards harmless environmental stimuli?

Acceptable Answers:

  • ALLERGY

BONUS bio multiple_choice

Which of the following types of plants is considered non-vascular? W) Fern X) Moss Y) Oak Z) Conifer

W: W) Fern

X: X) Moss

Y: Y) Oak

Z: Z) Conifer

Answer: X) X) Moss

TOSS-UP math phrase

What fraction is halfway between \(\frac{1}{8}\) and \(\frac{1}{12}\)?

Acceptable Answers:

  • \(\displaystyle \frac{5}{48}\)

BONUS math phrase

A triangle has two exterior angles that have degree measures of 156 and 129, respectively. What is the degree measure of their common remote interior angle?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 105

TOSS-UP phys multiple_choice

Which of the following elements is the most electronegative? W) Sodium X) Boron Y) Carbon Z) Rubidium

W: W) Sodium

X: X) Boron

Y: Y) Carbon

Z: Z) Rubidium

Answer: Y) Y) Carbon

BONUS phys multiselect

Identify all of the following three compounds that would burn green in a flame test: 1) Barium chloride; 2) Potassium chloride; 3) Lithium chloride.

Choices:

  • Barium chloride
  • Potassium chloride
  • Lithium chloride

Correct Answers:

  • 1

TOSS-UP ess multiple_choice

Radiometric dating of the oldest meteoroids of the solar system would produce ages closest to which of the following? W) 13 billion years X) 9 billion years Y) 5 billion years Z) 2 billion years

W: W) 13 billion years

X: X) 9 billion years

Y: Y) 5 billion years

Z: Z) 2 billion years

Answer: Y) Y) 5 billion years

BONUS ess multiple_choice

When geologists are studying a geologic unit that contains folds and faults, they typically assume that geologic units didn’t start with folds and faults. This is an application of which of the following? W) Principle of superposition X) Principle of original horizontality Y) Principle of faunal succession Z) Principle of lateral continuity

W: W) Principle of superposition

X: X) Principle of original horizontality

Y: Y) Principle of faunal succession

Z: Z) Principle of lateral continuity

Answer: X) X) Principle of original horizontality

TOSS-UP energy phrase

Ames Lab researchers are studying crystals on a spherical surface and quantum mechanical behavior of electrons in their lowest-energy state. What is the term for this state?

Acceptable Answers:

  • GROUND STATE

BONUS energy multiple_choice

Oak Ridge National Lab researchers are using neutron scattering to study the mechanics of alpha-catenin and its ability to bind to actin. Which of the following roles do these proteins play in the cell? W) Metabolic X) Structural Y) Transcriptional Z) Translational

W: W) Metabolic

X: X) Structural

Y: Y) Transcriptional

Z: Z) Translational

Answer: X) X) Structural

TOSS-UP bio multiple_choice

Pepper the cat that likes to hunt brings home the skull of an unidentified animal with very sharp and robust canines. What did this unknown animal most likely eat? W) Meat X) Detritus Y) Grasses Z) Berries

W: W) Meat

X: X) Detritus

Y: Y) Grasses

Z: Z) Berries

Answer: W) W) Meat

BONUS bio phrase

What part of the eye contains photoreceptors and is responsible for detecting light?

Acceptable Answers:

  • RETINA

TOSS-UP math phrase

What is the surface area of a cube with edges of length \(\frac{3}{4}\)?

Acceptable Answers:

  • \(\displaystyle \frac{27}{8}\)
  • \(3\tfrac{3}{8}\), \(3.375\)

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 9 of these employees is 14. To the nearest whole number, what is the mean number of hours for the rest of the 16 employees?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 21

TOSS-UP phys multiple_choice

Which of the following changes would be most likely to increase the terminal velocity of a falling object? W) Increasing the size of the object without changing its mass X) Decreasing the acceleration of gravity Y) Adding mass to the object without changing its size Z) Increasing the viscosity of the atmosphere

W: W) Increasing the size of the object without changing its mass

X: X) Decreasing the acceleration of gravity

Y: Y) Adding mass to the object without changing its size

Z: Z) Increasing the viscosity of the atmosphere

Answer: Y) Y) Adding mass to the object without changing its size

BONUS phys phrase

Magnesium hydroxide can be taken to neutralize the acidity in your stomach. What is the chemical formula of the primary salt this reaction will produce in your stomach?

Acceptable Answers:

  • \(\mathrm{MgCl}_2\)

TOSS-UP ess phrase

When Earth passes through the orbit of a comet, large amounts of debris may fall into Earth's atmosphere. With what observational event is this associated?

Acceptable Answers:

  • METEOR SHOWER

DO NOT ACCEPT:

  • SHOOTING STAR

BONUS ess multiselect

Identify all of the following three changes that would improve the angular resolution of a telescope: 1) Increasing the diameter of its aperture; 2) Increasing the thickness of its lens; 3) Increasing the wavelength of light that it images.

Choices:

  • Increasing the diameter of its aperture
  • Increasing the thickness of its lens
  • Increasing the wavelength of light that it images

Correct Answers:

  • 1

TOSS-UP energy phrase

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Lab are engineering soil microbes to turn plant biomass into biodegradable plastics. What structural polymer that characterizes sclerenchymal tissue are they attempting to process?

Acceptable Answers:

  • LIGNIN

BONUS energy multiselect

Identify all of the following three kingdoms of life that contain organisms that utilize photosynthetic reaction centers: 1) Bacteria; 2) Plantae; 3) Protista

Choices:

  • Bacteria
  • Plantae
  • Protista

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

TOSS-UP bio phrase

What is the most abundant molecule found in the cytosol of cells?

Acceptable Answers:

  • WATER
  • H₂O

BONUS bio phrase

What biopolymer is the primary constituent of the cell wall of fungi?

Acceptable Answers:

  • CHITIN

TOSS-UP math phrase

What is the area of a right triangle with legs of lengths 13 and 14?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 91

BONUS math phrase

A cell phone plan costs a fixed rate per month plus a charge per text message. One month, Sally had 300 texts and her total bill was \$58. The next month, she had 700 texts and her total bill was \$90. In dollars, what is the fixed rate per month?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 34

TOSS-UP phys phrase

What force provides the centripetal acceleration needed to keep a satellite in circular orbit about a planet?

Acceptable Answers:

  • GRAVITY
  • GRAVITATIONAL

BONUS phys phrase

What is the term for a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed?

Acceptable Answers:

  • CATALYST

TOSS-UP ess phrase

Sulfuric acid clouds are a prominent component of what planet?

Acceptable Answers:

  • VENUS

BONUS ess phrase

When a supergiant star undergoes a supernova, what is the predominant element present in its core?

Acceptable Answers:

  • IRON