MS Sample Set 11, Round 17 from NSB

Questions in Packet

TOSS-UP energy phrase

What hydrocarbon is the primary constituent of natural gas?

Acceptable Answers:

  • METHANE

BONUS energy phrase

What would be the cost, in cents, if you use a 2000-watt heater for two hours and electricity costs 10 cents per kilowatt-hour?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 40

TOSS-UP bio multiple_choice

DNA ligase is an enzyme that catalyzes which of the following reactions? W) Cutting phosphodiester bonds X) Cutting hydrogen bonds Y) Forming phosphodiester bonds Z) Forming hydrogen bonds

W: W) Cutting phosphodiester bonds

X: X) Cutting hydrogen bonds

Y: Y) Forming phosphodiester bonds

Z: Z) Forming hydrogen bonds

Answer: Y) Y) Forming phosphodiester bonds

BONUS bio phrase

Neurons have very stereotyped electro-physiological activity that behaves in an "all-or-none" pattern. What is the name of this activity?

Acceptable Answers:

  • ACTION POTENTIAL

TOSS-UP math multiple_choice

What is the sum, in degrees, of the interior angles of a regular heptagon? W) 540 X) 720 Y) 900 Z) 1080

W: W) 540

X: X) 720

Y: Y) 900

Z: Z) 1080

Answer: Y) Y) 900

BONUS math phrase

The numerals for the counting numbers are written in order, beginning with 1. What is the 125th digit written?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 7

TOSS-UP phys phrase

A 500-gram object is moving at 4 meters per second. What is its kinetic energy in joules?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 4

BONUS phys multiple_choice

Which of the following elements has the highest first ionization energy? W) Calcium X) Phosphorus Y) Oxygen Z) Aluminum

W: W) Calcium

X: X) Phosphorus

Y: Y) Oxygen

Z: Z) Aluminum

Answer: Y) Y) Oxygen

TOSS-UP math multiple_choice

Given that the function f(x) has a zero at x = 6, at what x-value must f(x + 2) have a zero? W) 3 X) 4 Y) 8 Z) 12

W: W) 3

X: X) 4

Y: Y) 8

Z: Z) 12

Answer: X) X) 4

BONUS math phrase

Len takes 12 hours to clean a 40 by 50 room. Ben can clean the same room in 10 hours. To the nearest tenth of an hour, how long would it take them if they worked together?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 5.5

TOSS-UP ess phrase

Pyrite is primarily composed of what two elements?

Acceptable Answers:

  • IRON AND SULFUR

BONUS ess multiple_choice

The ocean conveyor belt is driven by which of the following? W) Wind and tectonic activities X) Thermohaline gradients and wind currents Y) Waves and tides Z) Tidal phases and the Earth's rotation

W: W) Wind and tectonic activities

X: X) Thermohaline gradients and wind currents

Y: Y) Waves and tides

Z: Z) Tidal phases and the Earth's rotation

Answer: X) X) Thermohaline gradients and wind currents

TOSS-UP energy phrase

By definition, what is the octane number of heptane?

Acceptable Answers:

  • ZERO

BONUS energy multiple_choice

If a wind turbine produces 400 kilowatts of electrical power at one wind speed, how much power, in kilowatts, will be produced if the wind speed decreases to one-half the original value? W) 20 X) 50 Y) 100 Z) 200

W: W) 20

X: X) 50

Y: Y) 100

Z: Z) 200

Answer: X) X) 50

TOSS-UP math phrase

How many faces does a quadrilateral prism have?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 6

BONUS math phrase

A sequence has the property that every term starting with the third is the sum of the previous two terms. If the tenth term is 157 and the eighth term is 60, what is the sixth term?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 23

TOSS-UP ess phrase

What scientist used Cepheid variables in order to propose that recession velocity is related to distance?

Acceptable Answers:

  • EDWIN HUBBLE

BONUS ess order

Order the following four gases from most to least abundant in Earth's atmosphere: 1) Argon; 2) Nitrogen; 3) Helium; 4) Oxygen.

Choices:

  • Argon
  • Nitrogen
  • Helium
  • Oxygen

Correct Order:

  • 2
  • 4
  • 1
  • 3

TOSS-UP phys phrase

What is the velocity, in meters per second to the nearest tenth, of a wave with wavelength 15 meters and frequency 0.3 hertz?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 4.5

BONUS phys phrase

A 300-gram mass is experiencing a constant force of 6 newtons. In meters per second squared, what is its acceleration?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 20

TOSS-UP bio phrase

During what phase of the cell cycle do cells synthesize new DNA?

Acceptable Answers:

  • S PHASE
  • S, SYNTHESIS PHASE

BONUS bio phrase

Schwann cells are responsible for making what insulatory material in the peripheral nervous system?

Acceptable Answers:

  • MYELIN

TOSS-UP energy multiple_choice

Which of the following is closest to the percentage of the total power radiated by the Sun incident on the Earth's atmosphere that is reflected or scattered before reaching the surface of the planet? W) 12 X) 23 Y) 34 Z) 45

W: W) 12

X: X) 23

Y: Y) 34

Z: Z) 45

Answer: Y) Y) 34

BONUS energy order

Rank the following types of vehicles in terms of increasing reliance on a battery to drive the vehicle: 1) Plug-in hybrid; 2) Clean diesel; 3) All-electric; 4) Hybrid.

Choices:

  • Plug-in hybrid
  • Clean diesel
  • All-electric
  • Hybrid

Correct Order:

  • 2
  • 4
  • 1
  • 3

TOSS-UP math phrase

The product of 7 consecutive integers is 0. What is the smallest possible value of one of them?

Acceptable Answers:

  • -6

BONUS math phrase

What is the area of a regular hexagon with sides of length 4?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 24√3

TOSS-UP phys phrase

What scientist first measured the charge of the electron in his famous oil drop experiment?

Acceptable Answers:

  • ROBERT MILLIKAN

BONUS phys phrase

The tire on your unicycle is inflated to a pressure of 1.0 x 10^6 pascals. The total weight of you and your unicycle is 1000 newtons. What is the area of the tire, in square meters, that is in contact with the road when you are riding?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 0.001

TOSS-UP ess multiple_choice

Clementine, Lunar Prospector, and LCROSS were all space probes sent to verify the presence of what feature on the Moon? W) Water ice X) Helium-3 Y) Atmosphere Z) Magnetic field

W: W) Water ice

X: X) Helium-3

Y: Y) Atmosphere

Z: Z) Magnetic field

Answer: W) W) Water ice

BONUS ess multiple_choice

Ring galaxies and tidal tails are both thought to result from what galactic phenomena? W) Formation of a supermassive black hole X) Collapse of spiral arms Y) Collision of multiple galaxies Z) Rotational dissolution

W: W) Formation of a supermassive black hole

X: X) Collapse of spiral arms

Y: Y) Collision of multiple galaxies

Z: Z) Rotational dissolution

Answer: Y) Y) Collision of multiple galaxies

TOSS-UP bio phrase

What is the name for the outermost germ layer?

Acceptable Answers:

  • ECTODERM

BONUS bio phrase

What phylum contains sponges?

Acceptable Answers:

  • PORIFERA

TOSS-UP phys phrase

What specific theory, proposed by Einstein, describes how masses warp space-time?

Acceptable Answers:

  • GENERAL RELATIVITY

DO NOT ACCEPT:

  • SPECIAL RELATIVITY, RELATIVITY

BONUS phys phrase

A 10-liter flask containing an ideal gas at 4 atmospheres of pressure is connected with a 6-liter evacuated flask. What will be the final pressure, in atmospheres, in the 10-liter flask at equilibrium?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 2.5

TOSS-UP ess multiple_choice

A star’s spectral type is most related to which of its following properties? W) Mass X) Temperature Y) Luminosity Z) Distance

W: W) Mass

X: X) Temperature

Y: Y) Luminosity

Z: Z) Distance

Answer: X) X) Temperature

BONUS ess multiple_choice

Which of the following best explains why most discovered meteorites are composed of iron? W) They are more common in the solar system X) They are more likely to cross Earth’s orbit Y) They survive weathering longer Z) They are brighter when falling to Earth

W: W) They are more common in the solar system

X: X) They are more likely to cross Earth’s orbit

Y: Y) They survive weathering longer

Z: Z) They are brighter when falling to Earth

Answer: Y) Y) They survive weathering longer

TOSS-UP math phrase

Which of the quadrants is NOT intersected by the line with equation y = –2x + 3?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 3
  • THIRD

BONUS math phrase

To the nearest unit, what is the volume of a sphere with radius 3?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 113

TOSS-UP bio phrase

AIDS is a human syndrome caused by what virus?

Acceptable Answers:

  • HIV
  • HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS

BONUS bio phrase

What is the name of the extinct animal from which modern birds are thought to have evolved?

Acceptable Answers:

  • ARCHAEOPTERYX

TOSS-UP phys phrase

What is the mole percent of magnesium ions in 10 grams of magnesium oxide?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 50

BONUS phys phrase

During the complete combustion of methane, the oxidation number of the carbon changes from –4 to what?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 4

TOSS-UP bio phrase

What human organ is composed of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum?

Acceptable Answers:

  • SMALL INTESTINE

BONUS bio phrase

In humans, what connects the pharynx to the stomach?

Acceptable Answers:

  • ESOPHAGUS

TOSS-UP ess phrase

Hale-Bopp was discovered in 1995. Its solid, icy-conglomerate nucleus, long, dusty tail, and high orbital eccentricity and inclination, distinguishes it as what type of celestial object?

Acceptable Answers:

  • COMET

BONUS ess multiselect

Name all of the following four tectonic features that result from seafloor spreading: 1) Left lateral fault; 2) Right lateral fault; 3) Divergent plate boundary; 4) Normal fault.

Choices:

  • Left lateral fault
  • Right lateral fault
  • Divergent plate boundary
  • Normal fault

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4