HS Sample Set 8, Round 3 from NSB

Questions in Packet

TOSS-UP math multiple_choice

If it takes you 50 minutes to walk uphill 2 miles to school but only 30 minutes to walk back, which of the following is your average speed, in miles per hour, for the round trip? W) 3 X) 3.5 Y) 4 Z) 4.5

W: W) 3

X: X) 3.5

Y: Y) 4

Z: Z) 4.5

Answer: W) W) 3

BONUS math phrase

If a₁ = 3 and aₙ = 5 + 2 aₙ₋₁ for all integers n > 1, what is the value of a₃?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 27

TOSS-UP bio multiple_choice

Which of the following groups of organisms would contain the most biomass productivity in a trophic pyramid? W) Primary Producers X) Primary Consumers Y) Detritivores Z) Tertiary Consumers

W: W) Primary Producers

X: X) Primary Consumers

Y: Y) Detritivores

Z: Z) Tertiary Consumers

Answer: W) W) Primary Producers

BONUS bio phrase

What is the only multicellular animal without a permanent gut cavity?

Acceptable Answers:

  • SPONGE
  • PORIFERAN, PORIFERA, PLACOZOA

TOSS-UP chem multiple_choice

Which of the following scientists is credited with discovering electrons and calculating their mass to charge ratio? W) J.J. Thomson X) Robert Millikan Y) Ernest Rutherford Z) Neils Bohr

W: W) J.J. Thomson

X: X) Robert Millikan

Y: Y) Ernest Rutherford

Z: Z) Neils Bohr

Answer: W) W) J.J. Thomson

BONUS chem phrase

What gas law was used by its formulator to approximate the absolute zero temperature through extrapolation of the temperature axis until the value for gas volume equaled zero?

Acceptable Answers:

  • CHARLES’S LAW

TOSS-UP phys phrase

What physical constant is the magnitude of electric charge per mole of electrons?

Acceptable Answers:

  • FARADAY CONSTANT

BONUS phys phrase

How many baryons and leptons, respectively, are found in a single alpha particle?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 4, 0

TOSS-UP ess phrase

Joints are often formed in igneous rocks, such as basalt, during what stage of the rock’s development?

Acceptable Answers:

  • COOLING

BONUS ess multiple_choice

What type of volcanic vent is Wizard Island, the only resurgent dome of Crater Lake that breaks the surface of the water line? W) Shield volcano X) Fissure Y) Cinder cone Z) Stratovolcano

W: W) Shield volcano

X: X) Fissure

Y: Y) Cinder cone

Z: Z) Stratovolcano

Answer: Y) Y) Cinder cone

TOSS-UP bio multiple_choice

Which of the following forms of nitrogen cannot be directly utilized by plants? W) Ammonia X) Ammonium Y) Nitrogen gas Z) Nitrite

W: W) Ammonia

X: X) Ammonium

Y: Y) Nitrogen gas

Z: Z) Nitrite

Answer: Y) Y) Nitrogen gas

BONUS bio multiple_choice

Which of the following was NOT a component of the Miller-Urey experiment test conditions for the chemical origins of life? W) Carbon dioxide X) Hydrogen Y) Ammonia Z) Water

W: W) Carbon dioxide

X: X) Hydrogen

Y: Y) Ammonia

Z: Z) Water

Answer: W) W) Carbon dioxide

TOSS-UP energy multiple_choice

At what point in time is a CFL’s energy consumption greatest, compared to its light output? W) Right after being turned on X) After being on for 15 minutes Y) Right after being turned off Z) After being turned off for 15 minutes

W: W) Right after being turned on

X: X) After being on for 15 minutes

Y: Y) Right after being turned off

Z: Z) After being turned off for 15 minutes

Answer: W) W) Right after being turned on

BONUS energy phrase

Since 2007 all cars and trucks in the US have been produced to be able to use what specific ethanol fuel blend?

Acceptable Answers:

  • E15
  • 15% ETHANOL

TOSS-UP chem phrase

Name the two common crystalline forms of carbon.

Acceptable Answers:

  • GRAPHITE AND DIAMOND

BONUS chem multiple_choice

Which of the following neutral ground state atoms has the lowest first ionization energy? W) Nitrogen X) Oxygen Y) Fluorine Z) Neon

W: W) Nitrogen

X: X) Oxygen

Y: Y) Fluorine

Z: Z) Neon

Answer: X) X) Oxygen

TOSS-UP phys phrase

Unpolarized light is passed through a single polarizing filter. What fraction of the intensity of the light emerges from the filter?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 1/2

BONUS phys multiple_choice

If 15 joules of work are required to move 3.0 coulombs of charge between two points, what is the potential difference in volts between these two points? W) 3 X) 5 Y) 15 Z) 45

W: W) 3

X: X) 5

Y: Y) 15

Z: Z) 45

Answer: X) X) 5

TOSS-UP bio phrase

Huntington disease is caused by the sequence CAG repeated between 37–100 times, rather than the normal 9–35 times. What type of mutation is this?

Acceptable Answers:

  • INSERTION

BONUS bio multiple_choice

Which of the following statements about cystic fibrosis is NOT true? W) It is an autosomal recessive disease X) It affects the lungs, sweat glands and digestive system Y) It is one of the most common fatal genetic disorders in the United States Z) Most infants born with this disorder are unlikely to live beyond their first year

W: W) It is an autosomal recessive disease

X: X) It affects the lungs, sweat glands and digestive system

Y: Y) It is one of the most common fatal genetic disorders in the United States

Z: Z) Most infants born with this disorder are unlikely to live beyond their first year

Answer: Z) Z) Most infants born with this disorder are unlikely to live beyond their first year

TOSS-UP ess multiple_choice

Which of the following rocks can be biogenic? W) Schist X) Basalt Y) Limestone Z) Gabbro

W: W) Schist

X: X) Basalt

Y: Y) Limestone

Z: Z) Gabbro

Answer: Y) Y) Limestone

BONUS ess phrase

What is the name of the geologic event recorded in sedimentary rocks showing the landward migration of the ocean’s shoreline?

Acceptable Answers:

  • TRANSGRESSION

TOSS-UP chem multiple_choice

Lipstick is known to be a suspension of high molecular weight hydrocarbons, waxes, and other ingredients. Which of the following choices does NOT describe lipstick composition? W) Castor oil may be a dispersing agent X) Beeswax is sometimes used as a stiffening agent Y) Metal ions such as Nickel(II) are the basis for lipstick dyes Z) Carbon soot is typically used as a coloring agent

W: W) Castor oil may be a dispersing agent

X: X) Beeswax is sometimes used as a stiffening agent

Y: Y) Metal ions such as Nickel(II) are the basis for lipstick dyes

Z: Z) Carbon soot is typically used as a coloring agent

Answer: Z) Z) Carbon soot is typically used as a coloring agent

BONUS chem phrase

Identify all of the following three chemical species that likely have a negative enthalpy of formation: 1) carbon monoxide; 2) nitrogen monoxide; 3) sodium bromide.

Acceptable Answers:

  • 1, 3

TOSS-UP math multiple_choice

Which of the following statements is true for the radius r, height h, and volume V of a right circular cylinder? W) If both r and h are doubled, V is doubled X) If r is increased by 2, V is increased by 4 Y) If r is doubled and h is halved, V is quadrupled Z) If r is doubled and h is divided by 4, V remains the same

W: W) If both r and h are doubled, V is doubled

X: X) If r is increased by 2, V is increased by 4

Y: Y) If r is doubled and h is halved, V is quadrupled

Z: Z) If r is doubled and h is divided by 4, V remains the same

Answer: Z) Z) If r is doubled and h is divided by 4, V remains the same

BONUS math multiple_choice

If f(x) is a twice differentiable function where for all real numbers f′(x) < 0 and f″(x) < 0, with f(4) = 12 and f(5) = 9, which of the following is a possible value for f(6)? W) 3 X) 6 Y) 9 Z) 12

W: W) 3

X: X) 6

Y: Y) 9

Z: Z) 12

Answer: W) W) 3

TOSS-UP energy phrase

What is the term used to describe the medium in nuclear reactors that is used to reduce the speed of fast neutrons?

Acceptable Answers:

  • MODERATOR

BONUS energy phrase

Aside from any impurities, what is the co-product resulting from biodiesel production that is produced in far greater quantities than it is currently used?

Acceptable Answers:

  • GLYCERIN

TOSS-UP bio phrase

What is a form of asexual reproduction in which young develop from unfertilized eggs?

Acceptable Answers:

  • PARTHENOGENESIS

BONUS bio multiple_choice

Some plants adapt to normally toxic levels of metals in soil by absorbing and storing high concentrations of the metals within themselves to detoxify the surrounding soil. Restoration ecologists use these plants as a form of: W) Bioremediation, to remove harmful substances from the environment X) Bioremediation, to add helpful plant life to the environment Y) Biological augmentation, to add helpful plant life to the environment Z) Biological augmentation, to remove harmful substances from the environment

W: W) Bioremediation, to remove harmful substances from the environment

X: X) Bioremediation, to add helpful plant life to the environment

Y: Y) Biological augmentation, to add helpful plant life to the environment

Z: Z) Biological augmentation, to remove harmful substances from the environment

Answer: W) W) Bioremediation, to remove harmful substances from the environment

TOSS-UP chem phrase

What is the chemical formula of the most stable ionic compound that forms between aluminum and sulfur?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Al₂S₃

BONUS chem phrase

If a random element is picked from period 5 on the periodic table, what is the probability that the element will have a high energy electron in the d orbital?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 8/9

TOSS-UP math phrase

In statistical testing, what term describes the default position, that there is no relationship between the two measured phenomena?

Acceptable Answers:

  • NULL HYPOTHESIS

BONUS math multiple_choice

Consider a criminal trial in which the defendant is innocent until proven guilty. If the jury rejects the null hypothesis when the defendant is innocent, which of the following has occurred? W) The jury made the right decision X) The jury committed a type I error Y) The jury committed a type II error Z) The jury committed a type III error

W: W) The jury made the right decision

X: X) The jury committed a type I error

Y: Y) The jury committed a type II error

Z: Z) The jury committed a type III error

Answer: X) X) The jury committed a type I error

TOSS-UP phys phrase

To the nearest whole decibel, a doubling of sound intensity is equal to an increase of how many decibels?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 3

BONUS phys multiselect

Indicate, by number, all of the following quantities that would change if the radius of the Earth decreases but the mass remains the same: 1) Length of day; 2) Kinetic energy of rotation; 3) Length of year.

Choices:

  • Length of day
  • Kinetic energy of rotation
  • Length of year

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 2

TOSS-UP ess multiple_choice

Which of the following major U.S. rivers flows north? W) Snake River X) Connecticut River Y) Missouri River Z) Sacramento River

W: W) Snake River

X: X) Connecticut River

Y: Y) Missouri River

Z: Z) Sacramento River

Answer: W) W) Snake River

BONUS ess multiple_choice

What are the two main factors that cause sound to travel such great distances in the SOFAR channel? W) Temperature and salinity X) Pressure and salinity Y) Pressure and temperature Z) Temperature and latitude

W: W) Temperature and salinity

X: X) Pressure and salinity

Y: Y) Pressure and temperature

Z: Z) Temperature and latitude

Answer: Y) Y) Pressure and temperature

TOSS-UP chem phrase

Gypsum wallboard, commonly known as drywall, is a laminar composite material composed of front and back paper with a hydrated gypsum core. What is the chemical formula for the hydrated gypsum?

Acceptable Answers:

  • CaSO₄·2 H₂O

DO NOT ACCEPT:

  • CALCIUM SULFATE AND 2 MOLECULES OF WATER

BONUS chem phrase

Molecule A, with oxidation number +1, and Molecule B, with oxidation number –2, undergo a metathesis reaction. After the reaction, what are their oxidation numbers?

Acceptable Answers:

  • Molecule A: +1; Molecule B: –2

TOSS-UP bio phrase

In prokaryotic DNA replication, what enzyme is responsible for unwinding the DNA double helix?

Acceptable Answers:

  • HELICASE

BONUS bio phrase

A man is born with webbed fingers and toes. His wife and their daughter do not have webbed fingers and toes. If webbed digits are a dominant trait, what fraction of this couple’s children would be expected to have webbed digits?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 1/2

TOSS-UP energy multiple_choice

Which of the following regions of the United States has the greatest amount of installed wind power capacity? W) West coast X) Midwest Y) New England Z) Southeast

W: W) West coast

X: X) Midwest

Y: Y) New England

Z: Z) Southeast

Answer: X) X) Midwest

BONUS energy phrase

Most renewable electricity generation worldwide is generated by what form of renewable energy?

Acceptable Answers:

  • HYDROELECTRICITY
  • HYDROPOWER

TOSS-UP ess multiple_choice

Which of the following lava characteristics does NOT affect the lava’s viscosity? W) Gas amount X) Temperature Y) Gas composition Z) Silica content

W: W) Gas amount

X: X) Temperature

Y: Y) Gas composition

Z: Z) Silica content

Answer: Y) Y) Gas composition

BONUS ess phrase

Anticlines are usually found in conjunction with what other type of fold?

Acceptable Answers:

  • SYNCLINE