MS Sample Set 14, Round 5 from NSB

Questions in Packet

TOSS-UP energy phrase

Researchers at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility are using an electron beam to study the internal structure of protons. What particles, which come in six flavors, are found within protons?

Acceptable Answers:

  • QUARKS

BONUS energy multiple_choice

Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab are using molecules such as fluorescein isothiocyanate for experiments that depend on the emission of light. What technique are they performing with this molecule? W) Electron microscopy X) Mass spectrometry Y) Fluorescence microscopy Z) NMR spectroscopy

W: W) Electron microscopy

X: X) Mass spectrometry

Y: Y) Fluorescence microscopy

Z: Z) NMR spectroscopy

Answer: Y) Y) Fluorescence microscopy

TOSS-UP ess phrase

Detrital, organic, and chemical are terms used to refer to the origins of what general type of rock?

Acceptable Answers:

  • SEDIMENTARY

BONUS ess multiselect

Identify all of the following three substances that are minerals: 1) Copper metal; 2) Coal; 3) Synthetic diamond.

Choices:

  • Copper metal
  • Coal
  • Synthetic diamond

Correct Answers:

  • 1

TOSS-UP bio phrase

Penicillin is able to inhibit bacterial growth without harming human cells because it targets what bacterial structure that animal cells lack?

Acceptable Answers:

  • CELL WALL

BONUS bio phrase

In the human heart, what other chamber contracts at the same time as the left ventricle?

Acceptable Answers:

  • RIGHT VENTRICLE

TOSS-UP phys phrase

What type of heat transfer process occurs when heat flows from a hot object to a cold object that it is directly touching?

Acceptable Answers:

  • CONDUCTION

BONUS phys multiselect

Identify all of the following three statements that are true regarding astronauts in low Earth orbit: 1) Their mass is nearly zero; 2) Their weight is nearly zero; 3) They experience no gravitational force from the Earth.

Choices:

  • Their mass is nearly zero
  • Their weight is nearly zero
  • They experience no gravitational force from the Earth

Correct Answers:

  • 2

TOSS-UP ess phrase

Using Tycho Brahe's observations, what scientist is credited for discovering the elliptical nature of planetary orbits?

Acceptable Answers:

  • KEPLER
  • JOHANNES KEPLER

BONUS ess phrase

What type of celestial object is the smallest mass object capable of deuterium fusion and is considered to have characteristics of both a planet and a star?

Acceptable Answers:

  • BROWN DWARF

TOSS-UP math phrase

Two cross-country runners want to finish their 6-kilometer practice run at the same time. The runners run at rates covering one kilometer in 5.5 minutes and 7 minutes, respectively. How many minutes of head start should the faster runner give the slower runner?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 9

BONUS math phrase

To the nearest whole number, what is the length of the hypotenuse in a right triangle with legs of length 17 and 12?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 21

TOSS-UP energy phrase

Oak Ridge National Lab produces actinium-225 for radiation therapy in which it acts as an alpha emitter. An alpha particle is composed of two protons and how many neutrons?

Acceptable Answers:

  • TWO

BONUS energy phrase

Scientists at Savannah River National Lab are using the multi-component potential theory of adsorption to model the purification of a raw, gaseous mixture normally composed of ethane and methane. What is the common name for this mixture when it is retrieved from underground sources?

Acceptable Answers:

  • NATURAL GAS

TOSS-UP ess phrase

The Permian extinction occurred near the end of what geologic era?

Acceptable Answers:

  • PALEOZOIC

BONUS ess phrase

Rock strata exposed by the Colorado River at the Grand Canyon are separated by intervals where no net sedimentary deposition occurred. What is the general term for these unrecorded intervals of time in the rock record?

Acceptable Answers:

  • UNCONFORMITY
  • DISCONFORMITY

DO NOT ACCEPT:

  • THE GREAT UNCONFORMITY

TOSS-UP phys phrase

When two different waves end up in the same location, they undergo what phenomenon that can either be constructive or destructive?

Acceptable Answers:

  • INTERFERENCE

BONUS phys phrase

A 3-volt battery is connected to a resistor with resistance of six ohms. In watts, what is the power dissipated by the resistor?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 1.5
  • 3/2
  • 1 1/2

TOSS-UP energy phrase

Researchers at SLAC National Accelerator Lab are improving the intensity of their Linac Coherent Light Source, or LCLS, laser, that they currently use to determine the structures of biological molecules and crystals. This laser operates in what region of the electromagnetic spectrum?

Acceptable Answers:

  • X-RAY

BONUS energy phrase

Researchers at SLAC National Accelerator Lab are studying phase-change materials, which are used in the RAM of computers and smartphones. These materials change from a glassy phase to a crystalline phase with a thermal pulse, and then lock in that phase at a lower temperature. While the crystalline phase is ordered, what term best describes the glassy phase because it is a solid material that lacks long range order?

Acceptable Answers:

  • AMORPHOUS

TOSS-UP math phrase

What is the x-intercept of the line with equation $$5x - 6y = -60$$?

Acceptable Answers:

  • –12
  • (–12, 0)

BONUS math phrase

For the function $$f(x)=x^2+3$$, evaluate $$f(3a)-3f(a)$$ when $$a=5$$.

Acceptable Answers:

  • 144

TOSS-UP bio phrase

In female mammals, the initiation of meiosis only occurs in what organ?

Acceptable Answers:

  • OVARY

BONUS bio phrase

During birth, oxytocin results in uterine contractions, which eventually results in the production of more oxytocin. Of what type of regulation is this an example?

Acceptable Answers:

  • POSITIVE FEEDBACK
  • POSITIVE FEEDBACK LOOP

TOSS-UP phys phrase

What is the general term for a process that results in a chemical change?

Acceptable Answers:

  • CHEMICAL REACTION

BONUS phys phrase

The net torque on an object describes the rate of change of what quantity over time?

Acceptable Answers:

  • ANGULAR MOMENTUM

TOSS-UP math phrase

What is the volume of a right rectangular prism with dimensions 3 by 5 by 6?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 90

BONUS math phrase

Two children have a pile of building blocks. Mark used 1/3 of the blocks to build a house, and Mary used 3/8 of the blocks to build a ship. If 140 unused blocks remained, how many blocks were there to begin with?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 480

TOSS-UP ess multiple_choice

Which of the following would be most useful for determining the age of an asteroid? W) Composition X) Degree of differentiation Y) Concentration of radioactive elements Z) Temperature

W: W) Composition

X: X) Degree of differentiation

Y: Y) Concentration of radioactive elements

Z: Z) Temperature

Answer: Y) Y) Concentration of radioactive elements

BONUS ess phrase

When the core of a sun-like star runs out of most of its hydrogen fuel, it can grow in size, cool down, and start fusing helium. What is the term for this type of star?

Acceptable Answers:

  • RED GIANT

TOSS-UP bio phrase

What series of chemical reactions are performed by plants to synthesize sugars from water and carbon dioxide?

Acceptable Answers:

  • PHOTOSYNTHESIS

BONUS bio multiselect

Identify all of the following three trophic levels that directly contribute energy flow to detritivores: 1) Primary producers; 2) Primary consumers; 3) Secondary consumers.

Choices:

  • Primary producers
  • Primary consumers
  • Secondary consumers

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

TOSS-UP math phrase

Round 6,157.58 to the nearest hundred.

Acceptable Answers:

  • 6,200

BONUS math phrase

A hula hoop with a radius of 16 inches is cut into 5 congruent pieces. To the nearest whole number of inches, what is the length of each piece?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 20

TOSS-UP ess phrase

What layer of Earth’s atmosphere is the densest?

Acceptable Answers:

  • TROPOSPHERE

BONUS ess multiselect

Identify all of the following three outcomes that result from increased dissolution of carbon dioxide into the world’s oceans: 1) Seawater will become more acidic; 2) Seawater will dissolve more seafloor carbonate; 3) Coral reefs will decline.

Choices:

  • Seawater will become more acidic
  • Seawater will dissolve more seafloor carbonate
  • Coral reefs will decline

Correct Answers:

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

TOSS-UP bio phrase

You put two solutions with different concentrations of salt in a container, separated by a semi-permeable membrane. Later, you observe that the water level on one side of the container is higher than the other. What effect is responsible for this?

Acceptable Answers:

  • OSMOSIS

BONUS bio multiselect

When only considering the ABO blood group, identify all of the following three types of blood that a person with blood type O could safely receive: 1) A; 2) B; 3) AB.

Choices:

  • A
  • B
  • AB

Correct Answers:

  • 0

TOSS-UP phys phrase

What is the term for the electric configuration of an object composed of a positive charge separated by a distance to a negative charge of equal magnitude?

Acceptable Answers:

  • DIPOLE
  • ELECTRIC DIPOLE MOMENT

BONUS phys multiple_choice

The carboxyl functional group is MOST associated with which of the following classes of molecules? W) Alcohols X) Amines Y) Ketones Z) Organic acids

W: W) Alcohols

X: X) Amines

Y: Y) Ketones

Z: Z) Organic acids

Answer: Z) Z) Organic acids

TOSS-UP bio phrase

Some animals, such as frogs and butterflies, undergo a process in which their larval form makes a large transformation in body shape as they become adults. What is the term for this process?

Acceptable Answers:

  • METAMORPHOSIS

BONUS bio phrase

What is the largest organ in the human integumentary system?

Acceptable Answers:

  • SKIN

TOSS-UP math phrase

Give one of the linear factors of \(x^2 + 3x - 40\).

Acceptable Answers:

  • x - 5
  • x + 8

BONUS math phrase

A rhombus has diagonals of length 13 and 22. What is its area?

Acceptable Answers:

  • 143

TOSS-UP phys phrase

What is the term for a device that converts radiant energy directly into electrical energy?

Acceptable Answers:

  • PHOTOVOLTAIC

BONUS phys phrase

What solid-state electrical component only allows current to flow in one direction?

Acceptable Answers:

  • DIODE