MAPS strives to raise the level of science literacy in the Modesto area by presenting free monthly community science presentations during the academic year. The short and quick 23 question science literacy quiz that follows has been designed primarily to educate rather than assess. Enjoy and learn.

Modesto Area Partners in Science Original MAPS logo designed by Carolyn Murov

– children pondering the earth

1. About what percentage of the human body is water?a. 55 to 70%b. 30 to 40%c. 10 to 25 %d. Less than 10%

2. What is the main function of red blood cells?a. Fight disease in the body b. Carry oxygen to all parts of the body c. Help the blood to clot

b.

3. Which gasmakes up 78%of the Earth’satmosphere?

a. Hydrogen b. Carbon dioxidec. Argond. Watere. Oxygenf. None of the above

None - Nitrogen

0.00005% (#11)0.04% (#5)

0.93% (#3 or #4)0-4% (#3 or #4)21% (#2)78% (#1)

4. The previous slide showed the ozone layer near the top of the stratosphere. Which one of the following types of solar radiation does the ozone layer and sunscreen protect us from?a. X-rays b. Infraredc. Ultraviolet d. Microwaves

Low energyHigh energy

c.

5. Which type of wave travels the slowest? a. Sound wavesb. Ultraviolet light waves c. Visible light wavesd. Infrared light wavese. All travel at the same speed.

a. 0.34 km/sec = 761 mph

299,792 km/secThe same 186,282 miles/sec 671,000,000 miles/hr

Sound cannot travel in a vacuumbut would take about 14 yearscompared to 8 minutes for light

6. Of the following, which has the smallest mass?a. Proton b. Neutron c. Electron d. Helium atom

Electrons are teeny, tiny (1/1835) compared to the mass of an atom, protons or neutrons.

1.672x10-24 g

1.675x10-24 g

9.109x10-28 g

6.64x10-24gHelium atom

7. Which of the figures below according to scientific evidence best represents the positions of the continents on earth 200 million years ago?

TRUE!

a. b.

c. d.

8. Which one of the following gases does not contribute to global warming? a. Carbon dioxide b. Water c. Methane d. Freon (e.g. CCl3F) e. Oxygen (O2) f. Nitrous oxide (NO)

e.

e. Normal oxygen (O2) does not trap energy in the atmosphere. However, ozone (O3) does but it is a gas that is needed in small amounts in the stratosphere to filter out UV. Ozone is also very toxic.

O

O2 - the oxygenwe need

O3

9. Does nanotechnology deal with things that are extremely: a. Hot b. Cold c. Large d. Small

d. Small

10. Seasons on earth are the result of:a. The elliptically shaped orbit of earthb. The rotation of the earthc. The moon’s influenced. The tilt of the earthe. None of the above

d. The tilt, not distance as the ellipse is very close to a circle. See Private Universe at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0wk4qG2mIg

11. Which is an example of radioactive decay?

a..

b.

c.

Nuclear fission

Nuclearfusion 2 types of radioactive decay

12. The earth is about how many years old?a. 6000 years b. 4.5 million years c. 4.5 billion years d. 13.8 billion years e. None of the above

The earth has been dated using several methods. Uranium-238 has a half-life of 4.5 billion years. Experiments show half of it has decayed since the origin of the earth meaning the earth is 4.5 billion years old.

99.3% of naturally occurring Uranium is U-238 but only U-235 undergoes fission. Separation is expensive and difficult and causes huge political issues.

Age of universe!

13. Which natural resource is extracted in a process known as “fracking”? a. Coal b. Gold c. Salt d. Natural gas e. None

c.Natural gas – 95% methane (CH4)

14. According to strong evidence, what caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago?a. Comet tail b. Asteroid c. Volcanic explosionsd. humans

b.

15. Which is an example of a chemical reaction? a. Water boiling b. Sugar dissolving

c. Nails rusting

c.a and b are physical, not chemical changes.

16. If 2 objects of the same size and shape but different mass are dropped, which statement is true?a. The heaviest mass will fall fasterb. The lightest mass will fall fasterc. They will fall at the same rate

c. Galileo is given credit for discovering that the falling rate is not dependent on mass but the story that he did this experiment on the Leaning Tower of Pisa is subject to question.

17. In our very complex U.S. measurement system, 1 cubic ft of water occupies 7.48 gallons and weighs 62.43 lbs. In the metric system, 1000 cm3 of water occupies _____ Liters and has a mass of close to ____g.

a. 1000 Liters, 1000 gb. Exactly 1 L, 1000 gc. 0.1 L, 100 gd. 0.001 L, 1 ge. None of the above

The metric system is much easier for many reasons:1. Units are related by powers of 10 instead of factors of 3, 4, 12, 16, 5280, etc. 2. Volume and distance cubed are exactly related , 1 mL = 1 cm3

3. For water, 1 cm3 1 g (exact at 4oC, 0.998 g at 20oC)4. Internationally accepted (only 1 set of tools needed)5. No ridiculous abbreviations (e.g. lbs)

18. Which one of the following is not true?a. A solution with pH = 3 is more acidic than one with pH = 7b. For pH = 7, the solution is neutral or the hydrogen ion = hydroxide ion c. pH means the negative of the logarithm (base 10) of the hydrogen ion concentrationd. Orange juice typically has a pH of between 8 and 9

d. Is false!

19.Which is the better way to determine whether a new drug is effective in treating a disease? If a scientist has a group of 1,000 volunteers, should he/she:a. Give the drug to all of them and see how many get betterb. Give the drug to only half and give placebo to other halfc. Same as b but volunteers and staff do not know which

group is getting drug being tested.

c.

b.By Mayo Clinic StaffReye's syndrome is a rare but serious condition that causes swelling in the liver and brain. Reye's syndrome most often affects children and teenagers recovering from a viral infection. Though aspirin is approved for use in children older than age 2, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns.

20. Which one of the following statements is true?a. Amoxicillin is effective against a virusb. Aspirin increases the risk of Reye’s syndrome in childrenc. Measles vaccine can cause autism

Amoxycillin

Resistance to antibioticsIs sharply increasing.

bacteria

FALSE!

21. The genetic code can be found in the sequence of the bases, thymine, adenine, cytosine, guanine in: a. Adrenaline b. Insulin c. Hemoglobin d. DNA e. None of the above

d. DNA

22. Which one of the following represents photosynthesis?

a. Octane + oxygen carbon dioxide + water

b.

c.

d.

C is the 1st step of the vision process in the eye.

D represents the light initiated synthesis of Vit. D, the sunshine Vit.

combustion

b represents photosynthesis

Charles Darwin

23. Darwin proposed that only the fittest of animals live to pass on their traits to their offspring. This forms the basis for his theory of ____as the main force behind evolution.a. Creationismb. Natural selectionc. Survival of the fittestd. None of the above

http://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/science-knowledge

Foreign-born graduates whose highest degree is in S&E, by level and field of degree: 2010

The U.S. needs to increase interest and the literacy level in science related fields. With your family, please visit science museums (see next slide), attend science events (MAPS, MJC Science Colloquia, State Theater Science on Screen, Elementary, Regional and NOCAL Science Olympiads, Science Fairs, Science Bowl, Science Open Houses (MJC Wild Planet Day, CSU and high schools) and support science related organizations.

GREAT VALLEY MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

MJC West Campus

Oakland, CA

California Academy of Sciences

In Lodi

Fresno

Sacramento