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1) Toss Up - Biology - Multiple Choice

Which of the following will most likely result from a single base deletion in DNA:
W) nonsense mutation
X) stop codon
Y) frame shift mutation
Z) inversion mutation

ANSWER: Y) frame shift mutation
1) Bonus - Biology - Multiple Choice

The first vertebrates appeared a little more than
W) 50 million years ago
X) 100 million years ago
Y) 500 million years ago
Z) 150 million years ago

ANSWER: Y) 500 million years ago
2) Toss Up - Math - Short Answer

What is the limit as x approaches 0 of xAx?

ANSWER: Does not exist. (NOT 1)
2) Bonus - Math - Short Answer

Let f(x) be a function with no real roots. If f(3) = 4, then in what quadrants can f(x) be in?

ANSWER: All four quadrants (b.c. there's no specification f has to be continuous)
3) Toss Up - Earth Science - Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a glacial feature that is NOT caused by the deposition of sediments:
W) kame
X) kettle
Y) drumlin
Z) bergshrund

ANSWER: Z) BERGSHRUND
3) Bonus - Earth Science - Multiple Choice

Analysis of which of the following isotopes is most commonly used because it gives the BEST indication of historical temperatures at different latitudes worldwide:
W) oxygen
X) carbon
Y) nitrogen
Z) potassium

ANSWER: W) OXYGEN
4) Toss Up - Physics - Short Answer

Light that reflects off a wall typically undergoes diffuse reflection, meaning it scatters in many directions. What type of reflection is shown by a mirror, where the light changes angle but does not spread apart?

ANSWER: SPECULAR REFLECTION
4) Bonus - Physics - Short Answer

A CD’s surface often shows a rainbowish pattern when viewed in light. This is because the CD’s bumpy surface acts like what common device used sometimes to view stellar spectrums?

ANSWER: DIFFRACTION GRATING
5) Toss Up - Chemistry - Short Answer

According to standard chemical nomenclature and indicating the proper charge, what is the formula for potassium perchlorate?

ANSWER: Kclo4 CHEMISTRY Multiple Choice Which of the following is NOT generally true of reaction equilibria: W) if the temperature of an exothermic reaction is raised, the equilibrium shifts to the left X) the equilibrium constants for forward and reverse reactions are the reciprocals of each other Y) pure liquids appear in the equilibrium expression but pure solids do not Z) an equilibrium constant greater than 1 means that the reaction favors products at equilibrium ANSWER: Y) pure liquids appear in the equilibrium expression but pure solids do not
5) Bonus - Chemistry - Short Answer

Give all 3 angles, in degrees, that are present in phosphorous pentafluoride:

ANSWER: 90; 120; 180
6) Toss Up - Math - Short Answer

If the exterior angle of a base angle of an isosceles [eye-SOS-uh-lees] triangle measures 141°, what is the measure of the vertex angle?

ANSWER: 102°
6) Bonus - Math - Short Answer

If `f(x) = -2x - e^x` [f of x equals negative 2x minus e to the x], what is the range of `f'` [the derivative of f]?

ANSWER: `(-oo, -2)` (ACCEPT: x < -2 or THE OPEN INTERVAL FROM NEGATIVE INFINITY TO -2)
7) Toss Up - Astronomy - Multiple Choice

A planet in retrograde motion
W) rises in the west and sets in the east
X) shifts westward with respect to the stars
Y) shifts eastward with respect to the stars
Z) will be at the north celestial pole

ANSWER: X) SHIFTS WESTWARD WITH RESPECT TO THE STARS
7) Bonus - Astronomy - Multiple Choice

Scientists think the Earth's core is composed mainly of
W) silicate rocks
X) uranium
Y) lead
Z) iron

ANSWER: Z) IRON
8) Toss Up - Biology - Multiple Choice

The distinct zones of the ocean depend upon
W) distance from shore and temperature.
X) distance from shore and depth.
Y) temperature and types of organisms.
Z) types of organisms and distance from shore.

ANSWER: X-- DISTANCE FROM SHORE AND DEPTH
8) Bonus - Biology - Multiple Choice

The region of the ocean in which photosynthesis occurs is the
W) deep-sea zone.
X) zooplankton zone.
Y) nutrient zone.
Z) photic zone.

ANSWER: Z-- PHOTIC ZONE
9) Toss Up - Earth And Space - Multiple Choice

Nuclear fusion is an important stellar process that is initiated when hydrogen plasma reaches a critical temperature on the order of magnitude of approximately how many kelvin?
W) 107
X) 108
Y) 109
Z) 1010

ANSWER: W) 107
9) Bonus - Earth And Space - Multiple Choice

Most stars, upon consuming their hydrogen fuel, undergo rapid expansion during an aptly named "helium flash," when the triple-alpha process of helium fusion initiates after the star’s contraction heats the core to a critical temperature on the order of magnitude of approximately how many kelvin?
W) 107
X) 108
Y) 109
Z) 1010

ANSWER: X) 108
10) Toss Up - Physics - Multiple Choice

Which of the following sets of particles can be the result of a muon's decay?
W) quark, anti-quark, and electron
X) quark, anti-quark, and muon antineutrino
Y) tau, tau antineutrino, muon neutrino
Z) electron, electron antineutrino, muon neutrino

ANSWER: Z) ELECTRON, ELECTRON ANTINEUTRINO, MUON NEUTRINO
10) Bonus - Physics - Short Answer

Heisenburg's Uncertainty Principle can be restated so that rather than referring to position and momentum, it refers instead to time and what other quantity?

ANSWER: ENERGY
11) Toss Up - Biology - Short Answer

What is the name of the inner surface of the myocardium that is lined with a layer of endothelial cells?

ANSWER: endocardium
11) Bonus - Biology - Multiple Choice

In most species of Paramecium there are how many contractile vacuoles? Is it:
W) one
X) two
Y) three
Z) four

ANSWER: X) two
12) Toss Up - Biology - Short Answer

Bacterial transduction is primarily caused by the transference of what specific biological substance?

ANSWER: DNA
12) Bonus - Biology - Short Answer

Name all of the following 4 organisms that are human ectoparasites: Plasmodium ovale; Ascaris; Trichinella spiralis (read as: Trick-ih-nel-la spear-rah-liss); Ixodes (read as: icks-OH-dees)

ANSWER: IXODES
13) Toss Up - Astronomy - Multiple Choice

A total solar eclipse is likely when
W) Full moon occurs at descending node.
X) New moon occurs at ascending node.
Y) New moon occurs at apogee.
Z) New moon occurs at perigee.

ANSWER: X-- NEW MOON OCCURS AT ASCENDING NODE
13) Bonus - Astronomy - Multiple Choice

The Zodiacal Light is due to
W) scattering of Sunlight from interplanetary dust particles.
X) refraction of Sunlight by the Earth’s Atmosphere.
Y) scattering of Sunlight by ice crystals in the stratosphere.
Z) multiple reflection of Sunlight between the Moon and the Earth.

ANSWER: W-- SCATTERING OF SUNLIGHT FROM INTERPLANETARY DUST PARTICLES
14) Toss Up - Math - Short Answer

Name a real number that does not have a multiplicative inverse.

ANSWER: 0
14) Bonus - Math - Short Answer

Given the function `y = 4x - x^2`, what are the two values of x for which the corresponding value for y is 0?

ANSWER: 0 AND 4
15) Toss Up - Biology - Multiple Choice

When sound waves travelling through the air reach the human ear, the cochlea (read as: KOE-klee-ah) converts the sound wave into:
W) A chemical response transmitted through the blood stream
X) An electrical impulse sent to the brain
Y) A lower frequency wave, which resonates within the ear
Z) Many small wave vectors that are separately communicated to the brain

ANSWER: X) AN ELECTRICAL IMPULSE SENT TO THE BRAIN
15) Bonus - Biology - Multiple Choice

How does neural transmission across a synaptic gap occur?
W) Neural impulses cause the release of neurotransmitters that diffuse across the gap
X) Neural impulses open potassium-gated channels, allowing sodium to move across the gap
Y) Neural impulses travel across the gap as unidirectional electrical currents
Z) Neural impulses travel across the gap as multidirectional electrical currents

ANSWER: W) NEURAL IMPULSES CAUSE THE RELEASE OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS THAT DIFFUSE ACROSS THE GAP
16) Toss Up - Chemistry - Multiple Choice

In a polar bond, electrons are
W) shared unequally
X) shared equally
Y) completely transferred
Z) not shared at

ANSWER: W) shared unequally
16) Bonus - Chemistry - Short Answer

What is the common name given to a mixture of three parts ofconcentrated hydrochloric acid and one part concentrated nitric acid?

ANSWER: aqua regia
17) Toss Up - Physics - Short Answer

List which, if any, of the following are ferromagnetic at STP: aluminum, cobalt, silver, chromium, gadolinium.

ANSWER: COBALT AND GADOLINIUM
17) Bonus - Physics - Short Answer

What is the name of the state in a ferromagnetic material at which all domains are oriented in the same way, such that no greater magnetization can occur?

ANSWER: SATURATION POINT
18) Toss Up - Physics - Short Answer

Providing your answer in scientific notation with one significant digit, what is the value of 1 erg in joules?

ANSWER: 1 X 10-7
18) Bonus - Physics - Multiple Choice

A light wave travels a distance of 3 x 10-7 meters in a medium of refractive index n ~ 1.5. How much time does this trip take?
W) 1.5 x 10-6 nanoseconds
X) 4.5 x 10-6 nanoseconds
Y) 1.5 x 10-6 seconds z) 4.5 x 10-6 seconds

ANSWER: W) 1.5 x 10-6 NANOSECONDS
19) Toss Up - Energy - Multiple Choice

Electricity is called a secondary energy source because
W) it's our no 2 source of energy
X) it's not as important as oil and gas
Y) we get it from converting other energy sources
Z) all of the above

ANSWER: Y) we get it from converting other energy sources
19) Bonus - Energy - Multiple Choice

In a typical power plant used to generate electricity in the U.S., the percentage of energy in the fuel that is converted to electricity is about:
W) 99 percent
X) 50 percent
Y) 35 percent
Z) 10 percent

ANSWER: Y) 35 percent
20) Toss Up - Earth Science - Multiple Choice

The mineral halite is:
W) potassium chloride
X) sodium chloride
Y) calcium chloride
Z) calcium bromide

ANSWER: X) sodium chloride
20) Bonus - Earth Science - Multiple Choice

Which of the following are intrusive masses of igneous rock that extend downward to unknown depths and do not show signs of a definite floor:
W) laccolith
X) batholith
Y) sill
Z) volcanic neck

ANSWER: X) batholith
21) Toss Up - Biology - Multiple Choice

Endospores are produced by
W) gram-positive bacteria
X) beta hemolytic streptococci
Y) fungi
Z) viruses

ANSWER: W) GRAM-POSITIVE BACTERIA
21) Bonus - Biology - Short Answer

A bony flap covering the gills of fish is called the

ANSWER: OPERCULUM
22) Toss Up - Math - Multiple Choice

Which of the following is closest to 30 knots expressed in miles per hour?
W) 25
X) 35
Y) 45
Z) 55

ANSWER: X) 35
22) Bonus - Math - Short Answer

Name a real number that does not have a multiplicative inverse.

ANSWER: 0
23) Toss Up - Biology - Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the correct botanical term for the stem of a flower:
W) peduncle (Pron: pea-dunkle)
X) stolon (Pron: stow-lon)
Y) rhizome (Pron: RI-zome)
Z) tuber

ANSWER: W) PEDUNCLE
23) Bonus - Biology - Short Answer

The Gram stain delineates the differences between bacteria by differentially staining what part of the bacteria?

ANSWER: CELL WALL
24) Toss Up - Biology - Multiple Choice

Cyclic photophosphorylation (read as: FOE-toe-fohs-fohr-i-LAY-shon) functions mainly for which of the following purposes?
W) Generating NADPH
X) Generating PGAL
Y) Recycling electrons resulting from the absorption of light in Photosystem I
Z) Regenerating RuBP

ANSWER: Y) RECYCLING ELECTRONS RESULTING FROM THE ABSORPTION OF LIGHT IN PHOTOSYSTEM I
24) Bonus - Biology - Multiple Choice

Which of the following compounds acts as an activator protein for the lactose operon in Escherichia (read as: ehsh-eh-RIK-ee-ah) coli?
W) AP-1
X) AP-2y
Y) CAP
Z) SAP

ANSWER: Y) CAP
25) Toss Up - Physics - Short Answer

Providing your answer to the nearest degree, what is absolute zero in degrees Celsius?

ANSWER: -273 DEGREES CELSIUS (ACCEPT: 273 DEGREES CELSIUS BELOW ZERO)
25) Bonus - Physics - Short Answer

When air in a closed system is heated, what does it do?

ANSWER: EXPANDS (ACCEPT: RISES)