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1) Toss Up - General Science - Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT an example of a programming language:
W) Pascal
X) BIOS
Y) Cobol
Z) Fortran

ANSWER: X) BIOS
1) Bonus - General Science - Short Answer

A common type of RAM that is a small battery-backed memory that stores configuration settings is called:

ANSWER: CMOS (ACCEPT: COMPLEMENTARY METAL OXIDE SEMICONDUCTOR)
2) Toss Up - Physics - Short Answer

Name the set of spectral lines originally observed as dark features in the optical spectrum of the sun.

ANSWER: FRAUNHOFER LINES
2) Bonus - Physics - Multiple Choice

Which of the following series lies in the visible spectrum?
W) Lyman
X) Balmer
Y) Paschen
Z) Brackett

ANSWER: X) BALMER
3) Toss Up - General Science - Multiple Choice

The most important reason that most programs ran faster under Windows 95 than under Windows 3.1 was because:
W) it took advantage of 16-bit processors
X) it removed many of the DOS limitations
Y) it took advantage of 32-bit processors
Z) it eliminated the command-line interface

ANSWER: Y) IT TOOK ADVANTAGE OF 32-BIT PROCESSORS
3) Bonus - General Science - Multiple Choice

In Java, locking on a static method of a particular class will:
W) use a class-wide lock for the Class object of this class
X) not affect other instances of that class
Y) not be allowed because locks apply only to objects
Z) only allow invocation of other synchronized methods of that class

ANSWER: W) USE A CLASS-WIDE LOCK FOR THE CLASS OBJECT OF THIS CLASS
4) Toss Up - Biology - Short Answer

What is the common name of the unicellular organism that has the following characteristics: 1) it has chloroplasts and can make its own food; 2) it can also ingest food from its environment; 3) it usually lives in ponds or puddles; 4) it moves by a flagellum; 5) it has an eyespot that detects light.

ANSWER: EUGLENA
4) Bonus - Biology - Multiple Choice

The gram stain can be used to distinguish between different prokaryotes [proh-KAR-ee-ohts] based on which of the following?
W) Glucose metabolism
X) Flagella
Y) Lactose metabolism
Z) Cell wall morphology

ANSWER: Z) CELL WALL MORPHOLOGY
5) Toss Up - Physics - Multiple Choice

In the second harmonic of a standing wave on a string, how many nodes are there?
W) 2
X) 3
Y) 4
Z) 5

ANSWER: X) 3
5) Bonus - Physics - Short Answer

In a fourth harmonic standing wave on a string that has endpoints 2 meters apart, what is the horizontal distance between the left endpoint and the leftmost antinode?

ANSWER: 0.25 METERS
6) Toss Up - Math - Short Answer

How many degrees are there in pi radians?

ANSWER: 180 degrees
6) Bonus - Math - Multiple Choice

Driving at a speed of 75 miles per hour is equivalent to driving at a speed of
W) 100 kilometers per hour
X) 110 kilometers per hour
Y) 120 kilometers per hour
Z) 130 kilometers per hour

ANSWER: Y) 120 kilometers per hour
7) Toss Up - Chemistry - Multiple Choice

A reaction is carried out in a constant pressure calorimeter. Appropriate measurements are taken and the energy for the change is calculated. The quantity of heat exchanged under these conditions leads to the calculation of which of the following state functions?
W) Aq [delta Q]
X) AE
Y) AH
Z) AT

ANSWER: Y) AH
7) Bonus - Chemistry - Short Answer

Identify the number of pi bonds, respectively, in the following: 1) formaldehyde [for-MAL-duh-hyd], 2) sulfate ion, 3) acetylene [uh-SET-l-een].

ANSWER: 1) ONE, 2) TWO, 3) TWO
8) Toss Up - Math - Short Answer

What is the smallest prime larger than 180?

ANSWER: 181
8) Bonus - Math - Short Answer

How many primes are there less than 100?

ANSWER: 25
9) Toss Up - Chemistry - Multiple Choice

Reaction with a copper compound is a qualitative test for which functional group:
W) alcohol
X) aldehyde
Y) ketone
Z) carboxylic acid

ANSWER: X) ALDEHYDE
9) Bonus - Chemistry - Short Answer

Name the two elements that have atomic numbers less than that of lead that have no stable isotopes:

ANSWER: TECHNETIUM AND PROMETHIUM (ACCEPT: Tc and Pm)
10) Toss Up - Physics - Multiple Choice

Which of the following BEST describes Fermat’s principle:
W) light disperses in a specific medium depending on the medium’s refractive index
X) light follows the path of least time between two points
Y) the angle of incidence can be greater than the angle of reflection
Z) light always travels in the same medium at the same speed

ANSWER: X) LIGHT FOLLOWS THE PATH OF LEAST TIME BETWEEN TWO POINTS
10) Bonus - Physics - Short Answer

What is the ideal mechanical advantage of a wheel and axle, if the diameter of the wheel is 500 centimeters and the radius of the axle is 2.5 centimeters?

ANSWER: 100 (Solution: mechanical advantage, radius of wheel/radius of axle = 250 cm/2.5 cm = 100)
11) 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
11) 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
12) Toss Up - Chemistry - Multiple Choice

Which of the following molecules has an electron pair geometry that matches its molecular geometry:
W) H2O
X) NH3
Y) SO2
Z) PCl5

ANSWER: Z) PCl5
12) Bonus - Chemistry - Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a constitutional isomer of the organic compound whose molecular formula is C4H8:
W) 1-butene
X) 2-butene
Y) 2-methyl-1-butene
Z) 2-methyl-1-propene

ANSWER: Y) 2-METHYL-1-BUTENE (Solution: 2-methyl-1-butene has a molecular formula of C5H10)
13) Toss Up - Physics - Short Answer

What specific law of motion most directly implies that every action has an equal and opposite reaction?

ANSWER: NEWTON'S THIRD LAW (ACCEPT: THIRD LAW)
13) Bonus - Physics - Multiple Choice

Jay walks to his car and drives to the store. The trip takes 20 minutes. Jay figures how far he traveled on foot and by car and divides the distance by how long the trip took. Which of the following BEST describes what Jay has computed:
W) total velocity
X) average acceleration
Y) average speed
Z) instantaneous velocity

ANSWER: Y) AVERAGE SPEED
14) Toss Up - Chemistry - Multiple Choice

Solvents, such as water, that can both donate and accept protons are typically described as:
W) resonant
X) metalloid
Y) amphoteric
Z) polyprotic

ANSWER: Y) AMPHOTERIC
14) Bonus - Chemistry - Multiple Choice

When going from left to right, elements in the same period of the Periodic Table have progressively smaller atomic radii because of:
W) increased effective nuclear charge
X) decreased effective nuclear charge
Y) addition of electrons
Z) addition of neutrons

ANSWER: W) INCREASED EFFECTIVE NUCLEAR CHARGE
15) Toss Up - Chemistry - Multiple Choice

Which of the following can bond to a metal ion?
W) Ligand
X) Lewis acid
Y) Bronsted-Lowry acid
Z) Enantiomer

ANSWER: W) LIGAND
15) Bonus - Chemistry - Short Answer

How many milliliters of 0.75 molar HCl are required to completely neutralize 25.0 milliliters of 0.15 molar Ba(OH)2?

ANSWER: 10
16) Toss Up - Chemistry - Multiple Choice

Which of the following pairs would most likely undergo a Heck reaction?
W) Styrene and iodobenzene
X) Ethylbenzene and phenol [FEE-nol]
Y) Vinyl bromide and benzene z) Cyclohexane [sy-kluh-HEK-sayn] and allyl bromide

ANSWER: W) STYRENE AND IODOBENZENE
16) Bonus - Chemistry - Short Answer

In semicrystalline polymers, the ordered regions will break up and become disordered at the melting temperature. However, amorphous regions soften over a wider range. What is the name of this range?

ANSWER: GLASS TRANSITION
17) Toss Up - Chemistry - Multiple Choice

Modern automobiles use a catalytic converter to
W) increase horsepower by burning more gasoline
X) absorb pollutants from the exhaust
Y) complete the combustion of unburned gases
Z) cool the exhaust gases

ANSWER: Y) complete the combustion of unburned gases
17) Bonus - Chemistry - Multiple Choice

A catalyst will NOT
W) increase the forward reaction rate
X) shift the equilibrium to favor the products
Y) alter the reaction pathway
Z) increase the speed at which equilibrium will be achieved

ANSWER: X
18) Toss Up - Astronomy - Multiple Choice

The Schmidt telescope would BEST be considered:
W) an advanced adaptive optics telescope with x-ray detection capabilities
X) a wide field telescope
Y) a radio telescope
Z) an orbital x-ray telescope

ANSWER: X) A WIDE FIELD TELESCOPE
18) Bonus - Astronomy - Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT true:
W) the planet Venus has a high albedo
X) a gnomon is a very simple astronomical instrument
Y) the Moon is found at over 10 degrees north of the ecliptic in a lunar standstill year
Z) carbon is probably the fourth most common element in the universe

ANSWER: Y) THE MOON IS FOUND AT OVER 10 DEGREES NORTH OF THE ECLIPTIC IN A LUNAR STANDSTILL YEAR
19) Toss Up - Physics - Short Answer

What is the efficiency of an ideal Carnot engine operating between temperature reservoirs of 27° Celsius and 227° Celsius?

ANSWER: 40%
19) Bonus - Physics - Short Answer

A parachutist lands on the ground at a speed of 6 meters per second. Providing your answer to the nearest tenth and given acceleration due to gravity as 10 meters per second squared, what is the height in meters from which a free-falling object would have to fall to reach the same speed?

ANSWER: 1.8
20) Toss Up - Math - Short Answer

What is the inverse function of `f(x) = x^5 + 1` (read as: f of x equals x to the fifth plus 1)?

ANSWER: `f^-1(x) = root5(x - 1)`
20) Bonus - Math - Multiple Choice

For a function, f(x) (read as: f of x), suppose that f is continuous on the closed interval [-1,3], differentiable on the open interval (-1, 3), and that f(-1) = -2 and f(3) = 2. Which of the following is the value of the derivative for at least one value, c, on the open interval (-1, 3)?
W) -1
X) 0
Y) 1
Z) 2

ANSWER: Y) 1
21) Toss Up - Biology - Multiple Choice

The taste buds on your tongue determine whether a food is
W) salty or bitter.
X) hot or cold.
Y) sweet and hot.
Z) sour and cold.

ANSWER: W-- SALTY OR BITTER
21) Bonus - Biology - Multiple Choice

The resting potential of a single neuron’s cell membrane is
W) 0.001 millivolt.
X) 70 millivolts.
Y) 500 millivolts.
Z) 1500 millivolts.

ANSWER: X-- 70 MILLIVOLTS
22) Toss Up - Chemistry - Multiple Choice

Which of the following metals commonly forms cations [KAT-eye-uhns] with differing charges?
W) Strontium
X) Rubidium
Y) Calcium
Z) Chromium

ANSWER: Z) CHROMIUM
22) Bonus - Chemistry - Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the most common linkage between successive monomers in cellulose?
W) Alpha-1, 4
X) Alpha-1,6
Y) Beta-1,4
Z) Beta-1, 6

ANSWER: Y) BETA-1,4
23) Toss Up - Earth Science - Short Answer

What is the name of the equatorial region of the Atlantic Ocean that often experiences calms, sudden storms, and light unpredictable winds?

ANSWER: doldrums
23) Bonus - Earth Science - Short Answer

Name two of the three broad classes of variable stars.

ANSWER: pulsating variables, cataclysmic variables, eclipsing variables (accept any 2 of these 3)
24) Toss Up - Physics - Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the SI unit for the product of newtons and meters:
W) henry
X) watt
Y) erg
Z) joule

ANSWER: Z) JOULE
24) Bonus - Physics - Multiple Choice

In a gearing arrangement where a 10-tooth pinion drives a 40-tooth gear, what is the gear ratio:
W) 1 to 4
X) 4 to 1
Y) 1 to 10
Z) 40 to 1

ANSWER: X) 4 TO 1
25) Toss Up - General Science - Multiple Choice

The sea nettle is the Bering Sea’s most common:
W) jellyfish
X) crab
Y) sea urchin
Z) walleye pollock

ANSWER: W) JELLYFISH
25) Bonus - General Science - Multiple Choice

1 cubic foot per second equals approximately how many gallons per minutes:
W) 256
X) 449
Y) 646
Z) 724

ANSWER: X) 449