WorksheetsScience Olympiad Science Bowl #1
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 10mins
Two wires carrying electricity can create a spark if they come too close together. This spark can start a fire. Wires carrying electricity are usually covered with plastic to keep them from starting a fire. Why does the plastic keep the electricity from starting a fire?
Plastic is a good insulator.
Plastic is softer than wire.
Plastic can melt when heated.
Plastic conducts electricity.
A teacher gives a student four clear sealed containers. Each container holds a different substance. The student records some observations about the substance in each container.
Container 1: The substance takes the shape of the container and is clear. Small particles float on top of the substance.
Container 2: The substance is hard and cube-shaped. The surface of the substance is shiny.
Container 3: The substance is not visible, and the container appears empty.
Container 4: The substance is cold and made of crystals.
Based on these observations, which container most likely holds only gas?
Container 1
Container 2
Container 3
Container 4
Which of these is the best conductor of electricity?
Glass rod
Cotton string
Plastic tubing
Copper penny
A teacher mixes a white powder into a beaker of water. The powder cannot be seen in the water. The teacher then heats the mixture until the water evaporates and the powder can be seen again. Which property of the powder is the teacher demonstrating?
Solubility
Density
Conductivity
Mass
A student measures the temperature of water being heated on a hot plate. The student observes that the temperature of the water is 53°C. How many more degrees Celsius must the temperature rise before it reaches the boiling temperature of water?
159°C
69°C
20°C
47°C
A student observed liquid wax dripping down the side of a burning candle. After putting out the candle's flame, the student left the room. Several hours later the student observed that there was no longer any liquid on the side of the candle. Which statement explains what most likely happened to the liquid wax?
The heat given off by the flame caused the candel wax to evaporate.
The liquid wax changed back into a solid as it cooled.
The liquid wax condensed and was absorbed by the candle.
None of the above
Some people add sugar to their hot tea. Which property of the sugar remains the same when the sugar is in the tea solution?
The taste of the sugar
The size of the sugar crystals
The color of the sugar
The texture of the sugar
Which of these is not soluble in water?
Oil
Salt
Honey
Sugar
Objects that blow into a swimming pool or that are dropped into the pool by swimmers need to be removed. These objects include foam cups, keys, and coins. Which of the following explains a useful method for removing some of these objects?
The keys and coins are less dense than water, so they can be easily picked up off the bottom of the pool by divers.
The foam cups have the same density as water, so they can be crumpled up for removal by the pool filter.
The foam cups are less dense than water, so they can be removed from the surface with a pool cleaning net.
The keys and coins have the same density as water, so they can be washed away when the pool is drained.
Cracks in the seafloor called hydro-thermal vents send streams of hot water into the ocean. The water from a vent is 387°C. How many degrees above the boiling point of water is this temperature?
175°C
287°C
387°C
487°C
A student adds 10 grams of four different powdered solids into four different beakers. The student then adds 100mL of water to each beaker, stirs the mixtures, and allows them to sit for half an hour before recording observations. Which question is the student most likely trying to answer with this investigation?
At what water temperature do the substances dissolve?
How much water is needed to cause a substance to change state?
What causes a substance to sink when put in water?
Which substances dissolve in water?
A teacher wears protective gloves to lift a metal pan filled with boiling water from a hot plate. Why are the protective gloves necessary?
The metal pan creates thermal energy.
The metal pan insulates thermal energy.
The metal pan conducts thermal energy.
The metal pan reduces thermal energy.
A student fills two identical beakers with the same volume of water. The student places on beaker in the freezer and the other beaker on a hot plate. After 5 minutes the student observes that the temperature of the water in the freezer is 19°C and the temperature of the water on the hot plate is 42°C. Which statement best describes the relationship between the two beakers of water and the freezing and boiling point of water?
The temperature of the water on the hot plate must increase 58°C before it boils, and the temperature of the water in the freezer must decrease 32°C before it freezes.
The temperature of the water on the hot plate is closer to the boiling point than the temperature of the water in the freezer is to the freezing point.
The temperature of the water in the freezer must decrease by 19°C before it freezes, and the temperature of the water on the hot plate must increase 170°C before it boils.
The temperature of the water in the freezer is closer to the freezing point than the temperature of the water on the hot plate is to the boiling point.
A student combined powdered paint with water to make a small amount of a blue liquid paint mixture. The student left the paint mixture in a open container. Several days later the student found the container and observed that changes had occurred. What most likely happened to the mixture?
The container was empty after the mixture evaporated into the air.
The paint evaporated, leaving only clear water in the container.
The water evaporated, leaving only a dry blue solid in the container.
The liquid paint mixture was lighter in color after some water evaporated.
Some students put two ice cubes on separate plates. One ice cube had a mass of 80 grams. The other had a mass of 40 grams. Which result would be the same for both ice cubes in this investigation?
The time it took each ice cube to melt completely.
The temperature at which each ice cube melted.
The amount of liquid produced on each plate.
The total volume of each ice cube.
A student made a mixture using equal amounts of salt and pepper. The salt grains were the same size as the pepper grains. What should each student do to most easily separate the pepper from the salt?
Use a pair of tweezers to remove each grain of pepper.
Run a small magnet through the mixture to attract the pepper.
Put the mixture in water and filter the pepper out of the water.
Use a strainer with a fine wire screen to remove the pepper.
When a powdered drink mix was added to water, the liquid turned orange. A student decided the taste was too strong, so he poured out half of the liquid and added more water. Which of the following most likely occurred when more water was added?
The physical state changed.
The orange color became lighter
The liquid had a sweeter taste.
None of the above
A student uses a set of headphones to listen to music. Which type of these objects uses the same source of energy as the headphones?
A flute using wind energy
A piano using mechanical energy
A keyboard using electrical energy
A teapot using thermal energy
When a bat searches for prey at night, it makes sounds as it flies, and it uses the sounds' echoes to find its prey. When the bat flies and listens to echoes to locate prey, it is using -
thermal energy and light energy
sound energy and thermal energy
mechanical energy and sound energy
light energy and mechanical energy
Which of these best demonstrates the reflection of light?
Looking through the glass of a large window.
Looking at an image formed on a silver spoon.
Looking at a lightbulb that is glowing.
Looking at a star on a clear night.
