ROUND 3

TOSS-UP

1) BIOLOGY Multiple Choice Female insects usually lay their eggs near which of the
following?

W) Light
X) Shade
Y) Food
Z) Water

ANSWER: Y) FOOD

BONUS

1) BIOLOGY Multiple Choice Which of the following biological molecules most directly enables
the structural compartmentalization required for cellular respiration and photosynthesis [foh-
tuh-SIN-thuh-sis]?

W) Amino acids
X) Phospholipids [fos-foh-LIP-ids]
Y) Glycogen [GLY-kuh-juhn]
Z) Cholesterol

ANSWER: X) PHOSPHOLIPIDS

TOSS-UP

2) PHYSICS Short Answer Which Greek scientist discovered that, when an object is immersed
in a fluid, there is a buoyant force acting upward on the object equal to the weight of the
displaced fluid?

ANSWER: ARCHIMEDES

BONUS

2) PHYSICS Multiple Choice Which of the following is true for a cyclist applying her brakes
while traveling west on a straight path?

W) Her acceleration is zero

X) She accelerates to the east
Y) She accelerates to the west
Z) She accelerates both to the east and the west

ANSWER: X) SHE ACCELERATES TO THE EAST

Round 3 Page 1
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3) CHEMISTRY Multiple Choice In which of the following ways would oxygen’s electrons fill the
3 p subshells?

W) 1 pair, 2 unpaired
X) 1 pair, 1 unpaired
Y) 2 pairs
Z) 3 pairs

ANSWER: W) 1 PAIR, 2 UNPAIRED

BONUS

3) CHEMISTRY Short Answer What gaseous organic compound is made when ethanol is
heated in a concentrated solution of sulfuric acid?

ANSWER: ETHYLENE (ACCEPT: ETHENE)

TOSS-UP

4) EARTH AND SPACE Short Answer Mechanical weathering is one type of weathering, what
is the other?

ANSWER: CHEMICAL (ALSO ACCEPT BIOLOGICAL)

BONUS

4) EARTH AND SPACE Multiple Choice For the June solstice, which of the following
statements is NOT true?

W) The northern hemisphere experiences the day with the longest period of sunlight
X) There are 24 hours of sunlight in the Arctic Circle
Y) Earth is further from the Sun than it is at the winter solstice
Z) The Sun is directly overhead at noon in the Arctic Circle

ANSWER: Z) THE SUN IS DIRECTLY OVERHEAD AT NOON IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE

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5) MATH Short Answer How many distinct diagonals does a pentagon have?

ANSWER: 5

BONUS

5) MATH Short Answer The polynomial p(x) = x4 + 5x3 – 2x2 – 24x has a zero at x = 2. Factor p
completely.

ANSWER: x(x – 2)(x + 3)(x + 4)

[NOTE: EXPRESSIONS IN ANSWER CAN BE IN ANY ORDER]

TOSS-UP

6) ENERGY Multiple Choice Which of the following describes the purpose of the ground
connection on a common power outlet?

W) Provide a zero potential reference

X) Remove excess heat from the transmission system
Y) Give a low resistance path for short circuits to travel through
Z) Act as a small current source to prevent corrosion

ANSWER: Y) GIVE A LOW RESISTANCE PATH FOR SHORT CIRCUITS TO TRAVEL

THROUGH

BONUS

6) ENERGY Short Answer If a solar panel produces energy directly proportional to the flux of
incident photons, what is the best orientation it can have, relative to the line from the Earth to
the Sun?

ANSWER: PERPENDICULAR (ACCEPT: ORTHOGONAL)

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7) BIOLOGY Multiple Choice Which of the following statements is NOT true about spike moss?

W) They do not have true roots

X) They have a well-developed vascular system
Y) They are widely distributed in all parts of the world
Z) Their leaves are spore-bearing

ANSWER: X) THEY HAVE A WELL-DEVELOPED VASCULAR SYSTEM

BONUS

7) BIOLOGY Short Answer What is the term for the organic substance that consists of a
dendritic network polymer of phenylpropene units and binds the cells, fibers, and vessels that
constitute wood?

ANSWER: LIGNIN

TOSS-UP

8) PHYSICS Multiple Choice Pascal’s law governs the actions of forces in which of the
following?

W) Gases
X) Solids
Y) Incompressible fluids
Z) A vacuum

ANSWER: Y) INCOMPRESSIBLE FLUIDS

BONUS

8) PHYSICS Short Answer What current, in amperes, is carried in a lightning stroke that lasts
0.5 seconds and transfers 100 coulombs of charge?

ANSWER: 200

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9) CHEMISTRY Short Answer In a flame test on an unknown compound, the flame is violet.
What element is likely to be in the compound?

ANSWER: POTASSIUM (ACCEPT: RUBIDIUM, CESIUM)

BONUS

9) CHEMISTRY Multiple Choice Which of the following anhydrous compounds has the lowest
melting point?

W) Aluminum chloride
X) Calcium chloride
Y) Copper (II) chloride
Z) Lead (III) chloride

ANSWER: W) ALUMINUM CHLORIDE

TOSS-UP

10) EARTH AND SPACE Short Answer What term is used to describe the advance of desert
conditions into formerly non-desert areas?

ANSWER: DESERTIFICATION

BONUS

10) EARTH AND SPACE Multiple Choice The Intertropical Convergence Zone is NOT
characterized by which of the following?

W) Divergence
X) Uplift
Y) High cloud cover
Z) Heavy precipitation

ANSWER: W) DIVERGENCE

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11) MATH Short Answer What is the surface area of a cube with volume 8?

ANSWER: 24

BONUS

11) MATH Short Answer In terms of x and in standard polynomial form, what is the volume of a
right rectangular prism with dimensions (x + 4), (x + 1), and (x + 6)?

ANSWER: x3 + 11x2 + 34x + 24

TOSS-UP

12) ENERGY Multiple Choice Which of the following uses stored electricity and is required to
get a gasoline-powered car's engine going?

W) Catalytic converter
X) Starter motor
Y) Fuel rail
Z) Alternator

ANSWER: X) STARTER MOTOR

BONUS

12) ENERGY Short Answer Most coals of the softer varieties are forms of which of the three
major rock types?

ANSWER: SEDIMENTARY

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13) BIOLOGY Multiple Choice Which of the following best describes blood?

W) It is a specialized type of cell found in blood vessels

X) It is a type of cell formed in the bone marrow
Y) It is a kind of connective tissue in which red and white blood cells are suspended in plasma
Z) It is a kind of epithelial tissue [ep-uh-THEE-lee-al]

ANSWER: Y) IT IS A KIND OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE IN WHICH RED AND WHITE BLOOD

CELLS ARE SUSPENDED IN PLASMA

BONUS

13) BIOLOGY Short Answer Valproic acid and trapoxin are inhibitors of what class of enzymes
that regulate gene expression by altering chromatin accessibility?

ANSWER: HDAC (ACCEPT: HISTONE DEACETYLASES; DO NOT ACCEPT: HAT)

TOSS-UP

14) EARTH AND SPACE Multiple Choice Which of the following statements about the Moon
best describes why we only see one side of the Moon from Earth?

W) It does not rotate

X) It has a side that is always dark
Y) It does not revolve
Z) It has the same period for rotation and revolution

ANSWER: Z) IT HAS THE SAME PERIOD FOR ROTATION AND REVOLUTION

BONUS

14) EARTH AND SPACE Multiple Choice Which of the following elements CANNOT be a
source of fuel in nuclear fusion?

W) Iron
X) Oxygen
Y) Nitrogen
Z) Carbon

ANSWER: W) IRON

Round 3 Page 7
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15) BIOLOGY Multiple Choice Which of the following statements best describes the
thermodynamic effect of an enzyme on the reaction it catalyzes?

W) The energy level of the reactants is decreased in the presence of the enzyme
X) The activation energy of the reaction is decreased
Y) The activation energy of the reaction is increased
Z) The ΔG [delta-G] between products and reactants is decreased

ANSWER: X) THE ACTIVATION ENERGY OF THE REACTION IS DECREASED

BONUS

15) BIOLOGY Short Answer What recessive, life-threatening disorder affects the cells that
produce mucus, sweat, and digestive juices, rendering secretions thick and sticky?

ANSWER: CYSTIC FIBROSIS (ALSO ACCEPT CF OR MUCOVISCIDOSIS)

TOSS-UP

16) PHYSICS Short Answer The two leaves of an electroscope repel each other and stand out
at an angle. What force balances the electrical force so the leaves don’t stand out farther?

ANSWER: GRAVITY

BONUS

16) PHYSICS Short Answer A block of wood, when floating in water, displaces 300 cubic
centimeters of water. When completely submerged, the block displaces 400 cubic centimeters
of water. What is the specific gravity of the block?

ANSWER: 0.75

Round 3 Page 8
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17) CHEMISTRY Multiple Choice A nitrogen atom present in the backbone of a polypeptide
[pol-ee-PEP-tyd] is part of which of the following functional groups?

W) A primary amine
X) A secondary amine
Y) A tertiary amine [TER-shee-er-ee]
Z) An amide

ANSWER: Z) AN AMIDE

BONUS

17) CHEMISTRY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the final product of purine
metabolism excreted in the urine?

W) Urea
X) Uric acid
Y) Ammonia
Z) Ammonium

ANSWER: X) URIC ACID

TOSS-UP

18) EARTH AND SPACE Short Answer What is the most common element in Earth’s crust?

ANSWER: OXYGEN

BONUS

18) EARTH AND SPACE Multiple Choice Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the
mixed layer of the ocean?

W) Relatively stratified in the vertical

X) In direct contact with the atmosphere
Y) Stirred by winds and convection
Z) Varied depth with latitude and season

ANSWER: W) RELATIVELY STRATIFIED IN THE VERTICAL

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19) MATH Short Answer For what values of x is the function f(x)= [f of x equals the
fraction with numerator x squared and denominator x squared minus 4 x plus 4] NOT
defined?

ANSWER: 2

BONUS

19) MATH Multiple Choice Which of the following inequalities has NO solutions?

W) 7x + 4 > 3
X) |x – 1| > -10 [the absolute value of the quantity x minus 1 is greater than negative 10]
Y) |x + 3| < -2 [the absolute value of the quantity x plus 3 is less than negative 2]
Z) -100x + 5 ≥ 8

ANSWER: Y) |x + 3| < -2

TOSS-UP

20) ENERGY Short Answer What energy barrier must a chemical reaction pass in order to
proceed?

ANSWER: ACTIVATION ENERGY

BONUS

20) ENERGY Short Answer One proposed geoengineering mechanism that could be used to
mitigate increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels is called iron seeding and involves
spreading large quantities of iron over the surface of the ocean. What is the name of the
organism that would grow as a result, leading to carbon sequestration [see-kwes-TRAY-
shuhn]?

ANSWER: PLANKTON (ACCEPT: PHYTOPLANKTON)

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21) BIOLOGY Multiple Choice Which of the following choices is NOT a source of new genetic
combinations?

W) Mitosis [my-TOH-sis]
X) Fertilization
Y) Mutation
Z) Meiosis [meye-OH-sis]

ANSWER: W) MITOSIS

BONUS

21) BIOLOGY Multiple Choice Which of the following parts of B and T cells bind to antigens?

W) Variable region
X) Heavy chain
Y) Alpha chain only
Z) Disulfide bridge

ANSWER: W) VARIABLE REGION

TOSS-UP

22) PHYSICS Short Answer What force does a charged particle moving through a magnetic
field experience that is perpendicular to the direction the particle is traveling?

ANSWER: LORENTZ (ACCEPT: MAGNETIC FORCE)

BONUS

22) PHYSICS Short Answer What is the mass, in kilograms, of a 2 kilogram rock on a planet
with a gravitational acceleration of 8.2 meters per second squared?

ANSWER: 2

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23) CHEMISTRY Short Answer At -78º Celsius, dry ice changes directly from a solid to a gas.
What is this process called?

ANSWER: SUBLIMATION

BONUS

23) CHEMISTRY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the formula for n-Octadecanoic
acid?

W) C 6 H 12 O 6
X) C 18 H 36 COOH
Y) C 17 H 35 COOH
Z) C 16 H 32 COOH

ANSWER: Y) C 17 H 35 COOH

TOSS-UP

24) EARTH AND SPACE Short Answer In what compass direction would the magnetic north
pole of your compass point during a period in which the Earth’s magnetic field was reversed?

ANSWER: SOUTH

BONUS

24) EARTH AND SPACE Multiple Choice Which of the following best describes why Neptune
is blue?

W) A sub-surface ocean below a layer of ice

X) Absorption of light by methane in its atmosphere
Y) Blue-shifted due to its orbit
Z) Hydrocarbon haze

ANSWER: X) ABSORPTION OF LIGHT BY METHANE IN ITS ATMOSPHERE

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25) MATH Short Answer If ln [natural log of the quantity x cubed equals 6], what is
ln [the natural log of the quantity x squared]?

ANSWER: 4

BONUS

25) MATH Short Answer If f(x) = 4x3 – 4x2 + 10, then what is f(-2) [f of negative 2]?

ANSWER: -38

Round 3 Page 13