Here are some science questions to help you test your general science knowledge. They will also show you which of the Florida, Utah, and NGSS science standards each question is testing.
The questions are chosen randomly, so this quest will be different each time.
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Incandescent light bulbs use electrical energy to produce light energy, but it is not a direct transformation. Instead, the electrical energy is changed to a different form of energy, and then to light.
Electricity → ? → Light
What form of energy does the "?" represent?
-
Sound
No. Electrical energy can be transformed into sound energy, but that would not cause the bulb to light. -
Thermal
Yes. As electrical energy flows through the filament, resistance changes the electrical energy into thermal energy. When the filament gets hot enough, some of the thermal energy is converted into light. -
Radiation
No. The electrical energy is not transformed into radiation. -
Friction
No. The electrical energy is not transformed into friction.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.2.P.10.1 Discuss that people use electricity or other forms of energy to cook their food, cool or warm their homes, and power their cars.
| Review Energy-3 | practice |
SC.5.P.10.4 Investigate and explain that electrical energy can be transformed into heat, light, and sound energy, as well as the energy of motion.
| Introduction to the LED | video, checked |
| Light a Bulb with a Balloon | video, checked |
| Electricity | video, free, Updated |
| Review Energy-3 | practice |
SC.7.P.11.2 Investigate and describe the transformation of energy.
| The Rollback Can | video, free, Updated |
| High Bounce | video, checked |
| Review Energy-3 | practice |
Utah
UT.3.V.2.c Predict, measure, and graph the temperature changes produced by a variety of mechanical machines and electrical devices while they are operating.
| Review Energy-3 | practice |
UT.8.IV.4.b Trace the conversion of energy from one form of energy to another (e.g., light to chemical to mechanical).
| Measuring Kinetic and Potential Energy | video, checked |
| The Rollback Can | video, free, Updated |
| High Bounce | video, checked |
NGSS
4-PS3-4 Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.
| Making a Screamer | video, free, Updated |
| Measuring Kinetic and Potential Energy | video, checked |
| The Slow Race | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| The Singing Glass | video, checked |
| Whistle Stick | video, text page, blog, free, checked |
| Simple Circuits | video, checked |
| Solar Power | video, checked |
| The Rollback Can | video, free, Updated |
| A Grass Whistle | video, checked |
| High Bounce | video, checked |
| Bottle Tones, part 1 | video, checked |
| Measuring Calories | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Bottle Tones, part 2 | video, checked |
| Why Things Go Bang | video |
| Why We Sweat | video, checked |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| Noisy String | video, checked |
| Spoon Bells | video, checked |
| Ice Cream Science | video, checked |
| Sunlight, Energy, and Crayons | text page, free |
| Review Energy-5 | quest |
| Review Energy-3 | practice |
When this traffic jam starts moving, the cars will be able to speed up faster than the big trucks. Why?
-
The cars have more powerful engines.
No. The trucks have more powerful engines than the cars do. -
The cars have tires with more friction.
No. The truck tires are larger, which means they have more contact with the ground, and more friction. -
The cars weigh less.
Yes! The heavier an object is (the more mass it has), the more force it takes to move it. The trucks weigh a lot more than the cars, so it takes much more energy to get them moving. -
The cars are more streamlined
No. A streamlined shape helps when the cars are moving quickly, but does not do much as they are starting up.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.5.P.13.3 Investigate and describe that the more mass an object has, the less effect a given force will have on the object's motion.
| The Difference Between Weight and Mass | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 2 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 3 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 1 | video, checked |
| Obedient Coin | video, checked |
| Wrong Way Balloon | video, checked |
| High Bounce | video, checked |
| Review Force and Motion-1 | practice |
| Review Force and Motion-2 | practice |
Utah
UT.3.III.2.b Compare and chart the relative effects of a force of the same strength on objects of different weight (e.g., the breeze from a fan will move a piece of paper but may not move a piece of cardboard).
| Floating Cups | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 2 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 3 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 1 | video, checked |
| High Bounce | video, checked |
| Review Force and Motion-1 | practice |
| Review Force and Motion-2 | practice |
NGSS
MS-PS2-2 Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.
| Bernoulli Effect | video |
| The Old Tablecloth Trick | video |
| Smoke Rings | video |
| Floating Cups | video, checked |
| The Difference Between Weight and Mass | video, checked |
| Torque | video |
| Water in a Glass, part 2 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 3 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 1 | video, checked |
| Newton's First Law of Motion | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Obedient Coin | video, checked |
| Wrong Way Balloon | video, checked |
| Strange Flame, part 2 | video, checked |
| Strange Flame, part 1 | video, checked |
| Science Friction | video, checked |
| Raw Egg or Boiled? | video, checked |
| More Science of Balance | video, checked |
| Science of Balance | video, checked |
| Balancing a Meter Stick | text page |
| Review Force and Motion-2 | practice |
| Review Force and Motion-4 | practice |
| Review Force and Motion-1 | practice |
When Nancy and I moved from Florida to our new home in Utah, we found that many of the flowers we grew in Florida would not grow well here. Why?
-
The soil is different.
This is part of the answer. The soil here is mostly sand, and is very alkaline. The soil in Florida had much more organic matter and was more acidic. Plants that need rich soil do not grow well here. -
The climate is different.
This is part of the answer. The climate in Utah is very different from Florida. The winters are MUCH colder (down to -20°F) and the summers are MUCH hotter (up to 125°F). The climate here is also much drier. When we lived in Jacksonville, FL, we got about 52 inches of rainfall each year. Here in Utah, we only get about 14 inches of rainfall each year. Some of the plants from Florida can grow here, but the ones that cannot stand the cold, heat, and dry conditions do not. -
The animals are different.
This is part of the answer. The wildlife here is much different from the animals in Florida. There are insects here that eat plants that were not bothered by Florida insects. There are rock squirrels, western pocket gophers, jack rabbits, mule deer, and many other animals here that love to eat many kinds of flowers. Plants that do not have a bitter taste, spines, or other ways to discourage animals do not do well here. -
All of the above.
Yes! All of the answers are correct. When you take an organism from one environment and put it into another, you may see different results. If the organism is not adapted for the new environment, it may die or not grow well. If it is very well adapted to the new environment, it may take over, crowding out some of the native organisms.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.5.L.17.1 Compare and contrast adaptations displayed by animals and plants that enable them to survive in different environments such as life cycles variations, animal behaviors and physical characteristics.
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Nature Watching | video, checked |
| Calling a Woodpecker | video, checked |
| Selective Smelling | video, checked |
| Seed Search | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Flowers | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| Review Plants-1 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-2 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-3 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-4 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
SC.5.L.15.1 Describe how, when the environment changes, differences between individuals allow some plants and animals to survive and reproduce while others die or move to new locations.
| Who Evolved on First? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Adaptation-1 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
SC.7.L.15.3 Explore the scientific theory of evolution by relating how the inability of a species to adapt within a changing environment may contribute to the extinction of that species.
| Thoughts on an Exoskeleton | text page, free |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
Utah
UT.4.V.2.b Cite examples of physical features that allow particular plants and animals to live in specific environments (e.g., duck has webbed feet, cactus has waxy coating).
| Hunting with an Umbrella | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Seed Search | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Flowers | video, ClosedCaptions |
| How Does a Butterfly Fly? | text page, free |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
UT.5.V.2.c Describe how a particular physical attribute may provide an advantage for survival in one environment but not in another (e.g., heavy fur in arctic climates keep animals warm whereas in hot desert climates it would cause overheating; flippers on such animals as sea lions and seals provide excellent swimming structures in the water but become clumsy and awkward on land; cacti retain the right amount of water in arid regions but would develop root rot in a more temperate region; fish gills have the ability to absorb oxygen in water but not on land).
| Review Adaptation-1 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
UT.6.V.1.b Compare characteristics common in observed organisms (e.g., color, movement, appendages, shape) and infer their function (e.g., green color found in organisms that are producers, appendages help movement).
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Selective Smelling | video, checked |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| Thoughts on an Exoskeleton | text page, free |
| Review Adaptation-3 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-4 | practice |
| Review Plants-5 | practice |
| Review Plants-6 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Plants-7 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
UT.7.IV.2.a Predict why certain traits (e.g., structure of teeth, body structure, coloration) are more likely to offer an advantage for survival of an organism.
| Selective Smelling | video, checked |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| Who Evolved on First? | text page, free, checked |
| Thoughts on an Exoskeleton | text page, free |
| Review Adaptation-1 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-2 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
NGSS
3-LS4-2 Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.
| Flowers | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Who Evolved on First? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Adaptation-1 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-3 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-4 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
MS-LS1-4 Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively.
| Onion Crystals | video |
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Nature Watching | video, checked |
| Calling a Woodpecker | video, checked |
| Selective Smelling | video, checked |
| Pumpkin Guts | video, free, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Seed Search | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Orange Slices | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Bacteria and Antibiotics | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Flowers | video, ClosedCaptions |
| How Does a Butterfly Fly? | text page, free |
| Thoughts on an Exoskeleton | text page, free |
| Review Plants-8 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-3 | practice |
| Review Plants-2 | practice |
| Review Plants-4 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-4 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
Rainbows are produced by:
-
Refraction
Partly correct. Light entering the raindrop is reflected off of the back surface. -
Reflection
Partly correct. As the light passes from air to water, and from water to air, the light is bent or refracted. Different colors are refracted different amounts, separating the colors. -
Both reflection and refraction
Correct! When you see a rainbow, the sun will always be behind you. (There are other, similar looking phenomena which you see when facing the sun, but they are not rainbows.) The sunlight enters each raindrop, is refracted (bent). Different colors are refracted different amounts. When the light hits the far side of the raindrop, part of it goes on through, and part of it is reflected back towards the sun (and towards you.) As it passes leaves the drop, the difference in density from water to air refracts (bends) the light even more, separating the colors into bands for the rainbow. -
Neither reflection no refraction
No. One or both take part in producing the rainbow.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.3.P.10.3 Demonstrate that light travels in a straight line until it strikes an object or travels from one medium to another.
| Changing the Speed of Light | video |
| Why is Foam White? | video, checked |
| Microscopes: Growing Crystals | video, free, learnalong, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| Mirage | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| Pinhole Eyeglasses | video, checked |
| Why Wet Things Turn Dark | video, checked |
| Growing Crystals Under the Microscope | video, free, learnalong, checked |
| A Long Lens | text page |
| Review Light-1 | practice |
| Review Light-2 | practice |
| Review Light-3 | practice |
| Review Light-4 | practice |
| Review Light-5 | practice |
SC.3.P.10.4 Demonstrate that light can be reflected, refracted, and absorbed.
| Changing the Speed of Light | video |
| Why is Foam White? | video, checked |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| Microscopes: Growing Crystals | video, free, learnalong, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| Mirage | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| Pinhole Eyeglasses | video, checked |
| Looking for Rainbows | video |
| Why Wet Things Turn Dark | video, checked |
| Growing Crystals Under the Microscope | video, free, learnalong, checked |
| A Long Lens | text page |
| Sunlight, Energy, and Crayons | text page, free |
| Review Light-3 | practice |
| Review Light-4 | practice |
| Review Light-5 | practice |
| Review Light-1 | practice |
| Review Light-2 | practice |
SC.7.P.10.2 Observe and explain that light can be reflected, refracted, and/or absorbed.
| Finding Fat in Foods | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Changing the Speed of Light | video |
| Why is Foam White? | video, checked |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| Microscopes: Growing Crystals | video, free, learnalong, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| Mirage | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| Pinhole Eyeglasses | video, checked |
| Why Wet Things Turn Dark | video, checked |
| Growing Crystals Under the Microscope | video, free, learnalong, checked |
| A Long Lens | text page |
| Sunlight, Energy, and Crayons | text page, free |
| Review Light-2 | practice |
| Review Light-3 | practice |
| Review Light-4 | practice |
| Review Light-5 | practice |
| Review Light-1 | practice |
SC.8.E.5.11 Identify and compare characteristics of the electromagnetic spectrum such as wavelength, frequency, use, and hazards and recognize its application to an understanding of planetary images and satellite photographs.
| Sunprints | video |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| A Color You Can't See | video, free, checked |
| CD Spectrum | text page |
| Review Light-3 | practice |
Utah
UT.8.IV.1.e Demonstrate how white light can be separated into the visible color spectrum.
| White Balance | video, checked |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| A Color You Can't See | video, free, checked |
| Sunlight, Energy, and Crayons | text page, free |
| Review Light-3 | practice |
NGSS
1-PS4-3 Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.
| Sunprints | video |
| Changing the Speed of Light | video |
| Why is Foam White? | video, checked |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| Microscopes: Growing Crystals | video, free, learnalong, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Birefringence | video, free, Updated |
| Sunglass Science: Polarized Light | video, free, Updated |
| Mirage | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| A Color You Can't See | video, free, checked |
| Pinhole Eyeglasses | video, checked |
| Why Wet Things Turn Dark | video, checked |
| Growing Crystals Under the Microscope | video, free, learnalong, checked |
| A Long Lens | text page |
| Review Light-2 | practice |
| Review Light-3 | practice |
| Review Light-4 | practice |
| Review Light-5 | practice |
| Review Light-1 | practice |
I placed this plant near the window. After two hours, I examined it. What would you expect to happen to the leaves during that time?
-
The leaves will turn towards the light.
Yes. The leaves will move and turn so that their surface gets as much light as possible. The following is a time lapse video, showing what happened with the plant. -
The leaves will turn away from the light.
No. The leaves need light, so they turn to catch as much light as possible. -
The leaves will turn a darker green.
No. While more light could eventually cause the leaves to grow and darken, the process would not happen in a couple of hours. -
The leaves will not change.
No. Plants are adapted to turn their leaves towards a light source.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.3.L.14.2 Investigate and describe how plants respond to stimuli (heat, light, gravity), such as the way plant stems grow toward light and their roots grow downward in response to gravity.
| Review Plants-1 | practice |
SC.5.L.17.1 Compare and contrast adaptations displayed by animals and plants that enable them to survive in different environments such as life cycles variations, animal behaviors and physical characteristics.
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Nature Watching | video, checked |
| Calling a Woodpecker | video, checked |
| Selective Smelling | video, checked |
| Seed Search | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Flowers | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Onion Crystals | video |
| Review Plants-1 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-2 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-3 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-4 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-5 | practice |
| Review Adaptation-6 | practice |
Utah
UT.8.IV.4.d Investigate and report the response of various organisms to changes in energy (e.g., plant response to light, human response to motion, sound, light, insects’ response to changes in light intensity).
| Making a Screamer | video, free, Updated |
| Review Plants-1 | practice |
UT.3.II.2.b Predict the effects of changes in the environment (e.g., temperature, light, moisture) on a living organism.
| Color Changing Flowers | video, checked |
| Weather and Climate | video |
| Review Plants-1 | practice |
UT.3.V.1.b Observe and report how sunlight affects plant growth.
| Measuring Photosynthesis | video, checked |
| Testing a Leaf for Starch | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Plants-1 | practice |
NGSS
2-LS2-1 Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow.
| Measuring Photosynthesis | video, checked |
| Testing a Leaf for Starch | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Plants-1 | practice |
3-LS3-1 Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms.
| Who Evolved on First? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Cells-4 | practice |
K-ESS2-2 Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs.
| Seed Search | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Review Plants-1 | practice |
4-LS1-1 Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
| Bird Bones | video, free |
| Feathers | video, checked |
| Heartless Plants | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Nature Watching | video, checked |
| Calling a Woodpecker | video, checked |
| Pumpkin Guts | video, free, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Seed Search | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Orange Slices | video, ClosedCaptions |
| How Does a Butterfly Fly? | text page, free |
| Thoughts on an Exoskeleton | text page, free |
| Eye Shine | text page |
| Review Plants-3 | practice |
| Review Plants-1 | practice |
| Review Plants-5 | practice |
| Review Plants-6 | practice |
| Review Plants-7 | practice |
| Review Plants-8 | practice |
MS-LS1-5 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
| Yeast and Sugar, part 2 | video, checked |
| Yeast and Sugar, part 1 | video, checked |
| Measuring Photosynthesis | video, checked |
| Color Changing Flowers | video, checked |
| Who Evolved on First? | text page, free, checked |
| Review Plants-1 | practice |
The questions are chosen randomly, so this quest will be different each time.