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Science Quiz: How many can you guess correctly?

Posted by $ blarman 9 years, 7 months ago to Science
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Twelve Questions. Wide range of topics. How do you score? Are you in the six percent who got them all correct?


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  • Posted by lukeasacher 9 years, 7 months ago
    12 for 12.
    This is pre High School level.
    But I did go to Ethical Culture Fieldston, Class of 1978- where I took Bio, Chem, Physics (in the same lab as Oppenheimer) and AP Bio... I can't believe how ignorant most people are here in the US. Wonder how many know what glycolysis and oxydative phosphorylation are?
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  • Posted by $ Snezzy 9 years, 7 months ago
    This simple exam, which I could have done when I was in the 8th grade, is a test of one's abilities in science? Wait, I would have had to guess about cell phones, because I hadn't heard of them back then.

    A better test would ask, "Compute, by hand, the Fourier transform of this set of data points." Or "Name at least half the first 94 chemical elements." Or "Illustrate the mean, standard deviation, skew and kurtosis in hand-drawn graphs. Compare these measures to the physics of rotational inertia in simple terms." Or, "Explain, without conducting experiments, why it is a dreadful idea to mix bleach with ammonia or with vinegar. Give some of the possible reactions."
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  • Posted by bsmith51 9 years, 7 months ago
    Got 'em all, but fortunately not for the same reason the kid aced 'em in Slumdog Millionaire.
    Though I wonder....
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  • Posted by dbhalling 9 years, 7 months ago
    12 of 12 is "who invented the polio vaccine?" a science question of is it history question.
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  • Posted by $ allosaur 9 years, 7 months ago
    Oh, well, crusty old dino is at least above average.
    I recall being taught that boiling water thing, but that was so many freaking years ago.
    Missed a couple of others.
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  • Posted by dukem 9 years, 7 months ago
    12/12, but I'm an engineer and scientist, really really old, stayed awake in school, and didn't try to overthink.
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  • Posted by RonC 9 years, 7 months ago
    11/12 I missed the sugar and cavity question.
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  • Posted by bz1mcr 9 years, 7 months ago
    Masters degree engineer, age 69; 12 of 12 correct.
    I was surprised. The questions seemed very easy.
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  • Posted by Rex_Little 9 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The answer as stated only says there's a correlation, which is what the graph shows. It doesn't say that either one causes the other. Granted, it would have been more thought-provoking if they'd worded it "The more cavities people have, the more likely they are to eat sugar."

    I got 12/12.
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  • Posted by jimjamesjames 9 years, 7 months ago
    11/12 missed the boiling water question... and I lived at 6000 feet........!
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  • Posted by khalling 9 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I too found that frustrating. I think the point of that question was to rule out the other choices. Those kinds of questions frustrate
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  • Posted by $ WilliamShipley 9 years, 7 months ago
    When I did this the other day I thought most people on this site would get 12/12.
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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 9 years, 7 months ago
    I got them all, but I work in science.

    I take issue with the questions about the graph showing a correlation between sugar and cavities. Their answer is it shows "the more sugar people eat, the more likely they are to get cavities." I understand what they mean, but this sounds like they're saying post hoc ergo propter hoc. We don't know from the graph if there is a third factor that causes people to eat sugar and get cavities. Maybe the people who eat more sugar also eat less of some vitamin, and the lack of that vitamin leads to cavities.

    I know the scientific evidence is sugar causes cavities, but based only on that graph we cannot tell if eating more sugar makes someone more likely to get cavities.
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