ROUND 17
TOSS-UP
1) CHEMISTRY Multiple Choice L-alanine and D-alanine are BEST classified as what type of
isomers:
W) cis
X) trans
Y) structural
Z) optical
ANSWER: Z) OPTICAL
BONUS
1) CHEMISTRY Short Answer How many sigma and pi bonds, respectively, are there in a
molecule with the following formula: [read slowly] CH3CHCHCH2CH3
ANSWER: SIGMA 14; PI = 1
TOSS-UP
2) BIOLOGY Multiple Choice Which of the following BEST explains how cyclic AMP can cause
so many different intracellular responses in a mammalian cell:
W) it is produced in large quantities
X) it migrates to the DNA where it binds to a variety of histones
Y) it activates a wide variety of specific protein kinases
Z) it prevents the activation of other hormonal signals
ANSWER: Y) IT ACTIVATES A WIDE VARIETY OF SPECIFIC PROTEIN KINASES
BONUS
2) BIOLOGY Multiple Choice Which of the following BEST describes the function of a
spliceosome (read as: SPLY-see-oh-zome):
W) splicing DNA together during replication
X) splicing out mutations
Y) joining multiple copies of structural genes
Z) removing introns
ANSWER: Z) REMOVING INTRONS
High School Round 17 Page 1
TOSS-UP
3) PHYSICS Multiple Choice Which of the following BEST explains how a radium isotope with a
half-life of about 1,600 years can be found in the crust of the Earth that was formed millions of years
ago:
W) its decay is slowed by the pressure of the Earth
X) the radium is replenished by decay of longer lived radioactive elements
Y) the radium was replenished by meteors and asteroids over the millennia
Z) the radium is recycled from the Earth’s core where magnetic fields slow the decay
ANSWER: X) THE RADIUM IS REPLENISHED BY DECAY OF LONGER LIVED
RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS
BONUS
3) PHYSICS Multiple Choice Which of the following is probably the most significant limitation
for PET scans being used in remote rural hospital sites:
W) lack of properly trained personnel
X) the proximity to production facilities for short-lived radioisotopes
Y) the high level of radiation requiring special training and increased radiation risk
Z) difficulty in PET radiotracers binding to receptors when imaging certain human tissues
ANSWER: X) THE PROXIMITY TO PRODUCTION FACILITIES FOR SHORT-LIVED
RADIOISOTOPES
TOSS-UP
4) MATH Multiple Choice Which of the following is TRUE about any two successive terms in the
Fibonacci sequence:
W) their product is a Fibonacci number
X) they are either both odd or both even
Y) they are relatively prime
Z) their quotient is the golden ratio
ANSWER: Y) THEY ARE RELATIVELY PRIME
BONUS
4) MATH Short Answer Find the inverse of the 2-by-2 matrix whose rows are 3, 5 and 7, –2. Give
your answer in rows.
2 5 7 3
ANSWER: , , ,−
41 41 41 41
High School Round 17 Page 2
TOSS-UP
5) EARTH SCIENCE Multiple Choice Most terrestrial plants grow best in soil with a pH range of:
W) 4.5 to 5.5
X) 6.0 to 7.0
Y) 7.0 to 8.0
Z) 7.5 to 8.5
ANSWER: X) 6.0 TO 7.0
BONUS
5) EARTH SCIENCE Multiple Choice Which of the following is a problem that affects most
plants growing in very acidic soil:
W) iron deficiency
X) accumulation of excess salt in their foliage
Y) aluminum toxicity to their roots
Z) excess calcium and magnesium ion uptake
ANSWER: Y) ALUMINUM TOXICITY TO THEIR ROOTS
TOSS-UP
6) GENERAL SCIENCE Multiple Choice Which of the following best illustrates a limitation of a
supercapacitor, or electric double-layer capacitor, versus an electrochemical battery:
W) virtually unlimited cycle life
X) rapid recharging
Y) low impedance
Z) high self-discharge rate
ANSWER: Z) HIGH SELF-DISCHARGE RATE
BONUS
6) GENERAL SCIENCE Short Answer If it is 7:47 AM, Tuesday September 23rd in Beijing
China at 116º east longitude, what day and time, respectively, would it be in London, England?
ANSWER: TUESDAY; 12:47 AM
High School Round 17 Page 3
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following would astronomers most likely
consider emission nebula:
W) Population III (read as: 3) regions
X) Population II (read as: 2) regions
Y) glowing H II (read as: H, 2) regions
Z) active regions
ANSWER: Y) GLOWING H II REGIONS
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice In which of the following locations would there typically be
more Population Two stars than Population One stars:
W) in globular clusters
X) in spiral arms of galaxies
Y) in planetary nebula
Z) in regions actively forming stars
ANSWER: W) IN GLOBULAR CLUSTERS
TOSS-UP
8) CHEMISTRY Multiple Choice Which of the following are the units of the rate constant for a
2nd order reaction given that concentration is measured in molarity and time in seconds:
W) M–2s–1
X) M–1s–1
Y) Ms–1
Z) M–2minutes–1
ANSWER: X) M–1s–1
(Solution: units relationship is M1–order × time–1)
BONUS
8) CHEMISTRY Short Answer 1.0 gram of an unknown organic molecule is dissolved in 50.0
grams of benzene. Determine the molecular mass of the unknown if this solution freezes at 4.5ºC.
Assume the freezing point constant of benzene is 5.0ºC per molal, and the freezing point of benzene
is 5.5ºC. Give your answer to the nearest whole number in grams per mole.
ANSWER: 100
(Solution: ΔTf = 5.5º – 4.5º = 1.0ºC; m = ΔTf/ Kf = 1.0º/5.0º = 0.2m or 0.2mol/kg;
(1.0g unkn/0.05 kg benz)(1kg benz/0.2 mol unkn) = 100 g/mol)
High School Round 17 Page 4
TOSS-UP
9) BIOLOGY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the target tissue of the hormone leptin
where it binds with LepRB (read as: L, E, P, R, B) receptors:
W) hypothalamus
X) pancreas
Y) adipose tissue
Z) kidney
ANSWER: W) HYPOTHALAMUS
BONUS
9) BIOLOGY Multiple Choice Which of the following types of fatty acids would alpha linolenic or
all cis-9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic (read as: octa-deca-tri-en-oh-ick) acid most commonly be classified:
W) an alpha 9 fatty acid
X) an alpha 9,12,15 fatty acid
Y) an omega 3 fatty acid
Z) an omega 6 fatty acid
ANSWER: Y) AN OMEGA 3 FATTY ACID
TOSS-UP
10) PHYSICS Short Answer Name all of the following 3 sub-atomic particles that interact with all
4 of the fundamental forces: electron; quarks; neutrino
ANSWER: QUARKS
BONUS
10) PHYSICS Short Answer Until the Large Hadron Collider came on-line at CERN, what
accelerator was generally believed to be the only one energetic enough to produce top quarks?
ANSWER: TEVATRON (ACCEPT: FERMILAB ACCELERATOR)
High School Round 17 Page 5
TOSS-UP
11) MATH Multiple Choice Which of the following is the equation for the tangent line for y = x4 at
the point (1, 1):
W) y = 4x – 3
X) y = 4x – 1
Y) y = 4x + 1
Z) y = 4x + 3
ANSWER: W) y = 4x – 3
(Solution: using the derivative, y’ = 4x3, the slope of the tangent line at x = 1 is 4. The line must pass
through (1, 1) so y – 1 = 4(x – 1))
BONUS
11) MATH Short Answer What are the coordinates of the hole in the graph of the function,
(2 x 2 − 8)
g(x) = ?
( x − 2)
ANSWER: (2, 8)
(Solution: simplifies to 2(x + 2); graph looks like a line except at the indicated hole)
TOSS-UP
12) EARTH SCIENCE Multiple Choice According to the discontinuous side of Bowen’s reaction
series, which of the following is likely to first crystallize as basaltic magma cools:
W) quartz
X) olivine
Y) pyroxene
Z) hornblende
ANSWER: X) OLIVINE
BONUS
12) EARTH SCIENCE Short Answer Of the 3 basic types of magma on Earth, which one generally
has a chemical composition intermediate in iron, magnesium, and calcium?
ANSWER: ANDESITIC (ACCEPT: ANDESITE)
(Solution: 3 basic types: basaltic, andesitic, rhyolitic)
High School Round 17 Page 6
TOSS-UP
13) GENERAL SCIENCE Multiple Choice Which of the following age groups would have the
most brown fat per kilogram of body weight:
W) infant
X) adolescent
Y) middle age
Z) elderly
ANSWER: W) INFANT
BONUS
13) GENERAL SCIENCE Multiple Choice Which of the following physiological processes
generates most of the heat needed to keep an infant warm:
W) digestion of food in the gut
X) oxidative metabolism
Y) inspiration of air
Z) bacterial activity in the gut
ANSWER: X) OXIDATIVE METABOLISM
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What element makes up the innermost core of a type II (read as:
type 2) supernova just before core collapse?
ANSWER: IRON
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What is the magnification of a telescope with an objective lens
that has a focal length of 250 centimeters and an eyepiece with a focal length of 0.50 centimeters?
ANSWER: 500X (ACCEPT: 500 or 500 TIMES)
(Solution: M = Fo ÷ Fe = 250/0.50 = 500)
High School Round 17 Page 7
TOSS-UP
15) CHEMISTRY Multiple Choice Consider the following equilibrium reaction,
FeO(solid) + CO(gas) ↔ Fe(solid) + CO2(gas), where ∆H (read as: delta H) equals –10 kilojoules. Which
of the following would have a similar effect on the equilibrium position as lowering the temperature:
W) adding iron
X) increasing pressure
Y) removing carbon dioxide
Z) removing carbon monoxide
ANSWER: Y) REMOVING CARBON DIOXIDE
(Solution: shifts to the right)
BONUS
15) CHEMISTRY Short Answer In the electrolysis of water, if a very small amount of sodium
sulfate is added to the water, give the equation for the half reaction that occurs at the ANODE.
Make sure to indicate proper charges and the state of each substance, such as solid, liquid, aqueous,
or gas:
ANSWER: 2H2O(liquid) O2(gas) + 4H+(aqueous) + 4e–
TOSS-UP
16) BIOLOGY Short Answer From what specific biological molecule are Barbara McClintock’s
transposons (read as: trans-POE-zons) made?
ANSWER: DNA
BONUS
16) BIOLOGY Short Answer Name all of the following 4 organisms in which transposons (read
as: trans-POE-zons) are found: humans; maize; fruit fly; bacteria
ANSWER: ALL
High School Round 17 Page 8
TOSS-UP
17) PHYSICS Multiple Choice Which of the following BEST describes how one would compute
the speed for a sound wave through a liquid:
W) the square of the density of liquid divided by its bulk modulus
X) the square of the bulk modulus of the liquid divided by its density
Y) the square root of the density of liquid divided by its bulk modulus
Z) the square root of the bulk modulus of the liquid divided by its density
ANSWER: Z) THE SQUARE ROOT OF THE BULK MODULUS OF THE LIQUID DIVIDED
BY ITS DENSITY
BONUS
17) PHYSICS Short Answer Name all the leptons that are produced during beta minus decay?
ANSWER: ELECTRONS AND ANTINEUTRINOS (ACCEPT: ELECTRON ANTINEUTRINO
FOR NEUTRINO)
TOSS-UP
1
18) MATH Short Answer How many solutions are there for the equation, cosine 4x = , for the
2
interval 0 ≤ x < 2π?
ANSWER: 8
(Solution: 4 cycles, 2 solutions per cycle)
BONUS
18) MATH Short Answer Cards numbered 1 through 10 lie on a table. If two cards are picked at
random, without replacement, what is the probability, as a fraction in lowest terms, that the two
cards will have values within one of each other?
ANSWER: 1/5
(Solution: 9/(10 nCr 2) = 9/45 = 1/5)
High School Round 17 Page 9
TOSS-UP
19) EARTH SCIENCE Short Answer In the southern hemisphere, Ekman transport generated by
trade winds over the equatorial Pacific Ocean is how many degrees to the left of the prevailing
winds?
ANSWER: 90
BONUS
19) EARTH SCIENCE Multiple Choice Which of the following BEST describes an air mass that
originates in northern Mexico, moves into the Great Plains and stagnates, resulting in severe
drought:
W) continental tropical
X) continental polar
Y) maritime tropical
Z) maritime polar
ANSWER: W) CONTINENTAL TROPICAL
TOSS-UP
20) GENERAL SCIENCE Multiple Choice Which of the following is NOT true regarding the
burning of biodiesel versus gasoline in automobile engines:
W) biodiesel combustion does not emit SO2
X) biodiesel contains more oxygen than gasoline
Y) the CO2 released when biodiesel is burned is the same CO2 the plants removed from the
atmosphere as they grew
Z) the energy content per gallon of biodiesel is approximately 28% lower than that of ethanol
ANSWER: Z) THE ENERGY CONTENT PER GALLON OF BIODIESEL IS
APPROXIMATELY 28% LOWER THAN THAT OF ETHANOL
BONUS
20) GENERAL SCIENCE Short Answer A physician orders 0.1 gram of a drug be administered to
a patient. If it is only available as 20 milligrams per 5 milliliters, how many milliliters needs to be
administered?
ANSWER: 25
(Solution: (100mg/20mg)(5mL) = 25 mL)
High School Round 17 Page 10
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer From the LEAST to the MOST, what are the 3 most abundant
elements in a G-type star?
ANSWER: HYDROGEN; HELIUM; CARBON
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer If a supernova with an apparent magnitude of –2.0 was observed
for the first time in the year 2,000 at 35.00 kiloparsecs from Earth, how many years before
observation, rounded to the nearest whole number, did the supernova most likely occur?
ANSWER: 114
(Solution: 3.26 × 35.00 = 114.1)
TOSS-UP
22) BIOLOGY Short Answer What is the specific intermediate informational molecule for human
retrotransposons (read as: rhet-tro-trans-POE-zons):
ANSWER: RNA (ACCEPT: RIBONUCLEIC ACID or mRNA or MESSENGER RNA)
BONUS
22) BIOLOGY Short Answer Order the following 4 processes from the one to typically occur the
EARLIEST to the one to occur the LATEST in the production of collagen:
(read slowly) spliceosome (read as: SPLY-see-oh-zome); transcription; translation; golgi
modification
ANSWER: TRANSCRIPTION; SPLICEOSOME; TRANSLATION; GOLGI MODIFICATION
High School Round 17 Page 11
TOSS-UP
23) CHEMISTRY Short Answer What is the overall reaction order for the following rate law:
rate = k[NH4+][NO2–] (read as: k times the concentration of NH4+ times the concentration of NO2–)
ANSWER: 2 (ACCEPT: 2nd ORDER)
(Solution: exponents 1 + 1 = 2)
BONUS
23) CHEMISTRY Short Answer Calculate the one-atmosphere boiling point elevation, in degrees
Celsius to the 2nd decimal place, for a solution made by dissolving 1 gram of solute in 0.1 kilograms
of water. Assume the formula weight of the solute is 300 and the boiling point depression constant
is 2.0ºC per molal..
ANSWER: 0.07 (ACCEPT: 0.06)
(Solution: moles solute = 1g/300g/mol = 0.003m; m = 0.0033 moles solute /0.1kg = 0.033m;
ΔTb = Kb(m) = (2.0ºC/m)(0.033m) = 0.066ºC)
TOSS-UP
24) PHYSICS Short Answer What boson is the only particle predicted by the Standard Model of
Particle Physics that had not yet been observed as of June 2008?
ANSWER: HIGGS BOSON (ACCEPT: HIGGS)
BONUS
24) PHYSICS Short Answer Through what two particles is most of the energy released by a star
like our Sun?
ANSWER: PHOTONS AND NEUTRINOS
High School Round 17 Page 12
TOSS-UP
25) BIOLOGY Short Answer From what amino acid is the vasodilator histamine primarily
synthesized?
ANSWER: HISTIDINE
BONUS
25) BIOLOGY Short Answer What is the typical reported initial threshold value, in millivolts, of a
human peripheral nerve axon?
ANSWER: –45 (ACCEPT: –50 TO –40)
High School Round 17 Page 13
