| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| This quantity in an ideal gas can be calculated using the Newton-Laplace [[lah- PLAHSS]] Equation, which involves a coefficient of stiffness. This quantity, which is impacted by the compressibility and density of fluids, is lowest in gasses and highest in solids. For the point, name this quantity which is 343 meters per second in air. | Speed of sound (accept Mach 1) |
| These objects name a programming paradigm and include languages, such as Haskell and Common Lisp. In Python, the keyword "def" creates one of these objects, whose recursive types call themselves within their own code. For the point, name these reusable computing procedures, which are named similarly to mathematical maps between a domain and range. | Functions (accept Functional Programming; accept Methods; accept Subroutines; accept Subprograms; accept Recursive Functions; accept Procedures before mentioned) |
| It's not ibuprofen, but this drug inhibits the production of prostaglandins and thromboxanes [[throm-BOK-sans]] by binding the COX-1 and COX-2 proteins. Children who are given this NSAID [[EN-sed]] drug after a viral infection often develop Reye's syndrome. For the point, name this anti-inflammatory drug developed by Bayer, used to treat fever and pain. | Aspirin (accept Acetylsalicyclic Acid; accept ASA; prompt on "NSAID") |
| When these phenomena oscillate in time, but do not propagate energy, they are known as the standing or stationary types. The length of this phenomena is the distance between its peaks. For the point, name these phenomena of periodic energy transfer, exemplified by sound, or by water crashing onto a beach. | Waves (accept Standing Waves; accept Stationary Waves; accept Soundwaves) |
| This man’s namesake “robot” was a mechanical knight that was able to maneuver its body through a pulley and cable system. This man’s early sketches of the parachute depict a triangular-shaped linen cloth held open by wooden poles. For the point, name this Italian polymath whose sketch of the Aerial Screw influenced the modern design of the helicopter. | Leonardo da Vinci (prompt on "Leonardo's Robot") |
| This muscle has gaps called “hiatuses,” which allow for the esophagus and aorta to pass through. This muscle's involuntary spasms result in hiccups. Respiration is accomplished by the contraction and relaxation of, for the point, what muscle that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities, located at the base of the chest? | Diaphragm |
| One-half times mass times radius squared gives the rotational type of this property. Objects with more mass have more of this property, synonymous to a law that states, "A body in motion will stay in motion." For the point, name this property, an object's natural tendency to resist change in its state of motion. | Inertia (accept Rotational Inertia; accept Law of Inertia; prompt on "I" or "Newton's First Law") |
| Johann Glauber was the first chemist to prepare this highly corrosive liquid. The “chamber process" has become the standard practice for producing this acid, which is also found in acid rain. For the point, name this colorless, odorless acid used in fertilizer, car batteries, and oil refining that has the molecular formula H2SO4. | Sulfuric Acid (accept H2SO4 before mentioned) |
| An image of a nebula called the “Cosmic Reef” was released on the 30th anniversary of this object’s launch. This object is undergoing a three-year-long mission dedicated to observing newly formed stars called the ULYSSES [[yoo-LIH-sees]] Program. For the point, identify this space telescope named after an American astronomer. | Hubble Space Telescope |
| Jons Jakob Berzelius was the first person to prepare the pure form of this element. This element is combined with soda-lime to produce the most manufactured form of glass. For the point, name this metalloid element whose use in semiconductors names a Californian “Valley” home to many tech startups. | Silicon (accept Silicon Dioxide; accept Silicon Valley) |
| A genetic variation of this body part involves the word “hitchhiker," and this body part's Latin name is "pollex." This body part is characterized by having only two phalanges [[fah-LAHN-jees]], and an opposable version of this body part is a differentiating factor within primates. For the point, name this part of the hand that is next to the index finger. | Thumb |
| This substance is eaten by palynivores [[pah-LIN-ih-vohrs]] and has an internal wall called an endospore, or an intine [[IN-teen]]. This substance, which can be produced by the anther of certain plants, is the male reproductive part of seed plants. For the point, name this powder transferred by wind and insects to fertilize plants, the cause of some allergies. | Pollen |
| Three letters written by Christoph Scheiner [[SHY-nuhr]] to Mark Welser inspired Galileo to publish a pamphlet titled Letters on [these phenomena]. These phenomena are caused by disturbances of the magnetic field of the photosphere, creating coronal mass ejections. For the point, name these dark, cooler regions found on the surface of the Sun. | Sunspots (or Solar Spots; prompt on “Sun”) |
| The hereditary form of this disease may be caused by mutations in presenilins [[preh- sih-NIH-lihns]] or the gamma-secretase complex. This disease is caused by the overactivity of the APP via the buildup of beta-amyloid [[AH-meh-loid]] plaques in neurons, leading to cognitive decline. For the point, name this most common form of dementia, associated with memory loss in the elderly. | Alzheimer's Disease (or Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer's Type; accept Senile Dementia; prompt on "Dementia" or "AD" or "SDAT"; prompt on "Memory Loss" before mentioned) |
| The standard form of the equation of this shape is found by adding “x minus h to the second power" to "y minus k to the second power,” where h and k are coordinates that designate its center. Unlike an ellipse, this shape only has one focus. For the point, name this shape whose diameter is calculated by multiplying its radius by two. | Circles (prompt on "Ellipse" before mentioned) |
| In ancient Hebrew, this entity was referred to as Shabbathai [[SHAH-bah-tye]], and this entity is orbited by an object named Phoebe. In 1979, Pioneer 11 made the first flyby of this planet, the only planet in our Solar System less dense than water. Dione [[dye-OH-neh]] and Titan are moons of, for the point, what sixth planet from the Sun, known for its rings? | Saturn |
| These cells can propagate themselves through asymmetric cell division, creating a mother and daughter cell pair. These cells can be cultured using blastomeres and can be taken from the umbilical cord or, controversially, from human embryos. For the point, name these undifferentiated cells that can be developed into a wide variety of tissue types. | Stem Cells |
| Diarrhea or vomiting can induce a dangerous loss of this element in the body known as hypokalemia. High concentrations of positive ions of this element inside of animal cells maintain the membrane potential, and two ions of this element are exchanged with three ions of sodium in a namesake protein pump. For the point, name this element found in large quantities in bananas. | Potassium |
| The tetracycline [[teh-trah-"SIGH"-"clean"]] class of these substances prevent protein synthesis by binding to the small ribosomal subunit, while the carbapenem [[kahr-bah-PEH- hem]] and cephalosporin [[seh-fah-loh-SPOH-rihn]] types of these drugs inhibit cell wall synthesis. Superbugs such as MRSA have evolved resistance to the beta-lactam class of these drugs. For the point, name these medications that fight bacterial infections. | Antibiotics (prompt on "Antimicrobials") |
| Andrei Sakharov hypothesized that these particles could decay into a neutral pion and a positron. Two of these particles fuse together in a chain reaction process used to power stars less massive than the Sun. Two up quarks and one down quark comprise, for the point, what positively-charged particles found alongside neutrons in the atomic nucleus? | Protons (accept Proton-proton Chain) |
| In the Han Dynasty, a lodestone version of these devices was used for divination. These devices, which lend their name to a 32-point “rose” linked to wind systems, contain 360 degrees and display the four cardinal directions. For the point, name this navigation technology, whose needle points north. | Compass (accept Lodestone Compass) |
| This organ’s endocrine cells are contained in the islets of Langerhans. The human body’s immune system destroys this organ’s beta cells in type-1 diabetes. For the point, name this organ that regulates blood sugar levels through the production of insulin. | Pancreas |
| One of these animals named Koko gained fame for adopting a pet kitten and understanding 2,000 words of English via sign language. This animal's eastern species is divided into lowland and mountain subsets, which live largely in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For the point, name these largest extant primate species, a great ape known for its black hair. | Gorillas |
| This scientist rescued Joseph Meister from dog bite wounds by treating him with the first-ever rabies vaccine. This scientist boiled broth in curved neck flasks in one of many experiments that helped disprove spontaneous generation. For the point, name this French chemist and microbiologist who created a namesake method for heat-killing harmful microorganisms in milk. | Louis Pasteur (accept Pasteurization) |
| The world's largest example of this device, known as the Large Samrat Yantra, is found in the Maharaja’s Observatory in Jaipur, India. The ancient Egyptians were believed to have invented this device, which consists of a gnomon [[NOH-mohn]] that casts a shadow on a flat plate. For the point, name this device that uses the position of the Sun to tell the time of day. | Sundial (prompt on "Shadow Clock" or other descriptions) |
| A resource from this animal called morse was used to make the Lewis chessmen discovered in Scotland. The indigenous Yupik people still carve that material from this animal, which is made of ivory. The closest relative of the eared seals is, for the point, what marine mammal inhabiting regions of the Arctic, known for its prominent whiskers and tusks? | Walruses (or Odobenus rosmarus; accept Walrus Ivory) |
| The more disastrous type of this natural disaster is the slab variety, which has distinct fracture lines. Temperature fluctuations that result in a layer of ice freezing on top of snow can make this type of disaster more likely, if new snow then falls on top of the ice layer. Slush and icefalls are other forms of, for the point, what hazard which occurs when a mass of snow rapidly falls off the steep slope of a mountain? | Avalanche (accept Snowslide; prompt on "Mass Wasting") |
| To find an unknown variable in an equation, the cross multiplication of these entities is applied. When dividing two of these entities, the reciprocal of the second entity is used to multiply with the first. For the point, name these mathematical entities that consist of a numerator and a denominator. | Fractions |
| The basis of these animals are made up of colonies of smaller organisms called polyps, whose mouth is surrounded by stinging cells called nematocysts. These animals are a part of a complex, biodiverse ecosystem, the largest of which can be seen from space. For the point, name these marine invertebrates that make up namesake reefs. | Corals (accept Coral System; Coral Polyps; Coral Reefs; prompt on "Cnidaria") |
| The precession of the Earth’s rotational axis causes this desert to undergo 20,000 year-long cycles of drying out and producing grasslands. An international project to prevent the expansion of this desert is known as the Great Green Wall. For the point, name this largest hot desert in the world, covering North Africa. | Sahara Desert |
| Evidence of this process includes magnetic striping, which appears as erupted lava turns into hard rock. This process begins due to a rift in a continental land mass and starts as the heating occurs at the based of continental crust. For the point, name this geological process that occurs when tectonic plates split apart at the bottom of the ocean. | Seafloor Spreading (accept clear-knowledge equivalents) |
| The decay of potassium isotopes into this element can be used to date clays and feldspars. This element fills incandescent light bulbs to prevent the filament from oxidizing, and this element is the most abundant noble gas in the atmosphere. For the point, name this inert gas element, symbolized Ar. | Argon |