Free science pub quiz questions and answers — from atoms and photosynthesis to black holes and beyond. Test your knowledge across biology, chemistry and physics.

Science Quiz
📝 10 questions

First question:

What particle, carrying a negative charge, orbits the nucleus of an atom?

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Science Quiz — Questions and Answers

Science

1easyWhat particle, carrying a negative charge, orbits the nucleus of an atom?

💡 Electron🔍

Electrons were discovered by J.J. Thomson in 1897 through his cathode ray experiments — they are roughly 1,836 times lighter than a proton.

2easyAt what temperature in degrees Celsius does water boil at standard atmospheric pressure?

💡 100🔍

At higher altitudes where atmospheric pressure is lower, water boils at temperatures below 100°C — on top of Mount Everest, it boils at around 70°C.

3easyWhat is the name of the process by which plants convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen?

💡 Photosynthesis🔍

Photosynthesis is the primary source of atmospheric oxygen — the process takes place in chloroplasts, where the green pigment chlorophyll captures sunlight.

4mediumWhich element, with atomic number 6, forms the backbone of all known organic molecules?

💡 Carbon🔍

Carbon's ability to form four stable covalent bonds allows it to build an extraordinary diversity of molecules — scientists have identified over ten million different carbon compounds.

5mediumWhat name is given to the boundary around a black hole beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape?

💡 Event horizon🔍

The term 'event horizon' was coined by physicist Wolfgang Rindler in 1956 — the radius of a black hole's event horizon is known as its Schwarzschild radius.

6mediumWhat type of bond forms when two atoms share a pair of electrons between them?

💡 Covalent bond🔍

Covalent bonds are the basis of most organic chemistry — the carbon atom's ability to form four covalent bonds makes it uniquely suited to building complex molecules of life.

7mediumWhat is the term for the time it takes for half of a radioactive sample to decay into a different element or isotope?

💡 Half-life🔍

Half-lives vary enormously between isotopes — carbon-14 has a half-life of about 5,730 years, while some isotopes decay in fractions of a second.

8hardWhat name is given to the phenomenon whereby a superconducting material expels all magnetic fields from its interior, causing a magnet placed above it to levitate?

💡 Meissner effect🔍

The Meissner effect was discovered in 1933 by Walther Meissner and Robert Ochsenfeld — it causes a magnet to float above a superconductor, a dramatic demonstration of quantum physics.

9hardIn chemistry, what term describes a molecule that cannot be superimposed on its mirror image, much like a left and right hand?

💡 Chiral🔍

Chirality is critically important in medicine — the two mirror forms of a drug molecule can have completely different effects in the body.

10hardWhat is the name of the process by which a cell engulfs and destroys its own damaged organelles using specialised vesicles?

💡 Autophagy🔍

Yoshinori Ohsumi won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on autophagy — the process is essential for recycling cellular components and fighting infection.

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