Physics, biology, DNA and how the mind works.
About this quiz
This Science Quiz leans toward physics and the science of everyday life: why helium changes your voice, what lightning does to sand and why you can't unstir milk from coffee. It also covers genes and heredity, from pea-plant crosses to cloning, plus the psychology behind the bystander effect and the sunk cost fallacy.
Many questions start from ordinary objects, like a fire sprinkler, a wing mirror or cereal in a bowl, and ask why they behave that way. Others go deeper, into particle physics, absolute zero and the scientists behind nuclear fission. Each of the 10 questions ends with a short explanation, so a round doubles as a mini science lesson.
Try a few questions
Tap an answer to check it, or open the answer underneath.
Which cell organelles use digestive enzymes to break down waste and worn-out cell parts?
- Lysosomes
- Ribosomes
- Centrioles
- Chloroplasts
Answer: Lysosomes
Did you know? Lysosomes are small sacs whose enzymes work best in acidic conditions, letting them recycle old organelles and destroy bacteria the cell has engulfed. They were discovered in the 1950s by the Belgian biologist Christian de Duve, who shared the 1974 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
How many chambers does the human heart have?
- Four
- Two
- Six
- Three
Answer: Four
Did you know? The human heart has two upper chambers, the atria, and two lower chambers, the ventricles. The right side pumps blood to the lungs, while the stronger left side pumps oxygen-rich blood around the body.
DNA stands for what?
- Deoxyribose Nucleotide Acid
- Deoxyribonucleic Acid
- Deoxyribonuclear Acid
- Diribonucleic Acid
Answer: Deoxyribonucleic Acid
Did you know? The 'deoxy' in deoxyribonucleic acid refers to the fact that DNA's sugar (deoxyribose) is missing one oxygen atom compared to RNA's ribose, a small structural difference that makes DNA far more stable for long-term genetic storage.
Hedgehogs and dormice survive winter in a long, deep dormant state known as what?
- Metamorphosis
- Hibernation
- Brumation
- Aestivation
Answer: Hibernation
Did you know? In hibernation an animal's body temperature falls and its breathing and heartbeat slow sharply to save energy. A hibernating hedgehog's heart can drop from about 190 beats a minute to around 20. Aestivation is a similar dormancy during hot, dry summers.
When lightning strikes sandy ground, it can fuse the sand into hollow, branching glass tubes. What are these natural sculptures called?
- Fulgurites
- Geodes
- Tektites
- Stalactites
Answer: Fulgurites
Did you know? A fulgurite is a fossilised lightning bolt: the strike heats sand past 1,800 °C and welds it into a glassy tube that traces the exact path the current took underground.
Pure water is a surprisingly poor conductor of electricity. What actually carries the current in the water that can electrocute you?
- Oxygen bubbles
- Dissolved salts and minerals
- Static charge
- The water molecules themselves
Answer: Dissolved salts and minerals
Did you know? Perfectly distilled water is nearly an insulator. It's the dissolved ions from salts and minerals in tap or sea water that let electricity flow — which is why a bath is dangerous but ultra-pure lab water is not.