What is the fundamental principle of fluid mechanics that states a body immersed in a fluid is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces?
Archimedes’ Principle
Legend says he shouted “Eureka!” after realizing he could use this to determine if a crown was made of pure gold by measuring its volume through water displacement.
Which mathematical constant did Archimedes accurately approximate using a method of inscribing and circumscribing 96-sided polygons around a circle?
Pi ($\pi$)
He calculated that the value of $\pi$ lies between $3\frac{10}{71}$ and $3\frac{1}{7}$. His “method of exhaustion” was a precursor to modern integral calculus.
The mechanical “screw” that pumps water uphill without valves, can work in reverse as a hydroelectric generator, is used in wastewater treatment plants, and can lift live fish safely upstream is named after what Sicilian-Greek polymath, even though it may have already existed in ancient Egypt?
Archimedes
This device consists of a screw housed inside a hollow pipe; when the screw is turned, water is pulled up the spiral to the top.
What are the eight planets of our solar system in order, starting from the Sun?
- Mercury
- Venus
- Earth
- Mars
- Jupiter
- Saturn
- Uranus
- Neptune
These planets vary in size, composition, and distance from the Sun.
What is the name of Earth’s only natural satellite?
The Moon (also known as Luna)
The Moon plays a significant role in Earth’s tides and has a major impact on various natural phenomena.
Mars has two small, lumpy moons named after the Greek personifications of fear and panic. Name them.
Phobos and Deimos
These moons are irregularly shaped and are much smaller than Earth’s Moon.
Name the four largest moons of Jupiter, collectively known as the ‘Galilean Moons.’
Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto
These moons were discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610.
Which moon of Saturn is the only moon in the solar system known to have a dense atmosphere and liquid rivers/lakes on its surface?
Titan
Other major moons of Saturn include Enceladus, Rhea, and Mimas.
Uranus has 27 known moons, mostly named after characters from Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. Name the five largest.
Titania, Oberon, Umbriel, Ariel, and Miranda
These moons vary in size and geological characteristics.
What is Neptune’s largest moon, which is unique for its ‘retrograde’ orbit?
Triton
Triton is the only large moon in the solar system known to have a retrograde orbit.
Located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, what is the name of the region containing millions of rocky fragments?
The Asteroid Belt
This region is home to many asteroids and is a significant area of study in planetary science.
What is the name of the icy region beyond Neptune’s orbit that is home to Pluto and other dwarf planets?
The Kuiper Belt
The Kuiper Belt is similar to the Asteroid Belt but is much larger and contains many icy bodies.
Name the five officially recognized dwarf planets in our solar system.
Pluto, Eris, Haumea, Makemake, and Ceres
Dwarf planets are celestial bodies that orbit the Sun and are not classified as planets.
What is the theoretical, vast spherical shell of icy debris that surrounds the entire solar system at its outermost edge?
The Oort Cloud
The Oort Cloud is thought to be the source of long-period comets entering the inner solar system.
What does tin and copper make?
Bronze
What is bronze composed of?
Tin and copper
