Science Trivia Questions Concerning Topics Like Earth's Orbit, Matter in the Universe, Olympus Mons, Four Largest Satellites, a Martian Year, a White Dwarf, and More!

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Free science trivia questions and answers with topics like Callisto, Europa, Earths orbit, a Martian Year, cat's eye, Galileo, and more.

Fun Trivia questions and answers - Science and the sciences, astronomy, cosmology, geology etc.

What is the softest mineral known?
A: Talc.

Where were the first objects in the solar system discovered by means of a telescope?
A: The four largest satellites of Jupiter--Ganymede, Io, Callisto and Europa.

How long is a Martian Year in Earth days--a year being the length of time it takes the planet to revolve once around the Sun?
A: 687 days.

What two elements comprise almost 100 percent of the matter in the universe?
A: Hydrogen (approximately 75 percent) and helium (approximately 25 percent). The remaining, heavier elements constitute a mere fraction of existence.

In the American system of mathematical progressions, what five denominations come after million, billion and trillion?
A: Quadrillion, quintillion, sextillion, septillion and octillion.

What is present in the variety of quartz stone known as cat's-eye that gives it its unique glowing appearance?
A: Asbestos fibers. The low is known as chatoyancy.

What belief was Galileo forced to recant by the Inquisition in 1633?
A: That the earth revolved around a stationary sun. He was kept under house arrest for the last eight years of his life for debunking the traditional belief that he earth was the center of the universe.

In astronomy, what is a white dwarf?
A: The dense, burned-out remains of a star; a stellar corpse.

Why are Mercury and Venus known as inferior planets?
A: Their orbits are closer to the sun than Earth's orbit. Planet orbiting the sun beyond Earth are referred to as superior planets.

In geology, what is calving?
A: The breaking off or detachment of an iceberg from a glacier that has reached the sea, or the separation of a portion of a floating iceberg.

What common chemical compound is represented by the formula NH3?
A: Ammonia.

What does the chemical symbol Fe2O3 represent?
A: Rust.

What element is named after a state?
A: Californium, first produced in 1950 by scientists at the University of California at Berkeley.

What important point did Scottish mathematician John Napier come up with in the early seventeenth century?
A: The decimal point.

What was the name of the first computer used for weather research?
A: MANIAC--an acronym for Mathematical Analyzer, Numerical Integrator and Computer.

When is Halley's comet, first observed in 240 B.C. and last seen in 1986, expected to appear again?
A: In the year 2061.

What planet has surface winds that have been measured at 1,500 mph--the strongest in the solar system?
A: Neptune.

How much coal does it take to get the same amount of energy provided by burning one full cord of seasoned firewood.?
A: One ton.

On what planet is the largest known mountain in the solar system?
A: On Mars. Called Olympus Mons, it's a volcano more than three times the height of Mount Everest.

If you hear thunder 10 seconds after you see lighting, how far away was the lightning?
A: 2 miles away. Sound travels about a mile in 5 seconds.