This general science quiz tests how well you understand basic science concepts. It’s a 10-question multiple choice quiz, drawn from science facts and concepts taught at the grade school and middle school level. So, you should know the answers to all the questions, right? Let’s see how well you do.
(1) All radioactivity is man-made.
- false
- true
(2) The Earth, Sun, and all of the Solar System are part of the Milky Way galaxy. What is the shape of the Milky Way?
- corkscrew
- flattened spiral
- sphere
- cube
- dish
(3) An igneous rock is one that:
- fell to Earth as a meteorite
- formed from cooled lava or magma
- formed as a result of pressure and temperature
- formed from compressed sediments
(4) Sunscreen protects your skin from which form of radiation?
- microwaves
- ultraviolet light
- visible light
- gamma rays
- x-rays
(5) Cells of bacteria (prokaryotes) differ from cells of plants and animals (eukaryotes) in which way?
- All bacterial cells are unable to move.
- Bacterial cells do not have DNA.
- Only bacterial cells may have a cell wall.
- Bacterial cells do not have organelles.
(6) Air is a mixture of gases. Most of the Earth’s atmosphere consists of which gas?
- nitrogen
- oxygen
- hydrogen
- carbon dioxide
(7) NaCl is the chemical formula for which common chemical?
- sodium bicarbonate or baking soda
- water
- sucrose or sugar
- sodium chloride or table salt
(8) The second planet from the Sun is:
- Mars
- Earth
- Mercury
- Venus
(9) Frogs are vertebrates, which means they have backbones. To which group of vertebrates do frogs belong?
- amphibians
- reptiles
- bony fish
- mammals
- birds
(10) Which of the following is in order of increasing size?
- atoms, electrons, molecules
- molecules, electrons, atoms
- atoms, molecules, electrons
- electrons, atoms, molecules
Answer Key
- false
- flattened spiral
- formed from cooled lava or magma
- ultraviolet light
- Bacterial cells do not have organelles.
- nitrogen
- sodium chloride or table salt
- Venus
- amphibians
- electrons, atoms, molecules