Science Quiz On valence electrons, nephology and more
A detail of British artist John Collier's 1883 painting of Charles Darwin is displayed as part of an exhibition in Darwin's former home, Down House, in Kent. File
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An atomic nucleus that contains numbers of protons and neutrons which is interchanged in another atomic nucleus is said to be a mirror nucleus of the second. Which of the following are a pair of mirror nuclei?
- Silicon-28 and Germanium-70
- Nickel-54 and Iron-54
- Aluminium-26 and Nickel-58
- Nickel-58 and Cobalt-59
Because Nickel 54 has 28 protons and 26 neutrons and Iron-54 has 26protons and 28 neutrons. Mirror nuclei have been useful in finding out about the strong nuclear force.
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Algorithms, or sequences of instructions used to solve a problem or a computation, are well known in maths and computer science. Where did the name arise from?
- Greek word that means steps
- Latin word that means sequences
- Name of a Greek mathematician
- Name of a Persian mathematician
It is the Latinised form of the name of a Persian mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi. Al-Khwarizmi was changed to Al-Goritmi in the translation.
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What are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom called, that determine its property or tendency to form bonds with other elements?
- Shell electrons
- Core electrons
- Valence electrons
- Covalent electrons
The number of valence electrons determins the chemical properties of an element. For example, if there is a number such as eight or eighteen valence electrons that closes a shell, that element is a “noble” element which will not interact with other chemicals.
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What is nephology?
- Study of kidney
- Study of brain cells
- Study of relationships
- Study of clouds
Nephology is the branch of meteorology that studies cloud types, their formation, evolution and dissipation.
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This naturalist who lived from 1744-1829 was famous for his theories of evolution. Less known was his attempt to develop a cloud nomenclature. Name him.
- Charles Darwin
- Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
- Alexander von Humboldt
- Florence Merriam Bailey
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck was the first to try an develop a nomenclature for clouds, but it never gained popularity. Luke Howard (1772-1864) succeeded where Lamarck failed and his ideas are followed even now.
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