Winter is here and it’s time to keep warm with a science-fuelled quiz! Will you radiate confidence or find yourself out in the cold?
#1. What’s warmer, 30 degrees Celsius or 30 degrees Fahrenheit?
#2. What can warm-blooded (endothermic) animals do to keep warm on a cold day?
Warm-blooded animals have many strategies to stay warm. Shivering moves muscles, which generates heat. Snuggling up in a nest saves heat. Redirecting blood away from the skin and back to the core means less heat is lost from the skin. This last one is a big reason why your hands and feet get cold in winter!
#3. True or false? The Sun was warmer when Earth first formed about 4.5 billion years ago.
False. The early Sun was actually about 25% dimmer and cooler than today. Despite this, there is evidence of liquid water on early Earth. Scientists are still not sure how Earth was warm enough for water, but greenhouse gases likely played a role.
#4. Which rocky planet has the most greenhouse gas in its atmosphere?
Of all the rocky planets in our solar system, Venus has thickest atmosphere, and most of that gas is carbon dioxide. Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide trap heat, which is a major reason why Venus has the hottest average temperature of all the planets, at 464 °C.
#5. How much warmer is Earth’s average temperature compared to 1850?
Temperatures on Earth have been rising since the Industrial Revolution and scientists estimate that it has risen by about 1 °C. Many governments around the world have committed to stopping temperature rise at 2 °C or below.
Results
Congratulations! You are a real science whiz!
Oh dear! Better brush up before the next quiz!
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