So who wants to be a millionaire?

Under the Microscope: You will be familiar with the television quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Today I offer you a science version of the game. I cannot include the phone-a-friend, ask-the-audience, or 50/50 features, but if you wish to play the full, online version of this science quiz you can visit the website http://education.jlab.org/million. The solution to the quizzes is printed below.

Quiz 1

1. H is the letter symbol for which element? (a) Hydrogen, (b) calcium, (c) bromine or (d) magnesium. (€100)

2. Which of these shapes has 5 sides?

(a) Square, (b) hexagon, (c) pentagon and (d) Triangle. (€200)

3. A scientist measures temperature using a:

(a) barometer, (b) ammeter, (c) voltmeter or (d) Thermometer. 300)

4. Geologists call Earth's centre the: (a) Crust, (b) mantle, (c) core or (d) lithosphere. (€500)

5. What is the average of 8+6+7?

(a) 7, (b) 9, (c) 10 or (d) 12. (€1,000)

6. In the southern hemisphere, where does the sun rise? (a) North, (b) south, (c) east or (d) west. (€2,000)

7. The electron has what form of electrical charge?: (a) Positive, (b) negative, (c) no charge or (d) neutral. (€4,000)

8. The second planet from the sun in our solar system is: (a) Earth, (b) Mercury, (c) Mars or (d) Venus. (€8,000)

9. In a triangle, a 90-degree angle is called a:

(a) main angle, (b) right angle, (c) upright angle or (d) acute angle. (€16,000)

10. 100 degrees Celsius is equivalent to how many degrees Fahrenheit? (a) 212, (b) 120, (c) 31 or (d) 200. (€32,000)

11. Add the correct number to balance this chemical equation - 2 H2O2 = ?H2O + O2: (a) 2, (b) 3, (c) or (d) ½. (€64,000)

12. How far is the moon from Earth?

(a) 120,000 kilometres, (b) 240,000 kilometres, (c) 310,000 kilometres or (d) 380,000 kilometres. (€125,000)

13. The unit of magnetic flux density is called: (a) the ohm, (b) the tesla, (c) the amp or (d) the newton. (€250,000)

14. The weakest of the four fundamental forces of nature is: (a) gravity, (b) the weak nuclear force, (c) the electromagnetic force or (d) the neutron. (€500,000)

15. When uranium 238, found naturally in rocks, decays by alpha emission, it is transformed into: (a) uranium 234, (b) uranium 238, (c) thorium 234 or (d) thorium 230. (€1 million)

Quiz 2

1. The chemical symbol for carbon is: (a) Cl, (b) Cs, (c) C or (d) Cr. (€100)

2. Which is the eight-sided figure? (a) Square, (b) circle, (c) rectangle or (d) octagon. (€200)

3. Which does Earth revolve annually around?

(a) The moon, (b) the sun, (c) the Milky Way or (d) Mars. (€300)

4. Earth's atmosphere is: (a) liquid, (b) solid, (c) gas or (d) gel. (€500)

5. If you mix yellow and blue paint you get: (a) red paint, (b) orange paint, (c) white paint or (d) green paint. (€1,000)

6. Two of the three angles in a triangle are 60 degrees and 40 degrees. What is the third angle?: (a) 80 degrees, (b) 40 degrees, (c) 30 degrees or (d) 90 degrees. (€2,000)

7. Green plants harness the energy of the sun in a process called: (a) evaporation, (b) transpiration, (c) photosynthesis or (d) respiration. (€4,000)

8. The subatomic particle the proton has what sort of electrical charge? (a) Negative, (b) neutral, (c) positive or (d) excited. (€8,000)

9. Science discovers new knowledge using this method. (a) Scientific method, (b) academic method, (c) method acting or (d) logical method. (€16,000)

10. Who studies the structure, composition and history of rocks? (a) a palaeontologist, (b) a chemist, (c) a zoologist or (d) a petrologist. (€32,000)

11. 32 degrees Fahrenheit is equal to how many degrees Celsius? (a) 0, (b) 20, (c) 60 or (d) 100. (€64,000)

12. Balance this chemical equation - H2SO4 + ?NaOH = Na2SO4 + 2 H2O: (a) 2, (b) 3, (c)½ or (d) 4. (€125,000)

13. Pick the unit of electrical potential: (a) the ohm, (b) the newton, (c) the amp or (d) the volt. (€250,000)

14. How far from Earth is the sun? (a) 54 million miles, (b) 93 million miles, (c) 72 million miles or (d) 121 million miles. (€500,000)

15. Electrons are bound into atoms by: (a) strong nuclear force, (b) weak nuclear force, (c) gravity or (d) electromagnetic force. (€1 million)

Solution Quiz 1: Q1 (a); Q2 (c); Q3 (d); Q4 (c); Q5 (a); Q6 (c); Q7 (b); Q8 (d); Q9 (b); Q10 (a); Q11 (a); Q12 (d); Q13 (b); Q14 (a); Q15 (c).

Solution Quiz 2: Q1 (c); Q2 (d); Q3 (b); Q4 (c); Q5 (d); Q6 (a); Q7 (c); Q8 (c); Q9 (a); Q10 (d); Q11 (a); Q12 (a); Q13 (d); Q14 (b); Q15 (d).

William Reville is associate professor of biochemistry and director of microscopy at University College Cork