Now on ScienceBlogs: On cheerleaders and watchdogs - the role of science journalism [Not Exactly Rocket Science]
Doc Bushwell is a biochemist and a medical writer who serves as a slavering minion of the dark lords of Big and Little Pharma; Jim is a college professor with a fondness for running shoes and drumsticks; and Kevin Beck is a self-exiled member of the clan who refuses to stay gone. Read our interview with Science Blogs.
  |
Stay abreast of your favorite bloggers' latest and greatest via e-mail -- select a daily digest or instant updates and never miss a post again.
GENERAL
SCIENCE:
• Media and Publications
• Evolution
• Skepticism and General Agitation
• Above and Beyond
• Creature Features
• It's All in Your Head
• Just say "Yes!" to Drugs
• Bugs in the system
CULTURE MEDIA
LOCOMOTION
HUMOR
ESOTERICA
« Dead man vending | Main | Restaurant offers discount only to churchgoers »
Category: Hootworthy
Posted on: June 28, 2007 2:26 PM, by Kevin Beck
The quiz at the link below can supposedly reveal how you would fare in an 8th-grade science class.
A virtual high-five to anyone who can guess which question I botched. Hint: What aspect of science do I never write about?
Despite the appeal of these Mingle2.com quizzes and fun-funs, I have not yet been inspired to find my soulmate using the site's services.
7:00 AM, 07.06.2009
5:00 AM, 07.06.2009
4:13 AM, 07.06.2009
3:57 AM, 07.06.2009
3:43 AM, 07.06.2009
Latest science stories | More at nytimes.com
4:43 AM, 07.06.2009
12:40 AM, 07.04.2009
2:24 AM, 07.03.2009
6:21 AM, 07.04.2009
2:50 PM, 06.30.2009
Comments
I have a quibble with question 8 in the quiz. The Moon's gravitational pull does not, in fact, cause tides; it's the action of Earth and the Moon orbiting around their common center that creates a wobble in Earth's rotation. This wobble is what causes the tides.
Posted by: Warren | June 28, 2007 3:13 PM
While I only got 6 answers right according to the test I think I did very well because I fell my opinions should be equal valid.
Posted by: Ed | June 28, 2007 3:24 PM
Warren, no the wobble is not relevant to the tides which are caused by the differential pull of the moon's gravity on the sides of the Earth nearest and furthest from the moon. However, the question _is_ wrong because the tidal effect of the Sun is significant. I got three wrong - B+.
Posted by: csrster | June 28, 2007 4:26 PM
i discovered a way to cheat - click a correct answer mulitple times in quick succession and watch the grade bar at the top jump ahead when the next question loads. wow, it is just like 8th grade all over again.
so i got an A+ but got 2 wrong. and im guessing you got the meteroid, meteorite, meteor question wrong, kevin.
Posted by: ron | June 28, 2007 6:18 PM
Ed: You type remarkably well for a homeschooler. ;)
csrster: It appears to be a combination of effects:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/venice/tides.html
Oh, I got an A-, which embarrassed me. :\
Posted by: Warren | June 28, 2007 6:32 PM
I not only couldn't pass the test, I could not even get it to come up on my computer.
Posted by: sailor | June 28, 2007 7:23 PM
100 m/s
virtual high-five?
Posted by: mg | June 28, 2007 10:23 PM
I messed up the question on the purpose of fruit in fruits. Worse, I didn't bother finding out the right answer. Botany in any guise has never been, and will never be, anything but a black pit of ignorance for me.
I admit that I guessed on the meteor question. Since the term "meteor shower" refers to events that take place in Earth's atmosphere, I went with "meteoroid," a term I'm not sure I've even heard before.
Posted by: Kevin Beck | June 28, 2007 11:46 PM
iam trying really hard just 2 make mi mommi happy cuz me not passing dis year was not good at all and i hated it well i passed but i dintd get any kind of adward iam disspointed in mi self write now iam really hatinm i self ...but i dtill have god .......and dats all i need i love god and i need him dis year so iam goinging 2 need all da help and support i need this year so god plz hepl me thanks
Posted by: jonesha | May 19, 2008 11:44 PM