ACADIFY · EVERYDAY SCIENCE CHALLENGE

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Why does food cook differently in different vessels? Why does a wet road become slippery? Discover the science behind everyday situations and put your reasoning to the test.

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🔬 10 Questions ⏱️ About 15–20 Minutes 🧠 Scientific Reasoning

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1. Two identical pots contain equal amounts of water at the same temperature. One pot is covered with a tight lid, while the other is left open. Both are heated equally. The covered pot generally reaches boiling sooner. Which explanation best accounts for this? A. The lid prevents some heat and water vapour from escaping, reducing energy loss. B. The lid reduces the mass of water that must be heated. C. The lid causes the water to have a lower specific heat capacity. D. The lid allows the water to absorb heat without a temperature increase.

2. On a hot afternoon, a person notices that a wet cotton shirt feels cooler than a dry one. The surrounding air is warm, and a gentle breeze is blowing. Which process best explains the cooling effect? A. Water releases heat into the skin as it freezes. B. Water absorbs heat from the surroundings as it evaporates. C. Cotton creates cold air when exposed to sunlight. D. The breeze increases the temperature of the water, making the skin feel cooler.

3. A family replaces an old 100 W bulb with a 20 W LED bulb. Both provide suitable lighting and are used for 5 hours every day for 30 days. If electricity costs ₹6 per unit (kWh), how much money do they save in 30 days? A. ₹36 B. ₹54 C. ₹72 D. ₹90

4. A cyclist applies the brakes while travelling downhill. The bicycle slows down, and the brake rims become warm. Which explanation best describes the energy changes involved? A. The bicycle's kinetic energy is converted entirely into gravitational potential energy. B. Friction converts some mechanical energy into thermal energy, while gravity continues to affect the bicycle's motion. C. Friction creates energy from nothing, causing the rims to heat up. D. The brakes reduce the bicycle's mass, which lowers its speed.

5. A gardener grows two identical plants. Both receive the same amount of water and sunlight. One plant is grown in soil containing a balanced supply of mineral nutrients, while the other is grown in nutrient-deficient soil. After several weeks, the second plant has pale leaves and grows more slowly. Which conclusion is most reasonable? A. Mineral nutrients are unnecessary when plants receive enough sunlight. B. Nutrient deficiency can interfere with chlorophyll formation and normal plant growth. C. The second plant must be receiving too much oxygen. D. Soil minerals are used only to absorb water, not to support plant growth.

6. A person places a metal spoon and a wooden spoon in the same hot cup of tea. After a short time, the exposed end of the metal spoon feels much hotter. Both spoons began at room temperature. What is the best explanation? A. Metal generally conducts thermal energy more effectively than wood. B. Metal creates heat when it comes into contact with any hot liquid. C. Wood always has a higher temperature than metal when both are in the same room. D. Metal absorbs no heat, so all the energy travels directly to its exposed end.

7. A sealed plastic bottle containing air is placed in a refrigerator. After cooling, the bottle appears slightly dented inward. It is then taken out and left at room temperature, where it gradually returns towards its original shape. Which explanation best fits these observations? A. Cooling permanently destroys some of the air molecules inside the bottle. B. Cooling makes the air molecules stop moving completely, removing all internal pressure. C. Cooling reduces the air pressure inside the flexible bottle relative to the outside; warming raises the internal pressure again. D. The refrigerator increases the amount of air inside, forcing the bottle inward.

8. A student notices that a steel bridge has small gaps between some of its sections. On a very hot day, the steel expands. What could happen if these expansion gaps were not provided? A. The steel would contract further as its temperature increased. B. The expanding sections could develop large stresses and buckle or deform. C. The bridge would lose all its gravitational force. D. The steel would stop conducting heat once it became hot.

9. After heavy rain, a muddy path becomes slippery. A person wearing shoes with deep grooves finds it easier to walk than someone wearing smooth-soled shoes. Which explanation best accounts for this difference? A. Grooves reduce friction to zero, allowing the shoe to slide freely. B. Grooves increase the person's weight, automatically preventing slipping. C. Grooves can help displace mud and water, improving contact and grip with the ground. D. Smooth soles always produce more friction than textured soles on every surface.

10. A family keeps cooked rice at room temperature for several hours on a warm day. They later reheat it until it is steaming hot. Why can eating this rice still be risky if it was stored improperly? A. Reheating always turns harmless minerals in rice into poisonous substances. B. Some bacteria can multiply during improper storage, and certain toxins may survive ordinary reheating. C. Cooked rice becomes unsafe only when it changes colour. D. Steaming hot food always contains more bacteria than food at room temperature.

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