Fall Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. A pumpkin grows from a flower and contains seeds. Botanically, how is it classified?
A leaf
A root
A fruit
A tuber
2. Which pigments are commonly revealed as green chlorophyll breaks down in many fall leaves?
White and silver starches
Blue and violet melanins
Black and gray keratins
Yellow and orange carotenoids
3. A traveler leaves the Northern Hemisphere near the September equinox and arrives in the Southern Hemisphere. Which season is beginning there?
Spring
Fall
Winter
Summer
4. Fresh apple slices are coated with lemon juice before being served. Why does this help slow browning?
The juice seals the apple beneath a layer of sugar
The juice removes all browning enzymes from the apple
Its acidity and antioxidants slow enzymatic oxidation
The juice raises the apple’s temperature above the reaction point
5. A deciduous tree remains healthy, but its leaves begin changing color as the days shorten. What seasonal process is the tree preparing for?
Producing a second crop of summer leaves
Shedding leaves and entering winter dormancy
Beginning rapid spring growth
Increasing photosynthesis for winter
6. Why can the narrow, waxy needles of many evergreen trees be useful during cold seasons?
They absorb enough heat to keep the entire tree warm
They attract insects that protect the tree from frost
They create more shade for the tree’s roots
They help limit water loss when liquid water is less available
7. After a clear, calm fall night, frost appears on the grass even though the previous afternoon was mild. What best explains this?
Warm soil released frozen water from below
The ground lost heat overnight and cooled below freezing
Sunlight turned dew directly into ice
High winds carried snow crystals to the ground
8. On a cold fall morning, feathery ice crystals appear directly on a car roof. Which process most likely formed them?
Liquid rain boiled and then refroze
Water vapor deposited as ice on a below-freezing surface
Snow melted before touching the roof
Moisture rose through the metal from inside the car
9. What is the astronomical event called when day and night are approximately equal in length worldwide?
Solstice
Lunar eclipse
Perihelion
Equinox
10. In a place that observes daylight saving time, clocks are moved from 2:00 a.m. back to 1:00 a.m. in fall. What happens as a result?
The hour from midnight to 1:00 a.m. disappears
The calendar immediately advances by one day
The hour from 1:00 to 2:00 a.m. occurs twice
Sunrise permanently shifts two hours later
11. A monarch butterfly in the northern United States responds to cooler temperatures and shorter days. Which behavior is most typical?
Burrowing underground for hibernation
Beginning a southward migration
Growing a thick winter coat
Building a nest and storing acorns
12. Which full moon is traditionally called the Harvest Moon?
The full moon closest to the autumnal equinox
The first full moon after the December solstice
Every full moon that occurs in October
The final full moon before midsummer
13. A squirrel buries individual nuts in many separate locations for later use. What is this behavior called?
Scatter-hoarding
Estivation
Hibernation
Daily torpor
14. What is the main reason temperatures generally cool during fall in the Northern Hemisphere?
Earth’s tilt produces shorter days and less direct sunlight
Earth moves much farther away from the Sun
The Sun releases less energy during these months
Cloud cover permanently increases after summer
15. A path is covered with wet fallen leaves after rain. Why should walkers take extra care?
The leaves absorb all water from shoe soles
The leaves make the ground warmer and softer
The leaves can form a slick layer that reduces traction
The leaves permanently loosen the soil beneath the path
16. The morning is chilly, but the afternoon forecast is much warmer. Why are several light clothing layers often practical?
Layers prevent the outdoor temperature from changing
Each layer produces its own body heat
Layers eliminate heat loss in every weather condition
They trap insulating air and can be removed as conditions warm