Science Knowledge Quiz

How much do you know about science topics?

Test your knowledge of science facts and applications of scientific principles by taking our short 12-question quiz. Then see how you did in comparison with a nationally representative group of 3,278 randomly selected U.S. adults surveyed online and by mail between Aug. 11 and Sept. 3, 2014 as members of the Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel.

When you finish, you will be able to compare your scores with the average American and compare responses across demographic groups. The analysis of the findings from the poll can be found in the full report, “A Look At What the Public Does and Does Not Know About Science.”

This picture shows an object in space that has an icy core with a tail of gas and dust that extends millions of miles. What is this?
- A star
- A comet
- An asteroid
- A moon

Which kind of waves are used to make and receive cellphone calls?
- Radio waves
- Visible light waves
- Sound waves
- Gravity waves

This picture shows three layers of the Earth. Which layer is the hottest?
- The outer layer, called the Earth's crust
- The middle layer, called the Earth's mantle
- The inner layer, called the Earth's core

Which of these is the main way that ocean tides are created?
- The rotation of the Earth on its axis
- The gravitational pull of the moon
- The gravitational pull of the sun

Denver, Colorado, is at a higher altitude than Los Angeles, California. Which of these statements is correct?
- Water boils at a lower temperature in Denver than Los Angeles.
- Water boils at a higher temperature in Denver than Los Angeles.
- Water boils at the same temperature in both Denver and Los Angeles.

Which of these pictures best illustrates what happens when light passes through a magnifying glass?
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4

The loudness of a sound is determined by what property of a sound wave?
- Frequency
- Wavelength
- Velocity or rate of change
- Amplitude or height

Which of the following statements best describes the data in the graph below?
- In recent years, the rate of cavities has increased in many countries
- In some countries, people brush their teeth more frequently than in other countries
- The more sugar people eat, the more likely they are to get cavities
- In recent years, the consumption of sugar has increased in many countries

Which of these elements is needed to make nuclear energy and nuclear weapons?
- Sodium chloride
- Uranium
- Nitrogen
- Carbon dioxide

Which of these people developed the polio vaccine?
- Marie Curie
- Isaac Newton
- Albert Einstein
- Jonas Salk

Which of these terms is defined as the study of how the positions of stars and planets can influence human behavior?
- Astrology
- Alchemy
- Astronomy
- Meterology

What is the last grade or class that you completed in school?
- High school or less
- Some college
- College graduate

How much do you know about science topics?