Don’t you love how we apply physics in our day-to-day lives? From the ringing alarm, walking, the energy we use, driving, riding the subway… The list is endless. This physics trivia contains some of the physics stuff you might be aware of or some that you forgot in school, but don’t worry. It will boost your scientific knowledge and make you feel like the new Einstein! Well, almost.
You’ll find them all here; intriguing physics questions to see just how good you are. Is it Newton’s laws, atomic physics, quantum physics, or centripetal force that excite you? And even if you don’t get it all right, you’ll learn a thing or two.
So, ready, steady, and start your quiz…
General physics trivia
- What is the refractive index? The measure of bending of a ray of light when passing from one medium into another.
- What does LED stand for in electronics? Light Emitting Diode.
- What is a vacuum? It is a space devoid of matter.
- One calorie is equivalent to how many joules? 4.184.
- What is the unit for measuring pressure? Pascal.
- What do the terms AC and DC stand for in the electrical world? Alternating current.
- How long does it take for a ray of light to travel from the sun to earth? 8 minutes.
- How many poles does a magnet have? Two poles.
- One horsepower is equivalent to how many watts? 746.
- In a lightning strike, why does the light of the strike appear first, then the sound follows? Because light travels faster than sound.
- Which is a renewable energy source, oil or geothermal power? Geothermal power.
- Who is the youngest person to receive the Nobel prize in physics? William Lawrence Bragg.
- What kind of bond is a metallic bond? It involves metal bonding with metal.
- What does the acronym LASER stand for? Light Amplification through Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
- How fast is the speed of light per second? 186000 miles per second.
- What is the name of the layer that protects us from the sun’s ultraviolet rays? Ozone layer.
- What name is given to electric energy generated using water? Hydroelectric power.
- State Isaac Newton’s third law of motion. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
- What is the formula for finding the density of an object in physics? The mass of the object is divided by its volume.
Hard physics Trivia
Brace yourself for this physics trivia section, as it’s a force to reckon with;
- What is the name of the only person to win a Nobel prize in chemistry and physics? She was also the first woman to win a Nobel prize. Marie Sklodowska Curie.
- Which physicist determined the physical constant using a cantilever and two weights? Henry Cavendish.
- Which three primary colors of light, when added together in equal intensities, produce the sensation of white light? Red, Blue and Green.
- In a nuclear excitation, what kind of electromagnetic reaction occurs? Gamma rays.
- What is a solenoid? It is a cylindrical coil of wire in which a magnetic field is created when an electric current is driven through it.
- What is a fundamental frequency? It is the lowest possible frequency of a waveform.
- Name the four “terrestrial planets” in the solar system. Earth, Mercury, Mars and Venus.
- Name the five primary laws of physics. Newton’s law of motion, Ohm’s law, Stefan’s law, Avogadro’s, and Coulomb’s law.
- What is the book title written by the English physicist Stephen Hawking? “A Brief History of Time.”
- Which type of lens is used as a magnifying glass? Convex lens.
Fun Physics Trivia
- What is the unit of measuring electric current? Amperes.
- What is ferromagnetism? It is the ability of a material to maintain a magnetic field even after an external field is removed.
- What is Albert Einstein’s infamous quote on science and religion? “Science without religion is lame, but religion without science is blind.”
- Which type of energy produces carbon dioxide, solar power and coal energy? Coal energy.
- What unit of measurement is one-thousandth of a meter? Millimeter.
- We credit which physicist with the discovery of electromagnetic induction? Michael Faraday.
- We credit Heinrich Rudolf Hertz with which discovery? The photoelectric effect.
- Who is the youngest recipient of a Nobel prize in physics? Lawrence Bragg.
- What does a Wheatstone bridge measure? It’s used to determine the electrical resistance. It is named after the English physicist who invented it.
- What is the meaning of supersonic in physics? Breaking of the sound barrier.
- Name five of the ten branches of physics: Quantum physics, thermodynamics, mechanics, light, sounds, Electromagnetism, Relativity, Optics, Motion in Physics, Force.
- What is the SI unit of mass and heat? Kilogram and joules, respectively.
Related: Best geology trivia
Theoretical physics quiz
- What is a black hole? It’s an area in space where the gravitational field is so powerful that nothing can escape.
- What is a wormhole? It’s a hypothetical topological feature that is a shortcut through time and space.
- .What composite particles are formed when quarks combine? Hadrons.
- What is the name of the world’s largest particle accelerator? The large Hadron collider.
- What term is used for more possible universes? Multiverse.
- What is the name of the American theoretical physicist that coined the phrase ‘warm hole’? Archibald Wheeler.
- What is dark matter? It’s hypothetical matter undetectable by its emitted radiation, but we can infer its presence from gravitational effects on visible matter.
- Which year did Galileo Galilei discover the four moons of Jupiter? 1610.
Physics Trivia about force
- Name the four fundamental forces of nature. The electromagnetic force, gravity, strong nuclear force and weak nuclear force.
- A stretched spring possesses which kind of energy? Potential energy.
- Magnets create what force? Magnetic force.
- Does friction generate heat? Yes or no? Yes, it does.
- What is the SI unit of force? Newton.
- What is force? It’s a push or pull.
- What is inertia? It is the tendency of an object to remain in a state of rest until acted upon by an external force.
- State Hooke’s law. The force needed to compress or extend a spring by some distance is proportional to that distance.
Quantum physics trivia
- Which subatomic particles are negatively charged between neutrons, protons, and electrons? Electrons.
- Who is credited with the introduction of the first idea of quantum theory in the year 1900? Max Planck.
- Name the four types of quantum numbers. The angular momentum quantum number, the principal quantum number, the spin quantum number, and the magnetic quantum number.
- What is nuclear fusion? It’s the process by which two nuclei come together to form a heavier nucleus.
The evolution of physics has enabled us to achieve milestone breakthroughs like landing on the moon. There will be new and complex physics inventions in the future as we aim to colonize new planets and beyond.
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