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the july holiday special

Going anywhere nice? Well, it's that time of year isn't it. We know you Planet Science fans are an intrepid lot so our prize is a fab day-sack plus a map case so you'll know where you are at all times.

What? You're just lying on the beach for a fortnight? Oh, OK….you might be able to answer these holiday questions then….


Paperback?

Flip-flops?

Sun cream?


01
 How do the experts define sand?
Sand can be blown by the wind but sinks in water
Sand is yellow in colour
Sand is found only on beaches

02
 Most sand is made of silicon dioxide, but in coral regions the white tropical sand beaches have loads of what?
Ice crystals
Calcium Carbonate
Peat rich soil

03
 When we eat a stick of seaside rock the amount of sugar in our blood rises. Which hormone in our body controls the amount of sugar in our blood?
Insulin
Osetrogen
Thyroxine

04
 What chemical in the skin is responsible for the brown colour of a suntan?
Keratin
Colatin
Melanin

05
 Which vitamin does our body produce in response to sunlight?
Vitamin P
Vitamin Z
Vitamin D

06
 It is common in summer for the nerves in the roof of the mouth to be triggered causing blood vessels to dilate (open) and giving the person a terrible, but brief, headache. What has happened to start this off?
They have swallowed sea water
They have eaten ice cream or had a super cold drink giving them a 'freeze head'
Too much sugar has given them tooth decay

07
 Where in the world do most shark attacks happen?
Florida
Wales
Scotland

08
 Why would sun seekers want to avoid Kauai, Hawaii?
It is infested with fire ants
It has up to 350 days of rain every year
Temperatures drop to -30C at night, even in summer

09
 Why does damp sand stick together better than dry sand for making sandcastles?
The water dissolves the sand making glue
The sand grains multiply like bacteria when wet and become more compact
The water has a surface tension and acts like loads of elastic bands holding the sand grains together

10
 The plane that takes you to your holiday destination is held in the air by the principle of…
Tuft
Waft
Lift

Answers

1= Sand can be blown by the wind • 2= Calcium Carbonate • 3= Insulin • 4= Melanin • 5= Vitamin D • 6= Eating/drinking cold items gave them a 'freeze head' • 7= Florida • 8= It has up to 350 days of rain every year • 9= The water has a surface tension • 10= Lift

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