United States of Chemistry Quiz | Alphabetics

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This capital city was first named Terminus, now houses one of the world's busiest airports, and was the site of the 1996 Olympics. What city do you get when you combine the chemical symbols for Astatine-Lanthanum-Nitrogen-Tantalum?

Answer: Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia, was founded in 1836, when the state decided to build the Western and Atlantic Railroad to link the city of Savannah with the interior of the country. First known as "Terminus" and then "Thrasherville", the city was renamed "Marthasville" in 1842. The name "Atlantica-Pacifica" was then an option, which was shortened to "Atlanta" when the city was incorporated in 1847.

Since 1998, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been one of the world's busiest airport by several different metrics, including number of passengers and number of flights.

2. The capital city is found on the island of Oahu. What city do you get when you combine the chemical symbols for Holmium-Nobelium-Lutetium-Lutetium?

Answer: Honolulu

Captain William Brown became the first foreigner to visit Honolulu, Hawaii, (meaning "sheltered harbor" or "calm port") when he landed there in 1794.

The beachfront neighborhood of Waikīkī (meaning "spouting fresh water") is the tourist district of Honolulu, and has most of the hotels on Oahu.

3. In an attempt to draw German immigrants to the area, this city was renamed for the chancellor of Germany in 1873. What city do you get when you combine the chemical symbols for Bismuth-Samarium-Argon-Carbon-Potassium?

Answer: Bismarck

Europeans founded the city of "Missouri Crossing" in 1872, in an area that had been a Native American settlement, where Louis and Clark crossed the Missouri River during their expedition. The town was quickly renamed Edwinton, after the engineer-in-chief for the Northern Pacific Railway, Edwin Ferry Johnson (1803-1872). The railroad renamed the city after Otto von Bismarck (1815-98) in order to attract German settlers and German investors in the railroad.

Bismarck was named the capital of the Dakota Territory in 1883, and it was the state capital when North Dakota became a state in 1889.

With 21 stories and 241.67 feet (73.7 m) tall, the North Dakota State Capitol is the tallest building in North Dakota, and is called the "Skyscraper on the Prairie". The 18th floor of the building is an observation deck.

4. The capital of New York state isn't New York City. It's this city, named for a duke. What city do you get when you combine the chemical symbols for Aluminum-Barium-Nitrogen-Yttrium?

Answer: Albany

An early Dutch settlement, fur traders established the village of Beverwijck near Fort Orange. When the English took over in 1664, they renamed the city Albany to honor the Duke of Albany. That duke would later become King James II of England (and James VII of Scotland), the last Roman Catholic king of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Albany comes from Alba, the Gaelic name for Scotland.

5. Although the exact details vary, the name of this capital city comes from the French word for the woods that surrounded the nearby river. What city do you get when you combine the chemical symbols for Boron-Oxygen-Iodine-Selenium?

Answer: Boise

"Les bois" means "the woods" and "la rivi�re bois�e", means "the wooded river," but whether it was a French-speaking guide for the US Army or French-Canadian fur trappers who named the river and the area can be debated.

The original capital of the Idaho Territory was Lewiston. The change to Boise after the Montana Territory was split off in 1864 did not go smoothly, and courts needed to get involved.

6. Claiming to be "The Live Music Capital of the World," this capital city likes to keep things weird. What city do you get when you combine the chemical symbols for Gold-Sulphur-Titanium-Nitrogen?

Answer: Austin

The official city slogan of Austin, Texas, is "The Live Music Capital of the World," due to the numerous musicians and live venues throughout the city. The long-running television series "Austin City Limits", which started in 1976 has helped to promote this claim.

Unofficially, the slogan "Keep Austin Weird" is used to promote the counter-culture of the area, and to encourage smaller, unique businesses over larger corporate entities.

7. Sports-loving cheeseheads probably watch their favorite teams play in Milwaukee or Green Bay. What state do you get when you combine the chemical symbols for Tungsten-Iodine-Scandium-Oxygen-Nitrogen-Silicon-Nitrogen?

Answer: Wisconsin

Wisconsin is home to three professional sports teams, the Milwaukee Brewers (baseball), the Milwaukee Bucks (basketball), and the Green Bay Packers (American football).

As "America's Dairyland", Wisconsin produces a lot of dairy products, including cheese, earning Wisconsinites the nickname "cheeseheads." While the name might be used by outsiders as an insult, Wisconsin has embraced the name and foam hats that look like a wedge of cheese are a popular item, at least in touristy areas.

8. The majority of residents in the Beehive state belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). What state do you get when you combine the chemical symbols for Uranium-Tantalum-Hydrogen?

Answer: Utah

Utah was settled in 1847 by Brigham Young when he agreed to move the Mormons from Illinois. Young called the area "Deseret," an ancient term for "honeybee" in the Book of Mormon.

9. Although President Thomas Jefferson signed an Act of Congress that approved the Buckeye State's constitution and borders, Congress never actually declared it an official state until 1953, under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. What state do you get when you combine the chemical symbols for Oxygen-Hydrogen-Iodine-Oxygen?

Answer: Ohio

The 1953 Act of Congress that Eisenhower signed set the date of Ohio's statehood retroactively to 1803.

In addition to the "Buckeye State" for the native trees, Ohio has also earned the nickname the "Mother of Presidents," because (as of 2016) seven presidents were born in Ohio: Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft, and Warren G. Harding.

10. With a name derived from the Spanish word for "mountain," this state is Big Sky Country. What state do you get when you combine the chemical symbols for Molybdenum-Nitrogen-Tantalum-Sodium?

Answer: Montana

Early Spanish settlers gave the name "Monta�a del Norte" to the mountainous western region of what is now Montana. The naming of the Montana Territory was debated, with opponents arguing that most of the area was not mountainous, and that perhaps a Native American word would be more appropriate than a Spanish one.

Source: Author jcpetersen

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United States of Chemistry Trivia Quiz

Given the clues and the names of the elements, can you spell these US state names and capitals using chemical symbols? For example, if the clue was Americium-Erbium-Iodine-Calcium, the answer would be "America" because the symbols spell AmErICa.

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