The Particles of Life Trivia Quiz

Answer: Carbon

It is assumed that if life exists outside of earth, it must be carbon based. This has become known as carbon chauvinism.

Answer: Hydrogen

Hydrogen is also the most abundant element in the universe and vital for reactions of all stars.

Answer: Nitrogen

All plants require different amounts of nitrogen and it is often difficult to dial-in to the exact requirement because of many differing factors. Nitrogen denotes the vast majority of the atmosphere that we breath making it an imperative part of life. It was discovered by a Scottish physician named Daniel Rutherford in 1772.

Answer: Oxygen

There are oxygen rich liquids which can be used for liquid breathing, replacing air in respiration. They are called oxygen-rich perfluorocarbons which have practical uses in diving, medical procedures, and space travel. They contain more oxygen than air and could be more efficient than breathing for certain activities.

Answer: Phosphorus

Phosphorus was the first element discovered since ancient times. An alchemist named Henning Brand was attempting to discover the philosophers stone when he accidentally discovered phosphorus. He realized it would readily ignite and named it "phosphorus mirabilis" (miraculous bearer of light).

Answer: Sulfur

"Fire and brimstone sermons" owe their etymology to sulfur growing near volcanoes and giving off offensive odors.

Answer: Schnapps

Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus and Sulfur = C,H,N,O,P,S. CHNOPS is the acronym often used to remember the six most abundant elements necessary for life. Schnapps and CHNOPS are homophones because they would be pronounced the same although spelled differently.

Answer: Nucleic Acids

It is highly speculative if life could exist substituting any of the 6 particles of life, there are several theories that it is possible. The very definition of what life is defined as often changes with the times as well.

Answer: Empedocles

Although Plato was the first one to describe these as "elements", Empedocles had the first concept of the four elements. It was later theorized that another element must be necessary for life. All elements were long considered to take the shape of the five platonic solids (not discovered by Plato but well-known through Plato's writings).

Answer: False

An organic compound is any compound that contains carbon. The presence of carbon does not describe something as alive.

Life is not very well defined but is best described as having one or all of the following characteristics: 1) Homeostasis 2) Organization, 3) Metabolism, 4) Growth, 5) Adaptation, 6) Response to stimuli, 7) Reproduction.

This is not necessarily a rock solid definition, as all accepted life does not have all of these characteristics, as well as things generally not considered alive have an alarming high amount of these characteristics. There are other definitions of life that try to explain life as well, with varying degrees of success.