I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love science trivia! There’s something so exciting about testing your knowledge on everything from the mysteries of the universe to the tiny building blocks of life. Whether you’re hosting a game night, looking for fun family activities, or just want to challenge yourself, science trivia is the perfect way to learn while having a blast.
I’ve put together over 100 fascinating science trivia questions that’ll have you and your friends scratching your heads, saying “Aha!” and maybe even learning something new. Just last weekend, my family was stuck in traffic, and these questions turned what could have been a boring drive into an impromptu science quiz that had everyone laughing and learning.
Ready to dive into the wonderful world of science? Let’s get started!
General Science Questions
Let’s kick things off with some general science questions that’ll test your overall scientific knowledge. These cover a bit of everything – from basic scientific principles to interesting facts you might’ve picked up along the way!
- What is the largest planet in our solar system?
Answer: Jupiter - How many bones are in the adult human body?
Answer: 206 - Which scientist developed the theory of general relativity?
Answer: Albert Einstein - What is the chemical symbol for gold?
Answer: Au - How long does it take for light from the Sun to reach Earth?
Answer: About 8 minutes and 20 seconds - What is the smallest unit of matter that retains its chemical properties?
Answer: An atom - Which vitamin is produced by your skin when exposed to sunlight?
Answer: Vitamin D - What is the most abundant gas in Earth’s atmosphere?
Answer: Nitrogen (about 78%) - Who invented the telephone?
Answer: Alexander Graham Bell - What is the hardest natural substance on Earth?
Answer: Diamond - Which planet is known as the “Red Planet”?
Answer: Mars - What type of energy is stored in batteries?
Answer: Chemical energy - How many chambers does the human heart have?
Answer: Four - What is the term for the bending of light when it passes through different materials?
Answer: Refraction - Which element has the atomic number 1?
Answer: Hydrogen - What percentage of the Earth’s surface is covered by water?
Answer: About 71% - Which scientist is credited with discovering penicillin?
Answer: Alexander Fleming - What is the speed of sound in air at sea level?
Answer: About 343 meters per second (767 mph) - What is the name of the process by which plants make their own food?
Answer: Photosynthesis - Which force keeps planets in orbit around the Sun?
Answer: Gravity
Check out our collection of deep questions to ask for more thought-provoking conversations!
Biology Trivia
Now let’s dive into the fascinating world of living things! Biology questions always amaze me because they help us understand just how incredible life on Earth really is.
- What is the largest organ in the human body?
Answer: The skin - How many pairs of chromosomes do humans have?
Answer: 23 pairs - What is the powerhouse of the cell?
Answer: Mitochondria - Which blood type is known as the universal donor?
Answer: O negative - What is the most venomous spider in the world?
Answer: The funnel-web spider - How many species of animals are estimated to exist on Earth?
Answer: Around 8.7 million - What is the largest living structure on Earth?
Answer: The Great Barrier Reef - Which mammal has the longest gestation period?
Answer: The African elephant (22 months) - How many legs does a spider have?
Answer: Eight - What is the fastest land animal?
Answer: The cheetah (up to 70 mph) - Which bird can fly backwards?
Answer: The hummingbird - What is the largest species of shark?
Answer: The whale shark - How many eyes does a bee have?
Answer: Five (two compound eyes and three simple eyes) - What is the longest living mammal?
Answer: The bowhead whale (over 200 years) - Which animal has three hearts?
Answer: The octopus - What percent of DNA do humans share with chimpanzees?
Answer: About 98.8% - How many taste buds does the average human have?
Answer: About 10,000 - What is the smallest bone in the human body?
Answer: The stapes (in the ear) - Which animal produces the loudest sound in the animal kingdom?
Answer: The blue whale - How many cells are in the human body?
Answer: Approximately 37.2 trillion
Looking for more engaging conversation topics? Check out our interesting topics to talk about collection!
Chemistry Questions
Chemistry might seem complicated, but it’s actually all around us! From the air we breathe to the food we eat, everything involves chemistry. These questions will test your knowledge of elements, compounds, and chemical reactions.
- What is the chemical formula for water?
Answer: H₂O - Which element has the symbol “Fe”?
Answer: Iron - What is the pH of pure water?
Answer: 7 (neutral) - Which gas do plants absorb from the atmosphere for photosynthesis?
Answer: Carbon dioxide (CO₂) - What is the most abundant element in the universe?
Answer: Hydrogen - Which acid is found in lemons?
Answer: Citric acid - What is the chemical symbol for sodium?
Answer: Na - At what temperature does water boil at sea level?
Answer: 100°C (212°F) - Which gas makes up about 21% of Earth’s atmosphere?
Answer: Oxygen - What is the smallest particle of an element that still retains its properties?
Answer: An atom - Which metal is liquid at room temperature?
Answer: Mercury - What type of bond forms between metals and non-metals?
Answer: Ionic bond - Which element has the highest melting point?
Answer: Tungsten - What is the process called when a solid turns directly into a gas?
Answer: Sublimation - Which gas is produced when you mix vinegar and baking soda?
Answer: Carbon dioxide - What is the chemical formula for table salt?
Answer: NaCl - Which element is essential for all living things and is found in all organic compounds?
Answer: Carbon - What is the most electronegative element?
Answer: Fluorine - Which acid is found in car batteries?
Answer: Sulfuric acid - What is the lightest element on the periodic table?
Answer: Hydrogen
Want to challenge your friends with more brain teasers? Browse our math trivia questions for even more fun!
Physics and Space
Get ready to blast off into the realm of physics and space science! These questions cover everything from basic physics principles to mind-blowing facts about our universe. I find this category particularly exciting because it helps us understand how everything – from tiny particles to massive galaxies – works together.
- What is the speed of light in a vacuum?
Answer: About 300,000 kilometers per second - Which planet has the most moons?
Answer: Saturn (82 known moons) - What is Newton’s First Law of Motion also known as?
Answer: The Law of Inertia - How many Earth years does it take for Neptune to orbit the Sun?
Answer: About 165 years - What is the name of our galaxy?
Answer: The Milky Way - Which force is responsible for keeping atoms together?
Answer: The strong nuclear force - What is absolute zero in Celsius?
Answer: -273.15°C - Which planet has the strongest gravity?
Answer: Jupiter - What is the name of the galaxy closest to the Milky Way?
Answer: Andromeda Galaxy - How many Earths could fit inside the Sun?
Answer: About 1.3 million - What is the name of the phenomenon where light bends around massive objects?
Answer: Gravitational lensing - Which particle has a negative electric charge?
Answer: Electron - What is the largest known star?
Answer: UY Scuti - How long is a day on Venus?
Answer: About 243 Earth days - What is the unit of electrical resistance?
Answer: Ohm - Which force is weakest at the quantum level?
Answer: Gravity - What is the closest star to Earth (besides the Sun)?
Answer: Proxima Centauri - How many galaxies are estimated to exist in the observable universe?
Answer: About 2 trillion - What is the name of the boundary around a black hole beyond which nothing can escape?
Answer: Event horizon - Which planet rotates backwards (retrograde rotation)?
Answer: Venus
Need more questions for your next gathering? Check out our questions for couples for fun date night ideas!
Environmental Science
Environmental science is more important than ever! These questions cover everything from ecosystems to climate science. I love this category because it helps us understand our planet and how we can take better care of it.
- What is the greenhouse effect?
Answer: The trapping of heat in Earth’s atmosphere by certain gases - Which ocean is the largest?
Answer: The Pacific Ocean - What percentage of Earth’s freshwater is frozen in ice caps and glaciers?
Answer: About 69% - What is the name of the process where ocean water becomes more acidic?
Answer: Ocean acidification - Which gas is the primary contributor to global warming?
Answer: Carbon dioxide (CO₂) - What is the ozone layer’s main function?
Answer: To protect Earth from harmful UV radiation - Which ecosystem is often called the “lungs of the Earth”?
Answer: The Amazon rainforest - What is the average global ocean temperature?
Answer: About 61°F (16°C) - How many acres of forest are lost every minute due to deforestation?
Answer: About 40 acres - What is the name for a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem?
Answer: A keystone species - Which renewable energy source is the fastest growing?
Answer: Solar power - What percentage of Earth’s species live in the ocean?
Answer: About 94% - How many plastic bottles are sold worldwide every minute?
Answer: About 1 million - What is the term for the variety of life in a particular ecosystem?
Answer: Biodiversity - Which country produces the most renewable energy?
Answer: China - What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
Answer: A massive collection of ocean plastic debris - How much of Earth’s land surface is covered by forests?
Answer: About 31% - What is the main cause of coral reef bleaching?
Answer: Rising ocean temperatures - Which gas makes up the majority of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?
Answer: Water vapor - How many trees are cut down each year globally?
Answer: About 15 billion
Bonus Round: Wild Science Facts
Ready for some mind-blowing science facts that’ll make you go “Whoa!”? These are some of my favorite science tidbits that always spark amazing conversations.
- How many atoms are in the average human body?
Answer: About 7 octillion (7 followed by 27 zeros) - What’s the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth?
Answer: 134°F (56.7°C) in Death Valley - How fast does a sneeze travel?
Answer: Up to 100 mph - What percentage of our DNA is “junk DNA” (non-coding)?
Answer: About 98% - How many bacteria live in your mouth right now?
Answer: About 6 billion - What’s the longest recorded time someone has gone without sleep?
Answer: 11 days and 25 minutes - How many neurons are in the human brain?
Answer: About 86 billion - What’s the deepest anyone has ever dived in the ocean?
Answer: 35,853 feet (10,927 meters) – the Mariana Trench - How many times per minute does lightning strike Earth globally?
Answer: About 100 times - What’s the oldest known living thing on Earth?
Answer: A 4,850-year-old bristlecone pine tree
Looking for more conversation starters? Check out our random questions to ask collection!
Wrap It Up!
There you have it – over 100 science trivia questions that are perfect for family game nights, road trips, or just showing off your science smarts! I hope you had as much fun reading through these as I did putting them together. Did you know all the answers? Don’t worry if you didn’t – that’s what makes trivia so exciting!
Science is all around us, and these questions just scratch the surface of how amazing our world really is. Whether you’re using these for a party, classroom activity, or just personal entertainment, I’m sure they’ll spark some fascinating conversations and maybe even inspire someone to learn more about science.
Want to keep the fun going? Check out our collection of philosophical questions for some deep discussions, or browse our video game trivia questions for your next game night!
Happy quizzing, and keep that curiosity alive! 🔬✨