#13 - Use the Force, Luke
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Click on each question to reveal the answer, or click on the 'Show all the answers' link to see how you went and to learn more. Let us know any suggestions you have for improving the quiz by emailing quizmaster@radionz.co.nz.
Q 1 What weighs more, hot or cold water?
A Cold
Assuming equal volumes, cold weighs more. Water gets more dense as the temperature gets close to 0°C (freezing), however when it does freeze it expands again, becoming less dense.
Q 2 Peter Carl Fabergé was a…?
A Jeweller
Fabergé is known for the fabulous jewelled eggs that he and his company created between 1885 and 1917. Many were made for the Russian Royal family, and of about 50 originally created 43 survive.
One of the lost eggs resurfaced a few years ago in the US. It was purchased for $US14,000 - the value of the gold - and was nearly melted down. It was resold for an estimated $US30 million.
Q 3 Farrokh Bulsara was more commonly known as?
A Freddie Mercury
Here at RNZ we like to broaden the mind, so here is something you almost certainly don't know about Freddie Mercury: he was an avid and fastidious philatelist (stamp collector). He also appears on a 1999 millennium stamp.
You'll see from this story his album includes stamps from New Zealand.
Q 4 Which year was the first Star Wars movie released?
A 1977
On May 25, 1977 Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was released in the US. It quickly overtook Jaws (1975) to become the highest-grossing film of all time. That title was taken from Star Wars in 1982 by E.T.
The Empire Strikes Back was release in 1980 and Return of the Jedi in 1983.
The first three episodes - a prequel trilogy - were released in 1999 (Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace), 2002 (Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones), and 2005 (Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith)
Episode VII was released yesterday (17 December, 2015). We will not be publishing spoilers here.
Here is the trailer for the original film, with voice-over by William Shatner.
Q 5 What is main constituent of vinegar?
A Acetic acid
Vinegar is made by first fermentation to form alcohol, and then the addition of acetic acid bacteria. Vinegar can be made from just about anything, from grapes (balsamic), beer to kiwifruit.
Q 6 How many masts does a ketch have?
Q 7 What mammal has the longest gestation period?
A Elephant
The African elephant has a gestation of 645 days, about 30 more days than the Asian elephant. The sperm whale is between 480 and 590 days. Walrus's are 456 days, while the black rhino is 450. For reference purposes humans gestate for between 259 and 280 days (males take slightly more time).
Q 8 C.S. Lewis wrote the book The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. What does C.S. stand for?
A Clive Staples
The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe is the first book in The Narnia Chronicles. Lewis was a close friend of J.R.R. Tolkien and author Colin Duriez wrote a book on the pair, outlining how their friendship shaped their literary works.
Q 9 What city is in both Asia and Europe?
A Instanbul
The Turkish city of Instanbul straddles the Bosphorus strait, meaning part of it is in Asia, and part is in Europe.
Istanbul panorama and skyline showing both parts of the city Photo: CC-BY-SA Ben Morlok
Q 10 What was NZ Golfer Sir Bob Charles' original occupation?
A Bank teller
Sir Bob was working as a bank teller in Masterton when, at the age of 18, he won the New Zealand Open in 1954. He was an amateur at the time, and continued at the bank until he turned professional in 1960.
Here he is talking about golf equipment.
