What is the largest bone in the human body?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The femur, also known as the thigh bone, holds the title of the largest bone in the human body. Situated in the upper leg, the femur plays a vital role in supporting the body's weight and enabling movement. While the tibia (shin bone), humerus (upper arm bone), and scapula (shoulder blade) are all essential bones, none of them match the femur in terms of size and importance. The tibia, humerus, and scapula are comparatively smaller bones with specific functions in their respective areas of the body, but they do not surpass the femur in size or significance.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: When a sound wave travels from air to water, the speed of sound decreases because sound travels faster in denser mediums. Water, being denser than air, causes the speed of sound to slow down. Choice A is incorrect because sound travels faster in denser mediums, so the speed would not increase. Choice C is incorrect because the speed of sound changes when transitioning between different mediums. Choice D is incorrect because while frequency does affect sound, the medium it travels through also plays a significant role in determining the speed of sound.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The high surface tension of water is primarily due to the strong hydrogen bonding between water molecules. Hydrogen bonding is a specific type of intermolecular force that occurs between a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to a highly electronegative atom, like oxygen in water, and another electronegative atom nearby. This unique interaction results in a strong attraction between water molecules at the surface, leading to the cohesive forces responsible for the high surface tension of water. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because London dispersion forces, ionic bonding, and metallic bonding do not account for the high surface tension observed in water. London dispersion forces are relatively weaker intermolecular forces, while ionic and metallic bonding are types of intramolecular forces that do not directly contribute to the surface tension of water.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another of different density. In deserts, the temperature gradient causes light to bend, creating the mirage effect where distant objects appear distorted or displaced. Diffraction refers to the bending of light around obstacles or apertures, not the cause of mirages. Interference involves the superposition of two or more waves, which is not the mechanism behind mirages. Polarization refers to the orientation of light waves in a specific plane and is not responsible for the mirage effect in deserts. Therefore, the correct answer is refraction.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The main obstacle to achieving controlled nuclear fusion on Earth for energy production involves a combination of factors. A) Lack of suitable materials to handle high temperatures and pressures is a significant challenge due to the extreme conditions required for fusion reactions. B) Limited availability of fusion fuels like deuterium and tritium can pose a constraint on the scalability and sustainability of fusion energy. C) Difficulty in containing the plasma where fusion occurs is another critical issue as plasma instabilities and heat losses can hinder the efficiency of fusion reactions. Therefore, all of the options (A, B, and C) contribute to the challenges in achieving controlled nuclear fusion for energy production on Earth.