What’s the world’s largest plane and why are nostrils round? Try our kids’ quiz

1. Jude, 6, asks: what is the world’s largest aeroplane?

   1. The Boeing 777

   2. The Airbus Super Heavy

   3. The Antonov An-225 Mriya, a huge cargo plane

   4. All planes are exactly the same size

2. Oscar, 8, asks: what makes the water come out of a fire engine hose so fast?

   1. Gremlins inside the hose shoot it out super-fast

   2. Powerful pumps push water through the hose

   3. Firefighters blow air into the hose to speed it up

   4. Fire engines heat up the water to make it flow faster

3. Leo, 4, asks: why are nostrils round?

   1. They were square, but changed shape over time

   2. So they can close up when we don’t need them

   3. Because air is round

   4. Nostril shape varies based on geography and climate

4. Noah, 7, asks: why are holly leaves dark and glossy on one side and matte and light green on the other side?

   1. For camouflage

   2. The glossy side is due to a waxy coating which helps retain moisture

   3. Holly leaves change colours every day

   4. It shows how much water they have

5. Leila, 9, asks: why do humans not have tails like primates?

   1. Humans still have long tails – but they’re invisible

   2. Primates got too jealous

   3. Humans evolved so they no longer needed tails for balance and movement

   4. Human babies do have tails but they fall off

Solutions

1:C - The Antonov An-225 Mriya (“Dream”) was the largest aeroplane ever built, measured by take-off weight. It was designed in the 1980s in Ukraine, and could transport cargo weighing more than three times the weight of the average house!, 2:B - Strong pumps force water through fire engine hoses at high pressure. This helps firefighters spray water over long distances to put out fires quickly., 3:D - Nostril shape is based on where a person’s ancestors lived. People from colder regions tend to have narrow nostrils, to help warm the air before it gets to the lungs. In warmer, more humid climates, nostrils are usually wider to allow more airflow. , 4:B - Holly leaves have a waxy surface that helps keep in moisture. The green colour comes from structures for absorbing sunlight and converting it to energy – the waxy side has more of these, so it looks darker green., 5:C - Other primates use tails for balance in trees, but as early humans started walking upright, tails were no longer needed. Humans still have a small tailbone at the base of the spine – a trace of our evolutionary past.

Scores

1. 5 and above.

2. 4 and above.

3. 3 and above.

4. 2 and above.

5. 0 and above.

6. 1 and above.

Molly Oldfield hosts Everything Under the Sun, a podcast answering children’s questions. Do check out her books, Everything Under the Sun and the new Everything Under the Sun: Quiz Book.