Why do cats like chasing things and is it dark in space? Try our kids’ quiz

1. Esther, 8, asks: why do cats like chasing things?

   1. They can’t think of anything else to do

   2. Chasing is great exercise

   3. Because cats are natural-born predators

   4. It makes them feel brave when they’re actually shy

2. Natasha, 10, asks: why are mosquito bites itchy?

   1. The mosquito injects a ticklish substance into the body which causes an itch

   2. It is the body’s reaction to the saliva the mosquito injects into your skin

   3. It protects the skin – if you scratch it, the mosquito won’t bite that place again

   4. The body mistakes a ticklish feeling for itchiness

3. Emmie, 7, asks: why does smoke come out of fires?

   1. It contains heat, so it helps people keep warm

   2. Smoke comes out of a fire when it is about to stop burning

   3. So the fire can be found by firefighters

   4. Smoke is a sign that there is not enough oxygen available for the fire to burn completely

4. Bobby, 8, asks: do fish drink?

   1. Fish either drink a lot or wee a lot

   2. No, they live in water so have more than enough of it in their surroundings

   3. Yes, once a year

   4. Fish are actually allergic to water if they ingest it

5. Otis, 7, asks: is it dark in space?

   1. Yes! It is pitch black

   2. No! It is super bright

   3. It is dark at night-time

   4. It is only dark in space at Christmas

Solutions

1:C - Cats are natural-born predators. It means that they normally chase after small prey like mice or birds, or toys that look like prey, either for fun or to practise., 2:B - When a mosquito bites it pierces the skin to suck up blood, and also injects saliva into your skin. Our immune system kicks in to protect us against the injected saliva by producing histamine. This causes a raised, itchy bump to appear., 3:D - Smoke comes from a fire when there is “incomplete combustion” – there is not enough oxygen to completely burn the fuel in the fire., 4:A - Yes! Depending on where they live, fish either drink a lot or wee a lot. Sea fish have much less salt water in their bodies than in their surroundings and lose water through their skin and gills, so they drink a lot. Freshwater fish absorb too much water, so their cells begin to swell. They pee a lot rather than drink a lot., 5:B - It’s super bright! Astronauts wear sunglasses with a thin gold coating to shade their eyes. It looks dark because it’s empty, so there is nothing for the light to hit and bounce back to our line of sight here on Earth.

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 weekly podcast answering children’s questions, out now as a book.

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