Why do we have baby teeth and how far to the moon? Try our kids’ quiz

1. Evie, 8, asks: why do we have baby teeth?

   1. Baby teeth are more resistant to tooth decay than permanent teeth

   2. Baby teeth are placeholders for permanent teeth and help children chew and speak

   3. They help in developing tooth enamel for permanent teeth

   4. So the tooth fairy can collect them

2. Megan, 8, asks: why are there seven days in the week?

   1. It is based on the seven colours of the rainbow

   2. The week comes from a system set up by ancient cultures and religions

   3. The week is based on astronomical systems

   4. The week is based on having one day for each of the seven deadly sins

3. Scarlett, 10, asks: how many solar systems are there in the Milky Way?

   1. Ours is the only one

   2. More than 200

   3. More than 3,200

   4. More than 32,000

4. Luna, 5, asks: how far away is the moon?

   1. About 3,500km away

   2. About 58,900km away

   3. About 279,300km away

   4. About 384,400km away

5. Chloe, 10, asks: if we are 60% water, why don’t we slosh around when we move?

   1. Because of our bodies’ different compartments

   2. Because the water is all contained in bones

   3. Because the water is all in a gaseous state, so it doesn’t slosh

   4. We do slosh, but you can’t hear it through your skin

Solutions

1:B - Baby teeth help children to eat and speak before their heads are big enough for permanent teeth, and they also save space for permanent teeth, eventually being dislodged by them. , 2:B - The week’s origin may be as old as ancient Mesopotamian culture, which divided it into seven days. Ancient Jews and, later, Christians had seven days in the week based on God creating the Earth in six days and having a seventh day to rest., 3:C - Scientists have discovered more than 3,200 other stars with planets orbiting them in the Milky Way – our home galaxy – so far! And they’re sure to discover more., 4:D - The moon is about 384,400km away. That’s about 464,000 Burj Khalifas, or 1,164,848 Eiffel Towers, or about 76,880,000 giraffes! , 5:A - The water in our bodies is contained in millions of different compartments, such as cells, blood vessels and organs, so it’s not all sloshing around together but is kept in place or moved in a controlled way in these compartments.

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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