Why is the sky sometimes pink, orange and purple? Try our kids’ quiz

1. Macie, 3, asks: why is the sky sometimes pink, orange and purple?

   1. It’s because the sun turns different shades through the day

   2. It’s because space turns different colours at night

   3. Clouds release different colours when it rains

   4. The sky appears those colours because of the way light is scattered when the sun is lower in the sky

2. Sitara, 10, asks: why does everyone have different fingerprints?

   1. Fingerprints change every day

   2. They don’t! Everyone has the same fingerprints

   3. Fingerprint patterns form randomly in the womb, based on genetic and environmental factors

   4. Your fingerprints are identical to your parents’

3. Elliot, 7, asks: how is ink made?

   1. By mixing pigments with liquids that help it flow and dry properly

   2. By melting special rocks

   3. Fairies colour plain water

   4. By squeezing an octopus

4. Vera, 7, asks: do wisdom teeth make us wiser?

   1. Yes, wisdom teeth grow when you reach a certain level of intelligence

   2. Wisdom teeth help people remember things better

   3. People with wisdom teeth are naturally smarter

   4. No, wisdom teeth are just extra molars

5. Florence, 8, asks: when was the first Ashes cricket match?

   1. 500BC

   2. Medieval times

   3. 1882

   4. 2000

Solutions

1:D - Sunlight reaches Earth’s atmosphere and is scattered by the gases and particles in the air. During sunrise and sunset, when the sun is lower, light has to pass through more of Earth’s atmosphere. Blue light is scattered away, leaving behind the warmer colours like pink, orange and purple., 2:C - Fingerprints depend on genetics and developments inside the womb. Differences in pressure and growth create unique patterns – not even identical twins have the same fingerprints! , 3:A - Ink is made by blending pigments or dyes with a liquid, such as water or oil, depending on the type of ink., 4:D - Wisdom teeth are just extra molars that helped our ancestors chew tough foods. They usually grow in during the late teens or early 20s – an age associated with gaining wisdom., 5:C - The first Ashes series was in 1882 when Australia defeated England at the Oval in London. A newspaper printed a mock obituary saying English cricket had died, and its “ashes” would be taken to Australia. This led to the famous tradition, with England and Australia competing for the Ashes urn.

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.