(CNN) -- Beyond skateboards, Silicon Valley and hippies, California has a trendsetting streak of a different kind. The state has been first to pass major public health initiatives that have spread throughout the country. California was first to require smog checks for clean air, pass anti-tobacco initiatives and bike helmets laws. While these laws were met with skepticism and ridicule, they've often become standard practice in other states. The Golden State was first to ban smoking in workplaces, bars and restaurants in 1998. Now similar rules exist throughout the country. Some advocates tout the state as a forward-thinking vanguard in which its health and safety laws are routinely emulated by other states. "There have been progressive legislations in tobacco, environment and obesity prevention," said Mark Horton, a lecturer at the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health. "In some respect, the rest of the country looks to California as a laboratory for moving forward with those various types of initiatives." But some critics liken the Golden State to a nanny state. California has 151,002 health and safety laws. "It never ends," said Laer Pearce, who works in public affairs in Orange County. "Every year, several hundred bills come through and dozens of them tell us how to live our lives." Starting in January, 760 new California laws went into effect -- for example, the importing of shark fins is prohibited, student athletes are required to have medical clearance after suffering a head injury, teens are banned from using tanning booths and the sale of caffeinated beer is forbidden. There's a perception that California has "more folks who are health-oriented and more health-minded," said Horton, former director of the California Department of Public Health. It's not just workout fanatics hanging out at Muscle Beach, Sierra Club members hiking mountains or the uber-health-conscious touting organic foods. Californians in general tend to have healthier habits, ranking 10th for physical activity, fourth for healthy blood pressure and fifth for a diet high in fruits and vegetables compared with other states, according to America's Health Rankings.

Question: "The former director of the California Department of Public health is a professor at which university?"

OPTIONS:
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- yes

Answer: "UC Irvine"

Response: no

Gravitational Potential Energy is affected by position. Like the leaves on trees, anything that is raised up has the potential to fall. It has potential energy. You can see examples of people with gravitational potential energy in 1.5 Figure below. Gravitational potential energy depends on two things. It depends on its weight, because a large falling rock can do more damage than a leaf falling from a tree. It also depends on its height above the ground. Like the skateboarder, the higher the ramp, the faster he will be going when he reaches the bottom. Like all energy, gravitational potential energy has the ability to do work. In this case, weight has the potential to deliver a force. More important for us is that it has the ability to cause change. What kind of change you may ask? Gravitational potential energy has the ability to cause motion.

Question: "What sort of change can gravitational potential energy cause?"

OPTIONS:
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Answer: "Friction"

Response: no

Do all plants live on the land? Some plants do live in the water. To do this, they have evolved special traits. Plants that live in water are called aquatic plants. Living in water has certain benefits. There is certainly plenty of water! The plant does not need special traits to absorb, transport, or conserve water. They do not need a large root system. They do not need a strong stem to hold up the plant. The plant uses the water for support. Dont think water plants have it easy, though. They also face challenges. Living in water isnt that easy. They do need some special traits to survive. It is tough for the plant to reproduce. Pollination by wind or animals cant happen under water. Sunlight cannot reach very far beneath the waters surface. Some aquatic plants have floating flowers and leaves.

Question: "How is an aquatic plant held up?"

OPTIONS:
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Answer: "Roots"

Response: no

When land is cleared, habitats are lost. It may be cleared for agriculture. It may also be used for building new homes or businesses. Within the past 100 years, the amount of land used for agriculture has almost doubled. Land used for grazing cattle has more than doubled. Many wetlands have also been lost to agriculture. The U.S. has lost almost all the natural tall-grass prairies. Thee areas of tall thick grass have virtually disappeared. These areas of land had thick fertile soil. Their grasses had very deep root systems. These deep and thick roots reduced the amount of soil erosion. They also were home to many plants and animals. Prairies were wonderful places. They were home to colorful flowers, prairie dogs, and herds of bison.

Question: "Why do we clear land?"

OPTIONS:
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- yes

Answer: "Space for prairie dogs"

Response:
no