Problem: Ben and Jerry studied agricultural sciences. Ben was specialized in pedology and pedogenesis, while Jerry specialized in entomology and phytopathology. Which person learned more about soil formation? Hint: Soil formation, or pedogenesis, is the combined effect of physical, chemical, biological and anthropogenic processes working on soil parent material. Soil is said to be formed when organic matter has accumulated and colloids are washed downward, leaving deposits of clay, humus, iron oxide, carbonate, and gypsum, producing a distinct layer called the B horizon. This is a somewhat arbitrary definition as mixtures of sand, silt, clay and humus will support biological and agricultural activity before that time. These constituents are moved from one level to another by water and animal activity. As a result, layers (horizons) form in the soil profile. The alteration and movement of materials within a soil causes the formation of distinctive soil horizons. However, more recent definitions of soil embrace soils without any organic matter, such as those regoliths that formed on Mars and analogous conditions in planet Earth deserts.An example of the development of a soil would begin with the weathering of lava flow bedrock, which would produce the purely mineral-based parent material from which the soil texture forms. Soil development would proceed most rapidly from bare rock of recent flows in a warm climate, under heavy and frequent rainfall. Under such conditions, plants (in a first stage nitrogen-fixing lichens and cyanobacteria then epilithic higher plants) become established very quickly on basaltic lava, even though there is very little organic material. The plants are supported by the porous rock as it is filled with nutrient-bearing water that carries minerals dissolved from the rocks. Crevasses and pockets, local topography of the rocks, would hold fine materials and harbour plant roots. The developing plant roots are associated with mineral-weathering mycorrhizal fungi that assist in breaking up the porous lava, and by these means organic matter and a finer mineral soil accumulate with time. Such initial stages of soil development have been described on volcanoes, inselbergs, and glacial moraines.

A: Ben

Problem: Two groups of students studied Biology. Group One studied mammals, while Group Two studied birds. They focused on the respiratory system. Which group of students learned more about human lungs? Hint: The lungs of mammals are unique in having alveoli . These are tiny, sac-like structures. Each alveolus is surrounded by a network of very small blood vessels (see Figure below ). Because there are millions of alveoli in each lung, they greatly increase the surface area for gas exchange between the lungs and bloodstream. Human lungs, for example, contain about 300 million alveoli. They give the lungs a total surface area for gas exchange of up to 90 square meters (968 square feet). That's about as much surface area as one side of a volleyball court!

A: One

Problem: Jenna is studying waves and their related characteristics. Today, is she analyzing two different waves, wave D and wave M. Wave D has a very long wavelength, and wave M has a short wavelength. In order to verify her findings though, she is going to stand still and have both waves pass over her for the same amount of time and record the number of waves of each type that passed her. Will less wave D or wave M waves pass Jenna? Hint: Figure B above shows an important relationship between the wavelength and frequency of a wave. The top wave clearly has a shorter wavelength than the second wave. However, if you picture yourself at a stationary point watching these waves pass by, more waves of the first kind would pass by in a given amount of time. Thus the frequency of the first waves is greater than that of the second waves. Wavelength and frequency are therefore inversely related. As the wavelength of a wave increases, its frequency decreases. The equation that relates the two is

A: Wave D

Problem: Monica and Jill are two friends. They study and party together most of the time. One day Monica shared a needle with a drug addict at a party. She later found out that she'd been infected with HIV. Jill was scared and helped her as much as she could. Which friend has a virus that is passed from mother to fetus? Hint: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( HIV ) is the virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ( AIDS ). Most researchers believe that the HIV originated in sub-Saharan Africa during the 20th century. HIV is transmitted by sexual contact and by contact with infected bodily fluids, such as blood, semen, breast milk, and vaginal secretions. It is also passed from mother to fetus. HIV is now a pandemic , with an estimated (as of 2008) 38.6 million people now living with the disease worldwide. It is estimated that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized in 1981. For further information about HIV/AIDS, see the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) web site at http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/ .

A:
Monica