Problem: I read this background article the other day: Electrons can be removed from some objects using friction, simply by rubbing one substance against another substance. There are many examples of objects becoming charged by friction, including a rubber comb through hair, and a balloon on a sweater. In both these instances, the electrons move from the second object to the first, causing the first object to become negatively charged and the second one positively charged. Friction between the tires on a moving car and the road cause the tires to become charged, and wind causes friction between clouds and air which causes clouds to become charged and can result in tremendous bolts of lightning. I am facing a new situation today: Weather patterns in two cities are rather different. Much to the dismay of many residents of the town, the weather in Smallville is often windy and cloudy. Citizens of Klangton are much happier since they rarely experience heavy winds and generally only have a couple clouds in the sky. Their weather is almost always sunny with almost clear skies. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which city has less negatively charged clouds?

A: Klangton

Problem: I read this background article the other day: An anaerobic organism is any organism that does not need oxygen for growth and even dies in its presence. Obligate anaerobes will die when exposed to atmospheric levels of oxygen. Clostridium perfringens bacteria, which are commonly found in soil around the world, are obligate anaerobes. Infection of a wound by C. perfringens bacteria causes the disease gas gangrene. Obligate anaerobes use molecules other than oxygen as terminal electron acceptors. I am facing a new situation today: Microbiologist John is studying the anaerobic organism. He collected two samples of this organism, sample A and sample B. Sample A is an anaerobic organism, and sample B is specifically identified as the Clostridium perfringens obligate anaerobe. To compare these samples to other organisms he collected another microbe that is not an anaerobic organism. He labeled it as sample C. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which sample might not die in presence of oxygen, sample A or sample C?

A: sample C

Problem: I read this background article the other day: No doubt you already have a good idea of what temperature is. You might say that it's how warm or cool something feels. In physics, temperature is defined as the average kinetic energy of the particles of matter. When particles of matter move more quickly, they have more kinetic energy, so their temperature is higher. With a higher temperature, matter feels warmer. When particles move more slowly, they have less kinetic energy on average, so their temperature is lower. With a lower temperature, matter feels cooler. I am facing a new situation today: Two physicists studied the influence of kinetic energy on the environment. Will studied high temperature environments, while his pal Don studied cooler environments. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which person learned less about the influence of high temperature on the speed of matter particles?

A: Don

Problem: I read this background article the other day: 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/ . I am facing a new situation today: Two friends had unprotected sex with their respective dates on the same night. Everything went fine for both of them. They later found out the bad news. Mike had been infected with HIV. Luckily enough Pete was healthy, he didn't get any diseases. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which friend had a virus that is transmitted by contact with vaginal secretions?

A:
Mike