Scavenger Hunt
Exploring the Smithsonian

Find the answers to the following questions, using the Smithsonian Institution (http://www.si.edu) Web site. Be careful! Many of the questions require you to make mathematical computations after you've gathered information.

1. What was the original size of the Hope Diamond?





2. How many carats did the Hope Diamond weigh in 1812?





3. What percent of the aircrafts in the National Air and Space Museum collection are displayed at the Paul E. Garber facility?





4. If 57% of all the aircrafts currently in the collection of the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) are on display, how many aircrafts are on display?





5. What is the ratio of the amount of protein you get from a potato to the amount of protein you get from wheat?





6. How many seeds can be produced from one sunflower head?





7. How many years did the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt last?





8. The canopy of a tropical rain forest is so dense that it deflects a lot of sunlight. What percent of the sun's rays in tropical rain forests reach the ground?





9. What is the percentage of each type of garbage in America's municipal waste areas?

  • paper and textiles


  • metal, plastic, and glass


  • yard waste


  • food waste


  • other



10. If Americans recycled only 5% of the municipal solid waste they create each year, how many tons of garbage generation would be prevented?





11. What is the area of the Star Spangled Banner flag that currently hangs in the museum?





12. The area of the current Star Spangled Banner flag is what percent of the area of the original flag?





13. How much does a Kevlar vest weigh?





14. Why is the $20 gold coin called the "Double Eagle"?





15. In "Stories for the Gold Rush," what percent of stampeders were women?





16. If 4% of Dr. Fineger's patients who contracted typhoid fever died, how many of his Gold Rush patients died from typhoid fever?





17. How many pieces of mail does the United States Postal Service deliver each day? Write your answer in scientific notation.





18. What percentage of the world's animal species are classified as invertebrates?





19. How fast can a giraffe sprint?





20. How many named volcanoes exist in the Aleutian Islands?
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