Ever stared at the periodic table wondering why some elements have such weird symbols, or struggled to remember which gas makes soda fizzy? With over 118 elements, countless chemical reactions, and terminology that sounds like it’s from another planet, understanding chemistry can feel more explosive than mixing the wrong compounds together! Our chemistry trivia collection breaks down this scientific barrier with questions covering everything from basic atomic structure to the chemical heroes who shaped our world. Perfect for acing your next science quiz or discovering why your soufflé always falls flat (hint: it’s chemistry!).
Check out these Solar System Trivia Questions.
Chemistry Trivia Questions and Answers
- What is the chemical symbol for water?
Answer: H₂O - What is the chemical symbol for gold?
Answer: Au - What gas do humans breathe in to survive?
Answer: Oxygen - What gas do plants take in that humans breathe out?
Answer: Carbon dioxide - What is the chemical symbol for oxygen?
Answer: O - What is the hardest natural substance on Earth?
Answer: Diamond - What is the most abundant gas in Earth’s atmosphere?
Answer: Nitrogen - What is the chemical symbol for silver?
Answer: Ag - What is the chemical symbol for iron?
Answer: Fe - What is the center of an atom called?
Answer: Nucleus - What is the chemical name for table salt?
Answer: Sodium chloride - What is the chemical symbol for sodium?
Answer: Na - What gas makes soda fizzy?
Answer: Carbon dioxide - What is the chemical formula for methane?
Answer: CH₄ - What are the tiny particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom called?
Answer: Electrons - What is the pH of pure water?
Answer: 7 - What are substances called that turn red litmus paper blue?
Answer: Bases - What are substances called that turn blue litmus paper red?
Answer: Acids - What type of energy is stored in chemical bonds?
Answer: Chemical energy - What is the lightest element on the periodic table?
Answer: Hydrogen - What is the chemical symbol for carbon?
Answer: C - What is the chemical formula for table sugar?
Answer: C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ - What state of matter has no definite shape but a definite volume?
Answer: Liquid - What state of matter has particles that move the fastest?
Answer: Gas - What is the main gas found in the air bubbles of bread?
Answer: Carbon dioxide - What gas makes up about 21% of Earth’s atmosphere?
Answer: Oxygen - What element is the main component of steel?
Answer: Iron - What is the chemical symbol for potassium?
Answer: K - What are the positively charged particles in an atom’s nucleus called?
Answer: Protons - What is the chemical formula for carbon dioxide?
Answer: CO₂ - What do you call a mixture where one substance dissolves in another?
Answer: Solution - What are the neutral particles in an atom’s nucleus called?
Answer: Neutrons - What is the chemical symbol for copper?
Answer: Cu - Who created the periodic table of elements?
Answer: Dmitri Mendeleev - What is the process called when a solid changes directly to a gas without becoming a liquid?
Answer: Sublimation - What gas gives fire the energy to burn?
Answer: Oxygen - What is the chemical symbol for lead?
Answer: Pb - What is the chemical symbol for mercury?
Answer: Hg - What substance is known as the “universal solvent”?
Answer: Water - What is the study of carbon compounds called?
Answer: Organic chemistry - What happens to the boiling point of water when salt is added?
Answer: It increases - What is the process called when a gas changes to a liquid?
Answer: Condensation - What famous chemist discovered radium and polonium?
Answer: Marie Curie - What do you call the smallest part of an element that still has its properties?
Answer: Atom - What is the most abundant element in the human body?
Answer: Oxygen - What is the most abundant element in the universe?
Answer: Hydrogen - What is the name for a change where a substance’s appearance changes, but it’s still the same substance?
Answer: Physical change - What is the name for a change where a substance turns into a different substance?
Answer: Chemical change - What is the chemical symbol for helium?
Answer: He - What element is essential for all living things and is part of DNA?
Answer: Carbon - What is the substance used in thermometers that expands and contracts based on temperature?
Answer: Mercury (or alcohol in some thermometers) - What is the noble gas used in many glowing signs?
Answer: Neon - What is the chemical symbol for tungsten?
Answer: W - What forms when two or more atoms bond together?
Answer: A molecule - What happens to the freezing point of water when salt is added?
Answer: It decreases