Question 1: Which war was fought between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848?
Question 2: How many official languages does the European Union recognize?
The European Union recognizes 24 official languages, allowing for a wide range of linguistic diversity. Some of these languages include English, French, German, and Spanish.
Question 3: Why does light travel slower in water than in air?
Light travels slower in water than in air because water is denser than air. When light enters a denser medium, it is refracted and slows down. The refractive index of water is about 1.33, while the refractive index of air is about 1.0003, which means light travels about 25% slower in water compared to air.
Question 4: When was the symbol for 'zero' first used?
The concept of zero as a number and not merely a symbol for separation is attributed to India, where by the 5th century AD, practical calculations were carried out using zero. The Indian scholar Brahmagupta is credited with being the first to formalize arithmetic operations using zero.
Question 5: What year did the famous "little black dress" by Coco Chanel first appear in Vogue magazine?
The "little black dress" designed by Coco Chanel was published in the American Vogue in 1926. It was termed "Chanel's Ford" by Vogue because, just like the Model T made by Ford Motor Company, it was accessible to women of all social classes. Chanel's design emphasized simplicity and elegance, forever changing fashion.
Question 6: In our solar system, which planet is known for its distinctive rings?
Saturn's rings are made up of countless ice particles, rocks, and dust. These rings extend up to 175,000 miles (282,000 km) from the planet's surface, but are only about 30 feet (10 meters) thick on average. The rings were first observed by Galileo Galilei in 1610, but it was Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens who identified them as a disk around the planet in 1655.
Question 7: In meteorology, what is the name for a line of thunderstorms that can span hundreds of miles?
A squall line is a line of thunderstorms that forms along or ahead of a cold front. It can produce severe straight-line winds, hail, and even tornadoes. Squall lines can travel for hundreds of miles and persist for many hours.
Question 8: The Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) is based in which city?
The Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) is based in Sydney and was founded in 1987. It's the primary stock exchange in Australia and the 16th largest in the world by market capitalization.
Question 9: What is the term for theft from a person's home?
Burglary typically involves unauthorised entry into a building with the intent to commit a crime, usually theft. It distinguishes itself from robbery, which involves the use of force or intimidation, and from larceny or embezzlement, which do not necessarily involve trespassing on property.
Question 10: What was the name of the first space station launched into orbit?
Salyut 1 was the world's first space station, launched by the Soviet Union on April 19, 1971. It was the first of a series of Soviet space stations, paving the way for future space exploration and long-term human presence in space.
The Mexican-American War was fought between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. The war resulted in the United States' acquisition of more than 500,000 square miles of Mexican territory, extending U.S. borders all the way to the Pacific Ocean.