The brain is such a complex part of the body, yet so many people know so little about it. We know a lot about our hearts, stomachs, muscles and joints, but just how much do you know about the one thing that guides you through each day? Take this quiz; maybe you will learn something new!
1. The average human brain is about ___ percent water. 5; 20; 65; 75.
2. What’s the slowest speed in miles per hour in which information travels to the brain? 80 mph; 27 mph; 195 mph; 268 mph.
3. About _____ full 12-ounce cans of blood flow through the brain every minute. 2; 3; 7; 9.
4. After the age of _____, the brain shrinks one quarter of one percent in mass each year. 25; 30; 50; 60.
5. The average person’s short-term memory can only hold _____ digits at a time. 7; 8; 10; 11.
6. The world record for being fluent in the most languages is held by Ziad Fazah. Supposedly, he can speak _____ languages. 20; 23; 57; 56.
7. The energy used by the brain is enough to light a _____ watt light bulb. 25; 60; 75; 150.
8. Does your brain think more during the day while you are awake or at night when you’re sleeping?
9. Your brain uses _____ of the total oxygen in your body. 15 percent; 20; percent; 27 percent; 30 percent.
10. True or False: Excessive stress has shown to “alter brain cells, brain structure and brain function.”
11. The technical word for “tip-of-the-tongue” syndrome (when you can almost remember a word, but it just won’t quite come to you) is called what? Dementia; Anomia; Brainfreeze; Neuroses.
12. There are _____ thousand miles of blood vessels in the brain. 5,000; 10,000; 50,000; 100,000.
Answers
1. 75 percent.
2. Information can be processed as slowly as 0.5 meters/sec or as fast as 120 meters/sec (about 268 miles/hr).
3. About three full 12-ounce cans worth of blood flow through the brain every minute.
4. After age 30, the brain shrinks one quarter of one percent in mass each year.
5. An average person’s short-term memory can only hold seven digits at a time, which is why telephone numbers are seven digits long.
6. The world record for being fluent in the most languages is held by Ziad Fazah. He can speak 56 languages; however, that’s being disputed.
7. The energy used by the brain is enough to light a 25-watt light bulb.
8. Your brain thinks more at night than any other time.
9. Your brain uses 20 percent of the total oxygen in your body.
10. True.
11. Anomia.
12. 100,000 miles.