40 General Knowledge Trivia Questions for Kids

The easiest general knowledge questions in the game, picked for younger players. Every one comes with the answer and a short explanation of why it is right.

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Easy General Knowledge Questions and Answers

1. How many centimeters are in a meter?

   100

   One meter contains 100 centimeters.

   Easy · Also offered: 10, 50, 1000 · Source: NIST International System of Units

2. How many grams are in a kilogram?

   1000

   One kilogram contains 1,000 grams.

   Easy · Also offered: 100, 500, 2000 · Source: NIST International System of Units

3. How many hours does a standard analog clock face display?

   12

   A standard analog clock face displays 12 hours.

   Easy · Also offered: 24, 6, 60 · Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, “clock”

4. How many inches are in a foot?

   12

   One foot contains 12 inches.

   Easy · Also offered: 10, 14, 16 · Source: NIST Handbook 44

5. How many ounces equal one pound?

   16

   A standard pound contains 16 ounces.

   Easy · Also offered: 8, 24, 32 · Source: NIST Handbook 44

6. How many days does February have in a common (non-leap) year?

   28 days

   February has 28 days in a common, non-leap Gregorian year.

   Easy · Also offered: 29 days, 30 days, 31 days · Source: Gregorian calendar

7. How many days does January have?

   31 days

   January has 31 days in the Gregorian calendar.

   Easy · Also offered: 28 days, 29 days, 30 days · Source: Gregorian calendar

8. How many degrees are in a full circle?

   360

   A full circle measures 360 degrees.

   Easy · Also offered: 180, 270, 720 · Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica

9. How many days are in a standard year?

   365

   A standard non-leap year has 365 days.

   Easy · Also offered: 350, 360, 400 · Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, “calendar”

10. How many feet are in a mile?

    5280

    A mile is 5,280 feet, or 1,760 yards. The awkward figure comes from England settling the mile at eight furlongs of 660 feet each.

    Easy · Also offered: 1760, 6336, 10560 · Source: NIST Handbook 44

11. How many seconds are in one minute?

    60

    One minute contains 60 seconds.

    Easy · Also offered: 100, 30, 24 · Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Time and Frequency

12. How many US pints are in a US gallon?

    8

    A US gallon holds four quarts, and each quart holds two pints, so eight pints fill a gallon.

    Easy · Also offered: 6, 10, 12 · Source: NIST Handbook 44

13. How many degrees are in a right angle?

    90

    A right angle measures 90 degrees.

    Easy · Also offered: 45, 180, 270 · Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica

14. What does “PM” indicate on a clock?

    After noon

    PM comes from post meridiem and indicates times after noon.

    Easy · Also offered: Before noon, At noon, At midnight · Source: Merriam-Webster, “post meridiem”

15. Why is AMBULANCE written mirror-reversed across the front of the vehicle?

    So drivers ahead can read it in the rear-view mirror

    The word is printed back to front so that a driver glancing in the rear-view mirror sees it the right way round as the ambulance comes up behind, and knows to pull aside.

    Easy · Also offered: Because it is the original Latin spelling, So it stays legible from a rescue helicopter, To make the lettering reflective at night · Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, EMS: checked directly

16. What is the official language of Egypt?

    Arabic

    Arabic is Egypt's official language.

    Easy · Also offered: Turkish, Persian, Urdu · Source: CIA World Factbook archive: Egypt

17. What does a fletcher make?

    Arrows

    A fletcher makes arrows, and the fletching is the set of feathers fixed near the back of the shaft to steady its flight. A maker of bows was a bowyer.

    Easy · Also offered: Bows, Swords, Shields · Source: Oxford English Dictionary, 'fletcher'

18. Which element has atomic number 8?

    Oxygen

    Oxygen has eight protons, giving it atomic number 8. It makes up about one-fifth of Earth's atmosphere and is essential for aerobic respiration.

    Easy · Also offered: Carbon, Nitrogen, Fluorine · Source: Royal Society of Chemistry

19. What does a cooper make?

    Barrels

    A cooper builds and repairs barrels, casks and tubs, shaping curved wooden staves and binding them with metal hoops. The trade is still alive in whisky and wine making, and it gave English the surname Cooper.

    Easy · Also offered: Horseshoes, Hats, Saddles · Source: Oxford English Dictionary, 'cooper'

20. What is the official language of Bangladesh?

    Bengali

    Bengali is Bangladesh's official language.

    Easy · Also offered: Assamese, Punjabi, Nepali · Source: CIA World Factbook archive: Bangladesh

21. What color are traditional Venetian gondolas?

    black

    Traditional Venetian gondolas are characteristically painted black.

    Easy · Also offered: brown, blue, green · Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica

22. What color is the Hope Diamond?

    blue

    The Hope Diamond is renowned for its deep blue color.

    Easy · Also offered: green, red, yellow · Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

23. How many months are in the Gregorian calendar year?

    12

    The Gregorian calendar divides a year into 12 months.

    Easy · Also offered: 10, 11, 13 · Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Gregorian calendar

24. What does a chandler make?

    Candles

    A chandler makes and sells candles, from the French chandelle. A ship's chandler, a later use of the same word, supplies vessels with stores and rope.

    Easy · Also offered: Chandeliers, Lanterns, Mirrors · Source: Oxford English Dictionary, 'chandler'

25. What is the chemical symbol for gold?

    Au

    Gold's symbol is Au, from the Latin word aurum. Silver uses Ag, while gadolinium and gallium use Gd and Ga.

    Easy · Also offered: Ag, Gd, Ga · Source: Royal Society of Chemistry

26. What does a steeplejack do?

    Climbs tall structures to repair them

    A steeplejack works at height on spires, factory chimneys, masts and towers, rigging ladders up the outside so that inspection and repair can be done without scaffolding the whole structure.

    Easy · Also offered: Rings the bells in a church tower, Carves stone spires and gargoyles, Erects scaffolding around a building · Source: Oxford English Dictionary, 'steeplejack'

27. Which of these does a horologist work with?

    Clocks and watches

    Horology is the measurement of time and the craft of building timepieces, from the Greek hora, meaning hour. A horologist makes, repairs and studies clocks and watches.

    Easy · Also offered: Horses, Church bells, Barometers · Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary, horology

28. How many cardinal directions are commonly named on a compass?

    Four

    The four cardinal directions are north, south, east, and west.

    Easy · Also offered: Two, Three, Eight · Source: National Geographic Society, cardinal directions

29. Which element is the primary constituent of both diamond and coal?

    Carbon

    Diamond and coal are both carbon-based, but their atoms are arranged differently. Diamond's tightly bonded crystal structure gives it exceptional hardness.

    Easy · Also offered: Silicon, Boron, Oxygen · Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica

30. Which reference book lists the meanings of words?

    Dictionary

    A dictionary lists words with their meanings, and usually their spelling, pronunciation and origins as well. Robert Cawdrey published the first English one in 1604, and Samuel Johnson's of 1755 set the modern pattern.

    Easy · Also offered: Atlas, Thesaurus, Almanac · Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, dictionary: checked directly

31. What sense do dolphins use when they emit rapid clicks and read what comes back?

    Echolocation

    Echolocation lets dolphins estimate an object's distance, direction, and shape from reflected sound. It is especially useful when visibility is poor.

    Easy · Also offered: Magnetic sensing, Lateral-line sensing, Infrared vision · Source: NOAA Ocean Service

32. How many items are in a dozen?

    12

    A dozen is twelve. A baker's dozen is thirteen: medieval bakers threw in an extra loaf because selling bread under weight carried heavy fines, and an honest thirteenth was cheaper than the punishment.

    Easy · Also offered: 10, 11, 14 · Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, dozen

33. Which mammal lays eggs and has a broad, duck-like bill?

    Platypus

    The platypus is a monotreme, one of the few egg-laying mammals. It is native to Australia and also uses electroreception to help find prey underwater.

    Easy · Also offered: Kangaroo, Dolphin, Beaver · Source: Australian Museum

34. What line divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?

    Equator

    The Equator is the circle of latitude at 0 degrees. It divides Earth into two hemispheres and passes through countries including Ecuador, Kenya, and Indonesia.

    Easy · Also offered: Prime Meridian, Tropic of Cancer, International Date Line · Source: NOAA Ocean Service

35. What does ETA stand for?

    Estimated time of arrival

    ETA is an estimate rather than a promise, which is why the E matters. Its counterpart ETD is the estimated time of departure.

    Easy · Also offered: Expected time allowance, Estimated travel appointment, Exact time of arrival · Source: International Civil Aviation Organization

36. Which animal is the fastest land runner in short bursts?

    Cheetah

    A cheetah can reach roughly 75 miles per hour for a short distance. Its flexible spine, light frame, and traction from its claws help it accelerate quickly.

    Easy · Also offered: Pronghorn, Springbok, Lion · Source: Smithsonian's National Zoo

37. Which element appears first on the periodic table?

    Hydrogen

    Hydrogen has atomic number 1, meaning each hydrogen atom has one proton. It is also the most abundant element in the universe.

    Easy · Also offered: Helium, Oxygen, Carbon · Source: Royal Society of Chemistry

38. What does a glazier do?

    Fits glass into windows and doors

    A glazier measures, cuts, fits and seals glass in windows, doors and shopfronts. Both senses of the word glaze go back to the same root as glass.

    Easy · Also offered: Applies the glaze to pottery, Lays floor and wall tiles, Polishes marble and granite · Source: Oxford English Dictionary, 'glazier'

39. Which country's flag features a red maple leaf between two red vertical bands?

    Canada

    Canada adopted its current maple-leaf flag in 1965. The maple leaf had long been used as a symbol of Canada's forests and national identity.

    Easy · Also offered: Austria, Denmark, Switzerland · Source: Government of Canada

40. What is the freezing point of pure water at standard atmospheric pressure?

    0 °C

    Pure water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius at standard atmospheric pressure. Dissolved substances such as salt lower the freezing point, which is why salt helps melt ice.

    Easy · Also offered: -10 °C, 5 °C, 100 °C · Source: NIST Chemistry WebBook

All 123 general knowledge trivia questions · Trivia for kids in every category