Why are level crossing barriers red and white? Try our kids’ quiz

1. Benjamin, 4, asks: why are the barriers on level crossings red and white?

   1. Those are trainspotters’ favourite colours

   2. Red is easy to see next to white, and usually means danger, stop or be careful

   3. The lady who invented them loved those colours

   4. It camouflages robins who sit on the barriers

2. Roman, 3, asks: what country is the coldest on Earth?

   1. Russia

   2. Norway

   3. Australia

   4. Sweden

3. Finn, 5, asks: why is my wee always the same colour but I drink things that are different colours?

   1. Our digestion breaks down the original colours – urine is yellow because of a chemical called urobilin

   2. Most people’s wee comes in every colour!

   3. Goblins inside you paint it

   4. Urine is yellow because it’s full of sunshine

4. Axel, 8, asks: when do trees become a forest?

   1. There isn’t a rule

   2. Forests usually provide a home for many other animal and plant species

   3. Forests usually cover at least a hectare

   4. All of the above

5. Lily, 7, asks: why do male lions get to eat first – they could eat all of it?

   1. They protect the females and cubs, so it’s important they’re well fed

   2. To show they’re the boss

   3. Males eat well and stay strong so females will want to have lion cubs with them

   4. All of the above

Solutions

1:B - Level crossing barriers are red and white because those colours combined can be easily seen even if it’s dark or rainy. Red is also used in road signs to mean pay attention, stop or danger., 2:A - The coldest country is Russia, because of the harsh winters in the region of Siberia. The coldest place people live in is believed to be the village of Oymyakon, with an average winter temperature of -50C., 3:A - The process of digestion breaks down fluids and food, and usually its colour is lost during that process. A waste product from your kidneys called urobilin (also called urochrome) is what makes urine yellow. Food can give it a little tint, but not for long., 4:D - There is no universally agreed rule for when trees become a forest. Usually they cover at least a hectare (2.5 acres) and have dense trees creating a canopy to block sunlight. Their ecosystem provides a home for many other species., 5:D - It sounds unfair but in the lion world, males need to be well fed to protect their group and keep it thriving – and they’re the biggest! Usually they leave enough for everyone else to eat, too.

Scores

1. 5 and above.

2. 4 and above.

3. 3 and above.

4. 2 and above.

5. 0 and above.

6. 1 and above.

Molly Oldfield hosts Everything Under the Sun, a podcast answering children’s questions. Do check out her books, Everything Under the Sun and the new Everything Under the Sun: Quiz Book.