How big is a baby kangaroo and why are iron bars strong? Try our kids’ quiz

1. Evy, 9, asks: what item is a baby kangaroo as big as when it is first born?

   1. A tangerine

   2. A jellybean

   3. A sardine

   4. A tambourine

2. Isabella, 10, asks: what age are joeys when they leave their mother’s pouch?

   1. They stay in the pouch as long as they can fit in it

   2. After two months for a red kangaroo, four for a grey

   3. After eight months for a red kangaroo, 11 for a grey

   4. Four years for a red kangaroo and six for a grey

3. Thomas, 5, asks: why are iron bars so strong?

   1. Iron doesn’t break easily

   2. Iron bars are shaped in a way that strengthens them

   3. The processes that create them make them strong

   4. All of the above

4. Natnael, 8, asks: why are crocodiles better at closing their mouths than opening them?

   1. They have strong muscles that shut their mouths and weaker ones to open them

   2. They eat flat food so don’t need a wide open mouth

   3. Crocodiles don’t get tired so never need to yawn

   4. When they open their mouths it makes them cry crocodile tears

5. William, 11, asks: what is the difference between an alligator and a crocodile?

   1. Their memory

   2. Crocodiles have feathers at birth, alligators don’t

   3. You can see an alligator later, but you can see a crocodile after a while

   4. Their snout shape, teeth, habitat and behaviour

Solutions

1:B - A baby kangaroo, also known as a joey, is barely as big as a jellybean when it is born! It grows in its mother’s pouch until it is ready to come out., 2:C - Joeys leave their mother’s pouch for good after about eight months for a red kangaroo and 11 months for a grey kangaroo., 3:D - Iron bars are strong because iron is a tough metal that can handle lots of force; because their shape and design makes them more difficult to break than other shapes; and because iron bars are heated and mixed with other elements when they are made in a way that reinforces them., 4:A - Crocodiles have a very strong bite, with powerful muscles to close their jaws. On the other hand, they have quite normal mouth opening muscles. It’s said that you can keep their mouths shut with a rubber band – but I wouldn’t try it! , 5:D - Alligators and crocodiles are both in the “Crocodilia” order (a biological classification) but have many differences, including that crocodiles have pointier snouts, more visible teeth and greener colouring, and are more aggressive than alligators. Crocodiles also tend to prefer saltwater while alligators favour freshwater.

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 weekly podcast answering children’s questions, out now as a book.

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