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Beacons of Light Trivia Quiz

All about U.S. lighthouses.

A multiple-choice quiz by justawesome. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
justawesome

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
110,169

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
9 / 15

Plays
582

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. The magnification of the light is caused by the lens or optics.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 2 of 15

2. Caisson is the method of construction whereby a screw on the end of each leg of the lighthouse is screwed into the sea bed.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 3 of 15

3. What is the most common material used to build lighthouses? Hint

Brick

Rubble stone

Cut stone

Wood

NEXT>

Question 4 of 15

4. The first lighthouse to use electricity was the Statue of Liberty.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 5 of 15

5. Many separate hand-ground crystal prisms fitted into a metal frame proved to be the best way to provide better illumination. What is this called? Hint

The Lamp Housing

The Argand lamp

The Fresnel lens

The Crystal

NEXT>

Question 6 of 15

6. Today in the United States, lighthouses exist in thirty-one out of the fifty states.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 7 of 15

7. Where would you find the oldest existing lighthouse in America? Hint

Cooper Harbor, Michigan

Port Townsend, Washington

Sandy Hook, NJ

Chesapeake Bay, Maryland

NEXT>

Question 8 of 15

8. What is the name of the room where the optic is located? Hint

The lantern room

The tower

The illumination room

The storm room

NEXT>

Question 9 of 15

9. What is a person who mans the lighthouse called? Hint

lighthouse attendant

lighthouse resident

lighthouse guardian

lighthouse keeper

NEXT>

Question 10 of 15

10. The most powerful optic produces a light seen 75 miles at sea.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 11 of 15

11. Which U.S. state has more lighthouses than any other? Hint

Oregon

Maine

Michigan

California

NEXT>

Question 12 of 15

12. Kate Walker, a widow, raised 2 children at Robbins Reef Lighthouse in New York Harbor and rowed them a mile each day to Staten Island to attend school.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 13 of 15

13. What replaced whale oil used with solid wicks as the source of light? Hint

Hydrogenated oil

Petroleum based oil

Colza oil

Kerosene

NEXT>

Question 14 of 15

14. The most expensive lighthouse built in America is St. George Reef, Crescent City, CA. How much did it cost to build? Hint

$10 million

$715,000

$1.2 million

$5 million

NEXT>

Question 15 of 15

15. George Worthylake, the first to man a lighthouse received $250 a year.

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The magnification of the light is caused by the lens or optics.

Answer: True

Optics are built from complex arrangements of lenses and prisms.

2. Caisson is the method of construction whereby a screw on the end of each leg of the lighthouse is screwed into the sea bed.

Answer: False

It's called Screw Pile. Today, four of three screw-pile lighthouses survive, all in the Chesapeake. They are Thomas Point, Drum Point which now rests at the Calvert Maritime Museum, Hooper Strait at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, and Seven Foot Knoll, recently moved to Baltimore.

3. What is the most common material used to build lighthouses?

Answer: Brick

By 1859 nine brick towers over 160 feet had been built and six more were constructed after the Civil War.

4. The first lighthouse to use electricity was the Statue of Liberty.

Answer: True

As one of the most recognizable monuments in the world, the Statue of Liberty is often not thought of as a lighthouse. The statue was designed with glass inserts in the sides of the torch held high by Lady Liberty which would serve not only as a symbol of freedom but as a light to help ships safely navigate into the harbor.

5. Many separate hand-ground crystal prisms fitted into a metal frame proved to be the best way to provide better illumination. What is this called?

Answer: The Fresnel lens

This multiprismed lens, invented in France by Augustin Fresnel (pronounced frey-nell) in 1822, produces a beam 5 times more powerful than the reflector system previously used.

6. Today in the United States, lighthouses exist in thirty-one out of the fifty states.

Answer: True

I'll bet you can guess which ones don't have lighthouses. They include Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, and Nevada.

7. Where would you find the oldest existing lighthouse in America?

Answer: Sandy Hook, NJ

It was built in 1764 and is still operational. The first siren fog signal was installed in 1868. It underwent rehabilitaion in 2000.

8. What is the name of the room where the optic is located?

Answer: The lantern room

It is often made of iron and has a double-door system to make sure the inside of the room wasn't directly exposed to the outdoors. The separation of the interior of the lens room from the outside environment helps to keep the interior as clean as possible and protect the room from sudden changes in temperature.

9. What is a person who mans the lighthouse called?

Answer: lighthouse keeper

Generally each light station requires between 1 and 5 keepers.

10. The most powerful optic produces a light seen 75 miles at sea.

Answer: False

It's 25 miles, however aircraft have reported picking up a light at 40 or 50 miles.

11. Which U.S. state has more lighthouses than any other?

Answer: Michigan

It has more than 120.

12. Kate Walker, a widow, raised 2 children at Robbins Reef Lighthouse in New York Harbor and rowed them a mile each day to Staten Island to attend school.

Answer: True

Mrs. Walker assumed her husband's responsibilites as keeper of the lighthouse when he died. She rescued more than 50 fishermen in distress during her 30 plus years there. By 1852 there were 30 female lighthouse keepers.

13. What replaced whale oil used with solid wicks as the source of light?

Answer: Colza oil

Pressed from wild cabbages, it replaced whale oil in the early 1850s.

14. The most expensive lighthouse built in America is St. George Reef, Crescent City, CA. How much did it cost to build?

Answer: $715,000

It took 10 years to construct, from 1882 to 1892, but was abandonded by the Coast Guard in 1972.

15. George Worthylake, the first to man a lighthouse received $250 a year.

Answer: True

By today's standards that would be equivalent to $16,000.

Source: Author justawesome

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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