Looking for science riddles? You've found the right page. We've collected 20 kid-safe science riddles, ranging from quick "what am I" warm-ups to head-scratching brain-teasers. Each riddle includes the answer behind a tap, so kids get a chance to guess before peeking. Great as classroom starters, lunch-box surprises, or a family game.
50 science riddles
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If you screw a light bulb into a socket by turning the bulb toward the right with your right hand, which way would you turn the socket with your left hand in order to unscrew it while holding the bulb stationary?
Hint: If you screw a light bulb into a socket by turning the bulb toward the right wit…
Imagine you are in a room with 3 switches. In an adjacent room there are 3 bulbs (let’s say in lamps which are on a regular table), each switch belongs to one bulb. All are off at the moment. It is impossible to see from one room to another. No help from anybody else is allowed. How can you find out which switch belongs to which bulb, if you may enter the room with the bulbs only once?
Hint: Imagine you are in a room with 3 switches…
It’s been around for millions of years, but it’s no more than a month old. What is it?
Hint: It’s been around for millions of years…
Lighter than what I am made of. More of me is hidden than seen.
Mary was working in a chemistry lab with a mixture of chemicals that was 90% water and weighed 20 pounds. After returning to the lab from a weekend break, she calculated the mixture was now 50% water. How much does the mixture now weigh? For purposes of this puzzle, assume the non-water part of the mixture was not affected by evaporation.
Hint: Mary was working in a chemistry lab with a mixture of chemicals that was 90% wat…
My thunder comes before the lightning; My lightning comes before the clouds; My rain dries all the land it touches. What am I?
Hint: My thunder comes before the lightning; My lightning comes before the clouds; My …
Never resting, never still. Moving silently from hill to hill. It does not walk, run or trot, All is cool where it is not. What is it?
Hint: Never resting…
On a fine sunny day a ship was in the harbor. All of a sudden the ship began to sink. There was no storm and nothing wrong with the ship yet it sank right in front of the spectators eyes. What caused the ship to sink?
Hint: On a fine sunny day a ship was in the harbor…
Peter celebrated his birthday on one day, and two days later his older twin brother, Paul, celebrated his birthday. How could this be?
Hint: Peter celebrated his birthday on one day…
Shortly after jumping from an aircraft at 5000 or so feet, a man deploys his parachute. When he looks up he sees a rather large hole in his parachute. Nonetheless he lands safely without assistance and without using his reserve chute. Why did he survive?
Hint: Shortly after jumping from an aircraft at 5000 or so feet…
The higher I climb, the hotter I engage, I can not escape my crystal cage. What am I?
Hint: The higher I climb…
The king dies and two men, the true heir and an impostor, both claim to be his long-lost son. Both fit the description of the rightful heir: about the right age, height, coloring and general appearance. Finally, one of the elders proposes a test to identify the true heir. One man agrees to the test while the other flatly re-fuses. The one who agreed is immediately sent on his way, and the one who re-fused is correctly identified as the rightful heir. Can you figure out why?
Hint: The king dies and two men…
The priest in my hometown told us that on a particular day he would walk on water for 30 minutes. The lake was not dry and we all observed the priest actually walking on water. How?
Hint: The priest in my hometown told us that on a particular day he would walk on wate…
The rungs of a 10 foot ladder attached to a ship are 1 foot apart. If the water is rising at the rate of one foot an hour, how long will it take until the water covers over the ladder?
Hint: The rungs of a 10 foot ladder attached to a ship are 1 foot apart…
There are four brothers in this world that were all born together. The first runs and never wearies. The second eats and is never full. The third drinks and is always thirsty. The fourth sings a song that is never good.
Hint: There are four brothers in this world that were all born together…
There lived a man in a house and everytime he went to bed he turned on the light. One night, the man forgot to turn on the light. The next day he read the paper and killed himself. Why?
Hint: There lived a man in a house and everytime he went to bed he turned on the light…
The drinks seem the same height. But a tiny secret hides at the bottom. The smallest object leaves the most room for juice.
Hint: Think displacement—bigger objects push out more liquid.
What can go up and come down without moving?
What can you catch but not throw?
What goes through the door without pinching itself? What sits on the stove without burning itself? What sits on the table and is not ashamed?
Hint: What goes through the door without pinching itself…