50 General Knowledge Quiz Questions and Answers

Whether you're running a quiz night, studying for a competition, or just want to test your brain, general knowledge quizzes are one of the most satisfying ways to learn. We've put together 50 varied questions across history, science, geography, sport, and pop culture — with answers at the end of each section.

History Questions

History quizzes reveal how much we actually retained from school — often less than we'd like to admit!

1. In what year did World War II end? 1945
2. Who was the first President of the United States? George Washington
3. Which ancient wonder was located in Alexandria, Egypt? The Lighthouse of Alexandria
4. The French Revolution began in which year? 1789
5. Who wrote the Magna Carta? King John (forced to sign it)
6. In which city was Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated in 1914? Sarajevo
7. How many wives did Henry VIII have? Six
8. The Berlin Wall fell in which year? 1989
9. Who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize? Marie Curie
10. What empire did Genghis Khan found? The Mongol Empire

Science Questions

From the periodic table to the solar system, these science questions will sort the STEM enthusiasts from the rest.

1. What is the chemical symbol for gold? Au
2. How many bones are in the adult human body? 206
3. What planet is known as the Red Planet? Mars
4. What is the powerhouse of the cell? The mitochondria
5. At what temperature does water boil at sea level (°C)? 100°C
6. What is the most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere? Nitrogen
7. How many chromosomes do humans have? 46
8. What is the speed of light (approx.) in km/s? 300,000 km/s
9. What force keeps planets in orbit around the sun? Gravity
10. What is the hardest natural substance on Earth? Diamond

Geography Questions

Test your knowledge of countries, capitals, rivers, and mountains.

1. What is the capital of Australia? Canberra
2. Which is the longest river in the world? The Nile
3. In which country would you find Machu Picchu? Peru
4. How many continents are there? Seven
5. What is the smallest country in the world? Vatican City
6. Which ocean is the largest? The Pacific Ocean
7. Mount Everest is located on the border of which two countries? Nepal and China (Tibet)
8. What is the capital of Canada? Ottawa
9. Which African country has the largest population? Nigeria
10. The Amazon Rainforest spans mainly which country? Brazil

Sport Questions

1. In which sport would you perform a slam dunk? Basketball
2. How many players are on a football (soccer) team? 11
3. The Olympics are held every how many years? Four
4. Who holds the record for most Grand Slam tennis titles (male)? Novak Djokovic
5. In golf, what term describes one under par? Birdie
6. Which country invented rugby? England
7. How many events are in the decathlon? Ten
8. In cricket, how many balls are in a standard over? Six
9. What is the maximum score in a single game of ten-pin bowling? 300
10. Which Formula 1 team did Michael Schumacher win most of his titles with? Ferrari

Pop Culture Questions

1. Who sang "Rolling in the Deep"? Adele
2. What TV show features the fictional Westeros? Game of Thrones
3. How many Harry Potter books are there? Seven
4. Who painted the Mona Lisa? Leonardo da Vinci
5. What is the best-selling video game of all time? Minecraft
6. In which city is the Eiffel Tower located? Paris
7. Who played Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Robert Downey Jr.
8. What is the name of Sherlock Holmes's address? 221B Baker Street
9. Who wrote "Romeo and Juliet"? William Shakespeare
10. Which country does ABBA come from? Sweden

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