Q 01/05

Nikola Tesla is best known for his contributions to which electricity supply system?

A) Galvanic batteries

B) Alternating current

C) Direct current

D) Static electricity

Answer · why

B) Alternating current

Alternating current was winning out because it suited long-distance, high-voltage transmission, and his patents helped it beat direct current.

Q 02/05

In which village was Tesla born in 1856?

A) Smiljan

B) Gospic

C) Karlovac

D) Zagreb

Answer · why

A) Smiljan

The village was then in the Military Frontier of the Austrian Empire and is now in Croatia.

Q 03/05

Although his parents were ethnic Serbs, Tesla was born in which present-day country?

A) Hungary

B) Croatia

C) Serbia

D) Slovenia

Answer · why

B) Croatia

Croatia: his home village of Smiljan lay within the Austrian Empire when he was born there in 1856.

Q 04/05

Family legend says Tesla was born during what?

A) Solar eclipse

B) Lightning storm

C) Northern lights

D) Meteor shower

Answer · why

B) Lightning storm

Lightning storm: the midwife called him a child of the storm, only to be told, the story goes, No, of the light.

Q 05/05

To whom did Tesla credit his eidetic memory and creativity?

A) His uncle Josif

B) His physics teacher

C) His mother

D) His father

Answer · why

C) His mother

His mother never went to school, yet she invented tools and appliances to help with the work of home and farm.