Round 1: Tossup 7

Knot theory was partially inspired by Peter Tait’s expansions on this scientist’s vortex theory of the atom. This scientist’s wildly inaccurate prediction of the age of the earth was based on the time it took for a molten ball’s surface to cool. This person is the second namesake of a throttling process that describes the temperature change of an expanding real gas that is (*) adiabatic. This person was knighted for his work solving bandwidth issues on the transatlantic telegraph cable. The triple point of water is approximately 273 (10[1])degrees on a temperature scale named (10[1])for this (10[1])person. For 10 points, a temperature unit named for what person (10[1])sets zero degrees at absolute zero? ■END■

ANSWER: Sir William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin [accept either underlined name; accept Lord Kelvin;; prompt on Joule–Thomson effect or Joule–Kelvin effect; reject "J. J. Thomson" or "Joseph John Thomson"]
<Science - Physics, Vikram Narasimhan> | VAULT II Packet 01
= Average correct buzzpoint

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Buzzes


Summary

TournamentEditionMatchHeardConv. %Power %Neg %Avg. Buzz
VAULT II at Georgia Tech2026-01-246100%67%0%52.67
Triangle Cup2026-03-133100%0%0%92.67
VAULT II at Eden Prairie HS2026-03-133100%67%33%74.33
VAULT II at McGill2026-03-134100%0%0%95.25
VAULT II at UCSB2026-03-135100%20%20%82.20
VAULT II Northern UK2026-04-243100%0%0%92.00
VAULT II Southern UK2026-04-244100%0%0%76.00
VAULT II at Harvard2026-04-304100%50%0%69.25
VAULT II at MINT2026-06-195100%40%0%72.60
VAULT II Stanford Online2026-07-178100%63%25%64.00