Question 1

In which of the following cases would you feel weightless?

Accepted Answer

A)  While falling from a roof 
B)  While parachuting from an airplane 
C)  While accelerating downward in an elevator 
D)  While walking on the Moon 
A)  While falling from a roof 
B)  While parachuting from an airplane 
C)  While accelerating downward in an elevator 
D)  While walking on the Moon

Question 2

Which of the following represents a case in which you are not accelerating?

Accepted Answer

A)  Driving in a straight line at 60 miles per hour 
B)  Going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 10 seconds 
C)  Slamming on the brakes to come to a stop at a stop sign 
D)  Driving 60 miles per hour around a curve 
A)  Driving in a straight line at 60 miles per hour 
B)  Going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 10 seconds 
C)  Slamming on the brakes to come to a stop at a stop sign 
D)  Driving 60 miles per hour around a curve

Question 3

When space probe Voyager 2 passed by Saturn, its speed increased (but not due to firing its engines). What must have happened?

Accepted Answer

A)  Saturn must have lost a very tiny bit of its orbital energy. 
B)  Voyager 2 must have dipped through Saturn's atmosphere. 
C)  Saturn's rotation must have sped up slightly. 
D)  Saturn must have captured an asteroid at precisely the moment that Voyager 2 passed by. 
A)  Saturn must have lost a very tiny bit of its orbital energy. 
B)  Voyager 2 must have dipped through Saturn's atmosphere. 
C)  Saturn's rotation must have sped up slightly. 
D)  Saturn must have captured an asteroid at precisely the moment that Voyager 2 passed by.

Question 4

Which of the following statements is not one of Newton's Laws of Motion?

Accepted Answer

A)  What goes up must come down. 
B)  The rate of change of momentum of an object is equal to the net force applied to the object. 
C)  In the absence of a net force acting upon it, an object moves with constant velocity. 
D)  For any force, there always is an equal and opposite reaction force. 
A)  What goes up must come down. 
B)  The rate of change of momentum of an object is equal to the net force applied to the object. 
C)  In the absence of a net force acting upon it, an object moves with constant velocity. 
D)  For any force, there always is an equal and opposite reaction force.

Question 5

What would happen if the Space Shuttle were launched with a speed greater than Earth's escape velocity?

Accepted Answer

A)  It would travel away from Earth into the solar system. 
B)  It would travel in a higher orbit around Earth. 
C)  It would take less time to reach its bound orbit. 
D)  It would orbit Earth at a faster velocity. 
E)  It would be in an unstable orbit. 
A)  It would travel away from Earth into the solar system. 
B)  It would travel in a higher orbit around Earth. 
C)  It would take less time to reach its bound orbit. 
D)  It would orbit Earth at a faster velocity. 
E)  It would be in an unstable orbit.

Question 6

When a spinning ice skater pulls in his arms, he spins faster because ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  his angular momentum must be conserved, so reducing his radius must increase his speed of rotation 
B)  there is less friction with the air 
C)  there is less friction with the ice 
D)  there exists an unbalanced reaction force 
A)  his angular momentum must be conserved, so reducing his radius must increase his speed of rotation 
B)  there is less friction with the air 
C)  there is less friction with the ice 
D)  there exists an unbalanced reaction force

Question 7

According to the universal law of gravitation, if you double the masses of both attracting objects, then the gravitational force between them will

Accepted Answer

A)  not change at all. 
B)  increase by a factor of 2. 
C)  decrease by a factor of 2. 
D)  increase by a factor of 4. 
E)  decrease by a factor of 4. 
A)  not change at all. 
B)  increase by a factor of 2. 
C)  decrease by a factor of 2. 
D)  increase by a factor of 4. 
E)  decrease by a factor of 4.

Question 8

What quantities does angular momentum depend upon?

Accepted Answer

A)  mass and velocity 
B)  mass, velocity, and radius 
C)  force and radius 
D)  force, velocity, and radius 
E)  momentum and angular velocity 
A)  mass and velocity 
B)  mass, velocity, and radius 
C)  force and radius 
D)  force, velocity, and radius 
E)  momentum and angular velocity

Question 9

Give an example in which thermal energy might be converted to gravitational energy.

Accepted Answer

A hot air balloon rises: as we heat the

Question 10

A rock held above the ground has potential energy. As the rock falls, this potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. Finally, the rock hits the ground and stays there. What has happened to the energy?

Accepted Answer

A)  The energy goes to producing sound and to heating the ground, rock, and surrounding air. 
B)  The energy goes into the ground, and as a result, the orbit of the Earth about the Sun is slightly changed. 
C)  The rock keeps the energy inside it in the form of mass-energy. 
D)  It is transformed back into gravitational potential energy. 
A)  The energy goes to producing sound and to heating the ground, rock, and surrounding air. 
B)  The energy goes into the ground, and as a result, the orbit of the Earth about the Sun is slightly changed. 
C)  The rock keeps the energy inside it in the form of mass-energy. 
D)  It is transformed back into gravitational potential energy.

Question 11

Which of the following statements correctly describes the law of conservation of energy?

Accepted Answer

A)  An object always has the same amount of energy. 
B)  Energy can change between many different forms, such as potential, kinetic, and thermal, but it is ultimately destroyed. 
C)  The total quantity of energy in the universe never changes. 
D)  The fact that you can fuse hydrogen into helium to produce energy means that helium can be turned into hydrogen to produce energy. 
E)  It is not really possible for an object to gain or lose potential energy, because energy cannot be destroyed. 
A)  An object always has the same amount of energy. 
B)  Energy can change between many different forms, such as potential, kinetic, and thermal, but it is ultimately destroyed. 
C)  The total quantity of energy in the universe never changes. 
D)  The fact that you can fuse hydrogen into helium to produce energy means that helium can be turned into hydrogen to produce energy. 
E)  It is not really possible for an object to gain or lose potential energy, because energy cannot be destroyed.

Question 12

Briefly explain why Earth feels a greater tidal force from the Moon than from the Sun, even though it feels a greater gravitational force from the Sun.

Accepted Answer

Tidal force depends on the difference in

Question 13

Absolute zero is ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  0 Kelvin 
B)  0∘ Celsius 
C)  0∘ Fahrenheit 
D)  100∘ Celsius 
A)  0 Kelvin 
B)  0∘ Celsius 
C)  0∘ Fahrenheit 
D)  100∘ Celsius

Question 14

Give an example in which kinetic energy can be converted to thermal energy.

Accepted Answer

The brakes on a car: applying the brakes

Question 15

Argument by Analogy: A friend of yours is convinced of the influence of the Moon on everyday human affairs. He cites a supposed correlation between crime and the occurrence of a full moon as proof. He even speculates that the gravitational influence of the Moon is the mechanism by noting that it is the gravitational pull of the Moon that causes the tides. "After all", he argues, "as over half a human's weight is water, the Moon must affect the flow of blood in human beings!" How would you explain to your friend that this analogy, between the ocean tides and water in the human body, is profoundly flawed. Are there any alternate explanations for a link between moon phase and crime?

Accepted Answer

The argument your friend is making is ba

Question 16

How does the Space Shuttle take off?

Accepted Answer

A)  Its rocket engines push against the launch pad, propelling the shuttle upwards. 
B)  by converting mass-energy to kinetic energy 
C)  by achieving lift from its wings in the same way that airplanes do 
D)  Hot gas shoots out from the rocket and, by conservation of momentum, the shuttle moves in the opposite direction. 
E)  The hot rocket exhaust expands the air beneath the shuttle, propelling it forward. 
A)  Its rocket engines push against the launch pad, propelling the shuttle upwards. 
B)  by converting mass-energy to kinetic energy 
C)  by achieving lift from its wings in the same way that airplanes do 
D)  Hot gas shoots out from the rocket and, by conservation of momentum, the shuttle moves in the opposite direction. 
E)  The hot rocket exhaust expands the air beneath the shuttle, propelling it forward.

Question 17

Suppose the Sun were suddenly to shrink in size but that its mass remained the same. According to the law of conservation of angular momentum, what would happen?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Sun would rotate faster than it does now. 
B)  The Sun's rate of rotation would slow. 
C)  The Sun's angular size in our sky would stay the same. 
D)  This could never happen, because it is impossible for an object to shrink in size without an outside torque. 
A)  The Sun would rotate faster than it does now. 
B)  The Sun's rate of rotation would slow. 
C)  The Sun's angular size in our sky would stay the same. 
D)  This could never happen, because it is impossible for an object to shrink in size without an outside torque.

Question 18

The mass of Jupiter can be calculated by

Accepted Answer

A)  measuring the orbital period and distance of Jupiter's orbit around the Sun. 
B)  measuring the orbital period and distance of one of Jupiter's moons. 
C)  measuring the orbital speed of one of Jupiter's moons. 
D)  knowing the Sun's mass and measuring how Jupiter's speed changes during its elliptical orbit around the Sun. 
E)  knowing the Sun's mass and measuring the average distance of Jupiter from the Sun. 
A)  measuring the orbital period and distance of Jupiter's orbit around the Sun. 
B)  measuring the orbital period and distance of one of Jupiter's moons. 
C)  measuring the orbital speed of one of Jupiter's moons. 
D)  knowing the Sun's mass and measuring how Jupiter's speed changes during its elliptical orbit around the Sun. 
E)  knowing the Sun's mass and measuring the average distance of Jupiter from the Sun.

Question 19

What is the acceleration of gravity of Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  9.8 m/s² downward 
B)  9.8 m/s downward 
C)  9.8 km/s² downward 
D)  9.8 m²/s downward 
E)  9.8 km/s downward 
A)  9.8 m/s² downward 
B)  9.8 m/s downward 
C)  9.8 km/s² downward 
D)  9.8 m²/s downward 
E)  9.8 km/s downward

Question 20

The gravitational force that the Earth exerts on the Moon is equal and opposite to that which the Moon exerts on the Earth. Therefore, according to Newton's second law of motion,

Accepted Answer

A)  the Moon as a larger acceleration than the Earth, because it has a smaller mass. 
B)  the Moon and the Earth both have equal accelerations, because the forces are equal. 
C)  the Earth has a larger acceleration than the Moon, because it has a larger mass. 
A)  the Moon as a larger acceleration than the Earth, because it has a smaller mass. 
B)  the Moon and the Earth both have equal accelerations, because the forces are equal. 
C)  the Earth has a larger acceleration than the Moon, because it has a larger mass.

In which of the following cases would you feel weightless?

Which of the following represents a case in which you are not accelerating?

When space probe Voyager 2 passed by Saturn, its speed increased (but not due to firing its engines). What must have happened?

Which of the following statements is not one of Newton's Laws of Motion?

What would happen if the Space Shuttle were launched with a speed greater than Earth's escape velocity?

When a spinning ice skater pulls in his arms, he spins faster because ________.

According to the universal law of gravitation, if you double the masses of both attracting objects, then the gravitational force between them will

What quantities does angular momentum depend upon?

Give an example in which thermal energy might be converted to gravitational energy.

A rock held above the ground has potential energy. As the rock falls, this potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. Finally, the rock hits the ground and stays there. What has happened to the energy?

Which of the following statements correctly describes the law of conservation of energy?

Briefly explain why Earth feels a greater tidal force from the Moon than from the Sun, even though it feels a greater gravitational force from the Sun.

Absolute zero is ________.

Give an example in which kinetic energy can be converted to thermal energy.

How does the Space Shuttle take off?

Suppose the Sun were suddenly to shrink in size but that its mass remained the same. According to the law of conservation of angular momentum, what would happen?

The mass of Jupiter can be calculated by

What is the acceleration of gravity of Earth?

The gravitational force that the Earth exerts on the Moon is equal and opposite to that which the Moon exerts on the Earth. Therefore, according to Newton's second law of motion,

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Exam 4: Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

In which of the following cases would you feel weightless?

Which of the following represents a case in which you are not accelerating?

When space probe Voyager 2 passed by Saturn, its speed increased (but not due to firing its engines). What must have happened?

Which of the following statements is not one of Newton's Laws of Motion?

What would happen if the Space Shuttle were launched with a speed greater than Earth's escape velocity?

When a spinning ice skater pulls in his arms, he spins faster because ________.

According to the universal law of gravitation, if you double the masses of both attracting objects, then the gravitational force between them will

What quantities does angular momentum depend upon?

Give an example in which thermal energy might be converted to gravitational energy.

A rock held above the ground has potential energy. As the rock falls, this potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. Finally, the rock hits the ground and stays there. What has happened to the energy?

Which of the following statements correctly describes the law of conservation of energy?

Briefly explain why Earth feels a greater tidal force from the Moon than from the Sun, even though it feels a greater gravitational force from the Sun.

Absolute zero is ________.

Give an example in which kinetic energy can be converted to thermal energy.

How does the Space Shuttle take off?

Suppose the Sun were suddenly to shrink in size but that its mass remained the same. According to the law of conservation of angular momentum, what would happen?

The mass of Jupiter can be calculated by

What is the acceleration of gravity of Earth?

The gravitational force that the Earth exerts on the Moon is equal and opposite to that which the Moon exerts on the Earth. Therefore, according to Newton's second law of motion,

Our Place in the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of Planetary Systems: Our Solar System and Beyond

Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet Systems

Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

Galaxies and the Foundation of Modern Cosmology

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe

The Beginning of Time

Life in the Universe

Filters