View a FREE sample

This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 4, Microscopic Weirdness.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. According to Newton's theory of gravity, if two objects have a gravitational pull on one another, and one changes its mass or distance from the other, how quickly does the effect of this change travel to the other object?
(a) Near the speed of light, faster for more massive objects.
(b) Instantaneously.
(c) At exactly the speed of light.
(d) Near the speed of light, faster for lighter objects.

2. Which of the following accurately describes the phenomenon of "quantum tunneling"?
(a) High-energy waves can penetrate the fabric of space-time for very short periods of time.
(b) Particles with high energy can vanish in one location, instantly appearing in another.
(c) Some particles are linked together, no matter how much space separates them.
(d) Particles can sometimes "borrow" energy to move in ways impossible in classical physics.

3. Two theories form the basis of modern physics, but are incompatible with one another. String theory attempts to reconcile these fields. What are these two theories?
(a) Quantum mechanics and the photoelectric effect.
(b) General relativity and quantum mechanics.
(c) General relativity and special relativity.
(d) Gravity and general relativity.

4. According to general relativity, which of the following is said to warp or bend space-time?
(a) Constant, relativistic speed motion.
(b) Accelerated motion and gravity.
(c) Accelerated motion and orbital motion.
(d) Gravity and electromagnetic fields.

5. What rule did Max Planck discover the electromagnetic waves bounded in a container, such as an oven, must follow?
(a) There must be an even number of peaks and troughs.
(b) They must have a whole number of peaks and troughs that fit perfectly inside the container.
(c) The energies of all waves inside the over must cancel out to zero.
(d) The frequencies of the waves must all be the same.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the fundamental particle, the smallest possible bundle of energy, for the electromagnetic force?

2. What would an outside observer notice about an object moving near the speed of light?

3. What are the characteristics of a wave?

4. According to Einstein's theory of general relativity, if two objects have a gravitational pull on one another, and one changes its mass or distance from the other, how quickly does the effect of this change travel to the other object?

5. Which of the following is not true according to special relativity?

(see the answer key)

This section contains 490 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample