View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What book did Galileo publish, with the backing of the church's censors?

2. How many questions are left unanswered prior to the development of math that incorporates quantum mechanics?

3. Even empty space is filled with what?

4. Mathematics is the language of what?

5. Galileo belied that the earth did what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What might have happened to the black holes left over from the early period of the Big Bang?

2. Hawking concludes that life is only possible during the expansion phase of the universe for what reason?

3. According to Hawking, people are naturally curious about what?

4. What is one theory about what happens when particles match up with their anti-particles on the event horizon of a black hole?

5. What is the mathematical problem regarding the origination of the universe?

6. Hawking says that when the universe loses all order, what will happen with life?

7. Real time is described in math using what?

8. When did the early ideas that the universe is deterministic fall apart?

9. What does the psychological arrow of time represent?

10. What is, according to the book, the most recent attempt to find a complete unified theory?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Using what has been presented in the book, what concepts would string theory have to embody in order to be considered the theory that unites the general theory of relativity with quantum mechanics? What issues would string theory have to overcome? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Hawking states that without science there can be no prediction and without predictive ability time is meaningless (Chapter 1). What does Hawking mean by this statement? Use examples from the text to support your position.

Essay Topic 3

What do the arrows of time symbolize? What are their purposes? Which one is most important in our universe? Which one would Hawking say is most important? Why? Please use the text to support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 555 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample