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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How accurate was the solution to longitude to be?
(a) Within half a degree.
(b) At least five degrees.
(c) Exact, no room for error.
(d) Less than ten degrees.

2. What was Flamsteed's title?
(a) "Astronomical observator."
(b) "King of naval longitude."
(c) "Celestial navigator."
(d) "French stars master."

3. Harrison's clocks were referred to as:
(a) A magic box.
(b) A moment in time.
(c) A lump of metal.
(d) A technological reversal.

4. Huygen's clocks went on a number of voyages. On the third voyage to the Cape Verde Islands, what did his clock do?
(a) Stopped working midway through the voyage because of the temperature change.
(b) Sent the ship 50 miles off course.
(c) Made the ship arrive three weeks ahead of schedule.
(d) Kept good track of the ship's longitude.

5. What did Humphrey Ditton propose to use to solve the longitude problem?
(a) Sounds.
(b) Animals.
(c) Telescope.
(d) Compass.

Short Answer Questions

1. When was the magnetic compass invented?

2. What did Huygens and Hooke fight over?

3. How long did Harrison work before receiving his monetary reward?

4. What could have avoided the tragedy near the Scilly Islands?

5. What was one of Harrison's innovations?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain the title of Chapter 5: Powder of Sympathy.

2. What was the result of Hooke and Huygens not producing a successful clock that worked at sea?

3. Why was it unusual that John Harrison became an accomplished clockmaker?

4. Describe the legend of how Galileo came up with the idea of the pendulum clock.

5. Explain how longitude is affected by time.

6. What did Huygens patent in 1675.

7. What two advances did Thacker's chronometer make? Why did it still not work?

8. In 1740, the Centurion set sail for the South Pacific without Harrison's clock. What might have been different about the voyage if they would have taken the clock? Why?

9. What was the main problem with the "lunar-distance" method?

10. What was the result of the Whiston-Ditton proposal?

(see the answer keys)

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