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. In Chapter 4, how many people could have been killed by the anthrax spores mailed to news organizations?

2. When did Marion Hubbert do an analysis that showed oil will never completely run out?

3. How many beta rays must a fifth of whiskey emit every minute or be considered unfit for human consumption?

4. When the author had his feet x-rayed as a child, how much radiation did his feet probably receive?

5. When was it rumored that Saddam Hussein tested a dirty bomb?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does radioactivity go away?

2. What must alcohol be made from the U.S. and how is it determined that it has been made properly?

3. What happened to anthrax that was grown in Soviet laboratories, and what threat could it still pose?

4. Why does the author believe solar power is not practical for automobiles?

5. What are hydrogen bombs and their power?

6. How did the terrorists who carried out the bombing of the World Trade Center use their basic knowledge of airport security?

7. Under what circumstances might a sophisticated group of terrorists make a weapon in the kiloton range?

8. What are some things that are and are not radioactive?

9. What was the Davy Crockett weapon?

10. How long will the U.S. be able to use coal?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Anthrax is a biological weapon. How was anthrax used as a weapon in 2001? Why is it considered a biological weapon? Why is it not successful on a large scale in killing people?

Essay Topic 2

Propaganda is using misinformation to influence the opinion of a person or group. What types of propaganda are discussed in the book? Why are physicists not likely to use propaganda? Why might scientists believe propaganda will help present their case, especially regarding global warming?

Essay Topic 3

Many people fear that the next terrorist attack will be nuclear. Who might use nuclear weapons in an attack on the U.S.? Why would rogue countries be more likely to use nuclear weapons than terrorists?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,020 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample