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

Short Answer Questions

1. How many tons of jet fuel did each plane carry in the 9/11 attack?

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

3. How much energy is released by 60 tons of gasoline?

4. How many people died from the anthrax letters sent after 9/11?

5. When did North Korea have a nuclear weapon test in Chapter 1?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What second round of terrorism occured after the 9/11 attacks?

3. What does the author say about the ineptness of suicide bombers?

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

5. How have gasoline and oil been used in the past?

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

7. What was the Davy Crockett weapon?

8. How does the energy released by jet fuel or gasoline compare to TNT, and why is TNT used instead of other sources with more energy?

9. In Chapter 7, was the United States running out of fossil fuels?

10. How does food compare in energy to gasoline and to TNT?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

People fear nuclear weapons. Why are nuclear weapons considered to be the most fearsome invention of the twentieth century?

Essay Topic 3

The 9/11 attacks were an example of low-tech terrorism. What is the difference between low-tech and high-tech terrorism? Why might terrorists prefer low-tech terrorism?

(see the answer keys)

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