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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. 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?
(a) Near the speed of light, faster for more massive objects.
(b) Near the speed of light, faster for lighter objects.
(c) At exactly the speed of light.
(d) Instantaneously.

2. Which of the following is a correct statement, based on the theory of special relativity?
(a) Energy only exists relative to mass.
(b) Time and space are not experienced exactly the same by all observers
(c) Movement can only be measured relative to very massive objects, such as stars.
(d) Time is always the same to all observers, but space is not.

3. Which of the following is not true according to special relativity?
(a) Time does not pass for objects that are perfectly at rest.
(b) No object can move faster than the speed of light.
(c) All objects move at a constant speed through space-time.
(d) Motion and time are relative; they depend on the observer.

4. According to general relativity, the change that an object causes in the fabric of space-time depends directly on _____.
(a) Its density.
(b) Its proximity to another massive body.
(c) Its direction compared to the observer.
(d) Its mass.

5. Quantum physics began with the study of the energy inside a heated, closed container, such as an oven. The problem with theories at the time was that they predicted that _____.
(a) The oven can only store energy if it has no mass.
(b) The oven contains infinite energy.
(c) The oven can store more energy the smaller it is.
(d) The oven contains no energy.

Short Answer Questions

1. If a clock were accelerated to nearly the speed of light for a year's time, which of the following would be true of its reading at the end of that time?

2. What type of a wave is light?

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?

4. According to general relativity, which of the following is said to warp or bend space-time?

5. Which physicist is credited with discovering that light is composed of particles?

(see the answer key)

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