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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following will occur after the collapse of the universe as predicted by string theory?
(a) The universe will expand again.
(b) The universe will cease to exist.
(c) The universe will be mirrored in another dimension.
(d) The universe will become a single black hole.

2. How are black holes are widely believed to have originated?
(a) Through the phase transition of normal elementary particles.
(b) From the collapse of a star.
(c) From the collision of stars.
(d) Spontaneously from quantum foam.

3. It is believed that early on, the universe experienced symmetry breaking, meaning that _____.
(a) The universe expanded very rapidly for a short time.
(b) Three of the space dimensions expanded asymmetrically compared to the others.
(c) Quantum fluctuations caused different expanding areas to have different energy densities.
(d) The three non-gravitational forces were separated out.

4. What is the scientific state of the "multiverse" theory?
(a) It was discarded years ago.
(b) It is well accepted by the physics community.
(c) It is accepted by almost all young physicists, but almost no older ones.
(d) It is on the fringes of physics.

5. What type of a string can be massless?
(a) A non-vibrating.
(b) A non-oscillating string.
(c) A string with more than one dimension.
(d) An unwrapped string.

6. Which of the following methods has been used to determine the shape of the Calabi-Yau space?
(a) Matrix manipulation.
(b) Discrete mathematics.
(c) Perturbation theory.
(d) The finite elements method.

7. What problem of cosmology was the inflationary model created to deal with?
(a) The cosmic background is not uniform, and should be.
(b) The universe is too large to support its own expansion.
(c) The cosmic background radiation is uniform, and shouldn't be.
(d) The universe is too small to support its own expansion.

8. Tears in space-time are technically termed _____.
(a) Discrete abrogation events.
(b) Topology-changing transitions.
(c) Zero-point alignments.
(d) Flops.

9. What is a string's winding number?
(a) The ratio of its Planck tension to its tension at rest.
(b) The number of dimensions it vibrations through.
(c) The number of times it is wrapped around a circular dimension.
(d) The number of other strings it is threaded with.

10. Under string theory, which of the following is true regarding extra dimensions?
(a) They must all be space-dimensions.
(b) They must all be time-dimensions.
(c) Some or all of them might be time-dimensions.
(d) They must all be space-dimensions, or they must all be time-dimensions.

11. What shape allows for the vibrational patterns that we observe in our universe?
(a) The Calabi-Yau space.
(b) The six-dimensional torus.
(c) The Kaluza-Klein shape.
(d) The Einstein matrix.

12. What distinction does dark matter have?
(a) It does not give off light.
(b) It can spontaneously form black holes.
(c) It is composed of anti-matter.
(d) It exists in curled-up dimensions.

13. What is the traditional method of testing theories in physics?
(a) Consensus.
(b) Debate.
(c) Mathematical proof.
(d) Experimentation.

14. What metric best approximates the scales at which extra dimensions would have a major impact?
(a) One-billionth of a meter.
(b) The Kaluza length.
(c) The Planck length.
(d) The nanometer.

15. Which of the following is true about the background microwave radiation of the universe?
(a) It varies across the universe, and is no more than 12 degrees Kelvin anywhere.
(b) It is almost uniform, about 2.7 degrees Kelvin on average.
(c) It varies across the universe, and is no more than 2.7 degrees Kelvin anywhere.
(d) It is almost uniform, and no more than 0.2 degrees Kelvin anywhere.

Short Answer Questions

1. What prevents the potentially dangerous effects of an exposed tear in space-time?

2. In ratios of what number do winding energies come?

3. Which of the following is true regarding the tearing of space-time according to string theory?

4. How many dimensions are necessitated by M-theory?

5. How does the number of extra "curled up" dimensions affect the vibration of strings?

(see the answer keys)

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