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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Greene suggests that black holes may be elementary particles that have undergone _____.
(a) A mirror-symmetry folding.
(b) A phase transition.
(c) A space-tearing flop transition.
(d) A quantum fluctuation.

2. What is the importance of the string-coupling constant?
(a) If discovered, it could validate string theory as a whole.
(b) It could invalidate the perturbation method.
(c) It determines the energy released during a string's collapse.
(d) It is crucial in estimating the amount of dark energy in the universe.

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

4. Which team of researchers discovered the process for altering Calabi-Yau spaces by rupturing them?
(a) Yau and Tian.
(b) Hawking and Fermi.
(c) Bohr and Feynman.
(d) Greene and Morrison.

5. At what scale of length is quantum geometry necessitated?
(a) Nanometers.
(b) Cosmological scales.
(c) The Planck length.
(d) The Riemann scale.

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

7. Why are the extra dimensions needed in string theory?
(a) To remove time from its equations.
(b) To provide more space for strings.
(c) To account for the infinite-energy problem.
(d) To prevent the negative and infinite answers to its physical equations.

8. The number of family groups corresponds to a feature of the Calabi-Yau shape. What is this feature?
(a) Its number of extended dimensions.
(b) Its number of holes.
(c) Its degree of internal divisions.
(d) Its number of folds.

9. What does the string coupling constant govern?
(a) The strength of links between strings.
(b) The likelihood of strings joining or separating.
(c) The relative length of threading between strings.
(d) The number of strings that can be joined at once.

10. What is M-theory?
(a) An open-ended string theory.
(b) A theory that would unite all branches of string theory.
(c) A specialized version of the "Heterotic A" string theory.
(d) A combination of general relativity and string theory.

11. Which of the following is true regarding tears in space time occurring in normal three-dimensional space?
(a) Such tears have been observed in particle accelerators.
(b) They cannot occur.
(c) It is unknown whether or not they can occur.
(d) It has been proven that they can occur.

12. What did Stephen Hawking prove regarding black holes?
(a) They have electrical charge.
(b) They are the most massive objects in the universe.
(c) Light cannot escape from them.
(d) The emit radiation.

13. Kaluza's theory suggested that electromagnetism was carried by ripples in _____.
(a) The three normal space dimensions.
(b) All dimensions of both space and time.
(c) The "curled up" dimensions.
(d) The time-dimension only.

14. About how long after the big bang were stars formed?
(a) One billion years.
(b) 50 billion years.
(c) One thousand years.
(d) One hundred billion years.

15. Which of the following is true regarding the tearing of space-time according to string theory?
(a) It can tear under special circumstances.
(b) A tear would destroy the universe.
(c) It is not known if space-time can tear.
(d) It cannot tear.

Short Answer Questions

1. About how long did the "primordial synthesis" stage of the big bang last?

2. Which of the following most accurately describes the state of the universe?

3. Which of the following is true regarding the force of gravity in string theory?

4. Kaluza-Klein theory units which two fundamental forces?

5. Which of the following is one of the difficulties in observing super particles?

(see the answer keys)

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