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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. 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?

2. What characteristic did Werner Heisenberg discovered that some features of the universe at very small scales, and some properties of particle?

3. According to special relativity, which of the following can move faster than light?

4. What is the result when a particle of matter and a particle of antimatter are brought into contact?

5. When the distance between two objects is doubled, what happens to the strength of the gravitational pull between them?

Short Essay Questions

1. List the four fundamental forces of the universe, their functions, and describe where and at what scales they are most commonly observed.

2. Suppose that two objects are exerting a gravitational pull on each other, when one suddenly moves a large distance further away from the other object. Describe the impact of this event according to general relativity.

3. What are the messenger particles of the strong and weak force, and what function do they perform?

4. Describe and explain the results of the two-slit experiment.

5. Describe a black hole, including some of its physical properties and methods by which it can be detected.

6. Describe the nature and origin of quantum foam.

7. How many string theories are there and how did there come to be multiple theories?

8. Adam is in his spaceship, at rest, when Ben's ship passes by, moving at nearly the speed of light. Adam observes that Ben's ship seems to be shorter than normal, and the clock on the outside of the ship is running very slowly. When he tells Ben about this, Ben claims that his ship was at rest, and that Adam passed him at nearly the speed of light. Ben also claims to have seen the same unusual problems with Adam's ship; it appeared shorter and its clock was running slowly. Adam and Ben's observations are both perfectly valid. Why?

9. Describe Max Planck's solution to the infinite-energy problem.

10. Describe some of the problems with uniting quantum mechanics and general relativity.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Extra Dimensions

It turns out that string theory depends upon the existence of six extra dimensions. This is a seemingly impossible proposition, but it is in fact entirely reasonable for our universe to have extra dimensions of which we are not aware. This is a feature almost unique to string theory, and it has important implications.

Part 1) Describe the history of theories of extra dimensions, particularly the Kaluza-Klein theory. What important things did these theories achieve, and why were these theories abandoned? Why does string theory require these dimensions?

Part 2) Explain what is meant by extra dimensions. How does our world interface with these dimensions, and why can we not observe them in everyday life? Provide examples that illustrate how small dimensions work, and why they can go unnoticed.

Part 3) Why are extra dimensions important in the field of string theory? Do their number, size, and shape have any importance or are they arbitrary? How many dimensions does string theory predict, and is it possible for one or more dimensions to be an extra dimension of time?

Essay Topic 2

Strung Along

String theory is one of the most important physical theories of this century, and it has a mottled and unusual history. String theory has progressed in fits and starts since its strange inception, experiencing periods of boom and bust, but always moving forward. Part 1) Describe the early history of string theory, beginning with the accidental discovery by Gabriele Veneziano, up through the work of Schwarz and Scherk.

Part 2) Detail the history of the first and second "superstring revolutions". What set off these periods of intense study, what was achieved, and how did they end?

Part 3) Speculate why string theory has suffered periodic declines in the physics community. Use evidence from the book, or outside research to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Quantum Foam

It has been said that one who is not distressed by quantum mechanics has not understood what has been explained. One of the most strange and distressing components of quantum mechanics is the "quantum foam", the very strange behavior of time, space, and elementary particles at very small scales.

Part 1) Describe the nature of quantum foam. What is it, where, and at what scales does it occur? What sorts of events occur in the quantum foam, and why?

Part 2) Describe some of the effects of quantum foam on our universe, both at small and large scales.

Part 3) Imagine an observer shrinking from normal macroscopic scales down to the microscopic, and then all the way down to the scale at which quantum foam is observed. What would this observer see occurring around him, and what would the experience be like? Be creative, and use as much factual scientific information as possible.

(see the answer keys)

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