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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. According to Newton's theory of gravity, 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?

2. What are the components of an atomic nucleus?

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

4. Which of the follow is true of objects with which string theory is concerned?

5. In the 1800s, James Clerk Maxwell used a new mathematical framework to unite _____.

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How does string theory reconcile quantum mechanics and the theory of general relativity?

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

4. Three observers carry out an experiment. From the same starting point, they observe a beam of light move directly away from them. One observer stays at rest at the starting point. One observer "chases" the beam at half the speed of light. The last observer chases the beam at exactly the speed of light. Describe what these observers would note about the beam of light according to Newtonian (pre-relativity) physics and thinking.

5. Referring to the experiment described in question Short Essay #6, what would the three observers see according to the theory of special relativity?

6. What are some of the difficulties in confirming string theory experimentally?

7. Describe the relationship between the vibration of a string and the particle it represents, including the particle's mass and the tension, wavelength, and amplitude of the string.

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

9. What is supersymmetry and what is its importance in string theory?

10. According to Einstein's theory for the photoelectric effect, what is the relationship between the frequency of light and the electrons ejected by the metal?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

M for Mystery

M-theory is an as yet undiscovered theory that would unit the five fields of string theory. What the "M" stands for is actually subject to some debate, but the theory suggests that there are connections between the five seemingly disparate theories.

Part 1) Describe the origin of the five string theories, explaining why their existence is an embarrassment for the field.

Part 2) Explain the history of M-theory. When and why was it proposed, and what progress has been made since it was created? What is its current scientific status?

Part 3) Explain the concept of duality, which relates different string theories. Has this theory has any success, and what are its prospects in the future?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Accelerated Evidence

In this book, the author presents many thought problems to help the reader work through difficult concepts. The unintuitive concepts of special and general relativity receive particular attention. These theories fly in the face of observations made in everyday life, but at the speeds and scales that they deal with, they have been confirmed to be exactly correct. Furthermore, they form one of the cornerstones of modern physics. This essay deals with thought problems that illustrate the underlying principles of special and general relativity. The essay should include ample explanations and transitions so that it is cohesive and makes sense.

Part 1) Describe a number of novel thought problems that would demonstrate the principles of special relativity, that motion is relative, and that time and space warp for an object moving near the speed of light. Each thought problem should be robust enough that it requires multiple sentences to explain. Each problem should clearly demonstrate the principle in question, and explained fully, with a succinct conclusion.

Part 2) Imagine that a space traveler is locked inside a ship, and cannot use any senses or tools to observe anything outside of the room he is occupying. Propose a number of experiments that the traveler could perform to determine what the motion of the spacecraft is. Be sure to include a discussion of constant-velocity motion, accelerated motion, gravitational acceleration, and orbital (circular) motion.

Part 3) Repeat the analysis performed in part 1 for the case of general relativity. Demonstrate the equivalence between acceleration and gravity, the warping of space-time caused by massive objects, and the straight-line motion of objects through curved space.

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