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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. What is the traditional method of testing theories in physics?

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

3. According to string theory, which of the following cannot occur during the collapse of the universe?

4. When a Calabi-Yau space collapses, it comes back as a space. What distinction does it have?

5. According to modern physics, which of the following may cease to exist at the center of a black hole?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is mirror symmetry, and what is its relevance to string theory?

2. What is the origin of M-theory, and what are its basic characteristics?

3. Why are superparticles important to string theory, and how has research into these particles affected the field of string theory?

4. In the context of the big bang, what is symmetry breaking?

5. Describe the big bang according to string theory.

6. How does a black hole's entropy change?

7. What is the major problem preventing string theory from gaining widespread acceptance, and why does this problem persist?

8. What is the major difference between the big bang with and without string theory?

9. What is a virtual string pair, and how is it formed?

10. How are strings affected by extra dimensions?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

Relativistic Relativity

Einstein is most famous for his two theories of relativity. It is sometimes said that special relativity would have been discovered in a few years without Einstein, but if it were not for him, the world would still be waiting for general relativity. These two theories are critical to modern physics and are used in important applications every day.

Part 1) Describe the discovery of the theory of special relativity. What thoughts caused Einstein to first contemplate this theory, and how did it develop. Explain the underlying principles of special relativity.

Part 2) Repeat the above analysis for the theory of general relativity.

Part 3) Compare and contrast the discoveries of these two theories. Make an assessment of which has been more important historically. Describe succinctly the difference between these theories.

Part 4) Research and describe some of the ways that each of these theories affect technology and ongoing physics research.

Essay Topic 3

Time Travel through Relativity

Special relativity states that as an object's velocity increases, it moves through time more slowly. This effect is amplified greatly near the speed of light. If a ship could be built to travel close to the speed of light for an extended period, a person on that ship could return to earth many years into its future.

Part 1) Propose a mission for such a craft. What will be its goal? Will it be manned or unmanned? How many years into the future will it journey? Use special relativity to estimate how long the journey will be for the ship and its crew.

Part 2) Describe the craft and its contents in detail. What supplies, people, equipment, and other objects must it bring with it? How large is the craft, and about how much does it weigh?

Part 3) Explain contingency plans for the mission. What will happen if it arrives early, or too late? What will happen to the craft and its crew after the mission is complete?

Part 4) Guess creatively at what people will think of the craft when it arrives in the future.

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