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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. Under string theory, which of the following is true regarding extra dimensions?

2. Tears in space-time are technically termed _____.

3. What property does an external black hole have?

4. What materials were formed during the period of the big bang known as the "primordial nucleosynthesis"?

5. Who posited the existence of M-theory?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the state of the universe's expansion, including what its ultimate fate might be.

2. Greene suggests that black holes are very similar to, and might in fact be, elementary particles. What evidence supports this suggestion?

3. What is the relationship between the elementary particles and the Calabi-Yau space?

4. How is the shape of the Calabi-Yau space is determined?

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

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

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

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

9. What is the Calabi-Yau space?

10. What is the horizon problem in cosmology? How was it resolved?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Big Crunch

Due to the far-reaching space-warping effects of gravity, it turns out that there is a specific critical density to our universe that determines in what way the universe will end. This density is still largely unknown, although it appears that we are close to the critical density. Disturbingly, observations of the known universe have shown that visible matter makes up only about 23% of the necessary mass. The difference is made up by dark matter and dark energy.

Part 1) Describe how gravity shapes our universe at very large scales. How does the density of the universe determine its ultimate fate?

Part 2) One possible ending of the universe is that the density is too great, and the universe will collapse. Describe how this collapse could occur, paying particular attention to the conclusions of string theory.

Part 3) Another possibility is the endless expansion of the universe due to low density. Describe the way that this could occur, thinking critically about what it means for space to expand at an increasing rate.

Essay Topic 2

A Cosmic Anomaly

Until a few years ago, concepts like "tears" in the fabric of space-time were purely science fiction. However, string theory has shown that these occurrences are possible. Part 1) Explain the concept of a tear in space-time. What does this tear represent, and how would it interact with its surroundings.

Part 2) Describe the discovery of space-tearing flop transitions. Describe conifold transitions. How and why do these transitions occur? How are the dangers of these tears prevented?

Part 3) It is possible that these kinds of tears could be created and manipulated at will. What are the possible uses and applications of these tears? Would their use be conscionable, given their apparent danger?

Essay Topic 3

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.

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