View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Riemannian geometry describes the following objects: _____.

2. Which of the following is true regarding our current knowledge of the Calabi-Yau space?

3. What is supergravity?

4. String theory claims that super particles _____.

5. When a black hole's entropy increases, which of its characteristics increases as well?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Morrison and Greene discover together, and why is it important?

2. What is a wormhole, and how is it formed?

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

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

5. What is the strong-weak duality?

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

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

8. What is the relative composition of matter in the universe?

9. What is the Calabi-Yau space?

10. Describe the entire process of a conifold transition.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Into the Unknowns

In the final chapter of the book, the author calls the readers attention to the major problems remaining in string theory, as well as to its most promising achievements. Confirmation of string theory is still far away, but the theory is so elegant and has so much potential that it cannot and should not be let go. This essay is about a final assessment of string theory's status and overall worth.

Part 1) Discuss the major shortcoming of string theory, especially the problems with experimental confirmation. Include a discussion of the perturbation method and its validity.

Part 2) Explain string theory's most important assets, including its incredible descriptive power, and its ability to unite quantum mechanics and general relativity. Be sure to discuss the promising new progress that Greene outlines in the later chapters.

Part 3) Using all of the information presented in the book, assess string theories status. How stable is its foundation? Is it likely to be the final theory of everything?

Essay Topic 2

The Quantum

The quantum is the smallest possible unit of energy that can be manifested for a particular fundamental force. The realization that energy came in discrete "packets" revolutionized physics and created the field of quantum mechanics. This essay is about the discovery of the quanta.

Part 1) Research and fully describe the nature of the problem of the "oven" that contains infinite energy. What were some early attempts at a solution?

Part 2) Describe Max Planck's solution to the problem in detail. How did his final approach resolve the infinite sums into finite ones? What is the relationship between the properties of the electromagnetic wave and its energy?

Part 3) Planck proposed that energy could only exist in multiples of certain minimum amounts. Describe how he came to this conclusion, and what impact this conclusion had on other fields of science.

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,065 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample