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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. What property does an external black hole have?

3. About how long after the big bang were stars formed?

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

5. The extra dimension or dimensions in M-theory are needed in order to incorporate _____.

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. Describe Kaluza-Klein theory.

4. Are the extra-dimensions demanded by string theory, space or time dimensions? How are those dimensions experienced in everyday life?

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

6. How are strings affected by extra dimensions?

7. Describe the history of space-time tears in physics.

8. Describe the difficulties in studying the entropy of a black hole.

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

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

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

The Two-Slit Enigma

The two-slit experiment is so famous as to be ubiquitous in modern physics. It succinctly illustrates the wave-nature of particles and the very mysterious interference that these particles experience even when there are no other waves to interact with. Perform a short research project on the two-slit experiment, using the book as a starting point, and citing at least two other sources.

Part 1) Describe the history of the experiment, including the original motivation for performing it, and variations that have been performed since.

Part 2) Describe in detail the results of the experiment in its major variations. What are the implications of the experiment and some typical explanations for the results? Explain why these results are so important and unusual.

Part 3) Devise a version of the two-slit experiment that you would perform, given sufficient resources and time, either for scientific purposes, aesthetic interests, or simple curiosity. Be sure to describe the set-up and state what you expect the results to be.

Essay Topic 3

Black Holes

Black holes are the most massive objects in our universe. They contain deep mysteries and relatively little is known about them. They are incredibly powerful, able to out-muscle light itself, piece the fabric of space-time, and perhaps even create new universes.

Part 1) Describe the history of our knowledge of black holes: How and why they were first theorized about, and how they were first discovered by observation.

Part 2) How is a black hole formed? Explain the dominant theories about the formation of black holes, being sure to address features such as the event horizon. Explain some of the more esoteric possibilities as well.

Part 3) Black holes have driven forward theory and discovery for a long time. Explain some of the ways that black holes have inspired scientists to push forward our knowledge of the universe.

(see the answer keys)

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