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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 can we not coherently ask about the way the universe is?

2. What did one of Einstein's mathematical errors prevent Marcel and Einstein from doing?

3. What did Hawking and Hartle believe the universe may not have?

4. What did Hubble find about collections of stars?

5. What does TOE stand for?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is a p = 1 brane and a p = 2 brane?

2. What does the E = mc2 equation show?

3. What is Hawking's view about mathematical models?

4. What is vacuum energy?

5. What changed about the way we view zero point fluctuations in the 1940s?

6. What was the bedrock of relativity theory, and what did it imply?

7. What was the "ether" theory?

8. Describe imaginary time.

9. What is considered to be expanding in our universe, and why does Hawking think this is beneficial?

10. What does it mean for stars to be red-shifted or blue-shifted?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hawking discusses the concept of brane worlds at length. Since brane worlds are a very difficult and far-reaching topic, write an essay that seeks to succinctly summarize the concept of brane worlds and their relationship with humans.

Essay Topic 2

Hawking's extensive research of black holes has provided us with informative clues for how black holes might actually work. Write an essay that uses Hawking's research to formulate a summary of our knowledge of black holes before and after Hawking's scientific work.

Essay Topic 3

Expound on Einstein's involvement, direct or indirect, in WWII. Be sure to discuss the relationship between scientific discovery and practical use. Analyze The Manhattan Project as an example of science and its utilization.

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This section contains 839 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample