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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 does the universe's real-time history determine, according to Hawking and Hartle?

2. What did Einstein suggest concerning the speed of light?

3. Why is it important that the sky is dark?

4. Where did Einstein receive his degree?

5. Because of the curvature of space-time, how do paths appear to bend?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the theory of general relativity break down when discussing the Big Bang?

2. Why can't we coherently ask why the universe is the way it is?

3. What is hard to reconcile with Dirac's discoveries in quantum mechanics?

4. What does Hawking believe the possibility of intelligent beings' existence depends on?

5. What idea about the galaxies did Einstein never take seriously?

6. Briefly describe Einstein's involvement in the events of WWII.

7. What paper did Einstein write with Grossman in 1913 and what happened in 1915 related to this same project?

8. What is the no boundary condition, and what does it imply?

9. How did the general relativity theory break down?

10. What did Einstein do in 1905 that launched him to the top of the scientific community?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hawking uses the word "deterministic" quite a bit in Chapter Four. Identify what determinism means in this context, and how it relates to the universe. Then, summarize and analyze the controversy over whether or not the universe is deterministic and what this might entail.

Essay Topic 2

Using Chapter Seven as an informative text, write an essay on WIMPs. Be sure to properly define WIMPs, discuss their relationship with potential shadow brane worlds, and also analyze the lack of gamma radiation coming from black holes.

Essay Topic 3

Hawking's formulation of the Chronology Projection Conjecture is an important topic in Chapter Five. Write an essay that summarizes what the Chronology Projection Conjecture is, how it was formulated, and what its function is now.

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