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. What kind of energy density might an advanced civilization be able to create?

2. What can Penrose and Hawking's machinery help them study?

3. How can half-determinism be preserved in relation to black holes?

4. What paradox does time travel generate?

5. What do the Schrodinger equations assume?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Hawking think about the possible technological level of extraterrestrials?

2. How do cosmic strings relate to space-time?

3. What is the grandfather paradox?

4. What are three of the things Hawking declares have increased exponentially, doubling every forty years of less?

5. What does much of the possibility of time travel depend upon?

6. What might p-branes be able to predict?

7. How does Hawking begin Chapter Four?

8. What is a time travel "horizon"?

9. What does it mean for Hawking to think one can "move" positive vacuum energy?

10. How many books are published a year, and what does Hawking have to say about the good ones?

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

Hawking states that the human race must be able to better itself since it will be dealing with an "increasingly complex world." Write an essay that supports or negates this argument. Be sure to include data from Chapters Five, Six, or Seven and at least two other supporting examples from your own research.

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.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 796 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample