Question 1

Newton's version of Kepler's third law states: In this equation, what does p represent?

Accepted Answer

A) the orbital period 
B) the average distance between the two objects 
C) the masses of the two objects 
D) the universal gravitational constant 
A) the orbital period 
B) the average distance between the two objects 
C) the masses of the two objects 
D) the universal gravitational constant A

Question 2

The force due to gravity between two objects can be described using the equation Fg = G M1 M2 / d2. In this equation, what does M1 represent?

Accepted Answer

A) the distance, in meters, between the two objects 
B) the diameter, in meters, of one of the objects 
C) the mass of one of the objects 
A) the distance, in meters, between the two objects 
B) the diameter, in meters, of one of the objects 
C) the mass of one of the objects C

Question 3

Suppose you drop a 10- pound weight and a 5- pound weight on the Moon, both from the same height at the same time. What will happen?

Accepted Answer

A) Both weights will float freely, since everything is weightless on the Moon. 
B) Both will hit the ground at the same time. 
C) The 10- pound weight will hit the ground before the 5- pound weight. 
D) The 5- pound weight will hit the ground before the 10- pound weight. 
A) Both weights will float freely, since everything is weightless on the Moon. 
B) Both will hit the ground at the same time. 
C) The 10- pound weight will hit the ground before the 5- pound weight. 
D) The 5- pound weight will hit the ground before the 10- pound weight. B

Question 4

The ultimate source of energy that powers the Sun is

Accepted Answer

A) chemical potential energy of hydrogen burning into helium. 
B) thermal energy of the hydrogen atoms in the Sun. 
C) mass energy of hydrogen fusing into helium. 
D) kinetic energy of the orbital motion of the Sun. 
E) gravitational potential energy of the contraction of the gas cloud that formed the Sun. 
A) chemical potential energy of hydrogen burning into helium. 
B) thermal energy of the hydrogen atoms in the Sun. 
C) mass energy of hydrogen fusing into helium. 
D) kinetic energy of the orbital motion of the Sun. 
E) gravitational potential energy of the contraction of the gas cloud that formed the Sun.

Question 5

The astronauts feel weightless in the International Space Station, which orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes. Why?

Accepted Answer

A) because there is no gravity in space 
B) because they and the space station are both falling around the Earth 
C) because the gravity from the Moon cancels out the gravity from Earth 
D) because they are moving so fast 
A) because there is no gravity in space 
B) because they and the space station are both falling around the Earth 
C) because the gravity from the Moon cancels out the gravity from Earth 
D) because they are moving so fast

Question 6

The tides on Earth are an example of

Accepted Answer

A) Newton's first law of motion. 
B) Newton's second law of motion. 
C) Newton's third law of motion. 
D) the universal law of gravitation. 
E) none of the above 
A) Newton's first law of motion. 
B) Newton's second law of motion. 
C) Newton's third law of motion. 
D) the universal law of gravitation. 
E) none of the above

Question 7

The force due to gravity between two objects can be described using the equation Fg = G M1 M2 / d2. In this equation, what does G represent?

Accepted Answer

A) the density of the smaller object 
B) the universal gravitational constant 
C) the distance between the two objects 
A) the density of the smaller object 
B) the universal gravitational constant 
C) the distance between the two objects

Question 8

Using equations: The force due to gravity between two objects can be described using the equation
Fg = G M1 M2 / d2. How would one use Newton's second law to setup an equation one could use to find the gravitational acceleration experienced by an isolated astronaut 10,000 km from the Earth's center?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Using equations: The force due to gravity...

Question 9

Tidal friction caused by Earth's stretching from the Moon's gravity is gradually slowing down the rotation of Earth.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

If you double the mass of fusion material in a hydrogen bomb, you quadruple the amount of energy generated.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Suppose you lived on the Moon. Which of the following would be true?

Accepted Answer

A) Your weight would be less than your weight on Earth, but your mass would be the same as it is on Earth. 
B) Both your weight and your mass would be the same as they are on Earth. 
C) Both your weight and your mass would be less than they are on Earth. 
D) Your mass would be less than your mass on Earth, but your weight would be the same as it is on Earth. 
A) Your weight would be less than your weight on Earth, but your mass would be the same as it is on Earth. 
B) Both your weight and your mass would be the same as they are on Earth. 
C) Both your weight and your mass would be less than they are on Earth. 
D) Your mass would be less than your mass on Earth, but your weight would be the same as it is on Earth.

Question 12

Which of the following represents a case in which you are not accelerating?

Accepted Answer

A) driving 60 miles per hour around a curve 
B) going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 10 seconds 
C) driving in a straight line at 60 miles per hour 
D) slamming on the brakes to come to a stop at a stop sign 
A) driving 60 miles per hour around a curve 
B) going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 10 seconds 
C) driving in a straight line at 60 miles per hour 
D) slamming on the brakes to come to a stop at a stop sign

Question 13

Under what conditions is an object weightless?

Accepted Answer

Whenever i

Question 14

Suppose that the Sun shrank in size but that its mass remained the same. What would happen to the orbit of the Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) Earth's orbit would be unaffected. 
B) Earth's orbit would expand, and it would take more than one year to orbit the Sun. 
C) Earth would change from a bound orbit to an unbound orbit and fly off into interstellar space. 
D) The size of Earth's orbit would shrink, and it would take less than one year to orbit the Sun. 
A) Earth's orbit would be unaffected. 
B) Earth's orbit would expand, and it would take more than one year to orbit the Sun. 
C) Earth would change from a bound orbit to an unbound orbit and fly off into interstellar space. 
D) The size of Earth's orbit would shrink, and it would take less than one year to orbit the Sun.

Question 15

According to what we now know from Newton's laws, which of the following best explains why Kepler's second law is true?

Accepted Answer

A) A planet's total orbital energy must be conserved as it moves around its orbit. 
B) Gravity is an inverse cube law. 
C) This effect happens because of the influence of other planets on a particular planet's orbit. 
D) Orbits must be elliptical in shape. 
A) A planet's total orbital energy must be conserved as it moves around its orbit. 
B) Gravity is an inverse cube law. 
C) This effect happens because of the influence of other planets on a particular planet's orbit. 
D) Orbits must be elliptical in shape.

Question 16

Newton's version of Kepler's third law states: In this equation, what does G represent?

Accepted Answer

A) the orbital period 
B) the average distance between the two objects 
C) the masses of the two objects 
D) the universal gravitational constant 
A) the orbital period 
B) the average distance between the two objects 
C) the masses of the two objects 
D) the universal gravitational constant

Question 17

How does the Space Shuttle take off?

Accepted Answer

A) by achieving lift from its wings in the same way that airplanes do 
B) by converting mass- energy to kinetic energy 
C) Its rocket engines push against the launch pad, propelling the shuttle upwards. 
D) Hot gas shoots out from the rocket and, by conservation of momentum, the shuttle moves in the opposite direction. 
E) The hot rocket exhaust expands the air beneath the shuttle, propelling it forward. 
A) by achieving lift from its wings in the same way that airplanes do 
B) by converting mass- energy to kinetic energy 
C) Its rocket engines push against the launch pad, propelling the shuttle upwards. 
D) Hot gas shoots out from the rocket and, by conservation of momentum, the shuttle moves in the opposite direction. 
E) The hot rocket exhaust expands the air beneath the shuttle, propelling it forward.

Question 18

Hallmarks of a Scientific Theory: All great scientific theories explain existing observations, unify and extend existing concepts, and make new and novel predictions that can be experimentally tested. Using Newton's postulate of universal gravitation as a case study, explicitly demonstrate how it satisfies each of these criteria.

Accepted Answer

Newton's postulate of universal gravitat

Question 19

When you experience a downward gravitational force from the Earth, the Earth experiences a weaker upward gravitational force from you.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

If a gas cloud shrinks, it

Accepted Answer

A) spins faster. 
B) spins at the same rate as it did before it shrank. 
C) spins slower. 
A) spins faster. 
B) spins at the same rate as it did before it shrank. 
C) spins slower.

Newton's version of Kepler's third law states: In this equation, what does p represent?

The force due to gravity between two objects can be described using the equation Fg = G M1 M2 / d2. In this equation, what does M1 represent?

Suppose you drop a 10- pound weight and a 5- pound weight on the Moon, both from the same height at the same time. What will happen?

The ultimate source of energy that powers the Sun is

The astronauts feel weightless in the International Space Station, which orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes. Why?

The tides on Earth are an example of

The force due to gravity between two objects can be described using the equation Fg = G M1 M2 / d2. In this equation, what does G represent?

Using equations: The force due to gravity between two objects can be described using the equation Fg = G M1 M2 / d2. How would one use Newton's second law to setup an equation one could use to find the gravitational acceleration experienced by an isolated astronaut 10,000 km from the Earth's center?

Tidal friction caused by Earth's stretching from the Moon's gravity is gradually slowing down the rotation of Earth.

If you double the mass of fusion material in a hydrogen bomb, you quadruple the amount of energy generated.

Suppose you lived on the Moon. Which of the following would be true?

Which of the following represents a case in which you are not accelerating?

Under what conditions is an object weightless?

Suppose that the Sun shrank in size but that its mass remained the same. What would happen to the orbit of the Earth?

According to what we now know from Newton's laws, which of the following best explains why Kepler's second law is true?

Newton's version of Kepler's third law states: In this equation, what does G represent?

How does the Space Shuttle take off?

When you experience a downward gravitational force from the Earth, the Earth experiences a weaker upward gravitational force from you.

If a gas cloud shrinks, it

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Exam 4: Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Newton's version of Kepler's third law states: In this equation, what does p represent?

The force due to gravity between two objects can be described using the equation Fg = G M1 M2 / d2. In this equation, what does M1 represent?

Suppose you drop a 10- pound weight and a 5- pound weight on the Moon, both from the same height at the same time. What will happen?

The ultimate source of energy that powers the Sun is

The astronauts feel weightless in the International Space Station, which orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes. Why?

The tides on Earth are an example of

The force due to gravity between two objects can be described using the equation Fg = G M1 M2 / d2. In this equation, what does G represent?

Tidal friction caused by Earth's stretching from the Moon's gravity is gradually slowing down the rotation of Earth.

If you double the mass of fusion material in a hydrogen bomb, you quadruple the amount of energy generated.

Suppose you lived on the Moon. Which of the following would be true?

Which of the following represents a case in which you are not accelerating?

Under what conditions is an object weightless?

Suppose that the Sun shrank in size but that its mass remained the same. What would happen to the orbit of the Earth?

According to what we now know from Newton's laws, which of the following best explains why Kepler's second law is true?

Newton's version of Kepler's third law states: In this equation, what does G represent?

How does the Space Shuttle take off?

When you experience a downward gravitational force from the Earth, the Earth experiences a weaker upward gravitational force from you.

If a gas cloud shrinks, it

A Modern View of the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet System

Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Other Planetary Systems: the New Science of Distant Worlds

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

A Universe of Galaxies

The Birth of the Universe

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe

Life in the Universe

Filters