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

Suppose that a lone asteroid happens to be passing Jupiter on an unbound orbit (well above Jupiter's atmosphere and far from all of Jupiter's moons.)Which of the following statements would be true?

Speed and velocity are the same thing.

The energy attributed to an object by virtue of its motion is known as .

Absolute zero is .

At which lunar phase(s)are tides most pronounced (for example, the highest high tides)?

What is the difference between a bound orbit and an unbound orbit around the Sun?

What would happen if the Space Shuttle were launched with a speed greater than Earth's escape velocity?

If an object's velocity is doubled, its momentum is

Argument by Analogy: A friend of yours is convinced of the influence of the Moon on everyday human affairs. He cites a supposed correlation between crime and the occurrence of a full moon as proof. He even speculates that the gravitational influence of the Moon is the mechanism by noting that it is the gravitational pull of the Moon that causes the tides. "After all", he argues, "as over half a human's weight is water, the Moon must affect the flow of blood in human beings!" How would you explain to your friend that this analogy, between the ocean tides and water in the human body, is profoundly flawed. Are there any alternate explanations for a link between moon phase and crime?

Consider the elliptical orbit of a comet around the Sun. Where in its orbit is the comet moving the fastest?

At which lunar phase(s)are tides least pronounced (e.g., the lowest high tides)?

The Moon is constantly falling toward Earth.

You are standing on a scale in an elevator. Suddenly you notice your weight decreases. What do you conclude?

A rock held above the ground has potential energy. As the rock falls, this potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. Finally, the rock hits the ground and stays there. What has happened to the energy?

Imagine another solar system, with a star of the same mass as the Sun. Suppose a planet with a mass twice that of Earth (2MEarth)orbits at a distance of 1 AU from the star. What is the orbital period of this planet?

The fact that Voyager 10 continues to speed out of the solar system, even though its rockets have no fuel, is an example of

In the formula E = mc2, what does E represent?

When a spinning ice skater pulls in his arms, he spins faster because .

Why are astronauts weightless in the Space Station?

The acceleration of gravity on Earth is approximately 10 m/s2 (more precisely, 9.8 m/s2). If you drop a rock from a tall building, about how fast will it be falling after 3 seconds?