Question 1

The universe is made mostly of

Accepted Answer

A)  dark energy. 
B)  ordinary matter. 
C)  dark matter. 
D)  pizza. 
E)  neutrinos. 
A)  dark energy. 
B)  ordinary matter. 
C)  dark matter. 
D)  pizza. 
E)  neutrinos.

Question 2

Recent evidence from very distant supernova explosions indicates that the universe is expanding

Accepted Answer

A)  at a decreasing rate, and this will eventually come to a halt with no further expansion or contraction. 
B)  at an unchanging rate. 
C)  at a decreasing rate, but without ever coming to a halt (so that it will expand forever). 
D)  at a decreasing rate, and this will eventually turn into an overall contraction. 
E)  at an increasing rate. 
A)  at a decreasing rate, and this will eventually come to a halt with no further expansion or contraction. 
B)  at an unchanging rate. 
C)  at a decreasing rate, but without ever coming to a halt (so that it will expand forever). 
D)  at a decreasing rate, and this will eventually turn into an overall contraction. 
E)  at an increasing rate.

Question 3

According to the theory of cosmic inflation, the universe

Accepted Answer

A)  began from a powerful electromagnetic effect in vacuum. 
B)  had no beginning but instead has always existed. 
C)  began as the result of the "big crunch" collapse of some pre- existing universe. 
D)  began when two very massive pre- existing particles collided and annihilated with each other. 
E)  began as a tiny fragment of space and time. 
A)  began from a powerful electromagnetic effect in vacuum. 
B)  had no beginning but instead has always existed. 
C)  began as the result of the "big crunch" collapse of some pre- existing universe. 
D)  began when two very massive pre- existing particles collided and annihilated with each other. 
E)  began as a tiny fragment of space and time.

Question 4

In the equivalence principle,

Accepted Answer

A)  all forces are equivalent. 
B)  acceleration is equivalent to force. 
C)  all velocities are equivalent. 
D)  velocity is equivalent to the gravitational force. 
E)  acceleration is equivalent to the gravitational force. 
A)  all forces are equivalent. 
B)  acceleration is equivalent to force. 
C)  all velocities are equivalent. 
D)  velocity is equivalent to the gravitational force. 
E)  acceleration is equivalent to the gravitational force.

Question 5

In an open universe, the angles of a triangle add up to

Accepted Answer

A)  more than 180 degrees. 
B)  less than 180 degrees. 
C)  180 degrees. 
A)  more than 180 degrees. 
B)  less than 180 degrees. 
C)  180 degrees.

Question 6

Cosmic inflation caused the universe to expand, for a brief period, at faster than lightspeed. But special relativity says that nothing can move faster than lightspeed. How can this contradiction be resolved?

Accepted Answer

A)  We now realize that special relativity does not apply to dark energy. 
B)  The laws of specially relativity were not valid during the inflationary period, but the other laws (such as conservation of energy) were valid. 
C)  Special relativity says nothing can move through space at faster than lightspeed, but doesn't restrict the speed at which space can expand. 
D)  It hasn't yet been resolved, but scientists are working on resolving it. 
E)  The laws of physics (conservation of energy, special relativity, etc.) as we presently know them were not valid during the "inflationary period" that existed for a fraction of a second into the big bang. 
A)  We now realize that special relativity does not apply to dark energy. 
B)  The laws of specially relativity were not valid during the inflationary period, but the other laws (such as conservation of energy) were valid. 
C)  Special relativity says nothing can move through space at faster than lightspeed, but doesn't restrict the speed at which space can expand. 
D)  It hasn't yet been resolved, but scientists are working on resolving it. 
E)  The laws of physics (conservation of energy, special relativity, etc.) as we presently know them were not valid during the "inflationary period" that existed for a fraction of a second into the big bang.

Question 7

Does a high- speed bullet's path bend more than a light beam bends as it passes near Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Yes, because the light beam has a greater acceleration that the bullet. 
B)  Yes, because the bullet is heavier than the light beam. 
C)  Yes, because the bullet moves slower than the light beam. 
D)  No, because all falling objects accelerate at the same rate. 
E)  No, because of Einstein's equivalence principle. 
A)  Yes, because the light beam has a greater acceleration that the bullet. 
B)  Yes, because the bullet is heavier than the light beam. 
C)  Yes, because the bullet moves slower than the light beam. 
D)  No, because all falling objects accelerate at the same rate. 
E)  No, because of Einstein's equivalence principle.

Question 8

According to the theory of cosmic inflation, the large- scale clumping of matter (into stars, galaxies, etc.) that we observe in the universe had its origin in

Accepted Answer

A)  quantum uncertainties that were then stretched by the expansion of the universe. 
B)  thermal motion caused by the high temperature of the early universe. 
C)  quantum nonlocality, that connected bits of energy that were originally separated. 
D)  the creation of dark energy, that exerted an inward force and pulled things together. 
E)  the creation of dark matter, that exerted a repulsive force and pushed things together. 
A)  quantum uncertainties that were then stretched by the expansion of the universe. 
B)  thermal motion caused by the high temperature of the early universe. 
C)  quantum nonlocality, that connected bits of energy that were originally separated. 
D)  the creation of dark energy, that exerted an inward force and pulled things together. 
E)  the creation of dark matter, that exerted a repulsive force and pushed things together.

Question 9

Dark matter is made of

Accepted Answer

A)  slow- moving "magnetons" that were created during the big bang. 
B)  fast moving "gluons" that were created during the big bang. 
C)  Both of the above. 
D)  soap bubbles. 
E)  an unknown material that has never been directly observed in laboratories. 
A)  slow- moving "magnetons" that were created during the big bang. 
B)  fast moving "gluons" that were created during the big bang. 
C)  Both of the above. 
D)  soap bubbles. 
E)  an unknown material that has never been directly observed in laboratories.

Question 10

The amount of dark matter in the universe is

Accepted Answer

A)  many times more than the amount of visible matter. 
B)  entirely unknown at the present time. 
C)  about the same as the amount of visible matter. 
D)  many times less than the amount of visible matter. 
E)  about twice as much as the amount of visible matter. 
A)  many times more than the amount of visible matter. 
B)  entirely unknown at the present time. 
C)  about the same as the amount of visible matter. 
D)  many times less than the amount of visible matter. 
E)  about twice as much as the amount of visible matter.

Question 11

Galaxies seem to be made mostly of dark matter. One type of evidence for this comes from observations of the

Accepted Answer

A)  energy emitted by distant quasars, which is far larger than can be explained by the visible matter in the quasars. 
B)  gravitational bending of light from distant galaxies as it passes other galaxies on its way to Earth. 
C)  redshift in the light from the earliest galaxies in the universe. 
D)  redshift in the light from the explosions of distant supernovas. 
E)  force of gravity acting on laboratory objects. 
A)  energy emitted by distant quasars, which is far larger than can be explained by the visible matter in the quasars. 
B)  gravitational bending of light from distant galaxies as it passes other galaxies on its way to Earth. 
C)  redshift in the light from the earliest galaxies in the universe. 
D)  redshift in the light from the explosions of distant supernovas. 
E)  force of gravity acting on laboratory objects.

The universe is made mostly of

Recent evidence from very distant supernova explosions indicates that the universe is expanding

According to the theory of cosmic inflation, the universe

In the equivalence principle,

In an open universe, the angles of a triangle add up to

Cosmic inflation caused the universe to expand, for a brief period, at faster than lightspeed. But special relativity says that nothing can move faster than lightspeed. How can this contradiction be resolved?

Does a high- speed bullet's path bend more than a light beam bends as it passes near Earth?

According to the theory of cosmic inflation, the large- scale clumping of matter (into stars, galaxies, etc.) that we observe in the universe had its origin in

Dark matter is made of

The amount of dark matter in the universe is

Galaxies seem to be made mostly of dark matter. One type of evidence for this comes from observations of the

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Second Law of Thermodynamics: and You Cant Even Break Even

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Electromagnetism Radiation and Global Climate Change

The Special Theory of Relativity

The Quantum Idea

The Quantum Universe

The Nucleus and Radioactivity: an New Force

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Exam 11: The General Theory of Relativity and the New Cosmology

The universe is made mostly of

Recent evidence from very distant supernova explosions indicates that the universe is expanding

According to the theory of cosmic inflation, the universe

In the equivalence principle,

In an open universe, the angles of a triangle add up to

Cosmic inflation caused the universe to expand, for a brief period, at faster than lightspeed. But special relativity says that nothing can move faster than lightspeed. How can this contradiction be resolved?

Does a high- speed bullet's path bend more than a light beam bends as it passes near Earth?

According to the theory of cosmic inflation, the large- scale clumping of matter (into stars, galaxies, etc.) that we observe in the universe had its origin in

Dark matter is made of

The amount of dark matter in the universe is

Galaxies seem to be made mostly of dark matter. One type of evidence for this comes from observations of the

The Way of Science: Experience and Reason

Atoms: the Nature of Things

How Things Move: Galileo Asks the Right Questions

Why Things Move As They Do

Newtons Universe

Conservation of Energy: You Cant Get Ahead

Second Law of Thermodynamics: and You Cant Even Break Even

Light and Electromagnetism

Electromagnetism Radiation and Global Climate Change

The Special Theory of Relativity

The Quantum Idea

The Quantum Universe

The Nucleus and Radioactivity: an New Force

Fusion and Fission: and a New Energy

The Energy Challenge

Quantum Fields: Relativity Meets the Quantum

Filters