Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

A) A bound orbit is an orbit allowed by the universal law of gravitation,and an unbound orbit is not. 
B) An object on a bound orbit has a gravitational attraction to the Sun,while an object on an unbound orbit does not. 
C) A bound orbit is circular,while an unbound orbit is elliptical. 
D) An object on a bound orbit follows the same path around the Sun over and over,while an object on an unbound orbit approaches the Sun just once and then never returns. 
A) A bound orbit is an orbit allowed by the universal law of gravitation,and an unbound orbit is not. 
B) An object on a bound orbit has a gravitational attraction to the Sun,while an object on an unbound orbit does not. 
C) A bound orbit is circular,while an unbound orbit is elliptical. 
D) An object on a bound orbit follows the same path around the Sun over and over,while an object on an unbound orbit approaches the Sun just once and then never returns.

Question 2

Newton's Second Law of Motion tells us that the net force applied to an object equals its

Accepted Answer

A) mass times acceleration. 
B) mass times energy. 
C) momentum times velocity. 
D) mass times velocity. 
A) mass times acceleration. 
B) mass times energy. 
C) momentum times velocity. 
D) mass times velocity.

Question 3

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

Question 4

Suppose an object is moving in a straight line at 50 miles/hr.According to Newton's first law of motion,the object will

Accepted Answer

A) continue to move in the same way forever,no matter what happens. 
B) continue to move in the same way until it is acted upon by a force. 
C) eventually slow down and come to a stop. 
D) continue to move in a straight line forever if it is in space,but slow and stop otherwise. 
E) continually slow down but never quite come to a complete stop. 
A) continue to move in the same way forever,no matter what happens. 
B) continue to move in the same way until it is acted upon by a force. 
C) eventually slow down and come to a stop. 
D) continue to move in a straight line forever if it is in space,but slow and stop otherwise. 
E) continually slow down but never quite come to a complete stop.

Question 5

Which of the following statements correctly describes the law of conservation of energy?

Accepted Answer

A) An object always has the same amount of energy. 
B) Energy can change between many different forms,such as potential,kinetic,and thermal,but it is ultimately destroyed. 
C) The total quantity of energy in the universe never changes. 
D) The fact that you can fuse hydrogen into helium to produce energy means that helium can be turned into hydrogen to produce energy. 
E) It is not really possible for an object to gain or lose potential energy,because energy cannot be destroyed. 
A) An object always has the same amount of energy. 
B) Energy can change between many different forms,such as potential,kinetic,and thermal,but it is ultimately destroyed. 
C) The total quantity of energy in the universe never changes. 
D) The fact that you can fuse hydrogen into helium to produce energy means that helium can be turned into hydrogen to produce energy. 
E) It is not really possible for an object to gain or lose potential energy,because energy cannot be destroyed.

Question 6

Considering Einstein's famous equation,E = mc²,which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A) Mass can be turned into energy,but energy cannot be turned back into mass. 
B) It takes a large amount of mass to produce a small amount of energy. 
C) A small amount of mass can be turned into a large amount of energy. 
D) You can make mass into energy if you can accelerate the mass to the speed of light. 
E) One kilogram of mass represents 1 joule of energy. 
A) Mass can be turned into energy,but energy cannot be turned back into mass. 
B) It takes a large amount of mass to produce a small amount of energy. 
C) A small amount of mass can be turned into a large amount of energy. 
D) You can make mass into energy if you can accelerate the mass to the speed of light. 
E) One kilogram of mass represents 1 joule of energy.

Question 7

A skater can spin faster by pulling her arms closer to her body or spin slower by spreading her arms out from her body.This is due to

Accepted Answer

A) the law of gravity. 
B) Newton's third law. 
C) conservation of momentum. 
D) conservation of angular momentum. 
E) conservation of energy. 
A) the law of gravity. 
B) Newton's third law. 
C) conservation of momentum. 
D) conservation of angular momentum. 
E) conservation of energy.

Question 8

Explain how we can use Newton's version of Kepler's third law to measure the total mass of two stars in a binary system.

Accepted Answer

By observing the stars with a telescope,

Question 9

Suppose you heat an oven to 400°F and boil a pot of water.Which of the following explains why you would be burned by sticking your hand briefly in the pot but not by sticking your hand briefly in the oven?

Accepted Answer

A) The water can transfer heat to your arm more quickly than the air. 
B) The water has a higher temperature than the oven. 
C) The molecules in the water are moving faster than the molecules in the oven. 
D) The oven has a higher temperature than the water. 
A) The water can transfer heat to your arm more quickly than the air. 
B) The water has a higher temperature than the oven. 
C) The molecules in the water are moving faster than the molecules in the oven. 
D) The oven has a higher temperature than the water.

Question 10

Each of the following lists two facts.Which pair can be used with Newton's version of Kepler's third law to determine the mass of the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A) Mercury is 0.387 AU from the Sun,and Earth is 1 AU from the Sun. 
B) The mass of Earth is 6 × 10²⁴ kg,and Earth orbits the Sun in 1 year. 
C) Earth rotates in 1 day and orbits the Sun in 1 year. 
D) Earth is 150 million km from the Sun and orbits the Sun in 1 year. 
E) Jupiter is the most massive planet and has a mass of 1.9 × 10²⁷ kg. 
A) Mercury is 0.387 AU from the Sun,and Earth is 1 AU from the Sun. 
B) The mass of Earth is 6 × 10²⁴ kg,and Earth orbits the Sun in 1 year. 
C) Earth rotates in 1 day and orbits the Sun in 1 year. 
D) Earth is 150 million km from the Sun and orbits the Sun in 1 year. 
E) Jupiter is the most massive planet and has a mass of 1.9 × 10²⁷ kg.

Question 11

According to the universal law of gravitation,if you triple the distance between two objects,then the gravitational force between them will

Accepted Answer

A) increase by a factor of 3. 
B) decrease by a factor of 3. 
C) decrease by a factor of 6. 
D) increase by a factor of 9. 
E) decrease by a factor of 9. 
A) increase by a factor of 3. 
B) decrease by a factor of 3. 
C) decrease by a factor of 6. 
D) increase by a factor of 9. 
E) decrease by a factor of 9.

Question 12

Briefly explain why Earth feels a greater tidal force from the Moon than from the Sun,even though it feels a greater gravitational force from the Sun.

Accepted Answer

Tidal force depends on the difference in

Question 13

Which of the following scenarios correctly demonstrates the transformation of mass into energy as given by Einstein's equation,E = mc²?

Accepted Answer

A) When hydrogen is fused into helium,whether in the Sun or in a nuclear bomb,the mass difference is turned into energy. 
B) An object accelerated to a great speed has a lot of kinetic energy. 
C) A mass raised to a great height has a lot of gravitational potential energy. 
D) When you boil a pot of water,it has a high heat content,or thermal energy. 
E) A burning piece of wood produces light and heat,therefore giving off radiative and thermal energy. 
A) When hydrogen is fused into helium,whether in the Sun or in a nuclear bomb,the mass difference is turned into energy. 
B) An object accelerated to a great speed has a lot of kinetic energy. 
C) A mass raised to a great height has a lot of gravitational potential energy. 
D) When you boil a pot of water,it has a high heat content,or thermal energy. 
E) A burning piece of wood produces light and heat,therefore giving off radiative and thermal energy.

Question 14

Which of the following is not a conserved quantity?

Accepted Answer

A) energy 
B) momentum 
C) angular momentum 
D) radiation 
A) energy 
B) momentum 
C) angular momentum 
D) radiation

Question 15

Suppose you kick a soccer ball straight up to a height of 10 meters.Which of the following is true about the gravitational potential energy of the ball during its flight?

Accepted Answer

A) The ball's gravitational potential energy is greatest at the instant it returns to hit the ground. 
B) The ball's gravitational potential energy is greatest at the instant when the ball is at its highest point. 
C) The ball's gravitational potential energy is always the same. 
D) The ball's gravitational potential energy is greatest at the instant the ball leaves your foot. 
A) The ball's gravitational potential energy is greatest at the instant it returns to hit the ground. 
B) The ball's gravitational potential energy is greatest at the instant when the ball is at its highest point. 
C) The ball's gravitational potential energy is always the same. 
D) The ball's gravitational potential energy is greatest at the instant the ball leaves your foot.

Question 16

What does temperature measure?

Accepted Answer

A) the average mass of particles in a substance 
B) the average size of particles in a substance 
C) the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance 
D) the total number of particles in a substance 
E) the total potential energy of particles in a substance 
A) the average mass of particles in a substance 
B) the average size of particles in a substance 
C) the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance 
D) the total number of particles in a substance 
E) the total potential energy of particles in a substance

Question 17

Imagine we've discovered a planet orbiting another star at 1 AU every 6 months.The planet has a moon that orbits the planet at the same distance as our Moon,but it takes 2 months.What can we infer about this planet?

Accepted Answer

A) It is more massive than Earth. 
B) It is less massive than Earth. 
C) It has the same mass as Earth. 
D) We cannot answer the question without knowing the mass of the star. 
E) We cannot answer the question without knowing the mass of the moon. 
A) It is more massive than Earth. 
B) It is less massive than Earth. 
C) It has the same mass as Earth. 
D) We cannot answer the question without knowing the mass of the star. 
E) We cannot answer the question without knowing the mass of the moon.

Question 18

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

Question 19

According to the universal law of gravitation,if you triple the distance between two objects,then the gravitational force between them

Accepted Answer

A) increases by a factor of 9. 
B) decreases by a factor of 9. 
C) decreases by a factor of 3. 
D) increases by a factor of 3. 
A) increases by a factor of 9. 
B) decreases by a factor of 9. 
C) decreases by a factor of 3. 
D) increases by a factor of 3.

Question 20

Imagine another solar system,with a star more massive than the Sun.Suppose a planet with the same mass as Earth orbits at a distance of 1 AU from the star.How would the planet's year (orbital period)compare to Earth's year?

Accepted Answer

A) The planet's year would be longer than Earth's. 
B) The planet's year would be shorter than Earth's. 
C) The planet's year would be the same as Earth's. 
D) An orbit at a distance of 1 AU would not be possible around a star more massive than the Sun. 
A) The planet's year would be longer than Earth's. 
B) The planet's year would be shorter than Earth's. 
C) The planet's year would be the same as Earth's. 
D) An orbit at a distance of 1 AU would not be possible around a star more massive than the Sun.

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

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

Newton's Second Law of Motion tells us that the net force applied to an object equals its

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

Suppose an object is moving in a straight line at 50 miles/hr.According to Newton's first law of motion,the object will

Which of the following statements correctly describes the law of conservation of energy?

Considering Einstein's famous equation,E = mc²,which of the following statements is true?

A skater can spin faster by pulling her arms closer to her body or spin slower by spreading her arms out from her body.This is due to

Explain how we can use Newton's version of Kepler's third law to measure the total mass of two stars in a binary system.

Suppose you heat an oven to 400°F and boil a pot of water.Which of the following explains why you would be burned by sticking your hand briefly in the pot but not by sticking your hand briefly in the oven?

Each of the following lists two facts.Which pair can be used with Newton's version of Kepler's third law to determine the mass of the Sun?

According to the universal law of gravitation,if you triple the distance between two objects,then the gravitational force between them will

Briefly explain why Earth feels a greater tidal force from the Moon than from the Sun,even though it feels a greater gravitational force from the Sun.

Which of the following scenarios correctly demonstrates the transformation of mass into energy as given by Einstein's equation,E = mc²?

Which of the following is not a conserved quantity?

Suppose you kick a soccer ball straight up to a height of 10 meters.Which of the following is true about the gravitational potential energy of the ball during its flight?

What does temperature measure?

Imagine we've discovered a planet orbiting another star at 1 AU every 6 months.The planet has a moon that orbits the planet at the same distance as our Moon,but it takes 2 months.What can we infer about this planet?

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

According to the universal law of gravitation,if you triple the distance between two objects,then the gravitational force between them

Imagine another solar system,with a star more massive than the Sun.Suppose a planet with the same mass as Earth orbits at a distance of 1 AU from the star.How would the planet's year (orbital period)compare to Earth's year?

A Modern View of the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Light and Matter: Reading Messages from the Cosmos

Telescopes: Portals of Discovery

Our Planetary System

Formation of the Solar System

Planetary Geology: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds

Planetary Atmospheres: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet Systems

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 Birth

Star Stuff

The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

Galaxies and the Foundations of Modern Cosmology

Galaxy Evolution

The Birth of the Universe

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

Life in the Universe

Celestial Timekeeping and Navigation

Space and Time

Spacetime and Gravity

Building Blocks of the Universe

Filters