Question 1

What's more fun on a roller coaster, Newton's 1st or 2nd law? Explain.

Accepted Answer

There is no single correct answer. Howev

Question 2

If a pumpkin has the mass of 2 kg, how much does it weigh? Explain.

Accepted Answer

Weight = mass (kg) X g; Weight = 2.0 kg

Question 3

In 1854, how did John Snow use scientific reasoning to solve the mystery of the source of cholera plaguing London?

Accepted Answer

Snow showed a cause and effect relations

Question 4

Which of the following is true of the Law of Universal Gravitation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Force = big G times mass times mass of the Earth divided by the radius of the Earth squared. 
B)  Gravitational force of an object on earth is relative to its acceleration. 
C)  Gravitational force between two objects sometimes equals zero. 
D)  Force = little g times mass. 
E)  Force =mass times velocity. 
A)  Force = big G times mass times mass of the Earth divided by the radius of the Earth squared. 
B)  Gravitational force of an object on earth is relative to its acceleration. 
C)  Gravitational force between two objects sometimes equals zero. 
D)  Force = little g times mass. 
E)  Force =mass times velocity.

Question 5

Compare the main contributions of Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton. How did their work depend on other scientists?

Accepted Answer

Answers should compare Newton's Laws to

Question 6

The Ptolemaic theory of the universe includes

Accepted Answer

A)  an unmoving Earth at the center. 
B)  an unmoving Sun at the center. 
C)  elliptical orbits. 
D)  stationary planets. 
E)  a modern view of the solar system. 
A)  an unmoving Earth at the center. 
B)  an unmoving Sun at the center. 
C)  elliptical orbits. 
D)  stationary planets. 
E)  a modern view of the solar system.

Question 7

How does the concept of Ockham's razor apply to Kepler's model of the solar system?

Accepted Answer

Not only was it a geometric ma

Question 8

What was the main contribution of Nicholas Copernicus and how did his work depend on other scientists?

Accepted Answer

Copernicus retained some of Ptolemy's id

Question 9

The astronomical model placing the Sun at the center of the solar system was resisted for hundreds of years because

Accepted Answer

A)  a way to measure astronomical distances with great precision had not been invented. 
B)  errors in calculations of data analysis went undetected. 
C)  most scholarly texts were written in Latin. 
D)  the Catholic Church banned all discussions of Copernican ideas. 
E)  all scientists used the great calendar at Stonehenge and looked no further. 
A)  a way to measure astronomical distances with great precision had not been invented. 
B)  errors in calculations of data analysis went undetected. 
C)  most scholarly texts were written in Latin. 
D)  the Catholic Church banned all discussions of Copernican ideas. 
E)  all scientists used the great calendar at Stonehenge and looked no further.

Question 10

Using Newton's laws, what do you need to know to predict the future anywhere in the universe?

Accepted Answer

If you know the present state

Question 11

If a hammer falls from an airplane for 100 seconds, what velocity might it ideally attain (express the answer in ft/s and mi/hr)? Falling in air, however, the hammer will not attain such a velocity. Why is that?

Accepted Answer

Velocity = acceleration times time, so 3

Question 12

Which of the following is in uniform motion?

Accepted Answer

A)  a kite dancing on the wind 
B)  a jet as it takes off from an airport 
C)  an Olympic skier winding through a slalom course 
D)  a high diver spinning in the air 
E)  a train traveling west at 70 mph 
A)  a kite dancing on the wind 
B)  a jet as it takes off from an airport 
C)  an Olympic skier winding through a slalom course 
D)  a high diver spinning in the air 
E)  a train traveling west at 70 mph

Question 13

What did astronomical observations mean to ancient people?

Accepted Answer

Observing the night sky and the position

Question 14

What is the rate of acceleration for a car that reaches a speed of three meters per second from rest in ten seconds?

Accepted Answer

A)  3 meters per second 
B)  3 m/s2 
C)  0.15 meter per second 
D)  0.3 meters per second 
E)  30 m/s2 
A)  3 meters per second 
B)  3 m/s2 
C)  0.15 meter per second 
D)  0.3 meters per second 
E)  30 m/s2

Question 15

Which scientist would have been most likely to use mathematics in understanding elliptical orbits of planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  Tycho Brahe 
B)  Johannes Kepler 
C)  Nicolas Copernicus 
D)  Claudius Ptolemy 
E)  Galileo Galilei 
A)  Tycho Brahe 
B)  Johannes Kepler 
C)  Nicolas Copernicus 
D)  Claudius Ptolemy 
E)  Galileo Galilei

Question 16

What is the main difference between velocity and speed?

Accepted Answer

Velocity is a quantity that in

Question 17

In Galileo's experiments, where the ball is falling freely, at what angle is it coming down to the ground? In computations regarding these experiments, acceleration of the ball is given what letter and what does that letter mean?

Accepted Answer

The angle is 90 degrees. The a

Question 18

Describe the forces at work during a roller coaster ride. Compare the impact of these forces on human physiology with the forces felt by the astronauts during a space launch.

Accepted Answer

Answers should inclu

Question 19

What evidence can you offer from personal experience that shows how gravity is a universal force?

Accepted Answer

Any of many thousands of daily

Question 20

"Eighty miles per hour toward the northeast" is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  acceleration. 
B)  uniform motion. 
C)  rate. 
D)  velocity. 
E)  speed. 
A)  acceleration. 
B)  uniform motion. 
C)  rate. 
D)  velocity. 
E)  speed.

Exam 2: The Ordered Universe: Why Do Planets Appear to Wander Slowly Across the Sky

What's more fun on a roller coaster, Newton's 1st or 2nd law? Explain.

If a pumpkin has the mass of 2 kg, how much does it weigh? Explain.

In 1854, how did John Snow use scientific reasoning to solve the mystery of the source of cholera plaguing London?

Which of the following is true of the Law of Universal Gravitation?

Compare the main contributions of Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton. How did their work depend on other scientists?

The Ptolemaic theory of the universe includes

How does the concept of Ockham's razor apply to Kepler's model of the solar system?

What was the main contribution of Nicholas Copernicus and how did his work depend on other scientists?

The astronomical model placing the Sun at the center of the solar system was resisted for hundreds of years because

Using Newton's laws, what do you need to know to predict the future anywhere in the universe?

If a hammer falls from an airplane for 100 seconds, what velocity might it ideally attain (express the answer in ft/s and mi/hr)? Falling in air, however, the hammer will not attain such a velocity. Why is that?

Which of the following is in uniform motion?

What did astronomical observations mean to ancient people?

What is the rate of acceleration for a car that reaches a speed of three meters per second from rest in ten seconds?

Which scientist would have been most likely to use mathematics in understanding elliptical orbits of planets?

What is the main difference between velocity and speed?

In Galileo's experiments, where the ball is falling freely, at what angle is it coming down to the ground? In computations regarding these experiments, acceleration of the ball is given what letter and what does that letter mean?

Describe the forces at work during a roller coaster ride. Compare the impact of these forces on human physiology with the forces felt by the astronauts during a space launch.

What evidence can you offer from personal experience that shows how gravity is a universal force?

"Eighty miles per hour toward the northeast" is an example of

Science: a Way of Knowing: How Do You Know What You Know

Energy: Why Must Animals Eat to Stay Alive

Heat and the Second Law of Thermodynamics: Why Is It Easier to Make an Omelet From an Egg Than to Make an Egg From an Omelet

Electricity and Magnetism: What Is Lightning

Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation: What Is Color

Albert Einstein and the Theory of Relativity: Can a Human Ever Travel Faster Than the Speed of Light, at Warp Speed

The Atom: Why Are There so Many Different Materials in the World

Quantum Mechanics: How Can the Electron Behave Like Both a Particle and a Wave

Atoms in Combination: the Chemical Bond: How Does Blood Clot

Materials and Their Properties: How Have Computers Gotten so Much Faster

The Nucleus of the Atom: How Do Scientists Determine the Age of the Oldest Human Fossils

The Ultimate Structure of Matter: How Can Antimatter Be Used to Probe the Human Brain

The Stars: How Much Longer Can the Sun Sustain Life on Earth

Cosmology: Will the Universe End

Earth and Other Planets: Is Earth the Only Planet With Life

Plate Tectonics: Can We Predict Destructive Earthquakes

Earths Many Cycles: Will We Ever Run Out of Fresh Water

Ecology, Ecosystems, and the Environment: Are Human Activities Affecting the Global Environment

Strategies of Life: What Is Life

The Living Cell: What Is the Smallest Living Thing

Molecules of Life: What Constitutes a Healthy Diet

Classical and Modern Genetics: Why Do Offspring Resemble Their Parents

The New Science of Life: Can We Cure Cancer

Evolution: How Did Life Emerge on the Ancient Earth

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What's more fun on a roller coaster, Newton's 1^st or 2^nd law? Explain.