Question 1

Which of the following best describes the origin of ocean tides on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)   Tides are caused by the difference in the force of gravity exerted by the Moon across the sphere of the Earth.
B)   The Moon's gravity pulls harder on water than on land, because water is less dense than rock.
C)   Tides are caused by the 23.5-degree tilt of the Earth's rotational axis to the ecliptic plane.
D)   Tides are caused on the side of the Earth nearest the Moon because the Moon's gravity attracts the water.

Question 2

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

Question 3

Newton showed that Kepler's laws are ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   natural consequences of the law of universal gravitation
B)   seriously in error
C)   actually only three of seven distinct laws of planetary motion
D)   the key to proving that Earth orbits our Sun

Question 4

Which of the following best explains why the Moon's orbital period and rotation period are the same?

Accepted Answer

A)   The Moon once rotated faster, but tidal friction slowed the rotation period until it matched the orbital period.
B)   The Moon was once closer to Earth, but the force of gravity got weaker as the Moon moved farther away.
C)   The law of conservation of angular momentum ensured that the Moon must have the same amount of rotational angular momentum as it has of orbital angular momentum.
D)   The equality of the Moon's orbital and rotation periods is an extraordinary astronomical coincidence.

Question 5

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.

Question 6

The escape velocity from Earth is greater for larger rockets than for small ones.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

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?

Accepted Answer

A)   1 year
B)   6 months
C)   2 years
D)   It cannot be determined from the information given.

Question 8

If a gas cloud shrinks, it

Accepted Answer

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

Question 9

Kepler deduced his laws of planetary motion once Newton had published his universal law of gravitation.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

If a gas cloud shrinks its gravitational potential energy is converted into

Accepted Answer

A)   chemical energy.
B)   only radiative energy.
C)   kinetic energy and sound waves.
D)   thermal energy and radiative energy.

Question 11

Imagine a Star Wars type spaceship in orbit around a planet. Its engine suffers a severe malfunction, and explodes. What is the most physically realistic depiction of this event?

Accepted Answer

A)   The spacecraft breaks in half, and begins to sink down into the planet, like a sinking aircraft carrier.
B)   The spacecraft breaks apart, and the pieces continue to orbit the planet.
C)   The spacecraft burns up in a giant ﬁreball. B

Question 12

If I drop a golf ball and a bowling ball simultaneously from same height above the ground, what will happen? Neglect the effects of wind or air resistance.

Accepted Answer

A)   The golf ball and the bowling ball will hit the ground at the same time.
B)   The bowling ball will hit the ground before the golf ball.
C)   The golf ball will hit the ground before the bowling ball.

Question 13

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?

Accepted Answer

A)   30 m/s
B)   10 m/s
C)   30 m/s²
D)   10 m/s²
E)   20 m/s

Question 14

How does a rocket launch upwards? Choose the statement that best describes why a rocket goes up.

Accepted Answer

A)   By expelling gas downwards, the rocket is propelled upwards
B)   Expelling gas downwards, which by pushing against the ground, propels the rocket upwards

Question 15

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

Question 16

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 when the ball is at its highest point.
B)   The ball's gravitational potential energy is greatest at the instant it returns to hit the ground.
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 17

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

Accepted Answer

A)   The mass-energy, or potential energy stored in an object's mass
B)   The kinetic energy of a moving object
C)   The radiative energy carried by light
D)   The gravitational potential energy of an object held above the ground
E)   The electric field produced by a charge

Question 18

Speed and velocity are the same thing.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Under what conditions is an object weightless?

Accepted Answer

Whenever i...

Question 20

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

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

Which of the following best describes the origin of ocean tides on Earth?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedA

Newton showed that Kepler's laws are ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following best explains why the Moon's orbital period and rotation period are the same?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The escape velocity from Earth is greater for larger rockets than for small ones.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

If a gas cloud shrinks, it

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Kepler deduced his laws of planetary motion once Newton had published his universal law of gravitation.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

If a gas cloud shrinks its gravitational potential energy is converted into

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Imagine a Star Wars type spaceship in orbit around a planet. Its engine suffers a severe malfunction, and explodes. What is the most physically realistic depiction of this event?

Correct AnswerverifiedB

If I drop a golf ball and a bowling ball simultaneously from same height above the ground, what will happen? Neglect the effects of wind or air resistance.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How does a rocket launch upwards? Choose the statement that best describes why a rocket goes up.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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?

Correct AnswerverifiedA

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?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Speed and velocity are the same thing.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Under what conditions is an object weightless?

Correct AnswerverifiedWhenever i...View AnswerShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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A

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