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Which of the following statements describes a basic solution? A) [H3O+] > [OH–] B) [H3O+] < [OH–] C) [H3O+] [OH–] ≠ 1 10-14 D) [H3O+]/[OH–] = 1 10-14 E) [H3O+]/[OH–] = 1 Answer: When a gas in a container is […]

If molecules in the sky scattered red-orange light strongly instead of blue light, sunsets would be A) orange. B) yellow. C) green. D) blue. Answer: According to most estimates, Earth is approximately A) 4.5 thousand years old. B) 4.5 million […]

Luminosity is A) the total amount of light energy that star emits into space. B) the stars apparent brightness. C) the stars particular color spectrum output. D) the stars total infrared output. Answer: In science, an educated guess is a […]

Inside a freely-falling elevator your A) acceleration is zero. B) weight is zero. C) gravitational interaction with Earth is zero. D) all the above E) none of the above Answer: Going from most significant to least significant, the atmospheric gases […]

On the Geologic Time Scale, the time unit representing the largest span of time is the A) Phanerozoic. B) Precambrian. C) Proterozoic. D) Mega-annum. Answer: Which shape is likely to need more material for a critical mass, a cube or […]

Might reverse osmosis be used to obtain fresh water from a sugar-water solution? A) No, osmosis and reverse osmosis only apply to aqueous solutions containing ions. B) Yes, reverse osmosis can be applied to any aqueous solution for the generation […]

A Doppler effect occurs when a source of sound moves A) toward you. B) away from you. C) either of these D) none of the above Answer: Einstein theories tell us that the speed of light A) depends on one’s […]

What would the concentration of H3O+ be if the concentration of OH– was 1 10-11M? [H3O+] [OH–] = Kw = 1 10-14 A) 1 10-3 B) 1 103 C) 1 1014 D) 1 1012 E) 1 10-6 Answer: A piece […]

The frequency of an electromagnetic wave and the frequency of the vibrating electrons that produce it are A) nearly the same. B) the same. C) quite different. Answer: Dark Matter is matter that A) cannot be seen, felt, or measured. […]

A galvanometer calibrated to read current is A) an ammeter. B) a voltmeter. C) an ohm meter. D) none of the above Answer: A mirage is a result of atmospheric A) reflection. B) refraction. C) scattering. D) dispersion. E) aberrations. […]

The following statement describes which subatomic particle best? It is electrically charged. A) an electron B) a proton C) a neutron D) A and B E) B and C Answer: The source of electrons lighting an incandescent ac light bulb […]

The shell model presented in this book is not very accurate. Why then is it presented? A) It reminds us that the study of matter relates to the solar system. B) Most instructors are not good enough artists to duplicate […]

Power is defined as the A) force exerted divided by the time of exertion. B) force exerted multiplied by the distance moved. C) work done multiplied by the time to do the work. D) work done divided by the time […]

Where does most rainfall on Earth finally end up before becoming rain again? A) underground B) in lakes C) in the oceans D) on the ground surface Answer: In a battery, the following oxidation-reduction reactions are taking place: Mn2O3 + […]

Iridium is an element that is relatively A) abundant on Earth, but very rare in meteorites. B) rare on Earth, but very common in meteorites. C) abundant on both the Earth and the Moon. D) rare on both Earth and […]

The overflow of gasoline from a car’s full metal tank on a hot day is evidence that gasoline expands A) more than metal. B) about the same as metal. C) less than metal. D) none of the above. Answer: Hot […]

A boat at anchor is rocked by waves whose crests are 40 m apart and with wave speed 10 m/s. These waves reach the boat once every A) 400 s. B) 30 s. C) 4 s. D) 0.25 s. Answer: […]

If the Sun were twice as massive, A) its pull on the Earth would double. B) Earth’s pull on the Sun would double. C) both of these D) none of the above Answer: The outer core A) has a plastic-like […]

A device that transforms mechanical energy to electrical energy is a A) generator. B) motor. C) transformer. D) magnet. E) none of the above Answer: The break-up of Pangaea began in the Mesozoic era A) during the Jurassic. B) during […]

Subduction occurs as a result of A) slab pullgravity pulls older and denser lithosphere downward. B) horizontal plate accommodation. C) upwelling of hot mantle material along the trench. D) lubrication from the generation of andesitic magma. Answer: The discharge of […]

A power line with a resistance of 2 ohms draws a current of 80 A. The power dissipated in the line is A) 40 W. B) 160 W. C) 320 W. D) 12,800 W. E) none of the above Answer: […]

A foliated metamorphic rock derived from granite is A) gneiss. B) quartzite. C) slate. D) marble. Answer: Pretend you are on a morning time mission on the surface of Venus. When looking out the spacepod window you are likely to […]

The rather simple idea that, unless disturbed, younger sedimentary layers overlie older layers, is referred to as the principle of A) original horizontality. B) uniformitarianism. C) faunal succession. D) superposition. Answer: Just after a big fish swallows a small fish, […]

Astronomers who subscribe to the Big Bang theory believe the Big Bang occurred A) about 14 billion years ago. B) at the beginning of time. C) both of these D) neither of these Answer: The first minerals to crystallize are […]

The electric force between charges is strongest when the charges are A) close together. B) far apart. C) either of these Answer: According to the following balanced chemical equation, if you want to generate two moles of H2O how many […]

You are given three radioactive samples (α, β, and γ) and can only dispose of one. The other two you must keep, one in your hand, the other in your pocket. How would you minimize your exposure risk? A) keep […]

When an apple falls to the ground, momentum is transferred to the ground. The momentum absorbed by the ground is A) negligible compared to the momentum of the apple. B) greater if the apple bounces. C) greater than that of […]

Compared with a 1-kg block of solid iron, a 2-kg block of solid iron has twice as much A) inertia. B) mass. C) volume. D) all of the above E) none of the above Answer: Why is there a drastic […]

A music console is pushed 2 m by a force of 20 N. The work done on the console is A) 2 J. B) 10 J. C) 20 J. D) 40 J. E) 80 J. Answer: The force that accelerates […]

If you drop a bar magnet in a vertical copper pipe it will fall slowly because A) of air resistance. B) it induces a magnetic field in the pipe that resists motion of the magnet. C) the copper is a […]

Metals are often used for making designer jewelry because they A) do not conduct heat well. B) conduct electricity. C) are shiny. D) are strong but can be bent. E) c and d Answer: A pair of 1-ohm resistors connected […]

Emily Easygo can paddle her canoe at 8 m/s in still water. With this speed she then paddles upstream in a river that runs downstream at 6 m/s. Her friend sitting on shore sees her speed as A) 2 m/s. […]

A large block of wood and a small block of iron each register 2000 N on a weighing scale. Taking buoyancy of air into account, which has the greater mass? A) wood B) iron C) both the same Answer: A […]

Temperature increases with altitude in the A) troposphere. B) thermosphere. C) mesosphere. D) all of these Answer: Water vapor in the air can condense when the air A) cools above its dew point temperature. B) temperature increases. C) temperature drops […]

What are some of the optimistic worldwide changes that may follow the advent of successful fusion reactors? A) Economies will be geared to relative abundance rather than scarcity. B) Humans will have more opportunities to focus on social issues, such […]

An electric motor and electric generator are A) very similar devices. B) entirely different devices. C) none of the above Answer: When air is compressed, its temperature A) increases. B) decreases. C) neither of these Answer: A A nutritionist in […]

Batholiths are massive plutons formed from the intrusion of A) andesitic magma. B) granitic magma. C) basaltic magma. D) all of these Answer: A parachutist steps from a hovering helicopter and falls for 5 s before reaching terminal velocity. During […]

A beam of light emerges from water into air at an angle bent A) towards the normal B) away from the normal. C) in a direction parallel to the normal. D) in a direction perpendicular to the normal. E) not […]

The most powerful agent of erosion is A) stream flow. B) glacial action. C) action from waves and ocean currents. D) wind. Answer: Does a radioactive isotope ever lose its radioactivity? A) yes B) no C) sometimes D) usually Answer: […]

Hurricanes are more likely to form near A) warm waters where the air is humid. B) warm waters where the air is dry. C) cold bodies of water where the air is humid. D) cold bodies of water where the […]

To see his full height, Blinky Bill who is 1.0 meter tall needs a mirror that is at least A) 0.33 m tall. B) 0.50 m tall. C) 0.75 m tall. D) 1 m tall. E) depends on distance from […]

A heat pump can A) cool an environment. B) warm an environment. C) both of these D) none of the above Answer: Solar radiation consists of waves principally in the A) ultraviolet, visible short-wavelength range. B) long-wavelength infrared range. C) […]

The event that changes a protostar to a full-fledged star is A) gravitational collapse. B) gravitational expansion. C) thermonuclear fusion. D) the emission of light. E) a catastrophic increase in temperature. Answer: When a rocket ship gaining speed in remote, […]

What is the force of gravity on a 500-N woman standing on Earth’s surface? A) 50 N B) 250 N C) 500 N D) 598 N E) 5000 N Answer: Because a white dwarf is no longer burning fuel, it […]

The speeds of the planets about the Sun depend on A) their distances from the Sun. B) the masses of the planets. C) both of these D) none of the above Answer: While in an airplane flying at 100 km/h […]

According to the shell model, which electrons play the most significant role in determining the properties of an atom? A) those in the innermost shell B) those in the shells between the innermost and outermost shells C) those in the […]

Which of the monomers below would be used to make the following polymer? A) HC CHCH3 B) H2CCH2CH3 C) HC CHCHC CHCH3 D) H2C CH2 E) none of the above Answer: According to inflation theory, parallel lines appear to remain […]

Hot steam that issues from a pressure cooker expands and A) increases in temperature. B) can cause severe burns. C) cools. D) all of the above E) none of the above Answer: A pre-electronic thermostat employs a coiled A) wire […]

Which will cool a drink faster? A) ice cubes B) crushed ice C) no difference for the same mass of ice Answer: The origin of Earth’s primitive ozone layer A) is attributed to photosynthesis. B) traces back to the Cambrian […]

Radiocarbon dating is limited to the remains of plants and animals that died no longer than about A) 100 years ago. B) 5700 years ago. C) 40,000 years ago. D) 1,000,000 years ago. Answer: It is theorized that a pulsar […]

By definition, an ore is a mineral rich in valuable metals. To be considered as an ore means that the A) metals can be economically extracted to yield a profit. B) metals are extremely valuable. C) deposit is very rich […]

What would the formula be for the following stick model? A) C6H12 B) C5H5 C) C6H10 D) C5H10 E) none of the above Answer: According to the impulse-momentum relationship Ft = change in mv, a falling bungee jumper has momentum […]

Our local group consists of A) 1 major galaxy. B) 2 major galaxies. C) 3 major galaxies. D) about a dozen major galaxies. Answer: The source of an atom’s electronegativity is the A) repulsive force occurring among electrons within the […]

The Earlybird communication satellite hovers over the same point on Earth’s equator indefinitely because A) forces other than Earth’s gravity act on it. B) it pulls as hard on Earth as Earth pulls on it. C) it is beyond the […]

Motion in a P-wave is A) side to side. B) transverse. C) longitudinal. D) up and down. Answer: An electron vibrating to and fro 1000 times per second generates an electromagnetic wave having a A) period of 1000 s. B) […]

How long does it take for Earth to revolve around the Sun? A) one day B) one week C) one month D) one year Answer: When Paul compresses air with a tire pump, the temperature of the compressed air A) […]

The event horizon of a black hole is A) the surface below which no matter or energy can escape. B) the surface where light becomes trapped in a circular orbit around the black hole. C) the physical surface of the […]

What coefficient is needed in front of the O2 molecule to balance the following equation? 2 (g) + ________ (g) → 8 (g) + 10 O (l) A) 8 B) 13 C) 5 D) 1 Answer: A Starburst galaxy has […]

Near our planet Earth are A) cosmic rays. B) magnetic fields. C) both of these D) none of the above Answer: The isotope lithium-7 has a mass of 7.0160 atomic mass units, and the isotope lithium-6 has a mass of […]

What is the name for the following polyatomic ion? PO4 -3 A) phosphate B) phosphorus oxide C) phosphinate D) trioxo phosphoride E) potassium Answer: The white light from the Sun is a A) compliment of the surrounding blue sky. B) […]

Which of the following statements accurately describes the action of ozone? A) It absorbs UV radiation and undergoes fragmentation. B) It reflects UV radiation back into space. C) It reflects heat back into space. D) It emits UV radiation when […]

Why might increasing the temperature alter the rate of a chemical reaction? A) The molecules will have a higher kinetic energy and bump into one another harder. B) The molecules are less reactive at higher temperatures. C) The molecules will […]

The Milky Way is A) a spiral galaxy. B) an elliptical galaxy. C) an irregular galaxy. D) a galaxy in the making. E) the remains of a galaxy that has run its life course. Answer: A spinning tossed baseball veers […]

A motor scooter undergoes acceleration when it A) gains speed. B) decreases speed. C) changes direction. D) all of the above Answer: A 10-N falling object encounters 4 N of air resistance. The net force on it is A) 0 […]

The volume of water that flows past a given point in a channel during a specified time is called A) load. B) gradient. C) discharge. D) runoff. Answer: A parachutist falling at constant velocity is in a state of A) […]

If carbon-14 is a beta emitter, what is the likely product of radioactive decay? A) nitrogen-14 B) carbon-12 C) oxygen-18 D) berrylium-10 E) none of the above Answer: Which of the following statements about desalinization is untrue? A) You can […]

Where does most of the solid mass of raw sewage end up after being collected at a treatment facility? A) It is injected into the water table. B) It is buried in landfills. C) It is sold to farmers for […]

The volume of water displaced by a floating 20-ton boat is A) 20 cubic meters. B) the volume of 20 tons of water. C) the volume of the boat. D) depends on the shape of the ship’s hull. E) none […]

In a gaseous mixture of hydrogen and oxygen, the faster molecules on average are A) hydrogen. B) oxygen. C) both the same D) not enough information Answer: Basaltic volcanic eruptions tend to be A) slow moving and highly viscous. B) […]

Compared with falling on a wooden floor, a wine glass may not break when it falls on a carpeted floor because of A) lesser impulse in stopping. B) longer time to stop. C) both of these D) none of the […]

Which has the greater specific heat capacity; the filling of a hot piece of pie or the crust? A) the filling B) the crust C) depends on the temperature Answer: The equivalent (combined) resistance of 1-ohm, 2-ohm, and 3-ohm in […]

You can experience weight A) standing on Earth’s surface. B) in an accelerating elevator away from Earth. C) in a rotating habitat in space. D) all of the above Answer: Which has the highest frequency? A) red light. B) green […]

The Mohorovicic discontinuity was discovered by observing A) earthquake movement at Earth’s surface. B) seismograms of an earthquake. C) changes in rock density. D) all of these Answer: How is the solubility of a solid affected by temperature? A) As […]

A water-filled paper cup held in a flame will not catch fire because A) the inside of the paper is wet. B) water is an excellent conductor of heat. C) paper is a good conductor of heat. D) the paper […]

Are the chemical reactions that take place in a disposable battery exothermic or endothermic? Is the reaction going on in a rechargeable battery while it is recharging exothermic or endothermic? A) An operating disposable battery is driven by endothermic reaction, […]

If an atom has 43 electrons, 56 neutrons, and 43 protons, what is its approximate atomic mass? What is the name of this element? A) atomic mass, 137 amu; Barium B) atomic mass, 99 amu; Technetium C) atomic mass, 99 […]

The San Andreas Fault was created A) during the Cenozoic. B) by the collision of the eastward moving North American Plate and the Pacific ridge. C) by the same tectonic activity that formed the Gulf of California. D) by Cenozoic […]

At the end of the Paleozoic era, all A) dinosaurs became extinct. B) flowering plants grew to great heights. C) fish species became extinct. D) trilobites became extinct. Answer: Fossils are found in A) sedimentary rocks. B) metamorphic rock. C) […]

Two lamps, a thick-filament one and a thin-filament one, are connected in parallel to a battery. The current is greater in the lamp with the A) thick filament. B) thin filament. C) same in each Answer: The force of air […]

The principal difference between a step-up and step-down transformer is A) step-up transformers can handle more current. B) different geometries. C) different ratios of turns for each set of loops or coils. D) none of the above Answer: Action and […]

Water is 88.88 percent oxygen by mass. Oxygen is exactly what a fire needs to grow brighter and stronger. So why doesn’t a fire grow brighter and stronger when water is added to it? A) Oxygen in water is already […]

When a 10-N object is suspended at rest by two equally-taut vertical strands of rope, the tension in each strand is A) less than 5 N. B) 5 N. C) more than 5 N. D) 10 N. Answer: Although tornadoes […]

The rule for the interaction of magnetic poles is similar to the rule for electric A) circuits. B) polarization. C) charges. Answer: Our ears are best at hearing A) infrasonic sound. B) ultrasonic sound. C) both of these D) none […]

An element found in another galaxy exists as two isotopes. If 80.0 percent of the atoms have an atomic mass of 80.00 atomic mass units and the other 20.0 percent have an atomic mass of 82.00 atomic mass units, what […]

Which of the following statements is untrue? A) Covalent molecules are never crystalline. B) Covalent molecules usually have low melting points. C) Covalent molecules can have nonbonding electrons. D) Covalent bonds can involve more than one pair of electrons. E) […]

The Moon’s reflected image in a lake often appears as a vertical column when the water is A) perfectly still. B) slightly rough. C) very rough, churning with waves. Answer: Consider a gun with a pellet that is more massive […]

The Big Bang occurred A) at the tip of your nose. B) at the center of each galaxy. C) at some undetermined yet vastly distant point. D) within an unusually large supernova. Answer: The climatic zones of Pangaea ranged from […]

What is the name of the following compound? NaF A) sodium fluoride B) natural fosfate C) natrium fluoride D) nitrogen afleck E) sodium phosphide Answer: The source of large icebergs is A) glaciers. B) sea ice. C) ice and snowstorms […]

The Sun A) rotates in the same direction as the planets revolve. B) rotates in the opposite direction as the planets revolve. C) does not rotate relative to the planets. D) takes longer to rotate than for the planets to […]

R = reactants P = products For the above energy profiles, which reaction has the lowest activation energy? A) a B) b C) c D) d E) All have the same activation energy. Answer: What is the purpose of a […]

For the following balanced reaction, which of the following is a gas? 2 Na(l) + Cl2(g) → 2 NaCl(s) A) Na B) 2 Na C) Cl2 D) Cl E) NaCl Answer: Which best describes the intrinsic motion of stars? A) […]

If a power plant is 30% efficient, and the transmission system that delivers power to consumers is 60% efficient, then the overall efficiency is A) 90%. B) 60%. C) 30%. D) 18%. E) none of the above Answer: The depositional […]

Helium, He, is a nonmetallic gas and the second element in the periodic table. Rather than being placed adjacent to hydrogen, H, however, helium is placed on the far right of the table because A) hydrogen and helium repel one […]

In looking at yourself in a steamy mirror you wipe just enough moisture away to barely see a full view of your face. If you move back from the mirror you’ll see A) a bit more of your face. B) […]

The internal pressure of a fluid that gains speed A) increases. B) remains unchanged. C) decreases. Answer: An electric generator A) can create enough energy to light cities. B) can convert mechanical energy to electric energy. C) needs no energy […]

Different colors of light correspond to different light A) velocities. B) intensities. C) polarities. D) frequencies. E) none of the above Answer: When Jean standing on slippery ice catches her leaping dog Daisy, the momentum of both Jean and Daisy […]

Compared with equatorial open ocean waters, open ocean water in the northern Pacific A) is colder and less dense. B) has a higher salinity content. C) is colder and more dense. D) has a lower salinity content. Answer: The Cretaceous […]

The brightest color emitted by the Sun is A) red. B) yellow-green. C) blue. D) all the same Answer: Water at 4C will contract when it is slightly A) cooled. B) warmed. C) both of these D) none of the […]

A star that is twice as hot as another has twice the A) Celsius temperature. B) Fahrenheit temperature. C) Kelvin temperature. D) all of the above E) none of the above Answer: As a blinking light source approaching you gains […]

The density of air at room temperature is about 1.2 g/cm3. Estimate the mass of air inside a 0.80-m3 volume refrigerator. (There are 1 million cm3 in 1 m3.) A) 0.96 g B) 960 kg C) 1000 kg D) more […]

An ice cube that contains small pieces of iron floats on water. When the ice melts, the water level A) rises. B) falls. C) remains unchanged. Answer: Earth satellites are typically more than 100-km high so as to mainly be […]

Which of the following not generally thought of as matter? A) light B) trees C) air D) clouds E) rain Answer: A standing wave can occur when A) two waves overlap. B) a wave reflects upon itself. C) the speed […]

The “Cambrian explosion” refers to the A) great many meteorite bombardments that occurred during that time. B) great diversity of life that blossomed during that time. C) evolution and great diversity of blastoids during that time period. D) numerous volcanic […]

Very importantly, a hydraulic press can multiply A) forces. B) pressures. C) energy. D) all of the above E) none of the above Answer: The acceleration of a Tesla that maintains a constant velocity of 120 km/h over a time […]

An outcome of universal gravitation is that A) planets aren’t cubes with sharp corners. B) its discovery prompted other laws of nature. C) it provided prediction and discovery of planets. D) all of the above Answer: Explain how radioactive decay […]

In a sequence of rock layers we find trilobite fossils at the bottom of rock layer 1 and dinosaur fossils directly above the fossil trilobites in layer 2. There are inclusions of trilobites in layer 2. We conclude that A) […]

A spinning cloud of interstellar gas tends to A) disperse. B) flatten. C) turn into a sphere. D) condense. Answer: An object travels 8 m in the 1st second of travel, 8 m again during the 2nd second of travel, […]

When the voltage across a steady resistance is doubled, the current A) is half. B) remains the same. C) is doubled. D) is quadrupled. Answer: Evidence for dark matter is exhibited by the A) relatively similar speeds at which all […]

Sedimentary rocks subjected to melting become A) lithified. B) metamorphic rocks. C) igneous rocks. D) limestone. Answer: An object is thrown vertically into the air. Because of air resistance, the time for its descent will be A) longer than the […]

A beam of protons and a beam of neutrons of the same energy are both harmful to living tissue. The beam of neutrons, however, is less harmful. Why? A) Neutrons are much smaller and lighter than protons and would do […]

The Milky Way galaxy is A) in the process of colliding with the Magellanic Cloud galaxies. B) where Earth resides. C) a spiral galaxy. D) All of the above Answer: The ocean can be divided into several vertical layersthe surface […]

Like Jupiter and Saturn, Neptune emits about 2.5 times as much heat energy as it receives from the Sun, although calculations show it should have already lost all of its original heat. What is the most likely explanation? A) Unlike […]

While driving down the highway a lovebug spatters onto your windshield. Which undergoes the greater impulse? A) the lovebug B) your car C) both the same Answer: All continental landmasses joined together as Pangaea resulted in A) a reduction in […]

One solution to the problem of our overflowing landfills is to burn plastic objects instead of burying them. What would be some of the advantages and disadvantages of this practice? A) disadvantage: toxic air pollutants; advantage: reduced landfill volume B) […]

Air becomes saturated when its temperature A) falls to a point where water vapor molecules evaporate. B) rises to a point where water vapor molecules condense. C) rises to a point where water vapor molecules evaporate. D) falls to a […]