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Science and technology are A) responsible for all the good in the world. B) responsible for all the bad in the world. C) actually one and the same. D) fundamentally different from each other. Earth continually moves about 30 km/s […]

Conducting materials are composed of atoms with A) strong cohesive forces between them. B) loose outer electrons. C) excess neutrons compared with protons. D) vastly more charge than insulators. If you toss a ball “horizontally” from one wall to an […]

Water pressure on a submerged object is greatest against its A) top. B) bottom. C) sides. D) same against all surfaces E) none of the above The power consumed by a device drawing 0.8 A when connected to 120 V […]

The buoyant force on a one-ton blimp hovering in air is A) zero. B) one ton. C) less than one ton. D) more than one ton. In practice, a good insulator A) stops heat flow. B) slows heat flow. C) […]

One side of the Moon continually facing Earth is A) a passing phenomenon. B) a cosmic coincidence. C) tidal lock. To change mercury into gold, a pair of protons must be A) removed from the mercury nucleus. B) added to […]

A hunter on level ground fires a bullet at an angle of 10 degrees above the horizontal while simultaneously dropping another bullet from the level of the rifle. Which bullet will hit the ground first? A) the one dropped B) […]

To see his full height, Blinky Bill who is 1 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 […]

If the elliptical orbit of Mercury were more eccentric, its precession rate would be A) larger. B) smaller. C) the same. D) nonexistent. A hockey puck sliding across the ice finally comes to rest because A) it seeks its proper […]

Three 10-ohm resistors take the shape of a triangle, one resistor in each leg. Connecting an ohm-meter across any two points of the triangle will show the equivalent resistance to be A) 1.4 ohms. B) 5 ohms. C) 6.7 ohms. […]

Figure V-5 A small railroad car is pulled by a rope as shown in the sketch (top view). The force F that the rope exerts on the car has a component along the track and another component perpendicular to the […]

A message from relativity theory is that slowing the aging process A) can occur with correct applications of physics. B) would occur if you fell into a bottomless mine shaft. C) can only happen to “the other guy.” On each […]

The airspeed of an airplane is 200 km/h. When it is caught in a 200-km/h crosswind, its speed across the ground below is A) 0 km/h. B) 200 km/h. C) 283 km/h. D) 400 km/h. E) 1600 km/h. An iron […]

The work you do when pushing a shopping cart twice as far while applying the same force is A) half as much. B) twice as much. C) four times as much. D) the same amount. Fusing two iron nuclei would […]

Quantum uncertainties are most predominant for simultaneously measuring the speed and location of A) a baseball. B) a spitball. C) an electron. D) none of the above Fraunhofer lines are apparent in A) absorption spectra. B) emission spectra. C) Doppler […]

While a car travels around a circular track at a constant speed, its A) acceleration is zero. B) velocity is zero. C) inertia is zero. D) none of the above A beam of electrons can pass through a magnetic field […]

When you do somersaults, you’ll more easily rotate when your body is A) straight with both arms above your head. B) straight with both arms at your sides. C) curled into a ball shape. D) no difference Compared to the […]

As a system becomes more disordered, entropy A) increases. B) decreases. C) remains the same. There would be only one ocean tide per 24-hour day if the A) Earth and Moon were equally massive. B) Moon were more massive than […]

The Moon would be at its fullest just before the time of a A) solar eclipse. B) lunar eclipse. C) both of these D) neither of these Which of the following is a scientific statement? A) candy Bon Bons contain […]

To illustrate regelation with ice it is important that a A) wire is used. B) string is used. C) either of these D) none of the above If an object has twice as much mass as another, then it also […]

Which of these nuclei has the least mass? A) hydrogen B) iron C) lead D) uranium E) all the same Systems alone tend to move toward A) order. B) disorder. C) temperature inversions. D) none of the above Answer: B […]

The correspondence principle applies to A) theories of submicroscopic phenomena. B) theories of macroscopic phenomena. C) all good theories. The force required to maintain a body at constant velocity in free space is equal to 1) the mass of the […]

Compared with falling on a stone floor, a wine glass may not break when it falls on a carpeted floor because the A) carpeted floor provides a smaller impulse. B) stopping time is shorter on the carpet. C) stopping time […]

A hockey puck sliding at constant velocity across the ice is A) in equilibrium. B) nearly in equilibrium. C) is nowhere near being in equilibrium. D) none of the above A node is a position of A) minimum amplitude. B) […]

Refraction occurs when light passing from one medium to another A) changes frequency. B) changes speed. C) loses energy. D) reflects inward. Which experiences the least electrical force in an electric field? A) alpha particle B) beta particle C) electron […]

Which force field can increase a moving electron’s speed? A) electric field B) magnetic field C) both of these D) neither of these Imagine a single charge q placed on one corner of a square, and that the electric field […]

All deposits of natural uranium contain appreciable amounts of A) iron. B) lead. C) gold. D) all of the above E) none of the above In which is the temperature greater? A) boiling-hot tea in a cup B) boiling-hot tea […]

If a freely falling object were equipped with a speedometer on a planet where the acceleration due to gravity is 20 m/s2, then its speed reading would increase each second by A) 10 m/s. B) 20 m/s. C) 30 m/s. […]

An astronaut at Earth’s surface has a mass of 50 kg and a weight of 500 N. If she were floating freely inside a space habitat in remote space, she would have A) no weight and less mass. B) no […]

Ninety percent of light incident on a certain piece of glass passes through it. How much light passes through two pieces of this glass? A) 80% B) 81% C) 85% D) 89% E) 90% A solar eclipse occurs when the […]

Two identical particles move toward each other, one twice as fast as the other. Just before they collide, one has a kinetic energy of 25 J and the other 50 J. At this instant their total kinetic energy is A) […]

When you adjust a telescope to get a clear image of Saturn’s rings, there is a perceptible interaction between A) you and the telescope. B) you and Saturn’s rings. C) both of these D) neither these When railroad tracks make […]

Which of these lamps has no mercury content? A) fluorescent lamp B) CFL C) incandescent lamp D) none of the above When a vertically falling firecracker bursts, the vector sum of momentum fragments A) in the horizontal direction cancels to […]

The source of electrons in a simple electric circuit is A) the voltage source. B) energy stored in the voltage source. C) energy released by the voltage source. D) the electrical circuit itself. E) none of the above A 60-W […]

When an electron drops from a higher energy level to a lower one, energy is emitted. In comparison, how much energy is required to reverse the process, going from the lower level to the higher level? A) less energy B) […]

Compared to its average speed in air, the average speed of a beam of light in glass is A) more. B) less. C) the same. When you touch a nail stuck in ice, energy flows from A) the ice to […]

Fermat’s principle could be the principle of least distance for A) reflection. B) refraction. C) both of these D) neither of these While you stand on the floor you are pulled downward by gravity, and supported upward by the floor. […]

Just as a sustained flow of water in a hydraulic circuit needs a pump, in electric circuits the flow of charge needs A) current. B) voltage. C) resistance. Optical fibers are commonly used by A) surgeons. B) mechanics. C) engineers. […]

Successive bright fringes in an interference pattern result from A) equal-length distances from the slits. B) distance from the slits successively increasing one wavelength at a time. C) destructive interference. D) none of the above Two charged particles held close […]

Objects that radiate relatively well A) absorb radiation relatively well. B) reflect radiation relatively well. C) both of these D) neither of these Distant bright snowy mountains appear yellowish because A) they are far away. B) blue has been scattered […]

The main difference between gases and plasmas has to do with A) the kinds of elements involved. B) interatomic spacing. C) electrical conduction. D) fluid pressure. E) the proportion of matter to antimatter in the universe. While standing, your blood […]

Which will melt more ice when placed on its surface, a kilogram of wood or a kilogram of iron of the same high temperature? A) 1 kg of wood. B) 1 kg of iron. C) both the same D) neither […]

According to the “energy valley” of the mass-per-nucleon versus atomic-number graph, the element with the least mass per nucleon is A) hydrogen. B) helium. C) iron. D) uranium. E) none of the above The energy released in both fission and […]

The voltage across a 10-ohm resistor carrying 5 A is A) 5 V. B) 10 V. C) 15 V. D) 20 V. E) more than 20 V. What color light is transmitted by a piece of blue glass? A) red […]

When we apply the Lorentz factor γ to length contraction, we A) multiply by γ as in the equation for time dilation. B) multiply by the reciprocal of γ C) find it does not apply. Which temperature scale has the […]

Which geometrical shape has the least surface area for a given volume? A) cube B) pyramid C) cylinder D) sphere E) none of the above Which man exerts greater pressure against the floor? 1) a 150-kg man lying on the […]

The fact that desert sand is very hot in the day and very cold at night is evidence that the specific heat capacity of sand is relatively A) low. B) high. C) practically absent. In gaseous form at the same […]

Rate this statement: No force due to Earth’s gravity acts on astronauts inside the orbiting space station. A) always true while in orbit B) sometimes true while in orbit C) always false If all people, animals, trains and trucks all […]

The part of the visible spectrum most absorbed by water is A) infrared. B) red. C) cyan. D) all about equally. A diver shines light upward to the surface of a smooth pond at 20o to the normal. Most light […]

An umbrella tends to move upwards on a windy day principally because A) trapped air under the umbrella, warms, and rises. B) buoyancy increases with increasing wind speed. C) air pressure is reduced over the curved top surface. D) all […]

A sphere of pure U-235 will explode if it is A) hot enough. B) shaken hard enough. C) big enough. D) none of the above If you hold two objects that have the same weight density, then they A) may […]

The cones in the retina of the eye are A) most densely packed at the center of vision. B) uniformly spread along the visual field. C) concentrated along the periphery of vision. Which temperature scales have equal sized degrees? A) […]

A light source blinks with a certain frequency in its own frame of reference, and the speed of light in that frame is c. When the light source approaches you, you observe an increase in A) both speed of light […]

The synthesis of a large collection of information that contains well-tested and verified hypotheses about certain aspects of the world is known as a scientific A) fact. B) hypothesis. C) law or principle. D) theory. E) none of the above […]

Which of these has its center of mass where no mass exists? A) baseball B) golf ball C) basketball D) none of the above When you float in fresh water, the buoyant force that acts on you is equal to […]

A gun with a muzzle velocity of 100 m/s is fired horizontally from a tower. Neglecting air resistance, how far downrange will the bullet be 1 second later? A) 50 m B) 98 m C) 100 m D) 490 m […]

The force on an electron moving in a magnetic field will be least when its direction is A) the same as the magnetic field direction. B) perpendicular to the magnetic field direction. C) either of these D) neither of these […]

The voltage across the input terminals of a transformer is 120 V. The primary has 50 loops and the secondary has 25 loops. The voltage the transformer delivers is A) 30 V. B) 60 V. C) 120 V. D) 240 […]

If the Sun collapsed to a black hole, Earth would A) be sucked into the black hole. B) follow a straight-line path into space. C) continue in its present orbit. Interference is a property of A) water waves. B) sound […]

An object has gravitational potential energy due to its A) speed. B) acceleration. C) momentum. D) location. E) none of the above The rule stating that the sum of two emitted frequencies in an atomic spectrum equals a third frequency […]

White-hot sparks from a 4th-of-July-type sparkler that strike your skin have relatively A) high temperatures. B) few molecules per spark. C) low transfer of energy. D) all of the above E) none of the above Strictly speaking, to weigh less […]

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, is a A) parabola. B) hyberbola. C) catenary. You look at the clock on the Big Ben Tower in London and it reads 12 noon. If you could hypothetically travel away from the […]

Electric resistance in our skin is lowered when our skin is A) moist. B) dry. C) none of the above If a gram of antimatter meets a kilogram of matter, the amount of mass to survive is A) 1 gram. […]

Vibrating membranes relate to which instrument? A) violin B) drum C) oboe D) all of the above E) none of the above The total time it takes a projectile fired straight up at 10 m/s to reach the top of […]

Chinook winds tend to A) warm an environment. B) cool an environment. C) cool deserts at night. D) warm deserts at sunrise. What does c2 have in common with γ? A) they are both proportionality constants B) they have similar […]

A body of water will be deeper when its A) temperature rises. B) temperature drops. C) neither of these The radial velocity of an Earth satellite is its velocity A) parallel to the surface of Earth. B) perpendicular to the […]

The amount of water displaced by a liter-sized block of ordinary wood floating in water is A) less than 1 liter. B) 1 liter. C) more than 1 liter. D) depends on the water density E) none of the above […]

When a light ray in air enters water at 15o from the normal, it A) always bends toward the normal. B) always bends away from the normal. C) sometimes bends towards or away from the normal. D) does not bend. […]

A spinning tossed baseball veers off course in the direction of A) reduced air pressure on the ball. B) increased air pressure on the ball. C) non-crowded streamlines. Energy transfer by convection is primarily restricted to A) solids. B) liquids. […]

The force of gravity does work on a satellite when it is in A) circular orbit. B) elliptical orbit. C) both of these D) neither of these When an electron and a positron meet and annihilate, the mass-energy of the […]

A ring, a disk, and a solid sphere begin rolling down a hill together. Which reaches the bottom first? A) ring B) disk C) sphere D) all reach the bottom at the same time E) need more information The specific […]

If a rocket initially at rest accelerates at a rate of 50 m/s2 for one minute, its speed will be A) 50 m/s. B) 500 m/s. C) 3000 m/s. D) 3600 m/s. When properly used, a hydraulic press, like a […]

The brightest color in sunlight is A) red. B) yellow. C) yellow-green. D) green. E) violet. Entropy is a measure of A) messiness. B) disorder. C) both of the above D) none of the above Answer: C In a spaceship […]

When Burl and Paul stand on opposite ends of a sign-painting scaffold, the tensions in the supporting ropes A) are equal. B) depend on the relative weights of Burl and Paul. C) combine to equal zero. D) are in equilibrium. […]

An object that has kinetic energy must be A) moving. B) falling. C) at an elevated position. D) at rest. E) none of the above Compared to ultraviolet waves, the wavelength of infrared waves is A) shorter. B) the same. […]

The cooling effect inside a refrigerator is produced by A) an electric motor that converts electrical energy to internal energy. B) compressing the refrigeration gas. C) vaporizing the refrigeration liquid. D) proper insulation. E) exchanging warmer air with colder air. […]

The brightness of a lamp is directly related to its A) brand. B) place of manufacture. C) power rating. D) all of the above E) none of the above A ball rolls along a horizontal track in a certain time. […]

When you quickly jerk a cart forward that has a ball resting in the middle, the A) front of the cart hits the ball. B) back of the cart hits the ball. C) neither, for the ball rides along in […]

The discreteness of energy levels is best understood by considering the electrons to be A) like tiny planets orbiting a sun. B) attached to the nucleus by massless springs. C) much less massive than the nucleus. D) all of the […]

As a block of ice at 0oC melts, the block absorbs energy A) and decreases in temperature. B) and increases in temperature. C) without a temperature change. D) all of the above E) none of the above An asteroid exerts […]

Heavier atoms are not proportionally larger than lighter atoms due to the greater number of protons A) pulling surrounding electrons into tighter shells. B) squeezed into tighter spaces. C) both of these D) none of these Aluminum has a specific […]

A good reflector of radiation is a A) good absorber of radiation. B) good emitter of radiation. C) poor absorber of radiation. D) none of the above The conversion of mass to energy of other forms via nuclear fission is […]

Sara lies on a bed of sharp nails without harm because A) many of the nails don’t make contact with her body. B) her weight is distributed over hundreds of nails. C) she exercises mind over matter. D) none of […]