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 a curve, the outer track is longer. This means a wheel that
rides on the outer track needs to somehow
A) roll slower than the wheel on the inner track.
B) maintain the same speed as the wheel on the inner track.
C) roll faster than the wheel on the inner track.
The Bohr model of the atom is akin to a
A) miniature solar system.
B) blob of plum pudding, where raisins represent electrons.
C) central heavy ball with lighter balls connected by springs.
D) all of the above
The beat frequency produced when a 240-hertz tuning fork and a 246-hertz tuning fork
are sounded together is
A) 6 hertz.
B) 12 hertz.
C) 240 hertz.
D) 245 hertz.
E) none of the above
Eight little spheres of mercury coalesce to form a single sphere. Compared to the
combined surface areas of the eight little spheres, the surface area of the big sphere is
A) one eighth.
B) one quarter.
C) one half.
D) the same.
E) double.
The secondary rainbow is dimmer than the primary rainbow mainly because
A) its colors are inverted.
B) it is larger, and its energy is spread over more area.
C) it is farther from the viewer.
D) it simply has less energy than the primary bow.
E) of an extra reflection and refraction in the drops.
The pitch of a musical sound is most related to
A) wavelength.
B) frequency.
C) speed.
D) amplitude.
E) all of the above
When U-239 emits a beta particle, the resulting nucleus has
A) 90 protons.
B) 91 protons.
C) 92 protons.
D) 93 protons.
E) 94 protons.
When neptunium emits a beta particle the result is
A) a different isotope of neptunium.
B) uranium.
C) plutonium.
D) lead.
E) none of the above
Which light source is more energy-efficient?
A) a fluorescent lamp
B) an incandescent lamp
C) a CFL
D) an LED
Compared to smaller clouds with small droplets, a big cloud with large droplets
A) absorbs more light.
B) is darker.
C) is more likely to produce rain.
D) all the above
E) none of the above
Stand a meterstick on its end and let it rotate to the floor. If you attach a heavy glob of
clay to its upper end and repeat, the time to fall will be
A) shorter.
B) longer.
C) the same.
It takes Neptune a longer time to orbit the Sun than Earth does because Neptune
A) has much further to go.
B) goes much slower.
C) both of these
D) none of these
According to general relativity, a photon emitted by a star
A) loses energy.
B) reduces in frequency.
C) is red-shifted.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above
Your weight is the force
A) due to gravity only.
B) you exert against a supporting surface.
C) equal to your normal force on any surface.
The balance between electrical and nuclear strong forces is more tenuous in
A) light elements.
B) middle size elements like iron.
C) heavier elements.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above
Neglecting air resistance, Sammy Smarts on a high ladder releases a ball that strikes the
ground with 100 J of kinetic energy. If he were to instead throw the ball straight
upward, it will soon reach the ground with a kinetic energy of
A) less than 100 J.
B) 100 J.
C) more than 100 J.
A 4-ohm and 6-ohm resistor connected in parallel have an equivalent resistance of
A) 2.4 ohms.
B) 4 ohms.
C) 5 ohms.
D) 5.5 ohms.
E) 10 ohms.
A hydraulic press, like an inclined plane, is capable of increasing energy.
A) sometimes true
B) always false
C) always true
D) sometimes false
A throbbing pulse of electromagnetic radiation is called a
A) proton.
B) photon.
C) phototron.
D) newtron.
E) nooytron.
Deuterium and tritium are both
A) forms of hydrogen.
B) isotopes of the same element.
C) both of these
D) neither of these
Surrounding every magnet is
A) a magnetic field.
B) an electric field.
C) both of these
D) neither of these
A common 5-liter metal can will float in air if it is
A) evacuated of air.
B) filled with a very large amount of helium.
C) thrown high enough.
D) no way, unless the displaced air weighs more than the can and its contents!
A 500-N parachutist opens his chute and experiences an air resistance force of 800 N.
The net force on the parachutist is then
A) 300 N downward.
B) 500 N downward.
C) 800 N downward.
D) 300 N upward.
E) 500 N upward.
All waves have in common a
A) pattern.
B) vibrating source.
C) variable regions of high and low pressure.
D) none of the above
If Earth’s radius somehow increased with no change in mass, your weight would
A) increase also.
B) decrease.
C) stay the same.
An un-stretched hanging spring is 50 cm long. Suspending a 100-N block from it
increases its length to 60 cm. Adding another 100-N block makes the spring’s length
A) 60 cm.
B) 70 cm.
C) 80 cm.
D) 100 cm.
E) 120 cm.
A karate chop is more effective if one’s hand
A) follows through upon impact.
B) bounces upon impact.
C) extends the time upon impact.
A ball gains speed while rolling down a hill due mainly to
A) its rotational inertia.
B) its angular acceleration.
C) a balanced torque.
D) an unbalanced torque.
Compared with protons, neutrons are more effective nuclear bullets in nuclear reactions
since they have
A) slightly greater mass than a proton.
B) no charge.
C) a wider cross-section than a proton.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above
If the Sun collapsed to a black hole, Earth’s gravitational attraction to it would be
A) more.
B) less.
C) the same.
A step-up transformer steps up voltage by ten times. Neglecting slight losses, if 100 W
of power go into the primary coil, the power coming from the secondary coil is
A) 1 W.
B) 10 W.
C) 100 W.
D) 1000 W.
E) none of the above