Concepts of Science Final
A car initially moving towards the west at a speed of 25 m/s changes its velocity to 15 m/s towards the west in 5 seconds by braking. What is the car's acceleration? a. 2 m/s^2 towards the east b. 2 m/s^2 towards the west c. 2 m/s^2 towards the north d. 2 m/s^2 towards the south
a
A scientist engaged in studying a distant supernova is engaged in which of the following? a. Basic research b. Applied research
a
A way of asking and answering questions about the physical universe is known as: a. science b. hypothesis c. observation d. research
a
A car initially moving towards the west at a speed of 15 m/s changes its velocity to 25 m/s towards the west in 5 seconds. What is the car's acceleration? a. 2 m/s^2 towards the east b. 2 m/s^2 towards the west c. 5 m/s^2 towards the east d. 5 m/s^2 towards the west
b
Absolute zero is defined as the temperature at which: a. a substance reaches 0 degrees Fahrenheit b. all heat has been extracted from a substance c. a substance reaches 0 Kelvin
b
After making a prediction based on a hypothesis the next logical step would be a. To come up with a conclusion b. To perform experiments or tests c. To do more research
b
Energy can be stored in a flashlight battery as: a. electrical energy. b. chemical potential energy. c. heat energy. d. gravitational potential energy. e. electromagnetic energy.
b
From a physicist's point of view, in which of the following cases has significant work been done? a. You try to pull your car out of ditch, but it doesn't budge. b. Your brother throws his dirty clothes on the floor. c. Your mother holds a sleeping baby. d. You review for a test by imagining the questions. e. Your father tries unsuccessfully to open a jar.
b
If you were a spacecraft moving away from the earth a. your weight would be increasing b. your weight would be decreasing c. you weight would stay the same
b
Kepler's first law of planetary motion says: a. Planets orbit the Sun along circular paths b. Planets orbit the Sun along elliptical paths c. Planets orbit the Earth along circular paths d. Planets orbit the Earth along elliptical paths
b
Ockham's razor is a: a. instrument of Mayan torture. b. philosophy advocating that the simplest solutions have a higher probability of being correct c. constellation in the southern hemisphere. d. example of pseudoscience. e. tool used in raising Stonehenge lintel stones.
b
Regarding Einstein's famous equation relating energy to mass, for mass to have so much energy requires which of the following to be true? a. Mass must first emit significant amounts of light. b. Mass naturally contains a significant quantity of energy. c. Mass must be moving at the speed of light. d. The atoms making up the mass must be moving at virtually the speed of light.
b
Temperature is a measure of: a. the average potential energy of the atoms within a substance b. the average kinetic energy of the atoms within a substance c. the amount of heat in a substance
b
Thermal energy is measured in units of: a. joules/second. b. calories. c. watts. d. foot-pounds. e. all of the above.
b
Water is at lowest entropy when it is in the form of: a. cold water b. ice c. gas d. warm water
b
What is the acceleration of a car that reaches a speed of 3 meters per second from rest in 10 seconds? a. 30 meters per second squared b. 0.3 meters per second squared c. 3 meters per second squared d. 10 meters per second squared
b
Which could be studied using the scientific method? a. a poem b. an ecosystem c. a painting d. religion e. all of the above
b
Which of the following can be measured scientifically? a. the beauty of a painting b. the age of a rock c. religious beliefs d. value of a sale item e. meaning of a poem
b
Which of the following could not be investigated by the scientific methods? a. Under what conditions could bass live in a lake b. the intrinsic artistry in a piece of classical music c. the age of the Mona Lisa
b
Which of the following is considered a science? a. astrology b. astronomy c. creationism d. extrasensory perception (ESP) e. study of crop circles
b
Which of the following scientists would study forces of motion in the universe? a. biologists and physicists b. physicists and astronomers c. chemists and biologists d. geologists and astronomers e. none of the above
b
Which of the following statements would be true of the scientific method? a. The scientific method is a linear process starting with observation and following several other rigidly defined steps. b.The scientific method is a continuous process by which people learn about the physical universe and share their knowledge with others. c. Scientists may report findings in such a way that experiments and observations remain known only to the original experimenters. d. When the results of an experiment do not fit the hypothesis, a scientist may ethically discard the results and repeat the experiment. e. The scientific method has no connection to the way people conduct their lives every day.
b
Which of the following temperatures is best for serving ice cream? a. 0 K b. 10 F c. 10 C d. 32 C e. 10 K
b
Which of the following would be the least effective insulation for your house? a. a trapped layer of air b. a thin sheet of metal c. woven glass strands d. wood e. cinder block
b
Which of these represents the coldest temperature? a. 0 Celsius b. 0 Kelvin c. 0 Fahrenheit d. the freezing point of pure water e. -100 Celsius
b
Which scientist would have been most likely to use mathematics and was the first to plot elliptical orbits of planets? a. Copernicus b. Johannes Kepler c. Claudius Ptolemy d. Tycho Brahe
b
Which statement best represents the second law of thermodynamics? a. Heat will not flow spontaneously from a hot to a cold body. b. Every isolated system becomes more disordered with time. c. Scientists have constructed an engine that does nothing but convert heat to useful work. d. a & b e. a & b & c
b
Which substance has the lowest specific heat capacity? a. water b. copper c. aluminum
b
Who turned gravitational potential energy into kinetic energy by using a paddle to heat up water and prove that heat is just another form of energy? a. James Watt b. James Prescott Joule c. Benjamin Franklin d. Isaac Newton
b
Why is ___ a month about 30 days? a. related to the motion of the earth on its axis b. related to the motion of the moon around the earth c. related to the motion of the earth around the sun
b
A space capsule falling to earth would have a. kinetic energy b. potential energy c. both kinetic and potential energy d. no energy
c
According to science it is impossible for anything in the universe to be at a temperature of a. -200 C b. 274 C c. -274 C d. 200 C
c
Coulomb discovered that the electrical force equation was very similar to the force equation ____ had discovered. a. Benjamin Franklin b. James Clark Maxwell c. Isaac Newton d. Thomas Edison e. Michael Faraday
c
Energy can be transferred through a vacuum by a. conduction only b. convection only c. radiation only d. conduction and radiation e. convection and radiation
c
How did Mendeleev organize the periodic table of elements? a. date of first discovery b. alphabetically c. atomic weight of the element d.total number of electrons e.ionization energy
c
In a room that is heated by a floor-mounted radiator near a wall, in which of the following locations would you find the coolest air? a. near the ceiling directly above the radiator b. near the ceiling at the top of the wall directly opposite the radiator c. near the floor at the bottom of the wall directly opposite the radiator d. immediately next to the radiator
c
In pushing a crate 3.0 m across a floor using a force of 10 N, how much work did you expend on the crate? a. 10 J b. 20 J c. 30 J d. 40 J
c
The first widely accepted explanation for complex celestial motions is credited to: a. Copernicus b. Johannes Kepler c. Claudius Ptolemy d. Tycho Brahe
c
The mode of heat transfer that takes advantage of differences in density is a. conduction b. radiation c. convection
c
What is SETI? a. a pseudoscience b. the theory of intelligent life c. the search for intelligent life d. the application of science to astrology e. short-wave interference in radio signals
c
Which of the following balls would have the greatest amount of kinetic energy, if they were traveling at 10 m/s? a. baseball b. ping pong ball c. bowling ball d. soccer ball e. basketball
c
Which of the following is a rate? a. joule b. foot-pound c. power d. energy e. newton
c
Basic research scientists a. are interested in finding out how the world works for the sake of acquiring fundamental knowledge. b. believe in the healing power of meditation. c. want their research to have practical application to industry or technology. d. are also known as theorists. e. would be likely to have a patent on a discovery.
a
Copernicus hypothesized that the Universe is built exactly like Ptolemy suggested except: a. the Sun was the center of the universe. b. the Earth was the center of the universe. c. the planetary bodies had elliptical orbits
a
Daniel Fahrenheit invented a thermometer on which 0 represented a. the coldest temperature he could obtain in his laboratory b. the coldest anything can get c. the temperature at which water freezes
a
Determine which of these questions could be researchable using the scientific method. a. Under what conditions could bass live in a lake? b. What was the artist thinking when he painted Mona Lisa? c. Are UFOs related to crop circles? d. Is there a supreme deity? e. What is the meaning of life?
a
Energy can be transferred through a solid by: a. conduction b. convection c. radiation d. conduction and radiation e. conduction and convection
a
Every object at rest contains potential energy equivalent to the product of its ___ times a constant which is ___ a. mass; speed of light squared b. mass; speed of light c. mass; speed d. speed; mass e. mass; speed of light cubed
a
How does science differ from pseudoscience? a. Scientific hypotheses can be proven false through experiment. b. Science requires a lower standard of proof. c. Pseudoscience statements can be tested d. Science is based on anecdotes. e. all of the above
a
If one were to introduce a fast moving molecule into a container of slower moving molecules the outcome will be: a. all molecules would end up traveling the same speed b. some molecules would travel fast while some would travel slow
a
If you multiply the units (meters/second^2) x (second), the result is the unit: a. meters/second b. meters c. meters/second^2 d. meters/second^3
a
In what way does Newton's law of universal gravitation differ from Coulomb's law? a. Electrical forces can be either attractive or repulsive, while gravity is only attractive b. Only Newton's law of gravity requires a universal constant c. Only Coulomb's law addresses distance in describing the effect of one object on another d. Newton's law required experimentation but Coulomb's law did not e. Newton's and Coulomb's laws are really identical, so there is no significant difference
a
Insulation in the attic is used to reduce heat loss by a. conduction b. convection c. radiation
a
Newton's three laws of motion include the statement that: a. for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. b. the less massive an object, the more force is required to overcome inertia. c. every object falls differently. d. the acceleration produced on a body by a force is inversely proportional to the amount of force applied to the body. e. there is no gravity in space.
a
Quantitative measurements lend themselves more readily to: a. mathematical equations b. observations in nature c. experimentations in nature d. manipulations of nature
a
Radiation is heat transfer by: a. electromagnetic waves of radiation b. kinetic energy of molecules. c. visible light. d. conduction. e. convection.
a
The Ptolemaic theory of the universe includes: a. an unmoving Earth at the center. b. an unmoving Sun at the center. c. elliptical orbits. d. stationary planets. e. no explanation about the Sun's movement
a
The scientific method depends on: a. reproducible results. b. clearly stated laws of nature. c. accurate initial predictions. d. fact-based hypotheses. e. communication of findings.
a
The standard used to calibrate thermometers is: a. pure water b. carbon dioxide c. hydrogen oxide
a
What did James Prescott Joule discover about heat? a. Heat is a form of energy. b. Potential energy equals heat. c. Calories should be limited to energy required. d. Brass tools work better under water. e. Horses expend energy at a rate of 550 foot lb/sec.
a
What did the builders of stonehenge accomplish? a. They demonstrated that some natural events are predictable. b. They figured out the momentum of the Solar System. c. They established contact with ancient astronauts. d. They maintained written records of natural events. e. They accomplished none of the above.
a
What is the primary method of heat transfer in a fluid? a. convection b. conduction c. radiation
a
What kind of energy does the pounding of ocean surf demonstrate? a. kinetic energy b. potential energy c. sound energy d. heat energy e. mechanical energy
a
What percent of research grants submitted are federally funded? a. 5% to 25% b. 25% to 45% c. 45% to 65% d. 65% to 85%
a
Which of the following is least likely to be categorized as "science"? a. determining the qualities of a pigment used in a famous painting b. determine the age of the marble used to make a famous statue c. determining the aesthetic properties of a famous poem d. determining the thickness of paper on which a work of Shakespeare was written
c
Which of the following is not a kind of potential energy? a. Electrical b. Elastic c. Thermal d. Magnetic
c
Which statement does not describe a falling object? a. D = a constant X (time)2 b. The distance traveled is proportional to time traveled multiplied by time traveled. c. Distance equals a constant multiplied by time. d. time X time X constant = distance e. If an object falls three times as long as another, it will travel nine times as far as another.
c
Which statement is true about the discipline of science? a. Science is a set of facts about the physical world. b. Science provides answers to all questions about our environment. c. Science provides our best view to the workings of the universe and everything within it. d. Science and intuition are mutually exclusive. e. All the above are true.
c
Who is known as the founder or father of experimental science? a. Johannes Kepler b. Copernicus c. Galileo Galilei d. Claudius Ptolemy e. Tycho Brahe
c
Why is mathematics the language of science? a. to ensure international cooperation among scientists b. to separate the scientists from the nonscientists c. mathematics allows scientists to be more accurate in describing an observation of nature d. because scientists are more analytical than creative e. all of the above
c
You notice that when the parchment paper of an ancient document is exposed to a certain chemical, the parchment paper becomes a different color. What have you done? a. used reason and the insight of your mind b. relied on received wisdom c. performed an experiment d. made an observation
c
"Eighty miles per hour toward the northeast" is an example of: a. acceleration. b. uniform motion. c. rate. d. velocity. e. speed.
d
A rock held by a person above the floor, but not dropped, is an example of which of Newton's Laws? (1) The velocity is constant in the absence of a net force, (2) The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to and in the same direction as the net force acting on the object, (3) When one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object exerts an equal force in the opposite direction on the first object: a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. both 1 and 3 e. none of the above
d
A theory is a. an educated guess based on data collected. b. a statement that describes how a system will behave. c. a precise mathematical equation. d. based on many observations and experiments. e. a proven hypothesis.
d
At the time Dimitri Mendeleev produced the first periodic table of the elements, which of the following was not true? a. There were more than 60 known chemical elements. b. Chemists used the concept of atomic mass. c. Chemists knew that each element had distinct physical properties and chemical behaviors. d. It was the mid-18th century. e. all of the above
d
Dr. John Snow's research and observations improved the lives of London's citizens in the 1800's by: a. improving the quality of the drinking water. b. finding a cure for cholera. c. diagnosing tuberculosis in the Royal family. d. associating disease with polluted water. e. identifying the bacterium, Vibrio cholerae.
d
How is a hypothesis tested? (1) by using the hypothesis to make predictions about a system, (2) by comparing observations in nature with predictions, (3) by making a new hypothesis: a. 1 only b. 2 only c. 3 only d. 1 and 2 e. 1 and 3
d
If you weigh 150 pounds and are standing on the earth without moving, how much force is the ground exerting on you? a. No force b. More than 150 pounds c. Less than 150 pounds d. 150 pounds e. Cannot be determined with the given information
d
In science, every theory must be tested by using it to make a. a hypothesis. b. laws of nature. c. experiments. d. predictions. e. a mathematical formula.
d
Peer review in science a.demoralizes most young scientists before they can become established. b.is accomplished in the editorial offices of major scientific journals. c. causes delays between the conclusion of an experiment and the communication of the results. d. is conducted in confidence by a panel of experts in the field. e. has become outdated since the advent of computers.
d
Potential energy can thought of as which of the following? a. a measure of the amount of power exerted by a system b. the ability of a system to store energy c. a measure of the kinetic energy that is left in a system d. the storage of energy that is available to do work
d
The kilowatt-hour is a measure of which of the following? a. power b. momentum c. velocity d. energy
d
What is a scientific theory? a. A tentative, educated guess. b. A confirmed observation about the natural world. c. A statement of a regular, predictable pattern of behavior in nature. d. A well-substantiated explanatory description of the world based on a larger number of independently verified observational and experimental tests.
d
When scientists have finished research and wish to communicate the results, they are most likely to do which of the following? a. immediately repeat the research b. call a press conference c. sell their findings to a research and development company d. write a concise paper and submit it to a scientific journal e. submit an abstract to a popular science magazine
d
Where within a pot of boiling water would you find the coolest water? a. at the bottom b. in the center c. at the top center d. along the top sides e. none of the above
d
Which of the following does not demonstrate angular momentum? a. navigation equipment on airplanes b. the hubcap and tire system on an automobile c. a figure skater's spin d. an apple falling from a tree e. a satellite in outer space
d
Which of the following is equivalent to one horsepower? a.1000 kWh b.0.75 joules c.1200 ft-lbs per hour d. 550 ft-lbs per second e. none of the above
d
Which of the following is most likely to happen to an astronaut during liftoff? a. bones and muscles collapse b. nerve damage may occur c. body fluids are stabilized d. blood is temporarily drained from the brain e. all of the above
d
Which of the following statements is a prediction? a. Mealworms prefer dark environments. b. High quality balloons filled with atmospheric air will float higher than low quality balloons filled with atmospheric air. c. Spearmint candies taste better than peppermint candies. d. Data show that a decrease in food lowers the rate of mealworm reproduction. Therefore, if I increase the amount of food available to mealworms, their reproduction rate will increase. e. All but d.
d
Which pair are both examples of pseudoscience? a. astronomy and cosmology b. reincarnation and evolution c. geology and biology d. UFO studies and astrology e. extrasensory perception and psychology
d
An energy stored in all fossil fuels was originally in: a. ferns of the Jurassic Age. b. meteors. c. the ocean. d. uranium belts. e. the Sun.
e
Laws of nature can be characterized by saying that they a. arise from repeated observation and testing. b. represent our best understanding of how the universe works in certain circumstances. c. are subject to change based upon additional observations. d. are subject to change. e. all the above
e
Most biologists think that feathers were evolved to help birds: a. fly. b. attract mates. c. float in water. d. hide from enemies. e. retain heat.
e
Natural philosophers, in the mid-nineteenth century, a. advised the government on policy issues. b. recommended allocation of funds for research. c. argued for the natural coalition of church and state. d. were the landed gentry with little interest in science e. understood the physical and biological worlds.
e
Stretching a rubber band is an example of storing: a. potential energy b. kinetic energy c. chemical energy d. heat energy e. elastic potential energy
e
The conservation law of science states that: a. our natural resources are scarce. b. once energy is used, it is lost to the system. c. fossil fuels are an important energy source. d. conservation will save fossil fuels. e. the amount of energy in an isolated system stays the same
e
Which of the following could be funded by a federal grant? a. computer time to run analyses b. salaries of investigators c. equipment to conduct the research d. travel to field sites e. All of the above could be funded.
e
Which of the following is in uniform motion? a. a kite dancing on the wind b. a rocket as it blasts off from the launch pad 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
e
Which of these statements is not true about Copernicus? a. He hypothesized that planetary orbits were circular. b. He believed that Ptolemy's ideas about the shape of orbits were correct. c. He provided the first serious alternative to Ptolemy's system. d.His model of the universe placed the Sun, rather than the Earth, at the center. e. He used telescopic observations to confirm his theories
e
Why do scientists reject astrology? a. Planets do not exert a gravitational force on a newborn baby. b. Stars do not exert any force on a newborn baby. c. The Babylonians developed astrology. d. The Moon is too far away to influence a person's life. e. There is no evidence that stars can predict the future.
e
