Concepts Clicker Questions
Which of the following items would use only low-resistance wires? a) a toaster b) a space heater (electric heater for a room in your house) c) an electrical transmission line d) an incandescent light bulb
c
Which one of the following is NOT a statement from the Second Law of Thermodynamics? a) Heat will not flow spontaneously from a cold to a hot body. b) Every Isolated system becomes more disordered with time. c) Living things must be able to absorb heat from their environment by radiation. d) You cannot construct an engine that does nothing but convert heat to useful work.
c
What did the builders of Stonehenge accomplish? a) They demonstrated that some natural events are predictable. b) They figured out the structure and mechanics of the Solar System. c) They established contact with ancient astronauts. d) They maintained written records of natural events, which are carved in stone.
A
Why is a day about 24 hours? a)Related to the motion of the earth around the sun b)Related to the rotation of the earth on its axis c)Related to the motion of the moon around the earth d)Related to the motion of the stars around the earth
B
In a quantum jump where photons are released, which photon would have the greatest energy a) red b) violet c) green d) yellow e) orange
b
A scientist engaged in studying a distant supernova is engaged in which of the following? a) Basic research b) Developing technology c) Applied research d) Research & Development
C
Which of the following is NOT a good question to ask yourself in determining whether or not something is a pseudoscience? a) Are the facts true as stated? b) Is there an alternative explanation? c) Have the claims been rigorously tested? D) Do the claims require reasonable changes in accepted ideas?
D
Which kind of reaction is 2HNO3+ Mg(OH)2→2H2O + Mg(NO3)2? a) Precipitation b) Acid-Base c) Oxidation d) Reduction
c
A good piece of geographic evidence for fact that eastern South America was once joined with western Africa is the: a) shapes of the coastlines on both sides of the southern Atlantic Ocean between them b) ages of the rocks in eastern South America versus western South America
a
An atom capable of making very complicated, covalently-bonded molecules is: a) carbon. b) nitrogen. c) helium. d) sodium.
a
If one were to conduct a cutting experiment like that described by Democritus wherein he envisioned cutting paper into smaller and smaller pieces using the world's sharpest knife, what would the smallest identifiable bit of paper be? a) an atom. b) a molecule. c) a tiny part of an atom. d) an element like hydrogen.
a
If the temperature of an object changes by 5oC then it also changes by: a) 5 K b) 41oF c) 278 K d) 5oF
a
If you use an electrical current to break down water, you get what two gases? a) hydrogen and oxygen b) carbon and dioxide c) carbon and oxygen d) hydrogen and carbon
a
Kepler's first law of planetary motion says: a) Planets orbit the Earth along elliptical paths. b) Planets orbit the Sun along elliptical paths. c) Planets orbit the Sun along circular paths. d) Planets orbit the Earth within crystal spheres.
a
One significant difference between matter waves (such as earthquakes and sound waves and water waves) and electromagnetic waves is which of the following? a) Matter waves happen on larger scales. b) Electromagnetic waves don't have detectable effects. c) Electromagnetic waves can travel through nothing at all. d) Matter waves involve some type of up-and-down motion.
a
The kilowatt-hour is a measure of which of the following? a) Energy b) Mass c) Power d) Speed
a
The magnetic patterns from seafloor data: a) were created by magnetite in lava flows. b) are caused by hot spots. c) are indicators of past and future earthquake sites.
a
The main source of energy used in the United States is: a) oil. b) natural gas. c) nuclear. d) coal.
a
The mode of heat transfer that takes advantage of differences in density is: a) convection. b) conduction. c) radiation. d) excitation
a
The study of objects in the heavens is known as which of the following? a) Astronomy b) Astrology c) Cosmology d) Physics
a
The type of light with the longest wavelength is known as which of the following? a) Radio Waves b) Microwaves c) Infrared waves d) Visible light
a
Which of the following is the best definitionof energy? a) The ability to do work b) The amount of work in an object c) The measure of the force in an object d)The size of the force acting on an object
a
Which sound wave frequency is outside the range of a human's ability to detect? a) 5 Hz b) 20 Hz c) 200 Hz d) 2000 Hz e) 10000 Hz
a
A neutrino created in the solar fusion sequence: a) gets knocked around in collisions for about 8 minutes on average before escaping. b) undergoes collision after collision in the core and then undergoes convection to eventually rise to the surface and escape the Sun. c) undergoes a significant number of collisions in both the core and the convection zone before escaping the Sun.
b
A wave having a frequency of 10 Hz means which of the following is occurring? a) 10 waves are simultaneously oscillating up and down. b) 1 wave goes up and down 10 times every second. c) Over a distance of 10 m, a wave oscillations up and down 10 times. d) 10 seconds goes by between waves.
b
After mixing the ingredients for a salad, why do the ingredients (lettuce, tomato, cabbage, carrot, etc.) remain mixed? In other words, why do they not unmixthemselves? a) The Law of Conservation of Energy tells us that this will not happen. b) The statistical likelihood of this happening is so low that the chance of it happening is essentially zero. c) Newton's 1st Law of Motion tells us that this will not happen. d) Newton's 3rd Law of Motion tells us that this will not happen.
b
Approximately how far is it from one side of the Milky Way Galaxy to the other side? a) 1,000,000 light-years b) 100,000 light-years i) 10,000 light-years d) 1,000 light-years
b
Because a neutral sodium atom has11 electrons, sodium is: a) an inert gas. b) a highly reactive element. c) a noble gas. d) only sightly reactive under certain conditions
b
If we were somehow able to manufacture a heat engine that operated at 100% efficiency, what could we say about the temperatures of the hot and cold reservoirs? a) The hot reservoir is at 100 K and the cold reservoir is at 10 K. b) The hot reservoir can be at any temperature while the cold reservoir is at 0 K. c) The hot reservoir is at 100 K and the cold reservoir is at 100 K. d) The hot reservoir is at 10 K and the cold reservoir is at 100 K.
b
Scientists recent calculations of the expansion of the universe show that the expansion: a) has been constant since the time the universe was first formed b) has been speeding up ever since the universe was first formed c) has been slowing down ever since the universe was first formed d) really does not exist
b
Taking the speed of light as being equal to 3 x 108m/s, if an electromagnetic wave has a frequency of 6 x 108Hz what is its wavelength? a) 0.5 m b) 2 m c) 3 m d) 9 m
b
The most stable configurations of electrons occur in which of the following cases? a) Elements that are inert gasses b) Elements with even atomic numbers c) Elements with odd atomic numbers d) Elements that occur in the first column of the periodic table
b
The surface temperature of the Sun is approximately 5800 K. Suppose you heat a sample of hydrogen to more than that temperature. What is the most likely result? a) The hydrogen molecules break down into separate hydrogen atoms. b) The gas transforms into a different state of matter. c) It takes the energy and bonds into diatomic hydrogen molecules. d) The electron and proton in each atom collapse into each other and form neutrons.
b
To achieve a negative charge, you would most likely do which of the following? a) Add protons to the object. b) Add electrons to the object. c) Remove electrons from the object. d) Remove protons from the object.
b
When two atoms link up we call that: a) periodicity. b) a chemical bond. c) a noble gas. d) valence.
b
When we see a galaxy moving towards us and emitting a ray of light in the green part of the spectrum, which of the following colors is the one that we would most likely see? a) Yellow b) Blue c) Red d) Green
b
Which of the following kinds of particles are made from quarks? a) leptons b) protons c) electrons d) positrons
b
An example of the difference between your weight and your mass is that: a) your mass is different on the Earth compared to on the Moon, but your weight remains the same. b) your weight decreases by a smaller fraction than your mass when you go from the Earth to the Moon. c) your weight is different on the Earth compared to on the Moon, but your mass remains the same. d) your mass decreases by a smaller fraction than your weight when you go from the Earth to the Moon
c
How fast is a wave moving if it has a wavelength of 4.0 m and a frequency of 4 Hz? a) 8 m/s b) 1 m/s c) 16 m/s d) 0 m/s
c
Liquid Nitrogen boils at a temperature of 77K. This corresponds to: A.3500C B.-960C C.-3210F D.-459.70F
c
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.
c
Suppose that a star has a different color than the Sun, what can we determine from just that one observation? a) The star is much farther away from us than the Sun. b) The star is much bigger than the Sun. c) The star's spectrum is different from the Sun. d) The star is brighter than the Sun
c
The Doppler Effect is NOT observed where the following occurs: a) The source moves towards or away from the observer. b) The observer moves towards or away from the source. c) Both the observer and the source are moving at the same velocity. d) Both the observer and the source are moving at different velocities.
c
The current in a circuit is 0.5 A and the voltage across it is 12 V. The power being supplied by the source is: a) 12.5 W b) 11.5 W c) 6 W d) 24 W
c
The field of study that deals with determining the ultimate structure of reality is referred to by philosophers as: a) minimalism. b) rationalism. c) reductionism.
c
The spontaneous formation of new chemical bonds usually leads to the emission of energy in the form of heat because of which of the following reasons? a) Electrons go from lower energy states to higher energy states. b) Nuclei go from higher energy states to lower energy states. c) Valence electrons go from higher energy states to lower energy states. d) Electrons in the outermost shell adopt identical low-energy states.
c
What was one of the original motivations for grouping the elements in columns? a) They are grouped according to similar sizes. b) They are grouped according to similar chemical behavior. c) They are grouped according to similar masses. d) They are grouped according to the order in which they were discovered.
c
You carefully hold a fragile antique egg in your outstretched hand; you wisely hold it still, keeping it from falling to the floor. In this example, which of the following pairs of forces represent the application of Newton's 3rd Law of Motion? a) The force the hand on the Egg and the force of the muscles in your arm keeping it still b) The weight of the hand and the weight of the Egg c) The force of the hand supporting the Egg and the force the Egg exerts on the hand d)The force of the hand supporting the Egg and the weight of the Egg
c
A particular mountain's dimensions are approximately 2000 m high by 3000 m long by 1000 m deep. If the erosion rate of this mountain is 600 m3/year, how many years will elapse before this mountain is eroded away? a) 10 thousand years b) 100 thousand years c) 1 million years d) 10 million years
d
An electric motor does which of the following? a) Converts heat into electrical energy and mechanical energy. b) Converts mechanical energy into electrical energy and heat. c) Converts electrical energy and heat into mechanical energy. d) Converts electrical energy to mechanical energy and heat.
d
How do two isotopes of the same element differ? a) Their nuclei have different number of protons. b) Their electrons have different orbits. c) They have different electrical charges. d) Their neutrons differ in number. e) They have a different atomic number.
d
Inert gases a) have very little in common. b) form a compound known as a salt. c) are also called halogens. d) have similar chemical properties.
d
Our basic knowledge of the properties of static electricity began: a) in the sixteen hundreds. b) with the invention of the battery. c) with the invention of the electric motor. d) in the eighteenth century. e) in the seventeenth century
d
Potential energy can be 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
Short-wavelength ultraviolet light and gamma rays don't travel very far through the Earth's atmosphere before being absorbed. Based on this, which of the following would you expect to be absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere? a) Infrared rays b) Radio waves c) Microwaves d) X-rays
d
The absolute brightness of a star is which of the following? a) A measure of how bright the star appears to someone on Earth b) A measure of how far away the star must be to appear as bright as it does. c) All of the above are correct in describing absolute magnitude. d) A measure of how bright the star would be if all stars were the same distance away
d
The first cyclotron was the size of a: a) small country. b) farmer's field. c) table top. d) human hand. 3/31/14
d
The force that holds the nucleus together despite the electrical repulsion between protons is the: a) gravitational force. b) weak force. c) electromagnetic force. d) strong force.
d
The transform plate boundaries: a) form new material at rates exceeding that of the divergent plate boundaries. b) are the location of island arcs and hot spots. c) created the Andes Mountains in South America. d) are exemplified by the San Andreas fault.
d
Vectors are quantities with which of the following properties? a) Magnitude. b) Magnitude or direction. c) Direction. d) Magnitude and direction
d
Water (H2O) is at lowest entropy when it is in the from of: a) warm water. c) cold water. d) ice.
d
What causes an electromagnetic wave to be emitted? a) writing an equation that has the wave form in it b) destructive interference of sound waves c) trying to separate electrical from magnetic phenomena d) acceleration of an electric charge
d
What was the first constituent of an atom to be discovered? a) The ion b) The proton c) The neutron d) The electron
d
What were the two models that were used to describe the motion of planets? a) Geothermal and isothermal b) Isocentric and exocentric c) Heliocentric and exoplanet d) Geocentric and heliocentric e) Isoplanet and helioplanet
d
Which of the following forces is NOT going to be involved when two electrons approach each other and interact? a) Gravity b) Electromagnetism c) Weak force d) Strong force
d
Which of the following is NOT a kind of potential energy? a) Electrical b) Elastic c) Thermal d) Magnetic
d
Which of the following is an observation we can make about pipes in a pipe organ? a) The longest pipes give rise to the highest frequencies. b) The shortest pipes give rise to the smallest frequencies. c) The length of the pipe is inversely proportional to the square of the frequency of the sound it produces. d) The length of the pipe is inversely proportional to the frequency of the sound it produces
d
Which of the following is not a property of magnets? a) All magnets have poles b) All magnets can attract an iron nail. c) All magnets' poles come in pairs, a north and a south. d) All magnets are made of steel.
d
Which of the following is something common to both the electrical force and the gravitational force? a) They both have roughly the same relative strength. b) They both can only cause attraction between objects. c) Both of these are common features between the forces due to electricity and gravity. d) Neither of these are common features between the electrical and gravitational forces.
d
Which of the following is typically NOT something that would be measured by an astronomer? a) The location of a star b) The different types of light emitted by a star c) The brightness of a star d) The aesthetic beauty of a star.
d
Which of the following is typically not a way that a mountain can change in size? a) Water erosion b) Wind erosion c) Volcanic eruption d) Mountains can change in size through each of these methods.
d
Who first coined the word atom? a) Dalton b) Rutherford c) Bohr d) Democritus e) Thomson
d
William Gilbert discovered many important properties of magnets. Which of the following was not among Gilbert's findings? a) Every magnet has at least two poles. b) If magnetic poles are alike they repel each other. c) Steel rods can be magnetized by stroking them with a lodestone. d) Electric currents can be produced by changing magnetic fields.
d
Divergent plate boundaries are associated with: a) seafloor spreading. b) formation of new crust. c) volcanic action. d) shallow, low-energy earthquakes. e) all of these are correct
e
