Physics Test Questions

The earth's atmosphere gets most of its heat near the surface of the Earth. at high altitudes closer to the sun. from the Earth's core.

near the surface of the Earth.

To totally convert a given amount of mechanical energy into heat is impossible. possible. impossible to answer without additional information.

possible

When the distance between two charges is halved, the electrical force between the charges A) quadruples. B) doubles. C) halves. D) is reduced by 1/4. E) none of these.

quadruples.

The lowest temperature possible in nature is 4 K. 0 degrees C. -273 degrees C

-273 degrees C

Consider a closed, sealed can of air placed on a hot stove. The contained air undergoes an increase in two of these. temperature. pressure. mass. all of these

Two of these

The molecules in a room-temperature glass of water jostle around at a great variety of speeds. a very small range of speeds. much the same rates of speed

a great variety of speeds.

A whitish sky is evidence that the atmosphere contains A) predominantly small particles. B) predominantly large particles. C) a mixture of particle sizes. D) water vapor. E) pollutants.

a mixture of particle sizes.

The unit of electric charge, the coulomb, is the charge on a neutron. a quark. one electron. a specific number of electrons a specific number of neutrons

a specific large number of electrons.

Evaporation is a cooling process and condensation is a warming process. a cooling process also. neither a warming nor cooling process

a warming process.

Superconductors are noted for their A) high electric resistance. B) low electric resistance. C) absence of electric resistance.

absence of electric resistance.

When a system does work and no heat is added to the system, its temperature increases. decreases. remains unchanged

decreases.

Which interacts more with light of relatively high frequencies? A) large particles B) small particles C) both the same

small particles

A base fiddle is louder than a harp because of its A) lower pitch B) sounding board C) thicker strings

sounding board

An aircraft that flies faster than the speed of sound is said to be A) subsonic. B) supersonic. C) impossible.

supersonic

Rainbows are not usually seen as complete circles because A) the ground is usually in the way. B) they are actually elliptical. C) they have no bottom part. D) raindrops are not perfectly round. E) rainbows are actually arched shaped.

the ground is usually in the way.

We are warmed by condensation because water molecules in the air that strike our bodies transfer some of their kinetic energy to us. form an insulating layer on our bodies. gain kinetic energy as they change state.

transfer some of their kinetic energy to us.

When a mirror with a fixed beam on it is rotated through a certain angle, the reflected beam is rotated through an angle that is A) equal to the angle of rotation B) twice as large C) four times as large D) none of these

twice as large

14) The natural frequency of the atoms in glass is in the A) infrared part of the spectrum. B) visible part of the spectrum. C) ultraviolet part of the spectrum.

ultraviolet part of the spectrum.

A diver shines light up to the surface of a smooth pond at a 10 degree angle to the normal. Some light passes into the air above, and the part that reflects back into the water makes an angle to the normal of A) less than 10 degrees. B) 10 degrees. C) more than 10 degrees.

10 Degrees

A wave having a frequency of 1000 hertz vibrates at

1000 cycles per second.

As a train of water waves goes by, a piece of cork floating on the water bobs up and down one complete cycle each second. The waves are 2 meters long. What is the speed of the wave? A) 0.25 m/s B) 0.50 m/s C) 1.0 m/s D) 2 m/s E) 4 m/s

2 M/s

An object that completes 20 vibrations in 10 seconds has a frequency of A) 0.5 hertz. B) 1 hertz. C) 2 hertz. D) 200 hertz.

2 hertz

47) The electrical force on a 2-C charge is 60 N. What is the value of the electric field at the place where the charge is located? A) 20 N/C B) 30 N/C C) 60 N/C D) 120 N/C E) 240 N/C

30 N/C

The mass of ice that can be melted by 1 gram of 100-degree-C steam is (Hint: Don't forget about hot water remaining from condensed steam) 0.148 gram. 0.125 gram. 6.75 grams. 8 grams. none of these

8 grams

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. 81% b. 85% c. 89% d. 90% e. 80%

81%

Objects that radiate relatively well, A) Absorb radiation relatively well B) reflect radiation relatively well C) Both of these D) neither of these

Absorb radiation relatively well

The technology for orbiting solar power plants already exists. awaits the next century. is theoretically impossible

Already exists

You can briefly touch a hot clothes iron with a bare wet finger because the wetness provides an insulating layer after it changes state. absorbs energy in vaporizing. Choices C and D are both true. Only Choice C is true.

Choices C and D are both true.

The sensation of color is seen when light falls on the eye's A) rods B) cones C) both D) neither

Cones

If a volume of air is warmed, it expands. If a volume of air expands, it warms. cools. neither warms nor cools

Cools

If glass expanded more than mercury, then the column of mercury in a mercury thermometer would rise when the temperature Decreases Increases None of these

Decreases

53) The glare seen from water is largely A) horizontally polarized. B) vertically polarized. C) non polarized.

Horizontally polarized

Suppose a simple pendulum is suspended in an elevator. When the elevator is accelerating upward, the frequency of the pendulum A) increases B) decreases C) doesn't change

Increases

The part of the electromagnetic spectrum most absorbed by water is

Infrared

1) Most of the waves in the electromagnetic spectrum are A) red light. B) blue light. C) green light. D) invisible

Invisible

A highly charged child's balloon is not dangerous because its outside surface is positively charged. rubber is not a good conductor of electricity. the potential difference between the balloon and the child's hand is very small. None of the above choices are correct

None of the above choices are correct

On a planet where atmospheric gases are red, distant dark colored hills would look

Reddish

Which could burn a boy scout the most? 100 g of water at 100 degrees C 100 g of steam at 100 degrees C Both would be equally damaging

Steam

Colors seen on the cover of our physics book result from color A) addition. B) subtraction. C) either of these D) neither of these

Subtraction

When a block of ice at zero degrees Celsius melts, the ice absorbs energy from its environment. absorbs energy and gets warmer. releases energy to its environment. releases energy and gets warmer. absorbs energy but does not change its temperature.

absorbs energy but does not change its temperature.

4) A source of electromagnetic waves is A) Stationary charged particles . B) vibrating atoms. C) accelerating electric charges. D) crystalline fluctuations. E) none of these

accelerating electric charges.

The speed of a sound wave in air depends on A) air temperature B) wavelength C) amplitude

air temperature

Glass is transparent to wave frequencies that A) match its natural frequencies. B) are below its natural frequencies. C) both of these D) none of these

are below its natural frequencies.

Objects infinitely far away are focused by a converging lens A) in front of the focal point B) at the focal point C) beyond the focal point

at the focal point

An electron and a proton A) attract each other. B) repel each other.

attract each other.

When a light ray passes, at a non-90 degree angle, from water into air, it A) bends toward the normal. B) bends away from the normal. C) travels much slower.

bends toward the normal.

If you want to cook eggs by boiling them while in the mountains, then compared to sea-level cooking, you should use a hotter flame. boil the eggs for a longer time. boil the eggs for a shorter time. None of the above choices are true.

boil the eggs for a longer time

The sun's elliptical shape at sunset can be adequately explained by A) Fermat's principle B) the law of refraction C) both of these D) none of these

both of these

Every proton in the universe is surrounded by its own A) electric field. B) gravitational field. C) both of these. D) none of these.

both of these.

Which body glows with electromagnetic waves? a.) both the Sun and the Earth b.) only the Sun c.) only the Earth d.) neither the Sun or the Earth

both the Sun and the Earth

21) Electric potential, measured in volts, is the ratio of electric energy to amount of electric A) current. B) resistance. C) charge. D) voltage. E) none of these.

charge

Water will evaporate quicker if it A) choices C,D,E are all correct B) One or two of the choices below are not correct C) is spread out in a thin sheet D) is preheated to 100 degrees C E) is surrounded by hot air

choices C,D,E are all correct

The operation of a geyser, such as Old Faithful in Yellowstone park, is most like the operation of a vacuum bottle. canteen. vat of molten lead. coffee percolator. teakettle

coffee percolator.

A "burning glass" used to concentrate sunlight in a tiny spot is a A) converging lens B) diverging lens C) either D) neither

converging lens

When a bimetallic bar made of copper and iron strips is heated, the bar bends toward the iron strip. The reason for this is copper expands more than iron. iron gets hotter before copper. copper gets hotter before iron. iron expands more than copper. none of these

copper expands more than iron.

Consider a sample of water at 0 degrees C. If the temperature is slightly increased, the volume of the water increases. decreases. remains the same

decreases

A Doppler effect occurs when a source of sound moves A) towards you. B) away from you. C) either towards you or away from you. D) in a circle around you

either towards you or away from you.

1) Which force binds atoms together to form molecules? A) gravitational B) nuclear C) electrical D) centripetal E) none of these

electrical

2) The fundamental force underlying all chemical reactions is A) gravitational. B) nuclear. C) centripetal. D) electrical. E) none of these.

electrical.

Light is emitted when A) electron clouds of atoms are forced into oscillation. B) atomic nuclei are made to vibrate. C) electromagnetic waves emanate from matter. D) high-frequency sound waves strike matter.

electron clouds of atoms are forced into oscillation.

To turn ice at zero degrees Celsius to water at zero degrees Celsius, we must add time. energy. force. temperature. It can't be done water is always warmer than that.

energy

43) You can touch a 100,000-volt Van de Graaff generator with little harm because although the voltage is high, the relatively small amount of charge means there is a relatively small amount of A) energy. B) electric field. C) polarization. D) conduction.

energy.

If you run a refrigerator in a closed room with the refrigerator door open, the room temperature will decrease. increase. remain unchanged.

increase

Suppose the temperature of the input reservoir in a heat engine doesn't change. As the sink temperature is lowered, the efficiency of the engine stays the same. increases. decreases

increases

The loudness of a sound is most closely related to its A) frequency B) wavelength C) intensity D) speed

intensity

If a solid object radiates more energy than it absorbs, its temperature decreases. internal energy decreases. internal energy and temperature decrease. None of the above choices are true

internal energy decreases.

Suppose you put a closed, sealed can of air on a hot stove burner. The contained air will undergo an increase in internal energy, temperature and pressure. temperature and pressure. temperature. internal energy. pressure.

internal energy, temperature and pressure.

The sonic boom at ground level produced by an aircraft will be reduced if the aircraft A) is smaller, flies higher, and is more streamlined. B) flies higher. C) is more streamlined. D) is smaller. E) None of the above choices are true.

is smaller, flies higher, and is more streamlined.

18) To say that an object is electrically polarized is to say A) it is electrically charged. B) its charges have been rearranged. C) its internal electric field is zero. D) it is only partially conducting. E) it is to some degree magnetic.

its charges have been rearranged.

Stored potatoes, beets, and rutabagas in a well-insulated but unheated room can be protected from freezing by having in the room large rocks. large tubs of water. large blocks of salt. large cubes of sugar. large blocks of foam plastic.

large tubs of water.

Resonance can be looked at as forced vibration with the

least amount of energy input.

If a poor absorber of radiation were a good emitter, its temperature would be less than its surroundings. the same as its surroundings. more than its surroundings.

less than its surroundings.

A substance that heats up relatively quickly has a low specific heat. low conductivity. high specific heat. high conductivity

low specific heat.

One of the main reasons one can walk barefoot on red-hot coals of wood without burning the feet has to do with low thermal conductivity of the coals. mind over matter techniques. low temperature of the coals

low thermal conductivity of the coals

Glass is opaque to wave frequencies that A) match its natural frequencies. B) are below its natural frequencies. C) both of these D) none of these

match its natural frequencies.

Systems that are left alone, tend to move toward a state of less entropy. more entropy. no entropy.

more entropy.

An object will normally be a net radiator of energy when its internal energy is more than that of its surroundings. less than that of its surroundings. neither of these, because internal energy is not temperature.

neither of these, because internal energy is not temperature.

To say that electric charge is conserved means that no case has ever been found where A) the total charge on an object has changed. B) the net amount of negative charge on an object is unbalanced by a positive charge on another object. C) the total amount of charge on an object has increased. D) net charge has been created or destroyed. E) none of these

net charge has been created or destroyed.

A red crab very deep in water, where sunlight is dim, appears A) red. B) orange. C) cyan. D) brown. E) no color - black.

no color - black.

Food cooked in boiling water at a mountain top cooks slower than when cooked at sea level. If the temperature under the pot of boiling water is increased, the food will cook no differently than it did before the increase. faster at sea level. faster at the mountain top. faster at both places

no differently than it did before the increase.

To melt 50 grams of 0-degree-Celsius ice requires none of these 80 calories. 50 calories. 25 calories.

none of the above

We are best at hearing A) ultrasonic sound B) infrasonic sound C) both infrasonic and ultrasonic sounds D) none of the above choices are true

none of the above choices are true

31) A conductor differs from an insulator in that a conductor A) has more electrons than protons. B) has more protons than electrons. C) has more energy than an insulator. D) has faster moving molecules. E) none of these.

none of these.

During a single period, the distance traveled by a wave is A) one-half wavelength. B) one wavelength. C) two wavelengths.

one wavelength

Reverberation is actually a case of A)Reechoed Sound B) forced vibration C) resonance D) interference

re-echoed sound

The colored dots that make up the color on a TV screen are A) magenta, cyan, yellow. B) red, blue, green. C) yellow, blue, green. D) red, green, yellow. E) red, blue, yellow

red, blue, green.

A mirage is a result of atmospheric A) reflection. B) refraction. C) scattering. D) dispersion. E) aberrations.

refraction.

The twinkling of the stars is a result of atmospheric A) reflection. B) refraction. C) scattering. D) dispersion. E) aberrations.

refraction.

After a capacitor is fully charged, the total number of electrons it contains is much greater. is slightly greater. is slightly less. is much less. remains unchanged.

remains unchanged.

A refrigerator: changes heat into cold. removes internal energy from inside the refrigerator. causes internal energy to disappear. produces cold. none of these

removes internal energy from inside the refrigerator.

Suppose you are served coffee at a restaurant before you are ready to drink it. In order for it to be the hottest when you are ready for it, you should add cream right away. at any time. when you are ready to drink the coffee.

right away

The natural frequency of an object depends on its A) size, shape and elasticity B) shape and elasticity C) size and shape D) size and elasticity

size, shape, and elasticity

A water-filled paper cup held in a flame will not catch fire. This is because the paper cup cannot become appreciably hotter than the water it contains. water is an excellent conductor of heat. paper is a poor conductor of heat. the inside of the paper is wet

the paper cup cannot become appreciably hotter than the water it contains.

Waves emitted by the sun and terrestrial wave emissions are entirely different kinds of waves. the same except for their frequencies and wavelengths. identical.

the same except for their frequencies and wavelengths

A primary rainbow is brighter than a secondary rainbow because A) there is one less reflection inside the water drops. B) the secondary bow is a dim reflection of the primary rainbow. C) larger drops produce primary rainbows. D) sunlight reaching it is more intense. E) none of these

there is one less reflection inside the water drops.

A hot dog pants to help evaporation occur in its mouth and bronchial tract. to impress dogs of the opposite sex. for no particular reason - some things just happen. to bring more oxygen into its lungs.

to help evaporation occur in its mouth and bronchial tract

Sound refraction depends on the fact that the speed of sound is

variable.

At the same temperature, which move with the greater speed in the air? very light molecules heavier molecules All will have equal average speeds.

very light molecules

The source of all electromagnetic waves is A) heat. B) magnetic fields. C) electric fields. D) vibrating charges. E) none of these

vibrating charges

A wiggle in time is a A) vibration. B) wave. C) both D) neither

vibration