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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. When did the United States go after Osama bin Laden in the Tora Bora mountains of Afghanistan?

2. In Chapter 14, where was a very large tokamak being built?

3. According to the IPCC, how much of a chance is there that humans are not responsible for global warming?

4. When was Iraq attempting to develop nuclear weapons?

5. How many astronauts were killed in the space shuttle Columbia explosion?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is it not necessary to enrich the uranium in a nucelar reactor, and what types of moderators can be used?

2. What is the main difference between nuclear and diesel submarines?

3. In Chapter 13, what are the pros and cons of using depleted uranium in the shells of hydrogen bombs?

4. What happened to the space shuttle Challenger?

5. What are the challenges for people moving in weak gravity?

6. At the end of Chapter 14, what does the author believe about nuclear power in the U.S.?

7. What dangers were there regarding nuclear weapons at the time the book was written?

8. What radiation levels were measured after the Three Mile Island incident, and why were the levels not caused by the accident?

9. In Chapter 15, what does the author believe is the most efficient way to travel to space?

10. What theory did Milutin Milankovic use to explain the cyclic pattern of the ice ages?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A neutron bomb is a type of enhanced radiation weapon. What is the difference between a neutron bomb and a hydrogen bomb? What is the difference between the type of damage created by a neutron bomb and a hydrogen bomb? What does the neutron bomb reveal about a weapons paradox?

Essay Topic 2

Propaganda is using misinformation to influence the opinion of a person or group. What types of propaganda are discussed in the book? Why are physicists not likely to use propaganda? Why might scientists believe propaganda will help present their case, especially regarding global warming?

Essay Topic 3

Analogies are used to compare an unfamiliar object or idea to a familiar one in an attempt to explain the unfamiliar. How does the author use analogies in the book? How do analogies help readers understand unfamiliar ideas or understand events?

(see the answer keys)

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