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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When a black hole's entropy increases, which of its characteristics increases as well?
(a) Its nuclear-weak force charge.
(b) Its spin.
(c) Its electrical charge.
(d) The surface area of its event horizon.

2. What is M-theory?
(a) A specialized version of the "Heterotic A" string theory.
(b) A theory that would unite all branches of string theory.
(c) A combination of general relativity and string theory.
(d) An open-ended string theory.

3. What is the scientific state of the "multiverse" theory?
(a) It is accepted by almost all young physicists, but almost no older ones.
(b) It is well accepted by the physics community.
(c) It was discarded years ago.
(d) It is on the fringes of physics.

4. Which of the following methods has been used to determine the shape of the Calabi-Yau space?
(a) Perturbation theory.
(b) The finite elements method.
(c) Discrete mathematics.
(d) Matrix manipulation.

5. When the universe is at its smallest possible size, which other property is also at its maximum?
(a) The cosmological constant.
(b) Its temperature.
(c) The string coupling constant.
(d) The Planck tension.

6. Regarding mirror-symmetry, Greene's work proved that _____.
(a) It is a part of string theory.
(b) It occurs only below the Planck length.
(c) It is only valid under special circumstances.
(d) It is invalid.

7. What is one possible way that the three dimensions we observe could have been "stretched out"?
(a) A false vacuum event.
(b) Vacuum energy.
(c) The big bang.
(d) Quantum fluctuations.

8. In M-theory, what role does duality play?
(a) It links electromagnetism and gravity.
(b) It allows space-tearing flop transitions to extend into extra dimensions.
(c) It helps to incorporate general relativity.
(d) It shows that the five theories are connected.

9. How are black holes are widely believed to have originated?
(a) From the collision of stars.
(b) Spontaneously from quantum foam.
(c) Through the phase transition of normal elementary particles.
(d) From the collapse of a star.

10. Which of the following is true regarding the tearing of space-time according to general relativity?
(a) It is not known if space-time can tear.
(b) It cannot tear.
(c) A tear would destroy the universe.
(d) It can tear under special circumstances.

11. The method of tearing space-time discovered by Greene and others is called _____.
(a) Space-tearing flop transition.
(b) Quantum collision.
(c) Space-tearing wormhole formation.
(d) Spontaneous tunneling reaction.

12. It is believed that early on, the universe experienced symmetry breaking, meaning that _____.
(a) The universe expanded very rapidly for a short time.
(b) Three of the space dimensions expanded asymmetrically compared to the others.
(c) The three non-gravitational forces were separated out.
(d) Quantum fluctuations caused different expanding areas to have different energy densities.

13. What metric best approximates the scales at which extra dimensions would have a major impact?
(a) The Kaluza length.
(b) The Planck length.
(c) One-billionth of a meter.
(d) The nanometer.

14. According to string theory, which of the following cannot occur during the collapse of the universe?
(a) It cannot collapse into one of the extra dimensions.
(b) It cannot be reduced to a size smaller than the Planck length.
(c) It cannot lose energy.
(d) It cannot exert gravitational pull greater than the Planck tension.

15. What is one of the difficulties in determining the shape of the Calabi-Yau space?
(a) No field of mathematics exists to support it.
(b) The equations governing its shape are too complex.
(c) There are an infinite number of unknowns in its governing equation.
(d) The shape has an unequal number of real and imaginary dimensions.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the following most accurately describes the state of the universe?

2. According to modern physics, which of the following may cease to exist at the center of a black hole?

3. Which of the following is true regarding the tearing of space-time according to string theory?

4. Which one of the following do physicists believe occurs at the central point of a black hole?

5. What property does an external black hole have?

(see the answer keys)

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