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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. What is the Planck tension?

2. According to special relativity, which of the following is true about the passage of time for an observer moving near the speed of light?

3. General relativity is incompatible with _____.

4. What is the quantum, or messenger particle, of gravity?

5. What is quantum foam?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe and explain the results of the two-slit experiment.

2. State Newton's law of gravity.

3. What are the two main theories on which modern physics is based? At what scales are they accurate or inaccurate? Give at least one example of a circumstance in which both theories would need to be employed.

4. How does string theory reconcile quantum mechanics and the theory of general relativity?

5. In physics, what is symmetry?

6. Describe the basic principles of string theory.

7. Three observers carry out an experiment. From the same starting point, they observe a beam of light move directly away from them. One observer stays at rest at the starting point. One observer "chases" the beam at half the speed of light. The last observer chases the beam at exactly the speed of light. Describe what these observers would note about the beam of light according to Newtonian (pre-relativity) physics and thinking.

8. What is the relationship between wavelength, frequency, and a wave's minimum energy?

9. Describe Max Planck's solution to the infinite-energy problem.

10. What is the relationship between light, electricity, and magnetism?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Time Travel through Relativity

Special relativity states that as an object's velocity increases, it moves through time more slowly. This effect is amplified greatly near the speed of light. If a ship could be built to travel close to the speed of light for an extended period, a person on that ship could return to earth many years into its future.

Part 1) Propose a mission for such a craft. What will be its goal? Will it be manned or unmanned? How many years into the future will it journey? Use special relativity to estimate how long the journey will be for the ship and its crew.

Part 2) Describe the craft and its contents in detail. What supplies, people, equipment, and other objects must it bring with it? How large is the craft, and about how much does it weigh?

Part 3) Explain contingency plans for the mission. What will happen if it arrives early, or too late? What will happen to the craft and its crew after the mission is complete?

Part 4) Guess creatively at what people will think of the craft when it arrives in the future.

Essay Topic 2

Strung Along

String theory is one of the most important physical theories of this century, and it has a mottled and unusual history. String theory has progressed in fits and starts since its strange inception, experiencing periods of boom and bust, but always moving forward. Part 1) Describe the early history of string theory, beginning with the accidental discovery by Gabriele Veneziano, up through the work of Schwarz and Scherk.

Part 2) Detail the history of the first and second "superstring revolutions". What set off these periods of intense study, what was achieved, and how did they end?

Part 3) Speculate why string theory has suffered periodic declines in the physics community. Use evidence from the book, or outside research to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

The Most Famous Equation

Einstein's famous equation, E=mc^2 was not actually published in his original papers on relativity. It was a minor note in a clarification written later, but its importance was instantly recognized. Today, it is the most famous and recognizable equation in the world, and is used almost as a garnish to any depiction of scientific work. This essay is about the discovery and applications of this famous equation.

Part 1) What does the equation mean? What does each component represent, and what is the underlying principle that the equation embodies?

Part 2) How was this equation discovered? Explain in detail how it is related to general relativity and how it indicates that no object with mass can move at exactly the speed of light.

Part 3) Explain some of the implications of this equation. How can its effects be observed in everyday life? How would our world be different if we were ignorant of this equation?

(see the answer keys)

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