Questions Flashcards
What is the most fundamental of physical sciences?
physics
Which metric prefix means million?
mega-
Which metric prefix means thousand?
kilo-
Which metric prefix means hundredth?
centi-
Which metric prefix means thousandth?
milli-
How may base units are there in the SI?
seven
What is a volume of 1000 cm^3 equal to?
1 L
What combination of units expresses density?
mass/length^3
Using significant figures, 49.4 x 59 = ?
2.9 x 10^3 cm²
Equation for average speed?
average speed = (distance traveled)/(time to travel the distance)
v = d/t
Equation for average acceleration?
average acceleration = (change in velocity)/(time for change to occur)
a = (∆v)/(∆t)
Equation for distance of an object dropped?
distance = (1/2)(acceleration due to gravity)(time²) d = 1/2(g)(t²)
Equation for centripetal acceleration?
centripetal acceleration = (speed²)/(radius)
ac = v²/r
What is necessary to designate a position?
a reference point
What is always true about the magnitude of a displacement?
it is less than or equal to the distance traveled
What is true for deceleration?
the acceleration is in the direction opposite to the velocity
What is true for an object in free-fall?
it increases in distance proportionally to t²
If the speed of an object in uniform circular motion is doubled and the radial distance remains constant, then the magnitude of the centripetal acceleration increases by what factor?
4
What is true for a ball thrown at an angle θ to the horizontal?
it has a constant velocity in the x direction, -y direction, and a changing velocity in the +y direction
For a constant linear acceleration, what changes uniformly?
velocity
A projectile launched a t an angle of 28 above the horizontal will have the same range as a projectile launched at what angle?
62 degrees
Equation for weight?
weight = mass x acceleration due to gravity w = mg
Equation for force?
force = (a constant x mass1 x mass2)/(separation distance)² F = (Gm1m2)/(r²)
Equation for linear momentum?
linear momentum = mass x velocity
p = mv
Equation for angular momentum?
angular momentum = mass x velocity x object distance from axis of rotation
L = mvr
Equation for torque?
torque = lever arm x force τ = rF
What is the state of an object being acted upon by an unbalanced force?
accelerated
What is a possible state of an object in the absence of a net force?
at rest, constant speed, or zero acceleration
What is necessary for a change in velocity?
an unbalanced force
According to Newton’s second law of motion, when an object is acted upon by a net unbalanced force, what can e said about the acceleration?
it is inversely proportional to the object’s mass
A change in what affects the weight of an object?
acceleration due to gravity (G)
What is true of the force pair of Newton’s third law?
the two forces act on different objects
What is true about the acceleration due to gravity?
it decreases with increasing altitude
What is true about the constant G?
it is a very small quantity
A child’s toy floats in a swimming pool. The buoyant force exerted on the toy depends on the volume of what?
the water displaced
If a submerged object displaces an amount of liquid with a weight less than its own, when the object is released it will…?
sink
A change in linear momentum requires…?
a change in velocity, an unbalanced force, and an acceleration
Angular momentum is conserved in the absence of…?
a net torque
Equation for kinetic energy?
kinetic energy = 1/2 x mass x velocity²
Ek = 1/2mv²
Equation for work?
work = weight x height W = mgh
Equation for power?
power = (force x distance)/(time) P = Fd/t
Equation for speed of a falling object?
v = √2g∆h
In addition to force, what does work involve?
motion
What is a unit of work?
N x m
What is the SI unit of energy?
joule
What is an example of an object with great kinetic energy?
an object with a mass of 2m and a velocity of 3v
When negative work is done on a moving object, its kinetic energy…?
decreases
Gravitational potential energy depends on what?
mass, acceleration due to gravity, and height
When the height of an object is changed, the gravitational potential energy…?
depends on the reference point
Energy cannot be…?
created
Power is expressed with what units?
J/s
In the U.S., which sectors consumes the most energy?
industry
What would not be classified as a total alternative fuel source?
gasohol
Equation for frequency?
f = 1/period
Equation for wave speed?
wave speed = (wavelength)/(period)
v = λ/T
What is the number of wave cycles for a given period of time called?
frequency
If a ribbon were tied to a stretched string carrying a transverse wave, how would the ribbon be observed to oscillate?
perpendicular to the wave direction
The energy of a wave is related to the square of what?
amplitude
How fast do electromagnetic waves travel in a vacuum?
3.00 x 10^8 m/s
Name the parts of the electromagnetic spectrum from low frequency to high frequency?
radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma rays
Sound waves propagate in what?
solids, liquids, and gases
What is the lower frequency limit of the audible range of human hearing?
20 Hz
A sound with an intensity level of 30 dB is how many times louder than the threshold of hearing?
1000
A moving observer approaches a stationary sound source. What does the observer hear?
an increase in frequency
What property does not change in the Doppler effect?
speed
If an astronomical light source were moving toward us, what would be observed?
a blueshift
What occurs when a stretched string is shaken at one of its natural frequencies?
standing waves, resonance, and maximum energy transfer
Equation for focal length of a spherical mirror?
focal length = (radius of curvature for the spherical mirror)/2
f = R/2
What can be said about the angles of incidence and reflection?
they are measured from a line perpendicular to the reflecting surface
To what does the law of reflection apply?
regular reflection, diffuse reflection, and specular reflection
What is the case when the angle of refraction is smaller than the angle of incidence?
the first medium is less dense
What is true of dispersion?
it is responsible in part for a rainbow
What is the unit of index of refraction?
none; it is unitless
What is true of a convex mirror?
it forms only virtual images
What is true for a real image?
it is formed by converging light rays
What is true of a concave lens?
a lens that forms virtual images for Do > f
What is true of a virtual image?
it is formed on the object side of a lens
What happens when the polarization directions of two polarizing sheets are at an angle of 90 degrees to each other?
no light gets through
What is true of diffraction?
it occurs best when the slit width is less than the wavelength of a wave
When does total constructive interference occur?
when waves are in phase
What is Planck’s constant?
6.63 x 10^-34 J∙s
Equation for energy?
energy = Planck's constant x frequency E = hf
Equation for Bohr radius?
Bohr radius = 0.053 x (principal quantum number n)²
r = 0.053n² nm
Equation for electron energy?
electron energy = (-13.60)/(principal quantum number n)²
En = -13.60/n²
Equation for photon energy?
photon energy = energy of initial orbit - energy of final orbit
Planck developed his quantum hypothesis to explain what phenomena?
the ultraviolet catastrophe
Light of what color has the greatest photon energy?
violet
The Bohr theory was developed to explain what phenomena?
line spectra
In what state does a hydrogen electron have its greatest energy?
n = 5
Bombarding a metal anode with high-energy electrons produces what?
microwaves
The amplification of light in a laser depends on what?
stimulated emission
Equation for distance in parsecs?
distance in parsecs = 1/parallax angle in arc seconds
What refers to the celestial sphere?
north celestial pole, vernal equinox, celestial equator
What is the name of the path on the sky that the sun appears to follow as it moves among the stars?
the ecliptic
The angular measure in degrees north or south of the celestial equator is called…?
declination
Name parts of the sun?
the core, convective zone, coronal hole, corona, filament, prominence, sunspots, chromosphere, photosphere
Why are sunspots darker than the regions of the sun around them?
they are cooler than the surrounding material
Where in the sun does the fusion of hydrogen occur?
only in the core
The part of the sun’s structure that we see in visible light is…?
the photosphere
What force keeps all the stars from flying apart?
gravitational force
Which property depends on how far away a star is from us?
its apparent magnitude
A relatively cool star is what color?
red
After the sun runs out of hydrogen, what will be the next color and size of the sun?
red giant star
The famous Horsehead Nebula is what?
a dark nebula
A white dwarf has about the same diameter as what?
the Earth
What is the fundamental quantity of a star that indicates its ultimate fate?
mass
What event is believed to create elements heavier than iron?
a supernova explosion
Black holes appear black for what reason?
light cannot escape them
The Milky Way is classified as what kind of galaxy?
spiral
How much of the universe appears to be normal ordinary matter?
4%
What key observation led Hubble to conclude that the universe is expanding?
the redshift of light from distant galaxies
What is the cosmic background radiation?
the light-energy remnants of the explosion in which the universe was born
What is true of the solar system?
it is a heliocentric system, it is held together by gravitational forces, and it contains planets classified as terrestrial, Jovian, and dwarf
Which of Kepler’s laws gives the most direct indication of the changes in he orbital speed of a planet?
law of equal areas
Which of Kepler’s laws gives an indication of the semi-major axis?
harmonic law
What planet has retrograde motion?
venus
What is abundant on Earth but not on the other planets?
oxygen, water, life
The Foucault pendulum is an experimental proop of the Earth’s…?
rotation
What statements concerning terrestrial planets is true?
- all are relatively small and have relatively small mass
- all are dense and rocky
- all have physical and chemical properties similar to those of the Earth
What are some physical characteristics of a terrestrial planet?
small diameter, solid surface, and relatively high temperature environment
What statements concerning the Jovian planets are true?
- all are composed mainly of hydrogen and helium
- all rotate more rapidly than the terrestrial planets
- all have rings
What are some physical characteristics of a Jovian planet?
gaseous, rocky or ice cores, and rapid rotation
The Cassini spacecraft orbited which planet?
saturn
Which Jovian planet revolves on its side and has retrograde rotation?
uranus
What disqualified Pluto as a major planet?
orbit clear of other objects
The dwarf planet Ceres is…?
between Mars and Jupiter
The flattened, rotating disk of gas and dust around the protosun, from which the planets were apparently formed, is called what kind of nebula?
solar
The planets of the solar system evolved most directly from what?
condensation
What are two useful methods for detecting an exoplanet?
- the observation of a star’s motion
- the observation of Doppler shifts in the spectrum of a star
What is true of the seasons?
- they are a function of the inclination of the Earth’s axis
- they are a function of the Earth’s revolving around the sun
- they would be hotter or colder if the Earth’s axis were tilted 25°
What is true for an observer at 20°N?
observes the sun directly overhead twice a year
From September 22 to March 21, in what direction must an observer in the Northern Hemisphere look to see the sunrise?
east
The longest day for latitudes greater than 23 1/2° S in the Southern Hemisphere occurs on the…?
winter solstice
What is true for Hawaii (general latitude 21°N)?
the sun is directly overhead twice a year
What is true for the Gregorian calendar?
it has a leap year every century year that is divisible by 4
What can be said about the precession of the Earth’s axis?
has no important effect on the Earth’s seasons
The precession of the Earth’s axis is caused by…?
gravitational torque
Who championed the idea of the atom about 400 BCE?
Democritus
Which scientist is associated with the “plum pudding model” of the atom?
Thomson
Why did the Bohr model need improvement?
- It worked only for the hydrogen atom.
- It did not explain why the atom is quantized.
- It did not explain why an electron does not emit radiation as it orbits.
Equation for energy?
energy = mass x (the speed of light)² E = mc²
Which scientist devised the symbol notation we now use for elements?
Berzelius
What is the symbol notation for the element potassium?
K
How many neutrons are in the nucleus of the atom 35/17 Cl?
18
Which radioactive decay mode does not result in a different nuclide?
gamma
What is the missing particle in the nuclear decay
179/79 Au → 175/77 Ir + ?
alpha particle
The majority of stable isotopes belong to which category?
even–even
What scientist discovered radioactivity?
Becquerel
How many half-lives would it take for a sample of a radioactive isotope to decrease its activity to 1/32 of the original amount?
5
What is not conserved in all nuclear reactions?
atomic number
What completes the reaction 2/1 H + 98/42 Mo → ? + 1/0 n?
99/43 Tc
What is the appropriate procedure to decrease the heat output of a fission reactor core during a crisis?
Insert the control rods farther.
What is a very hot gas of nuclei and electrons called?
plasma
Which unit is most closely associated with the biological effects of radiation?
the rem
What is the theoretical exchange particle for the nuclear weak force?
gluon
Is a nucleon (a) a proton, (b) a neutron, (c) an electron, or (d) both a proton and a neutron?
both a proton and a neutron
Equation for specific heat?
amount of heat to change temperature = mass x specific heat x temperature change
H = mcΔT
Equation for latent heat of fusion?
heat needed to melt a substance = mass x latent heat of fusion
H = mLf
Equation for latent heat of vaporization?
heat needed to boil a substance = mass x latent heat of vaporization
Which temperature scale has the smallest degree interval?
Fahrenheit
What phrase best describes heat?
energy in transit because of a temperature difference
What is the larget unit of heat energy?
kilocalorie
The term sublimation refers to what phase change?
solid to gas
What method of heat transfer generally involves mass movement?
convection
The heat we get from the sun is transferred through space by what process?
radiation
In what is intermolecular bonding greatest?
solids
What has a definite volume but no definite shape?
liquid
Pressure is defined as…?
force divided by area
When we use the ideal gas law, the temperature must be in what unit?
K
When heat is added to a system, it goes into what?
adding to the internal energy only
The direction of a natural process is indicated by what?
change in entropy
A solute crystal dissolves when added to a solution. What type was the original solution?
unsaturated
What scientist in 1661 defined element in a manner that made it subject to laboratory testing?
Boyle
What is an example of a synthetic element?
roentgenium
What element normally exists as a gas of diatomic molecules?
chlorine
What elements are the three most common elements in the Earth’s crust?
oxygen, silicon, and aluminum
Consider the element magnesium. What statement is true about this element?
it is an alkaline earth metal
What element has great ionization energy?
fluorine
What is a preferred name for Na2SO4?
sodium sulfate
What is the preferred name for Na2S?
sodium sulfide
What is one element that will be most like fluorine in its chemical properties
chlorine
What is an example of a halogen compound?
AlCl3
What force is responsible for chemical bonding?
electromagnetic
What quantity remains unchanged in a chemical reaction?
mass
How many total atoms would be in one formula unit of (NH4)3PO4?
20
A sample of compound AB decomposes to 48g of A and 12g of B. Another sample of the same compound AB decomposes to 24g of A. Predict the number of grams of B obtained.
6
Equation for molarity?
molarity (M) = (number of moles of solute)/(volume of solution in L)
M = solute/solution
One mole of hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, would consist of how many molecules?
6.02 x 10^23
One mole of hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, would consist of how many grams?
34.0
What is the normal charge on an ion of sulfer?
2-
An ionic compound formed between a Group 2A element M and a Group 7A element X would have the general formula…?
MX2
What is the formula for iron(III) bromide?
FeBr3
Carbon is a Group $A element. How many covalent bonds are there in methane, CH4?
4
What an example of a covalent compound?
NO2
What element in the periodic table has the highest electronegativity value?
fluorine
When iron rusts in the presence of oxygen and water, what is occurring?
a chemical change
How many aluminum atoms are indicated by “3 Al2O3”?
6
When the equation MnO2 + CO → Mn2O3 + CO2 is balanced, what is the sum of all written and “understood” coefficients?
5
A base dissolved in water does what?
- conduct electricity
- change the color of litmus dye from red to blue
- neutralize an acid
What is removed from a hydrated salt to make an anhydrous product?
water
What is the pH of a solution ten times as acidic as one of the pH of 4?
3
What are some characteristic properties of minerals?
- naturally occurring
- crystalline
- definite chemical composition
What is an example of a soft mineral?
talc
The simple, common method of classifying minerals depends on what general property?
physical
What does the Mohs scale measure?
hardness
What scientist is generally designated “the father of geology”?
James Hutton
What other term is synonymous with texture in a rock?
grain size
What are the three basic classes of rocks?
igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary
What does the rock cycle describe?
the interrelationships between rock-producing processes
Igneous rocks are classified according to their combination of chemical composition and what else?
texture
What does the grain size of an igneous rock tell a scientist about that rock?
the rate at which the molten rock cooled
What are some examples of igneous rocks?
basalt, granite, obsidian
What are plutons?
bodies of intrusive igneous rocks
Dikes are…?
Dikes are intrusive igneous rock
What type of volcano forms a layered, composite cone?
cinder cone
How does sedimentary rock from the ocean floor sometimes end up in highland and mountainous regions on the Earth?
the sedimentary rock was uplifted by powerful forces to form mountain chains
What is an example of an organic sedimentary rock?
coal
What is the process of transforming sediment into sedimentary rock called?
lithification
To which rock does metamorphosis of limestone lead?
marble
Metamorphism occurs for which class of rocks?
all rocks; metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous
What are some examples of metamorphic rocks?
gneiss, slate, schist
About how many plates exist on the Earth?
20
What correctly describes the lithosphere?
it consists of the crust and part of the upper mantle
What is between the crust and the core of the Earth?
mantle
What geologic evidence supports continental drift?
- similarities in biological species and fossils found on distant continents
- continuity of geologic structures such as mountain ranges
- ancient glaciation in the Southern Hemisphere
Wegener proposed what name for the ancient, giant supercontinent he envisioned?
Pangaea
Wat is a primary cause of volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountain building?
plate tectonics
What are some types of plate boundaries?
divergent, convergent, and transform
What is thought to be the basic source of energy for lithospheric plate movement?
radioactive decay in the Earth’s mantle
What process during plate collisions leads to the formation of volcanic island arcs?
subduction
What are 3 correct statements about earthquakes?
- they occur in the same general regions as volcanoes
- they are monitored by seismographs
- they generate both surface and body waves
By what name is an upward pointing arch of a fold known?
anticline
What are some mountain-building mechanisms?
volcanic, fault-block, and fold
What statements about fossils are true?
- fossils are indications of prehistoric life
- fossils help determine the relative ages of rocks
- fossils can be tracks imprinted in rocks
What is the name for the branch of science that specifically studies fossils?
paleontology
What type of fossil is petrified wood?
replacement
What is the name for the type of fossil formed when mineral material fills a rock’s hollow depression that once contained an embedded bone?
cast
What geologic principle tells us that sediments and lava flows are deposited as horizontal layers?
original horizontality
What is obtained when rocks and geologic events are put into chronologic order without regard to the actual dates?
relative geologic time
Into what time spans are eras next divided?
periods
What is the name of the time period that precedes any indication of life?
precambrian
What kind of fossil is widespread and easily identifiable?
index
What radioactive element gradually decays to lead and can be used to date ancient rocks?
uranium
If the half-life of a radioactive specimen is 100 years, how long will it take for the specimen to reach 25% of its original amount?
200 years
Radiometric dating is used to determine what?
absolute (numerical) geologic time
What familiar gas is very important for carbon dating?
carbon dioxide
What is the age of the Earth, as determined by radiometric dating?
4.56 billion years
What rocks are useful in helping us determine the age of the Earth?
Earth rocks, Moon rocks, and meteorite rocks
What became the dominant life form in the Cenozoic era?
mammals
Fossils from Precambrian time could include what?
algae, bacteria, and sea worms
In what era were dinosaurs common?
Mesozoic
In what era were trilobites common?
Paleozoic
When did the K-T extinction event take place?
at the end of the Mesozoic era
What is the third most abundant gas in the atmosphere?
argon
In what region does the ozone layer lie?
stratosphere
Photosynthesis is responsible for the atmospheric depletion of what?
carbon dioxide
What regulates the Earth’s average temperature?
the greenhouse effect
Approximately what percentage of insolation reaches the Earth’s surface?
50%
What instrument is used to measure relative humidity?
psychrometer
With what instrument is wind speed measured?
anemometer
Near a large body of water, what wind is the predominant wind during the day?
a sea breeze
What is the direction of rotation around an anticyclone in the Northern Hemisphere as viewed from above?
clockwise
Convection cycles give rise to what?
- land breeze
- sea breeze
- air currents
What is the cloud root name that means “heap”
cumulus
The altostratus cloud is a member of which family?
middle clouds
When the temperature of the air is below the dew point without precipitation, the air is said to be what?
supercooled
What things are essential to the Bergeron process?
mixing, supercooled vapor, and ice crystals
What is a result of deposition?
frost
What type of air mass is mainly responsible for cold weather in the conterminous United States?
cP (continental polar)
What air masses would be expected to be cold and dry?
cP (continental polar)
What is a cold front advancing under a warm front called?
a cold front occlusion
What is the critical alert for a tornado?
tornado warning
The greatest number of hurricane casualties is caused by…?
storm surge
A subsidence temperature inversion is caused by…?
a high-pressure air mass
What is a major source of air pollution?
incomplete combustion
A change in the Earth’s albedo could result form what?
particulate matter
Major concern about global warming arises from increased concentrations of what?
greenhouse gases
The general wearing away of high places and transporting of material to lower places is called…?
gradation
What processes are types of mechanical disintegration?
frost wedging, root penetration, and abrasion
On what does the rate of weathering of rock depend?
temperature, mineral content, and humidity
Chemical weathering can be determined by analyzing the rock’s…?
composition
What are agents that cause erosion?
streams, glaciers, and waves
In a desert, what is the prime mover of the land material?
wind
What term refers to the downslope movement of soil and rock fragments that is caused solely by gravity?
mass wasting
What best describes the total amount of water on the Earth
decreasing
About what percent of the Earth’s surface is fresh water?
3%
What term denotes the continuous circulation of the Earth’s water?
hydrologic cycle
Aquifers can be seriously depleted when…?
the rate of water extraction is greater than the rate of recharge
What is a feature of coastal deposition?
spit
What renewable energy source currently produces the most energy?
hydropower
