Chapter 0: Introduction: The Nature of Science and Physics - Review Questions

What is the primary difference between a scientific law and a theory?

a) A law describes a single action, while a theory explains a group of related phenomena.

b) A theory describes a single action, while a law explains a group of related phenomena.

c) A law is a testable explanation, while a theory is a concise statement.

d) A theory is a concise statement, while a law is a testable explanation.

a) A law describes a single action, while a theory explains a group of related phenomena.

Which of the following is an example of a model in physics?

a) Newton's second law of motion

b) The planetary model of the atom

c) The law of conservation of energy

d) The theory of relativity

b) The planetary model of the atom

What role does experimentation play in the scientific method?

a) It is used to formulate hypotheses.

b) It is used to test hypotheses.

c) It is used to create laws.

d) It is used to develop theories.

b) It is used to test hypotheses.

Which of the following fields is NOT directly rooted in physics?

a) Chemistry

b) Biophysics

c) Geophysics

d) Literature

d) Literature

What is the main focus of classical physics?

a) Describing phenomena at speeds close to the speed of light

b) Describing phenomena involving strong gravitational fields

c) Describing everyday phenomena under weak gravitational fields

d) Describing phenomena at the atomic and subatomic levels

c) Describing everyday phenomena under weak gravitational fields

How does physics contribute to the field of engineering?

Physics provides the foundational principles that are applied in engineering to design and analyze systems and structures.

What is the fundamental SI unit for mass?

a) Meter

b) Kilogram

c) Second

d) Ampere

b) Kilogram

Which of the following is a derived unit?

a) Meter

b) Kilogram

c) Newton

d) Second

c) Newton

What is the metric prefix for 10^9?

a) Giga

b) Mega

c) Kilo

d) Tera

a) Giga

How is the second currently defined in the SI system?

a) 1/86,400 of a mean solar day

b) Time for 9,192,631,770 vibrations of cesium atoms

c) 1/10,000,000 of the distance from the equator to the North Pole

d) Distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second

b) Time for 9,192,631,770 vibrations of cesium atoms

Which unit is used to measure electric current in the SI system?

a) Volt

b) Ampere

c) Ohm

d) Coulomb

b) Ampere

What does accuracy in a measurement refer to?

a) How close a measurement is to the correct value

b) How close repeated measurements are to each other

c) The number of significant figures in a measurement

d) The uncertainty in a measurement

a) How close a measurement is to the correct value

Which of the following factors does NOT contribute to uncertainty in a measurement?

a) Limitations of the measuring device

b) Skill of the person making the measurement

c) The color of the object being measured

d) Irregularities in the object being measured

c) The color of the object being measured

How is percent uncertainty calculated?

a) (Uncertainty / Measured Value) × 100%

b) (Measured Value / Uncertainty) × 100%

c) (Uncertainty × Measured Value) / 100%

d) (Measured Value × Uncertainty) / 100%

a) (Uncertainty / Measured Value) × 100%

What is the rule for significant figures in multiplication and division?

a) The result should have the same number of significant figures as the least precise measurement.

b) The result should have the same number of decimal places as the least precise measurement.

c) The result should have more significant figures than any of the measurements.

d) The result should have fewer significant figures than any of the measurements.

a) The result should have the same number of significant figures as the least precise measurement.

What is the significance of zeros in the number 1300 when counting significant figures?

a) They are always significant.

b) They are never significant.

c) They may or may not be significant depending on context.

d) They are significant only if followed by a decimal point.

c) They may or may not be significant depending on context.

What is the approximate height of a 39-story building if each story is estimated to be the height of two adult humans, each 2 meters tall?

a) 78 meters

b) 156 meters

c) 234 meters

d) 312 meters

b) 156 meters

How many stacks of $100 bills are needed to make up one trillion dollars?

a) 1 × 10^6 stacks

b) 1 × 10^7 stacks

c) 1 × 10^8 stacks

d) 1 × 10^9 stacks

c) 1 × 10^8 stacks

What is the approximate area of a football field in square inches?

a) 6 × 10^5 in^2

b) 6 × 10^6 in^2

c) 6 × 10^7 in^2

d) 6 × 10^8 in^2

b) 6 × 10^6 in^2