Sci Test Physics

What major flaw in Aristotle's view of motion did Galileo's experiments disprove?

Objects need a continuous force to stay in motion.

What is the acceleration of an object in free fall near Earth's surface?

9.8 m/s²

How does Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation explain why the Moon orbits Earth?

Earth's gravity pulls on the Moon, keeping it in a curved path.

How did Aristarchus' heliocentric model challenge the prevailing views of his time?

He proposed that Earth orbits the Sun, contradicting Aristotle's geocentric model.

According to Kepler's First Law, a planet moves in an elliptical orbit with the Sun at one focus. What is located at the second focus of the ellipse?

Nothing

How did Brahe's astronomical observations help Kepler develop his laws of planetary motion?

Brahe's data on planetary positions allowed Kepler to derive the elliptical nature of orbits.

A spacecraft is moving at constant velocity in deep space. According to Newton's First Law, what happens if the engines suddenly shut off?

It continues moving at the same velocity

Suppose an exoplanet orbits a star in a circular orbit. What can be said about the planet's speed?

It remains constant

If the Sun's mass were suddenly reduced by half, what would happen to Earth's orbit?

Earth would move into a larger orbit around the Sun.

An astronaut on a spacewalk accidentally pushes a wrench away. Assuming no other forces act on it, what will the wrench do?

Continue moving in a straight line at constant speed.

A satellite remains in orbit due to:

A balance between gravity and forward motion

What is the main reason a geostationary satellite remains in a fixed position relative to Earth?

It orbits Earth exactly once per day at the correct altitude.

Which equation is most useful in predicting the velocity of an object in free fall?

v² = u² + 2as

How does Newton's Second Law explain why a spacecraft requires large amounts of fuel to accelerate?

Force is directly proportional to mass and acceleration, requiring more force for more mass.

According to Newton's First Law, why does a book remain on a table without moving?

The force of gravity and the normal force are balanced

Kepler's Third Law states that the square of a planet's orbital period is proportional to the cube of its ___?

average distance from the Sun

How does Newton's First Law apply to a probe moving through empty space?

It will continue at constant velocity unless acted upon.

Kepler's First Law states that planetary orbits are:

Ellipses with the Sun at one focus

Galileo's observation of the phases of Venus supported which model of the solar system?

Heliocentric

What was Galileo's most significant improvement to the telescope?

Increased magnification

According to Newton's First Law, an object in motion will remain in motion unless:

It is acted upon by an unbalanced external force.

In Kepler's Second Law, a planet moves ___ when it is closer to the Sun.

faster

What happens if the probe slows down below escape velocity while near a planet?

It will enter orbit around the planet.

A planet's orbital speed is fastest when it is:

Closest to the Sun

Which ancient observation directly challenged the flat Earth model?

The way ships disappear hull-first over the horizon

Statement A: In Aristotle's model, celestial bodies moved in elliptical orbits around Earth. Statement B: Plato's concept of 'Saving the Appearances' required models to match observation, leading to complex theories.

Statement A is false while Statement B is true.

A comet has a highly eccentric orbit. Based on Kepler's Second Law, where does it move fastest?

When it is near the Sun

A planet is twice as far from the Sun as another planet. According to Kepler's Third Law, how does its orbital period compare?

It is about 2.8 times longer than the closer planet's orbital period.

Which astronomer's precise observations helped Kepler develop his laws of planetary motion?

Tycho Brahe

A car traveling at 20 m/s brakes uniformly and stops in 5 seconds. What was its acceleration?

-4 m/s²

What key assumption made Ptolemy's model inaccurate despite its predictive power?

It required multiple adjustments (epicycles) to fit observations.

What force allows a car to accelerate forward when its wheels push backward against the ground?

Friction

Why was Galileo's observation of craters on the Moon important?

It challenged the idea that heavenly bodies were flawless

An astronaut drops a ball and a feather inside a spacecraft orbiting Earth. What happens?

Both objects float freely since they are in free fall.

What happens to an object's momentum if its velocity doubles?

It doubles.

If the semi-major axis of a planet's orbit is increased by a factor of 4, by what factor does the orbital period increase?

8

Statement A: Kepler's Laws apply only to planets and do not describe the motion of artificial satellites. Statement B: Newton's Laws can be used to predict planetary motion.

Statement A is false while Statement B is true.

A ball is thrown straight up in the air. At its highest point, its velocity is:

Zero

The area under a velocity-time graph represents:

Displacement

What is the primary reason objects in orbit around Earth do not fall back down?

They are continuously falling but moving forward fast enough to miss the Earth.

A person pushes a wall, but the wall does not move. What force prevents movement?

Reaction force from the wall

Plato's concept of 'Saving the Appearances' constrained Greek astronomy because it required that planetary motion must:

Fit within a mathematical model, even if physical explanations were uncertain.

Which of the following best describes Newton's Second Law?

The acceleration of an object is proportional to the force applied

What force keeps planets in orbit around the Sun?

Gravitational force

A spacecraft moving in deep space will continue moving indefinitely unless:

A force acts upon it

Statement A: Newton's Third Law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Statement B: This explains why a rocket can accelerate in space despite the lack of air.

Both statements are true.

Which of the following is an example of Newton's Third Law?

A rocket launching into space due to exhaust gases pushing downward

Which of the following best describes Newton's Second Law?

The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force applied and inversely proportional to its mass.

Why does a parachute slow a skydiver's fall?

It creates more air resistance

What key discovery made by Galileo further discredited the geocentric model?

The moons of Jupiter orbiting a different center than Earth

If air resistance is ignored, why do all objects near Earth's surface fall with the same acceleration?

The acceleration due to gravity is constant for all objects.

If a probe was launched toward Mars but did not have enough velocity to reach orbit, what would most likely happen?

It would enter orbit around the Sun.

Newton's Third Law states that:

Every force has an equal and opposite reaction

A spacecraft is in orbit around Earth. What would happen if the spacecraft's velocity suddenly decreased?

It would fall toward Earth and crash.

According to Kepler's First Law, what is the shape of a planet's orbit around the Sun?

Elliptical

What did Galileo's observation of sunspots reveal about the Sun?

It rotates and changes over time

The discovery of Jupiter's moons by Galileo provided evidence that:

Moons can orbit planets other than Earth

A car is traveling along a curved road at a constant speed. Which statement is TRUE about its motion?

The car is accelerating because its direction is continuously changing.

Which of the following statements about Galileo's use of the telescope is FALSE?

He discovered Neptune and included it in his heliocentric model.

Which force keeps planets in orbit?

Gravity

What force allows a car to accelerate forward when its wheels push backward against the ground?

Friction

What happens to an object thrown straight up at the highest point of its motion?

Its velocity is zero

If a cyclist accelerates from rest at 2 m/s² for 6 seconds, how far does he travel?

36 m

Which of the following is a direct application of Newton's Third Law?

A swimmer pushing backward to move forward

What concept did Kepler's Laws eliminate the need for, which was used in Ptolemy's model?

Epicycles

In the absence of air resistance, a hammer and a feather dropped from the same height on the Moon will:

Fall at the same rate because gravity acts equally on all masses.

Statement A: Galileo observed sunspots, proving that celestial bodies were unchanging and perfect. Statement B: The phases of Venus supported the heliocentric model because they could not be explained by the Ptolemaic system.

Statement A is false while Statement B is true.

Newton's First Law is also known as:

Law of Inertia

Kepler's Third Law states that:

The square of a planet's orbital period is proportional to the cube of its average distance from the Sun.

Why do astronauts experience weightlessness in orbit?

They are in free fall around Earth, constantly accelerating toward the planet.

A planet has an orbital period of 8 Earth years. According to Kepler's Third Law, how far is it from the Sun in AU?

4 AU

Statement A: The Greeks knew the Earth was spherical because its shadow during a lunar eclipse was round. Statement B: Eratosthenes measured the Earth's circumference by comparing shadows cast at different latitudes.

Both statements are true.

A space probe travels past Jupiter, gaining speed in the process. What concept explains this?

Gravity Assist Maneuver

Which ancient observation provided strong evidence that Earth is spherical?

The altitude of stars in the night sky changed depending on the observer's location.

A car crashes into a wall and comes to a stop in 0.1 seconds. If a passenger is not wearing a seatbelt, what happens?

The passenger continues moving forward.

Which scientist's work laid the foundation for both the laws of motion and universal gravitation?

Isaac Newton

An astronaut drops a hammer and a feather at the same time on the Moon. What happens?

Both objects hit the ground simultaneously.

Which factor increases the gravitational attraction between two objects?

Increasing their mass.

Which of the following best describes Galileo's contributions to astronomy?

He observed the moons of Jupiter and the phases of Venus, providing evidence against the Ptolemaic model.

According to Kepler's Second Law, a planet moves fastest when it is:

At perihelion, closest to the Sun.

If the Sun's gravitational force suddenly disappeared, what would happen to Earth's motion?

Earth would travel in a straight line at a constant velocity.

Why did Galileo's discovery of sunspots contradict Aristotelian physics?

It demonstrated that celestial objects were not perfect and unchanging.

If two objects are pushed with the same force but have different masses, how will their accelerations compare?

The less massive object accelerates more.

Why did Copernicus' heliocentric model face opposition from scholars of his time?

It contradicted the idea that celestial objects followed divine circular motion.

What conclusion can be drawn if an exoplanet's observed orbital period around its star is unusually short?

The exoplanet is relatively close to its star.

Two planets have the same mass, but one has twice the radius of the other. How does the gravitational acceleration on the larger planet compare to the smaller one?

It is four times weaker on the larger planet.

If air resistance is ignored, a heavier object and a lighter object dropped from the same height will:

Fall at the same rate.