Type: Conceptual
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
18) Suppose a theory is used to make a prediction. A measurement is carried out to test the prediction. The measurement is found to have a value far larger than the prediction. This means
A) the theory must be completely incorrect and must be rejected entirely.
B) nothing because theories are not facts; theories often make incorrect predictions but are still regarded as true by scientists.
C) the measurement must be incorrect; theories by definition cannot be incorrect.
D) the theory might have correct elements but must be modified to account for some unforeseen influences.
Answer: D
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: The Scientific Enterprise
Chapter: 01 Physics, the Fundamental Science
Type: Definition
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
19) By expressing relationships between quantities using mathematics, we can
A) describe the relationships more exactly; words cannot possibly describe a relationship.
B) avoid needing to be concerned with units.
C) make our statements more compact and make manipulations easier.
D) make understanding our ideas more comfortable for everyone, including nonscientists.
Answer: C
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: The Role of Measurement and Mathematics in Physics
Chapter: 01 Physics, the Fundamental Science
Type: Conceptual
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
20) In order to gain a more scientific worldview, the student is encouraged to
A) perform simple experiments at home.
B) perform experiments, but only in the laboratory.
C) refrain from experiments; they are all too complicated.
D) consult the oldest books available.
Answer: A
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Physics and Everyday Phenomena
Chapter: 01 Physics, the Fundamental Science
Type: Conceptual
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
21) Which of the following is not a major subfield of physics?
A) Electricity and magnetism
B) Thermodynamics
C) Statistics
D) Optics
Answer: C
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: The Scope of Physics
Chapter: 01 Physics, the Fundamental Science
Type: Definition
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
22) A person claims that he can start fires by using his mental powers. If we start with the hypothesis that his claim is true, we can
A) put him in a room with just a newspaper and watch him start a fire.
B) do nothing; this is not a testable hypothesis.
C) make him explain how he starts fires with his mind.
D) watch a video of him starting a fire with his mind.
Answer: A
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: The Scientific Enterprise
Chapter: 01 Physics, the Fundamental Science
Type: Conceptual
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
23) The study of rainbows would fall under what subfield of physics?
A) Mechanics
B) Thermodynamics
C) Optics
D) Electricity and magnetism
E) Atomic physics
Answer: C
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: The Scope of Physics
Chapter: 01 Physics, the Fundamental Science
Type: Definition
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
24) The key distinction between explanations provided by science and religion is
A) truth.
B) simplicity.
C) beauty.
D) testability.
Answer: D
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: The Scientific Enterprise
Chapter: 01 Physics, the Fundamental Science
Type: Definition
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
25) The principal advantage of metric units over English units is that
A) metric units are of more convenient size.
B) conversions between metric units are easier.
C) metric units are more familiar.
D) there are fewer metric units to remember than English units.
Answer: B
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: The Role of Measurement and Mathematics in Physics
Chapter: 01 Physics, the Fundamental Science
Type: Conceptual
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
26) Suppose you are told that the force on a body (F) is given by the product of its mass (m) and the acceleration of the body (a). Which of the following mathematical equations is the correct expression of this relationship?
A) F = m/a
B) F = m + a
C) F = a/m
D) F = m × a
E) F = 1/(m × a)
Answer: D
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: The Role of Measurement and Mathematics in Physics