"A"dventures in Physics Vocabulary

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. We'll start with a familiar concept: momentum! An object's linear momentum is simply its mass times its speed; the greater the momentum, the greater the force needed to change it. Now consider an object moving in a circle -- a Ferris wheel, for example, or the rim of a record, or even the Earth itself! Which of these quantities is an extension of the linear momentum concept to motion along a curved path? Adamson momentum All-around momentum Axial momentum Angular momentum

2. You might hear rocket scientists discussing this word, which describes an orbit's farthest point from Earth. What is it? Aphelion Apogee Altitude Adiabatic

3. Now let's consider "atmospheric pressure," which -- reasonably enough -- describes the pressure at a given point in the Earth's atmosphere. To a good first approximation, what is applying this pressure? The weight of the atmosphere below that point The weight of the atmosphere above that point Winds running roughly parallel to the Earth's surface The solar wind

4. The word "astrophysics" can be seen on the door of many a professor and department head in universities around the world. This discipline has grown to encompass a wide range of research areas. Which of these is NOT an area of astrophysics study? Tests for the theory of general relativity The origin of the universe The effects of stellar and planetary motion on human lives Nuclear fusion reactions inside stars

5. Our next term is old and venerable; in fact, it featured in one of Isaac Newton's famous equations. Which of these classical equations correctly describes "acceleration"? F = m*a A = l*w div A = 0 a = l/ (1 - e^2)

6. Here's a "cool" physics phrase! "Absolute zero" is the lowest possible temperature, period. As we approach absolute zero, molecular motion stops and the entropy (or disorder) becomes a constant. This temperature falls at 0 on the Kelvin scale, but approximately what is absolute zero in more familiar terms? -273 degrees Celsius (-460 degrees Fahrenheit) -625 degrees Celsius (-1093 degrees Fahrenheit) -26 degrees Celsius (-15 degrees Fahrenheit) -2500 degrees Celsius (-4468 degrees Fahrenheit)

7. Our next word is "atom," and it describes something extremely small -- but very important. Not only is it the subject of an entire specialization (atomic physics), but it's the smallest possible unit of ... what? Matter A given element A given protein Electric charge

8. For decades, science fiction writers have labored to familiarize us all with the word "antimatter." It turns out that most particles have a corresponding antiparticle, with exactly the same mass and with various charges reversed. Which of these particles does NOT have a distinct antiparticle? Photon Neutron Electron Strange quark

9. Next up is a rather dangerous term. An "alpha particle" is emitted by some radioactive materials -- and if you ingest it, it can be deadly. But an alpha particle isn't some new and exotic type of matter; instead, it's something rather ordinary. What is it? A helium nucleus: two protons and two neutrons A single electron A hydrogen nucleus: a single proton A deuterium nucleus: a proton and a neutron

10. If you like electricity and magnetism (and who on the Internet can afford not to?), you'll love Maxwell's equations. These four laws, expressed in a beautifully simple form by James Clerk Maxwell, are the crowning achievement of 19th-century physics, explaining classical electrodynamics completely. The fourth of these laws, proposed by another scientist and corrected by Maxwell, states that a change in electric field induces a magnetic field. Name this law. Abraham-Lorentz Law Ampere's Law Alfven's Theorem Aharonov-Bohm Effect