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Physics Trivia Quizzes

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Sound, light, heat, quantum physics and so on. Let's get physical!
114 Physics quizzes and 1,596 Physics trivia questions.
1.
A Sampling of Effects
  A Sampling of Effects   popular trivia quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
Someone somewhere has noticed these everyday effects and studied them. This quiz is about matching the name of the effect to the description of that effect.
Average, 10 Qns, suomy, Oct 28 24
Average
suomy
Oct 28 24
335 plays
2.
  All About Plasmas    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Isn't it ionic, don't you think?
Plasmas have a profound effect on us. They are very common and have been referred to as the fourth state of matter. Take this quiz and learn about or refine your understanding of this fascinating phenomenon.
Average, 10 Qns, andshar, Jan 04 24
Recommended for grades: 12
Average
andshar gold member
Jan 04 24
183 plays
3.
  Physics - Unit By Unit!   best quiz  
Classification Quiz
 10 Qns
This quiz will require you to place ten units for physical quantities into the appropriate categories. Some of these units may be familiar to you while others may be more unusual. Hopefully you will not find the quiz too physically demanding!
Easier, 10 Qns, MikeMaster99, Apr 21 23
Easier
MikeMaster99 gold member
Apr 21 23
621 plays
4.
  Infinity editor best quiz   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Infinity is really, really big. But what else can we say about it? Is it a number? Is it possible for something to be bigger than infinity? Take this quiz and find out!
Tough, 10 Qns, riotgrrl, Jun 15 24
Tough
riotgrrl
Jun 15 24
18113 plays
5.
  Nobel Physics Timeline   best quiz  
Ordering Quiz
 10 Qns
These ten Nobel Prizes in Physics were awarded for contributions to our understanding of the world around us, from atoms to the cosmos. Can you place them in chronological order, given a brief extract from their award citation?
Average, 10 Qns, looney_tunes, Mar 20 23
Average
looney_tunes editor
Mar 20 23
131 plays
6.
  Time Travel   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The idea of traveling to the future or past has intrigued people for centuries. Research in physics has shown that this concept may not be as impossible as it once seemed.
Average, 10 Qns, pagiedamon, May 23 20
Average
pagiedamon gold member
May 23 20
7368 plays
7.
  Physics Is So Cool!   best quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Physics is a cool science designed to help us understand how the universe works. See how many of these physical theories and terms you remember from physics class or possibly learn something new! Good luck!
Average, 10 Qns, BigTriviaDawg, Apr 06 23
Average
BigTriviaDawg gold member
Apr 06 23
271 plays
8.
  Special Relativity and the Space Patrol editor best quiz   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The life of an interstellar police officer is never easy, but sometimes the laws of physics make it hard to enforce the laws of society. Let's ride along with Officers Albert, Max and Hendrik on a typical patrol.
Tough, 10 Qns, CellarDoor, Mar 21 23
Tough
CellarDoor gold member
Mar 21 23
6581 plays
9.
  Quirky Quantum and Nuclear Physics editor best quiz   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Quantum physics is an extraordinary field in every way imaginable. Here is just a taster of the strange way that physics manifests itself at the atomic level. This focuses on wave-particle duality and the nucleus. Enjoy!
Average, 10 Qns, jonnowales, Jul 08 09
Average
jonnowales gold member
3916 plays
10.
  "A"dventures in Physics Vocabulary   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Physics is an "a"mazing field -- partly because of the "A" terms given here. Test your knowledge of the A Team of Physics!
Average, 10 Qns, CellarDoor, Sep 19 11
Recommended for grades: 11,12
Average
CellarDoor gold member
6055 plays
trivia question Quick Question
What is defined as 'load per unit cross-sectional area'?

From Quiz "Deforming Physics!"




11.
  A "C"avalcade of Physics Vocabulary   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
"C"learly, "C" is a "c"rucial letter when it "c"omes to "c"omprehending physics. Test your knowledge of these important "c" words and phrases!
Tough, 10 Qns, CellarDoor, Mar 30 12
Tough
CellarDoor gold member
3671 plays
12.
  Phenomenal Physics!   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Whether you love equations or hate them, they are crucial to understanding physical phenomena. I hope you enjoy and I also hope that the quiz doesn't bring back too many painful memories!
Average, 10 Qns, jonnowales, Jan 31 10
Recommended for grades: 12
Average
jonnowales gold member
2646 plays
13.
  Bad Pickup Lines: Physics Edition   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Or, "Failed Attempts At Grand Unification." Can you pick out the physicists who may have given each of these corny pickup lines? Good luck.
Average, 10 Qns, adams627, Oct 06 19
Average
adams627
Oct 06 19
937 plays
14.
  Subatomic Particle Theory   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
So you want to learn about subatomic particles? You have them. I have them. Llamas and bunnies have them. Everything has them. Take this quiz to learn more.
Average, 10 Qns, deputygary, Nov 30 16
Average
deputygary
3905 plays
15.
  Hot, Hotter, Hottest   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The word "hot" can mean many things, but one of the most potentially dangerous definitions of it is radioactive and that's what this quiz is all about - radioactivity and our lives.
Average, 10 Qns, SP44000, Dec 29 23
Recommended for grades: 11,12
Average
SP44000
Dec 29 23
4062 plays
16.
  General Physics Quiz for Experts    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I'm a science and math teacher. Let's see how well you've paid attention in science class.
Tough, 10 Qns, Eelsdude, Nov 01 22
Tough
Eelsdude
Nov 01 22
7973 plays
17.
  Turn Up the Volume   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz will look at the science of sound used in concert halls or theaters, the science of acoustical physics. Don't fret though, we'll keep this quite simple.
Average, 10 Qns, ralzzz, Jan 20 20
Recommended for grades: 11,12
Average
ralzzz gold member
Jan 20 20
2656 plays
18.
  Nobel Physics 1901-1910   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The Nobel Prize in Physics rewards the most cutting-edge science of its time, and no one ever said it was easy -- but I bet you know more prize-worthy physics than you realize! Test your knowledge of some of humanity's greatest achievements.
Average, 10 Qns, CellarDoor, Mar 30 12
Average
CellarDoor gold member
2995 plays
19.
  Fearsome Formulas    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Explore terms used in daily life that pertain to formulas used in physical science. Learn many new formulas and refresh your memory with the old ones.
Average, 10 Qns, returnofme, Oct 10 24
Average
returnofme
Oct 10 24
7225 plays
20.
  Physics for Teens   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is about physics topics that are taught to 11 to 14 year olds in England and Wales. Are you smarter than a teenager? Based on the UK National Curriculum.
Tough, 10 Qns, romeomikegolf, Jun 27 23
Recommended for grades: 10,11,12
Tough
romeomikegolf gold member
Jun 27 23
4756 plays
21.
  Mixed Physics    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz contains mixed physics questions. Enjoy!
Average, 10 Qns, morticia1111, Feb 13 11
Average
morticia1111
8137 plays
22.
  Physics   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Test your knowledge of physics.
Tough, 10 Qns, kalan1, Apr 02 19
Tough
kalan1
Apr 02 19
3502 plays
23.
  "B"e "B"old with Physics Vocabulary   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
"B"ased on the laws of the world we live in, physics has long been praised for the "b"eauty of its equations and the "b"ravery of its theories -- and now these "B" words and phrases take their rightful place in lights.
Tough, 10 Qns, CellarDoor, May 22 19
Tough
CellarDoor gold member
May 22 19
1821 plays
24.
  Lucky Strike   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
When I go tenpin bowling, I rarely get strikes. When I do, I say it was a lucky strike. But there is actually quite a lot of science behind bowling. Do you know the science?
Average, 10 Qns, salami_swami, Apr 16 18
Recommended for grades: 10,11,12
Average
salami_swami gold member
Apr 16 18
668 plays
25.
  From Time to Time   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
For most people, time is linear and predictable. A second is exactly a second and an hour is exactly an hour... unless a physicist gets involved! Let's spend some time looking at the true reality of time.
Average, 10 Qns, BigTriviaDawg, Jan 10 22
Average
BigTriviaDawg gold member
Jan 10 22
328 plays
26.
  The Power is Yours   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Let's follow the adventures of Suzie the Seal, as she explores a number of questions related to kinematics and dynamics.
Average, 10 Qns, looney_tunes, May 29 21
Average
looney_tunes editor
May 29 21
462 plays
27.
  "D"erring-"D"o with Physics Vocabulary   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
When it comes to a "d"eep understanding of physics, the letter "D" is "d"efinitely "d"ecisive. "D"elve into the "D" words of physics!
Average, 10 Qns, CellarDoor, Nov 04 11
Recommended for grades: 11,12
Average
CellarDoor gold member
581 plays
28.
  Physics - Bits and Bobs   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Here is a collection of questions from topics including elastic properties of solids, light and sub-atomic physics. Enjoy!
Difficult, 10 Qns, doublemm, Nov 30 17
Difficult
doublemm gold member
2893 plays
29.
  Deforming Physics!   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The following quiz is based on an interesting area of material physics - the deformation of solids. I hope you enjoy it!
Tough, 10 Qns, jonnowales, Aug 06 17
Tough
jonnowales gold member
1548 plays
30.
  The Magic of Physics    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
It may seem like magic, but it's not; it's physics!
Tough, 10 Qns, salami_swami, Nov 15 24
Tough
salami_swami gold member
Nov 15 24
1637 plays
31.
  Another Quiz on Quantum Mechanics   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Quantum mechanics has provided scientists with some of the most puzzling phenomena known to mankind. Feel free to test your knowledge of this tricky subject in this quiz.
Average, 10 Qns, happy1234512, Jun 03 22
Average
happy1234512
Jun 03 22
451 plays
32.
  From The Universe To A Quark   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is about "how it all works", from the scale of the universe down to the size of an atom. Have fun!
Average, 10 Qns, foozalish55, Feb 28 14
Average
foozalish55
648 plays
33.
  Nobel Physics 1911-1920   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The Nobel Prize in Physics rewards the most cutting-edge science of its time -- but I bet you know more prize-worthy physics than you realize! Test your knowledge of some of humanity's greatest achievements, from stellar radiation to the study of alloys.
Average, 10 Qns, CellarDoor, Mar 28 12
Average
CellarDoor gold member
438 plays
34.
  Understanding Physics   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This subject takes me back to the start of first year in college. It was one of the harder modules I studied but one of my favourites. Let's see if you agree...
Tough, 10 Qns, doublemm, Oct 30 10
Tough
doublemm gold member
2826 plays
35.
  Swaying Like a Pendulum   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
An assortment of familiar and not so familiar uses of the principle of the pendulum.
Average, 10 Qns, tiye, Jul 11 16
Average
tiye gold member
514 plays
36.
  Physics Trivia    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Some questions to test your knowledge of physics.
Tough, 10 Qns, Sohaib, Jun 13 20
Tough
Sohaib
Jun 13 20
6538 plays
37.
  Personalities of Physics    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Throughout history, many notable scientists have contributed to physics. Here is a quiz on them and their contributions to science.
Average, 10 Qns, yavemiel, Oct 30 22
Average
yavemiel
Oct 30 22
2893 plays
38.
  Forces    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
There are many types of forces in physics. Let's see how much you know about them.
Average, 10 Qns, hotdogPi, Jul 27 21
Recommended for grades: 11,12
Average
hotdogPi
Jul 27 21
691 plays
39.
  Tabula Rosy's Learning Lab    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Please enter my lab where I am enrolled in Physics 101. I am 'Tabula Rosa' not Irishrosy on the subject. As a pupil I have enjoyed researching my questions. Please enter all ye with knowledge of this subject and those who might be interested in it.
Average, 10 Qns, Irishrosy, Mar 10 23
Average
Irishrosy
Mar 10 23
363 plays
40.
  Physical Quantities    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Here is a quiz on some of the physical quantities that exist in our universe. Should be a piece of cake for anyone who's taken a physics course, and should be a challenge for everyone else. Enjoy.
Difficult, 10 Qns, glennGenius, Jun 20 09
Difficult
glennGenius
2154 plays
41.
  The Physics of Football    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A perfectly thrown football is a beautiful thing, as is the unstoppable run to the end zone. Don't tell the jocks playing Saturday but the key to gridiron success comes from physics.
Average, 10 Qns, TemptressToo, Nov 26 13
Average
TemptressToo
502 plays
42.
  Physics Concepts    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is mostly concepts and math that can be done in your head if you know the concepts. Use g = 10 meters per second squared to make it easier.
Difficult, 10 Qns, GUYMITCH, Oct 23 21
Difficult
GUYMITCH
Oct 23 21
7044 plays
43.
  Derivatives and Integrals in Physics    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The language of calculus was invented, in large part, to better explain the physical world around us. Don't worry, there are only concepts and no numbers involved.
Average, 10 Qns, pannkuk, Feb 23 17
Average
pannkuk
398 plays
44.
  Nobel Winning Physicists, 1921-1930    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The 1920s was a remarkable decade for physics, with the Nobel Prize going to names that are famous to this day. See how much you know about the work of these famous physicists.
Average, 10 Qns, parrotman2006, Sep 27 13
Average
parrotman2006 gold member
346 plays
45.
  Physics IQ challenge    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a quiz for all those players who love physics. You will get a chance to check your IQ in physics by playing this quiz, so be ready.
Difficult, 10 Qns, ABHILASHA40, Nov 11 14
Difficult
ABHILASHA40
528 plays
46.
  The Physics of Radiation Therapy    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Radiation comes in all sorts of forms and energies, with all sorts of consequences and all sorts of purposes. But radiation therapy harnesses some of the properties of radiation that many consider dangerous to actually do some good.
Difficult, 10 Qns, dan_scan, Jan 02 14
Difficult
dan_scan
865 plays
47.
  Physics Trivia 2    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
You liked my first quiz, so this is the sequel to that quiz.
Tough, 10 Qns, Sohaib, Aug 26 18
Tough
Sohaib
Aug 26 18
4230 plays
48.
  Physics Fun-sics!    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Here's one that I hope will be a bit more fun.
Tough, 10 Qns, Aznboy, Apr 01 19
Tough
Aznboy
Apr 01 19
4148 plays
49.
  Let's do the Twist    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Physics is a vast subject. So if you want to twist your brain and learn some science stuff, play this quiz. I hope you will like it.
Average, 10 Qns, The_Rubiks, Mar 31 19
Average
The_Rubiks gold member
Mar 31 19
307 plays
50.
  Problems With Physics?    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Calculations are needed here. Related formulae are given. Take g=10 m/s/s. SI units are used. Answer in numerals. All the best!
Average, 10 Qns, namastheg, Dec 20 23
Average
namastheg
Dec 20 23
3072 plays
51.
  General Physics Multiple Choice Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A quiz for those who like physics or might like to learn about the subject.
Tough, 10 Qns, avinash00, Aug 17 18
Tough
avinash00
Aug 17 18
234 plays
Related Topics
  Scientists [People] (61 quizzes)

  Scientists & Inventors [People] (181 quizzes)


Physics Trivia Questions

1. In order to complete the calculations Suzie wants to make about her activities, she needs to know her mass. Exactly what property does her mass measure?

From Quiz
The Power is Yours

Answer: Her tendency to maintain a constant state of motion

Inertial mass, which is usually just called mass, is a measure of any object's tendency to keep on moving as it is. If it is at rest, it will stay at rest unless acted on by an unbalanced outside force; if it is moving, it will keep moving in a straight line at a constant speed unless acted on by an unbalanced outside force. This is usually referred to as Newton's First Law, or the Law of Inertia. Weight is a measure of the force which gravity exerts on an object. In any one place, mass and weight are proportional, but when you go to a place where the force of gravity is stronger or weaker, your weight will increase or decrease without any corresponding change in mass. Size is more precisely called volume, and the tendency of an object to resist spinning is its moment of inertia, a property which depends on both the mass and the shape of the object.

2. If an object is in free fall, what is the only force that is acting upon that object?

From Quiz Forces

Answer: Gravity

On Earth, gravity is acting on everything, even objects which are not falling. An object in free fall is not affected by any force other than gravity, and it has a constant acceleration of -9.8 m/s² (-32 ft/s²).

3. Who is the Renaissance scientist credited with the invention of the pendulum?

From Quiz Swaying Like a Pendulum

Answer: Galileo Galilei

Galileo Galilei's first observation of the pendulum motion was made in Pisa cathedral, when he counted the time it took for a swinging chandelier to return to its motionless position against his heartbeat. By experimenting, he found that no matter how wide the arc of the swing was, or the mass of the pendulum, it took the pendulum the same time to become still. From this breakthrough discovery of a universal scientific principle, Christiaan Huygens, one hundred years later, was able to create a reliable time keeping device.

4. A derivative represents the rate of change of something. What is the derivative of a velocity function with respect to time?

From Quiz Derivatives and Integrals in Physics

Answer: acceleration

Acceleration is the rate at which your velocity changes (dv/dt). Velocity has units of meters/second. When divided by time we get meters/second squared, the common unit for acceleration. Car commercials will sometimes state that their vehicle can go from "0 to 60mph in 6s." This represents the acceleration of the car.

5. Some of my players aren't too bright, so I avoid big words while explaining that physics is the study of matter (an example is the matter of a defensive tackle) and its "what" through space and time?

From Quiz The Physics of Football

Answer: motion

The word "physics" is derived from the Greek meaning, "knowledge of nature." This essential science is key to explaining how things work, on and off the football field. It is one of the oldest fields of science, dating to the Greeks in 650 BC.

6. What is the name of the science of sound?

From Quiz Tabula Rosy's Learning Lab

Answer: Acoustics

The science of the production, transmission and capture of the effects of sound is called acoustics. The pitch of sound can be measured in wavelengths. High-frequency (short-wavelength) sound waves are known as overtones. If a sound is higher frequency than can be heard in human hearing it is called ultrasound, or ultrasonic waves. Some uses of ultrasonic waves are in motion detection and prenatal imaging.

7. The winner of the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics is arguably the most famous physicist of all time. Ironically, he won not for his work on relativity, but his work on the photoelectric effect. Who was this genius?

From Quiz Nobel Winning Physicists, 1921-1930

Answer: Einstein & Albert Einstein

In 1905, his "miracle year", Einstein would publish four papers that revolutionized physics. Building on the work of Max Planck, Einstein established the existence of photons, particles of light that conveyed energy. The theories of Einstein created the basis for modern electronics and laid the foundations for the field of quantum mechanics. Not bad for a guy with dyslexia.

8. A man has a mass of 60 kg on Earth. What will his mass be on the Moon?

From Quiz Physics

Answer: 60 kg

Mass depends on the amount of matter in a body. Weight is dependent on gravity. Mass does not change on the Moon as it is not dependent on local gravity. The gravity on the Moon is 1/6 of the gravity on Earth.

9. What is the SI unit of weight?

From Quiz Physical Quantities

Answer: newtons

Weight is defined as the amount of force that gravity exerts on an object. The SI unit of force is the newton. The pound is also a measure of force, but it is not SI. Grams and kilograms both measure mass, NOT weight.

10. What is a subatomic particle?

From Quiz Subatomic Particle Theory

Answer: Particle smaller than an atom

Atoms make up all things. Subatomic particles make up atoms. The main ones are protons, neutrons and electrons, although there are many more. Protons contain a positive charge. Neutrons have no charge (I guess because they don't have credit cards). Protons and neutrons are found in the center, or nucleus, of atoms. Electrons have a negative charge and rotate outside the nucleus.

11. Time travel (traveling to the past or future) has been a popular theme in film and fiction. Albert Einstein offered a groundbreaking theory that gives some scientific possibility to actual time travel. What theory is this?

From Quiz Time Travel

Answer: Special Relativity Theory

According to the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), Einstein's Special Relativity Theory can be summed up with two major points: "the speed of light is the same for all observers" and "physics is the same for all inertial observers". Many scientists use Einstein's theory to argue that time travel is possible, if not probable, based upon the laws of physics.

12. Which quirky and eccentric scientist won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 for his work on the laws of the photoelectric effect?

From Quiz Quirky Quantum and Nuclear Physics

Answer: Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein is deified amongst scientific communities. His style, inimitable; his physical knowledge, paralleled by an elite few. A common misconception is that Albert Einstein received the Nobel Prize for his work on the Theory of Relativity. However, this is false as he received the prize not for his almost ubiquitously known equation, E = mc^2, but for his work on the photoelectric effect, a magnificently interesting field of particle physics.

13. The "center of mass" is a powerful concept for understanding the way that complicated objects move, hugely simplifying calculations of momentum and force. How do you calculate the center of mass of a group of objects?

From Quiz A "C"avalcade of Physics Vocabulary

Answer: Take the average of the objects' positions, weighted by their masses.

The center of mass of a group of objects is a point located at the mass-weighted average position of those objects. It's very useful in determining the motion of the system, which can often be very complicated (think, for example, of buckshot fired from a shotgun). Instead of individually calculating the momentum of each object, you can find the momentum of the system by multiplying its total mass by the velocity of the center of mass -- only one calculation! Similarly, the total force on the system can be calculated from the total mass and the center of mass's acceleration. We can also calculate the center of mass of a continuous system -- such as a sports car or a figure skater -- using an integral to calculate the average, rather than a sum. (An integral allows you to add up infinitesimally small pieces.) An athlete's center of mass changes depending on his or her posture, and need not be located within the body at all -- making possible maneuvers like the Fosbury Flop. High jumpers can thus clear the bar without ever bringing their centers of mass above it, simply by bending their bodies to keep those centers low!

14. Extension is the physical property which can also be phrased as the change in length (delta length). If the extension of an object is divided by the original length of the same object, what is being measured?

From Quiz Deforming Physics!

Answer: Strain

The full equation is; 'strain = extension / original length'. By deriving units it is found that strain doesn't actually have a unit. By dimensional analysis, extension is measured in metres and length is also measured in the SI unit, metres. This is saying it is (m / m = m^1 x m^-1 = m^0 = 1). Though, sometimes for clarification, strain is sometimes given a percentage value. So, you can gather from the equation that strain is the quantification of how a force has extended (or compressed) the length of an object.

15. Which instrument is used to measure gas pressure?

From Quiz Mixed Physics

Answer: A manometer

The manometer is a u-tube containing liquid used to measure gas pressure against atmospheric pressure. One end of the tube is joined to the gas supply which is then turned on. If the pressure of the gas is high, mercury is used. If the pressure of gas is low water is used to give a more accurate measurement.

16. Which physicist became more famous for his cat than for his equation?

From Quiz General Physics

Answer: Erwin Schrodinger

Schrödinger's cat was a hypothetical experiment. In the experiment, a cat is in a small, sealed box with a poisonous substance. This substance is sealed away from the cat, but will be released when a certain radioactive element disintegrates. Suppose you leave the box where it is. At any moment, you cannot tell whether the cat is dead or alive, since if the element has disintegrated, the cat will be dead and if it didn't the cat will still be alive. Since there is no way to know whether the element disintegrated, he argued, the cat will be in a state between dead and alive until you open the box and thus take a measurement. This experiment was proposed to counter critics, such as Einstein, and help them understand what quantum theory was all about. Quantum theory states that properties of a particle are not known until you measure them (thus the life or death of the cat). Therefore, quantum mechanics is a statistical theory in nature. Einstein however, was convinced that a deterministic God did not play dice and hence the universe could not be statistical, so he did not agree with quantum mechanics as a final theory. Schrödinger on his part, countered with this experiment. Unfortunately for Schrödinger, his experiment is quantum physics on a wrong level. Quantum physics only works at a submicroscopic level as a theory and hence should be only used for that. The cat for sure is either dead or alive and its fate does not depend on a measurement (as the spin of an electron seems to do). The macroscopic world is thus thought to be deterministic and the submicroscopic world indeterministic or statistical.

17. The mathematical symbol for infinity looks like which character turned on its side?

From Quiz Infinity

Answer: The number '8'

The Romans sometimes used this symbol to represent 1000, a big number, and this led a mathematician named John Wallis to suggest in 1650 that it should be used as the symbol of infinity. It stuck.

18. How much time will an electric engine of 500W take to lift a mass of 50 kg through a distance of 5 metres? (Potential Energy = Mass X g X Height ; Power = Work or Energy / Time)

From Quiz Problems With Physics?

Answer: 5 & Five

In this case, work done is the potential energy of the object.

19. If an object is at rest on a flat surface, there is always gravity pulling down and the normal force pushing up. Which force is greater?

From Quiz Forces

Answer: They are equal

If gravity was stronger, the object would be falling, and not at rest. If the normal force was stronger, the object would be ascending, which is impossible.

20. What is the number of electrons present in the nucleus of an uranium atom having atomic number 92 and mass number 238?

From Quiz Physics IQ challenge

Answer: 0

There are no electrons present in the nucleus of this, or any other, uranium atom as the nucleus of any atom consists only of protons and neutrons. Electrons revolve around the nucleus in a fixed orbit.

21. A popular desk toy consists of a number of metal balls - usually five - suspended by two wires of equal length from a metal frame, lightly touching each other. What is this toy called?

From Quiz Swaying Like a Pendulum

Answer: Newton's Cradle

Newton's Cradle or Executive Ball Clicker is based on the principle of conservation of momentum. After the first ball of a Newton's Cradle hits the second ball, its momentum is not lost but it is transferred to the second ball, then the third ball, until it reaches the last ball and sets it to swinging motion. Then, the first and last ball swing at nearly the same momentum while the middle balls seem stationary. The first demonstration of this principle was made by French physicist and priest Edme Mariotte, in the 17th century.

22. An integral is the product of two quantities. What physical quantity is obtained when you take the integral of a velocity function with respect to time?

From Quiz Derivatives and Integrals in Physics

Answer: displacement

Multiplying the units of velocity and time (meters/second and seconds) results in meters - the unit for displacement.

23. I've drawn X's and O's and squiggly lines until I'm blue in the face (might be those dry-erase fumes as well), but the most important components good players understand is the part of physics that involves the study of motion, known as what?

From Quiz The Physics of Football

Answer: mechanics

The study of mechanics involves how a physical body, like a football, is subjected to outside forces and/or displacement (like a cut block tackle). The word "mechanics" comes from the Greek, and was extensively developed by the Greek philosophers Aristotle and Archimedes (no, they didn't play for the Green Bay Packers). Progression in the field brought us the work of Sir Isaac Newton and his three laws of motion, the stuff of football legends.

24. What do we call a solid whose arrangement of atoms and molecules has no definite pattern?

From Quiz Tabula Rosy's Learning Lab

Answer: Amorphous

The atoms and the molecules of a solid can be amorphous or crystalline. An amorphous structure, almost always, is basically a random structure. Many a physics textbook will have as an example that an amorphous solid does not have a lattice-like pattern of atoms and molecules. A crystalline form of the atoms of a solid has a more orderly structure. The word amorphous comes from the Greek meaning having no shape.

25. What Nobel Prize-winning physicist was Niels Bohr working with when he made the discoveries that led to his 1922 Nobel Prize for physics?

From Quiz Nobel Winning Physicists, 1921-1930

Answer: Sir Joseph J Thompson

Bohr worked with Joseph Thomson in Manchester in 1911 and 1912. His experiments there led Bohr to discover the structure of hydrogen atoms. Thompson had won the Nobel in 1906 for his work with cathode ray tubes that led to the discovery of the electron. While Bohr's theory has been superseded by more complex explanations of the motion of atoms, a century later his model is still used to teach introductory students about the nature of atomic structure.

26. Bowling pins are shaped in a certain way so they are more stable and less likely to fall over if gently hit. This is because of their center of gravity, which is located where in the pin?

From Quiz Lucky Strike

Answer: Near the bottom

The center of gravity of a standard tenpin is very low, which makes it harder to knock over when hit (this is also why they wobble without falling over). If the center of gravity was near the top, they would fall over much more easily. Imagine a water bottle with a little bit of ice stuck at the very bottom. It is fairly sturdy and doesn't knock over easily. Flip it over, and now all the weight is at the top of the bottle, and you can knock it down easily, perhaps even with a small blow. The same thing applies to the bowling pins. With the majority of the weight near the ground, the center of gravity is low, making it difficult to knock over.

27. What is the period of revolution of Mercury measured in Earth days?

From Quiz Physics

Answer: 88 days

As Mercury is the closest planet to the sun it has the least period of revolution, 88 Earth days. The period of revolution goes on increasing as the distance between the sun and the planet goes on increasing. For example, the period of revolution of Neptune is 165 Earth years.

28. Sound has to vibrate through the air or some sort of solid material in order for it to be heard. What is the name of the material that sound passes through to reach your ear drums?

From Quiz Turn Up the Volume

Answer: Medium

In order for sound to be generated, the sound waves must be passed from one molecule to the next, vibrating each one on its way from the source to your ear. The material that contains these molecules is called the medium. Imagine this, you have a rack containing 12 steel ball bearings packed tightly together. If you place your finger on one end and tap the other end with a hammer, you should be able to feel the vibrations on your finger. This is because the vibrations pass through each ball until you can feel it on your end. Sound acts in the same way. That's also why you can lose sound over distance. There isn't enough force to stimulate all of the molecules between a sound source and your ear so the sound becomes lost. Shouting has much more sound force than whispering does, so shouting will vibrate more molecules through air which will increase the distance it can be heard.

29. In radiation therapy, how are X-rays different from gamma rays?

From Quiz The Physics of Radiation Therapy

Answer: They are man made.

Gamma rays and X-rays are both ionizing radiation consisting of highly energetic photons. The distinction between them is that gamma rays are produced as a result of nuclear decay of a radioactive element, and X-rays are produced by accelerating a beam of electrons at a metal target using high voltages. Both have no charge, do the same damage to tissue (assuming they have the same energy of course), and pass through water quite easily.

30. What is measured in Nm (Newton metres) and is defined as the force multiplied by the perpendicular distance from a point?

From Quiz Understanding Physics

Answer: A moment

Moments cause a turning effect (known as a torque) if the object the force is applied to is pivoted and the force is applied at a perpendicular distance from the pivot.

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