Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Mathematics is the language of physics, illuminating the relationships between concepts as nothing else can. One particularly useful tool is the ability to compute the rate at which a variable is changing its value. With this tool, we can calculate the velocity of an object once we know its trajectory, and its acceleration once we know its velocity. What is the name of this mathematical operation?
2. The concept of "damping" is important not only for first-year physics students, but also for a wide range of applications. It has to do with oscillations: periodic, back-and-forth motions, like a pendulum or a mass on a spring. Which of these is the best description of what damping does?
3. Physicists rely on mathematical constructs to describe what's going on in the world. One of these is the "Dirac delta function", a name which persists despite protests from mathematicians that it does not, in fact, satisfy the mathematical definition of a function. The Dirac delta is used to model point charges, point masses, even potential energy barriers -- but what does a Dirac delta look like as a function of x?
4. Quantum mechanics may be pretty shocking for anyone used to a classical world, but is it "degenerate"? It turns out that some quantum systems are! What does it mean when a system has a degeneracy?
5. "Diffraction" is a term you'll hear in a lot of places, from astronomical observatories to particle accelerators to optics labs. With which of these physical concepts is diffraction most closely associated?
6. One of the most confusing aspects of quantum mechanics is "duality": the notion that particles -- like electrons, protons and photons -- are also waves. The "de Broglie wavelength" is a helpful tool for describing the behavior of a particle/wave. On what property of a particle is its de Broglie wavelength based?
7. People who have spent time in an electronics lab will recognize this useful electrical device. It has two terminals, one in and one out, and -- in the ideal case -- these terminals cannot be reversed: this circuit element allows current to flow only one way. What is the name of this device?
8. The "Doppler effect" is a fun piece of physics, because you can observe it on an ordinary street corner. Let's say that you're waiting by the road as an ambulance goes by, lights flashing and sirens blaring. As the ambulance approaches, its sirens sound high-pitched, but after it passes you and is moving away, the sound you hear has a lower pitch. Why is this?
9. If you've ever spent time with astrophysicists or if you read many science articles in mass-market magazines, you've probably heard of "dark matter," a mysterious substance which may account for nearly a quarter of the energy in the universe. What characterizes dark matter?
10. Physics is a constant area of exploration, and "dark energy" is so recent that it proves the point: we didn't realize we needed the phrase until 1998! It's thought to make up some 74% of the universe, but how do we know dark energy is there?
Source: Author
CellarDoor
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gtho4 before going online.
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