Conceptual Physics Essay Questions
1) How is an electric field similar to a gravitational field? If you put a charged
object in an electric field, what will happen to it? In which direction will it
move?
2) On an average day, estimate how much sustained voltage would you have
to experience to feel a shock. What are some good safety measures when
working around power tools and electrical appliances?
3) What is the difference between direct current and alternating current? When
we plug a light bulb into a wall outlet, where do the electrons come from?
4) Draw a schematic diagram of two 6-ohm resistors in series with a 9-V
battery and two 6-ohm resistors in parallel with each other. What is the
overall resistance of the resistors? What is the current through and voltage
across each resistor?
5) Suppose energy costs $0.07 per kilowatt-hour. How much would it cost to
keep a 60-watt porch light on all night every night for one month? ( The
average month is 30 days, and the average night is 10 hours.)
6) What is a transverse wave? For a transverse wave, define wavelength,
amplitude, period, frequency, and wave speed. What are the units of each?
Explain how these characteristics are related.
7) What is a standing wave? A node? An antinode?
8) What is a sonic boom? Explain in as much detail as you can.
9) Write a short paragraph on beats and how they are produced. Give
examples.
10) Write a short paragraph on early measurements of the speed of light.
11) Write a short paragraph on polarization. Explain what it is and how we use
polarizers. Explain why sunglasses polarize light vertically.
12) Write a short paragraph on why objects look a certain color and why
colored glass transmits a certain color of light. (For example, why is a blue
quilt blue and why does red light pass through a red piece of glass?)
13) What are the three primary colors for light addition? What colors appear
when lights of any two primary colors are shone on a white object? How
would you guess a TV set makes purple?
14) Explain why the sky is blue.
15) What is refraction? Why does it occur? Give examples of sound refraction
and light refraction.
16) Explain why a pinhole camera works. Where is the "lens"? Where is the
image located? What is its orientation?