PHYC 110
Physical Science
Name _________________________
Test 1
Check units and significant figures before turning in the test.
Some constants and conversion factors
Pi = π = 3.14
Speed of light = 3.0x108 m/s
g = 9.80 m/s2
1 meter = 3.28 feet
1 mile = 5,280 ft
1 km = 0.621 mi
1 minute = 60 seconds
1 hour = 60 minutes
1 m/s = 2.24 mi/hr
1 kg = 2.2 lbs
Measurement
1. [3] Match kilogram to one of the following
a. 10-9 s b. 106 W c. 10–3 grams d. 1,000 grams
e. 9.8 m/s2
2. [3] Calculate the product of 3.1416 x 27.3 to the correct number of significant figures:
a. 86 b. 85.7 c. 85.8 d. 85.765 e. 85.764 f. None of the above
Three significant figures.
3. [3] Which of the following speeds is greatest (Hint: Choose unit(s) and convert to the
same units)?
a. 10 km/hr b. 10 m/s c. 10 ft/s d. 10 mi/hr e. 10 yards/s
4. [3] Sixty mi/hr is how many ft/s?
a. 60 ft/s b. 1.47 ft/s c. 3.28 ft/s
d. 96.6 km/hr
e. 88 ft/s
5. [3] Light travels at 3.00x108 m/s. How fast is that in miles/second?
a. 3.00x108 meters b. 1.86x105 miles/s c. 6.72x108 miles/hour d. 1.00 ly
Solar System
6. [3] Six kilograms on Earth has what mass on the Mars (gravity = 38% of
Earth's gravity g)?
a. 2.28 kg
b. 6.0 g’s c. 6.0 kg
d. 13 pounds
e. 2234 grams
7. [3] How far is the Earth from the Sun?
a. 186,000 mi
b. 1 AU
c. 8.33 seconds
d. 1 ly
d. All of the above
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PHYC 110
Name _________________________
Physical Science
8. [4] Name the 8 planets of the Sun in the order of distance from the Sun, closest first:
a.____Mercury_______
b.____Venus_________
c.____Earth__________
d.____Mars__________
e.____Jupiter________
f.____Saturn_________
g.____Uranus_______
h.____Neptune______
9. [3] State Kepler’s three laws of planetary motion, and give an equation where
appropriate:
1) Law of Elliptical Orbits. Orbits are ellipses.
2) Law of Equal Areas. An imaginary line from the Sun to a planet sweeps out equal
areas in equal times.
3) Harmonic Law, T2/R3 = K, is a constant in the Solar System planet orbits.
10. [3] Galileo changed scientific methodology by implementing which of the
following?
a. government funding. b. political correctness. c. test a hypothesis by experiment.
d. ensure the hypothesis agrees with historical traditions.
11. [3] Jupiter’s orbital radius (mean) is 5.2 AU. Use Kepler’s third law to estimate its
orbital period (in Earth years). Show your work.
T2/R3 = K, for Earth 12/13 = K = 1. Therefore, for Jupiter K = 1 = T2/5.23
T2 = 5.23
T = 11.9 Earth years
12. [3] The largest planet in the Solar System is
a. Jupiter b. Saturn c. Uranus d. Mercury e. Earth
13. [3] The most common gas in the Earth’s atmosphere is
a. oxygen b. carbon dioxide c. natural gas d. water vapor
14. The smallest planet in the Solar System is:
a. Mars b. Earth c. Mercury d. Pluto e. Moon
e. nitrogen
f. None of the above.
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PHYC 110
Physical Science
Name _________________________
Universe
15. [3] What is the approximate temperature of the Sun in its core?
a. 6,000 K b. –273 K c. 15,000,000 K d. 212 °F e. 1,000,000 °C
16. [3] What is the surface of the Sun called?
a. mantle b. eclipse c. corona d. photosphere
e. core
17. [3] What is the primary fuel for the Sun’s nuclear reaction?
a. hydrogen b. helium c. oxygen d. natural gas e. uranium
18. [3] What is the brightest star in the night sky?
a. Venus b. Orion c. Sirius d. Polaris e. AngelinaJolie
19. [3] What is the a) nickname and b) what is unique about the star Polaris?
a) North Star,
b) Polaris is on the celestial north pole, and was used by early explorers for navigation.
20. [3] What is a supernova?
a. Gas giant planet.
b. Galaxy that is falling into a black hole.
c. An exploding star
d. A star that emits pulses of radiation.
21. [3] What findings did Edwin Hubble publish in 1929 based on the red shift?
a. Galaxies are receding, and the farther away, the faster they are moving.
b. Communism was adversely influencing labor unions in the U.S.
c. The Milky Way is not the only galaxy in the universe.
d. Hydrogen and helium are found on our Sun and distant stars.
e. None of the above.
22. [3] What is the difference between a constellation and a galaxy?
Constellation is a pattern of stars the ancients equated to mythical people or objects.
Galaxy is a large cluster of stars —approximately 100 billion on the average.
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PHYC 110
Name _________________________
Physical Science
23. [3] How has Edwin Hubble been honored by the U.S. Government, in
addition to having a postage stamp?
a. The telescope on Mt. Wilson was named after him.
b. A galaxy was named after him.
c. A space telescope was named after him.
d. A telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, was named after him.
Motion
24. [3] A car travels at 30 km/h for 30 min and 60 km/hr for 15 min.
a. How far does it travel in this time (in kilometers)?
d1 = 30 km/hr x 0.5 hr = 15 km
d2 = 60 km/hr x 0.25 hr = 15 km
d = d1 + d2 = 30 km
b. What is its average speed, in kilometers per hour?
t = t1 + t2 = 30 min + 15 min = 45 min = 0.75 hr
v = 30 km/0.75 hr = 40. km/hr
25. What is the difference between the terms “speed” and “velocity?”
Speed is a rate of motion d/t, velocity is speed and also includes a direction.
26. [3] The 100.-meter race is the shortest outdoor sprint race
distance in the sport of athletics. The record of 9.58 seconds is held
by Usain Bolt of Jamaica (2009). Calculate his average speed in
mi/hr.
v = 100 m/9.58 s = 10.4 m/s
10.4 m/s * 2.24 mi/hr/1 m/s = 23.4 mi/hr
27. [3] Does a speed limit sign represent a limit on the instantaneous speed or
average speed of a vehicle?
a. Instantaneous speed b Average speed c. Neither, no direction is indicated.
Linear Acceleration
28. [3] If a car accelerates from 5.0 m/s to 15 m/s in 2.0 seconds, what is the car's average
acceleration (show correct significant figures)?
a = Δv/ Δt = (15 – 5)/2 = 5.0 m/s2 (Two significant figures)
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PHYC 110
Name _________________________
Physical Science
29. [6] The 8,000 hp Budweiser/Lucas Oil top-fuel dragster recently qualified with a run
where it accelerated from rest to 321 mi/hr in 4.6 s.
a. What was its final speed in m/s?
321 mi/hr x 1 m/s / 2.24 mi/hr = 143 m/s
b. What was its average acceleration in m/s2?
a = Δv/ Δt = (143 – 0)/4.6 = 31.1 m/s2
c. Find its average acceleration in g’s (1 g = 9.8 m/s2)
a = 31.1 m/s2 x 1 g/9.8 m/s2 = 3.2 g’s
Free Fall
30. [3] A ball is thrown straight up and returns to its starting point in 8.0 seconds under
an acceleration due to gravity. Which of the following is true, assuming no air friction?
a. It took less time to rise than to fall.
b. To compare rise and fall times we need to know the mass of the ball.
c. It took the same time to rise as it took to fall.
d. It took longer to rise than to fall.
31. [6] Laurel and Hardy drop a 225-kg piano from a height of 200 m in
free fall.
a. How long does it take to reach the ground?
a. 4.5 s
b. 6.4 s
c. 20 s
d. 41 s e. None of the above
d = ½ gt2
200 = ½ (9.8) t2
t = 6.4 s
mass does not factor into this
b. How fast is it going when it hits?
a. 44 m/s
b. 63 m/s
c. 196 m/s
d. 20 m/s
e. None of the above
v = at = gt = (9.8)(6.4) = 63 m/s
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