Light Behavior
Light is classified as which type of wave?
A. Mechanical longitudinal wave
B. Pressure wave
C. Electromagnetic transverse wave
D. Gravitational compression wave
C. Electromagnetic transverse wave
What is the main function of a polarizing filter?
A. To increase the speed of light
B. To allow light vibrating in one direction to pass through
C. To separate white light into colors
D. To reflect all incoming light
B. To allow light vibrating in one direction to pass through
Why is light reflected from roads or water (glare) effectively blocked by polarized sunglasses?
A. Reflection causes light waves to vibrate mostly in one direction
B. Reflected light moves slower than normal light
C. Reflection increases the wavelength of light
D. Water creates electric currents in light waves
A. Reflection causes light waves to vibrate mostly in one direction
In a simple circuit, what is the main job of a battery?
A. To block electric current
B. To provide energy that pushes charges through the circuit
C. To slow down electrons
D. To measure voltage
B. To provide energy that pushes charges through the circuit
Which term describes the forward force produced when a rocket engine expels hot gases backward?
A. Drag
B. Normal
C. Thrust
D. Inertia
C. Thrust
When describing the polarization direction of light, physicists usually refer to the direction of the:
A. Magnetic field oscillation
B. Wave travel direction
C. Electric field oscillation
D. Electron motion inside the source
C. Electric field oscillation
Which of the following is usually an example of unpolarized light?
A. Light after passing through a polarizing filter
B. Light reflected from a lake at glare angle
C. Sunlight coming directly from the Sun
D. Light used in 3D movie glasses
C. Sunlight coming directly from the Sun
In many 3D movie theaters, the glasses work because:
A. The screen projects infrared light
B. The glasses magnify the screen
C. Each lens blocks different polarized light
D. Each eye sees the same exact image
C. Each lens blocks different polarized light
Two identical light bulbs are connected in series to a battery. Compared to a single bulb connected to the same battery, the bulbs in series will:
A. Be brighter
B. Have the same brightness
C. Be dimmer
D. Not light up at all
C. Be dimmer
Which of Newton’s Laws best explains how rockets move forward by pushing exhaust gases backward?
A. Newton’s First Law
B. Newton’s Second Law
C. Newton’s Third Law
D. Law of Universal Gravitation
C. Newton’s Third Law
Why do some materials transmit visible light while others absorb it?
A. Transparent materials have fewer atoms, so light passes through empty space between them
B. Visible light can only travel through materials with perfectly aligned molecules
C. Opaque materials force light waves to stop vibrating completely inside the material
D. Materials absorb light when the light’s energy matches the energy needed for electrons to jump between energy levels
D. Materials absorb light when the light’s energy matches the energy needed for electrons to jump between energy levels
A student rotates one polarizing filter while looking through another fixed filter. The light gradually dims and then becomes nearly dark. What does this demonstrate?
A. Light intensity depends on wavelength only
B. Light waves can have specific vibration directions
C. Polarizers increase the energy of light
D. Light travels only in straight lines
B. Light waves can have specific vibration directions
Two polarizing filters are placed at 90° to each other. What happens to the light passing through them?
A. All the light passes through
B. The light becomes brighter
C. Most or all of the light is blocked
D. The light changes color only
C. Most or all of the light is blocked
Why are most household appliances connected in parallel rather than in series?
A. Parallel circuits use no energy
B. Batteries only work in parallel circuits
C. Parallel circuits have only one path for current
D. Each appliance can operate independently
D. Each appliance can operate independently
Which space mission famously failed because one engineering team used English units while another used metric units, causing a navigation error?
A. Apollo 13
B. Voyager 1
C. Challenger
D. Mars Climate Orbiter
D. Mars Climate Orbiter
How does visible light travel through transparent glass?
A. The electric field of the light wave causes electrons in the glass to vibrate and re-emit electromagnetic waves that continue through the material
B. The light passes through without interacting with any electrons in the glass
C. Electrons in the glass permanently absorb the light energy and store it as heat
D. The magnetic field of the light wave pushes atoms aside to create a path through the glass
A. The electric field of the light wave causes electrons in the glass to vibrate and re-emit electromagnetic waves that continue through the material
Modern polarizing filters commonly use aligned long-chain molecules embedded in which material?
A. Tempered silica glass
B. Conductive silicon wafers
C. Transparent crystalline quartz
D. Polaroid polymer film
D. Polaroid polymer film
Why do many modern 3D movie theaters use circularly polarized light instead of linearly polarized light?
A. Circular polarization allows viewers to tilt their heads without losing the 3D effect
B. Circular polarization makes the movie brighter
C. Circular polarization uses less electricity
D. Circular polarization changes the color of the images
A. Circular polarization allows viewers to tilt their heads without losing the 3D effect
If the voltage of a circuit stays the same but the resistance increases, what happens to the current?
A. The current stays the same
B. The current increases
C. The current decreases
D. The current becomes zero immediately
C. The current decreases
While approaching Gargantua in Interstellar, the Endurance travels at a speed of 7.5 kilometers per second. What is this speed in meters per second?
A. 7,500 m/s
B. 75,000 m/s
C. .7500 m/s
D. 7.5x10^3 m/s
A. 7,500 m/s
D. 7.5x10^3 m/s
What is the main difference between linearly polarized light and circularly polarized light?
A. Linearly polarized light has no magnetic field, while circularly polarized light does
B. In linearly polarized light, the electric field vibrates in one plane, while in circularly polarized light the electric field rotates as the wave travels
C. Circularly polarized light travels faster than linearly polarized light
D. Linearly polarized light can exist only in lasers, while circularly polarized light exists only in nature
B. In linearly polarized light, the electric field vibrates in one plane, while in circularly polarized light the electric field rotates as the wave travels
Why can a polarizing filter block light vibrating in one direction while ordinary glass cannot?
A. In a polarizer, electrons can move more easily along one direction of aligned molecules, allowing certain light vibrations to be absorbed
B. Ordinary glass bends light waves randomly in all directions, causing every polarization direction to pass through equally strongly
C. The atoms inside glass permanently trap visible light energy and then release it again in a completely different direction
D. Polarizing filters create their own electromagnetic waves that cancel incoming light through destructive interference
A. In a polarizer, electrons can move more easily along one direction of aligned molecules, allowing certain light vibrations to be absorbed
A student looks through two polarizing filters and slowly rotates one of them. What happens to the brightness of the light as the angle changes from 45° to 10°?
A. The brightness stays constant
B. The light changes color but not brightness
C. The brightness steadily increases
D. The brightness steadily decreases until almost no light passes through
C. The brightness steadily increases
What happens to the total resistance of a circuit when another resistor is added in parallel?
A. The total resistance decreases
B. The total resistance stays the same
C. The total resistance increases
D. The total resistance becomes equal to the largest resistor
A. The total resistance decreases
According to Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, why does time pass more slowly near Gargantua?
A. Strong gravity bends space-time and affects the rate at which time passes
B. Black holes stop all motion completely
C. Light cannot exist near strong gravity
D. Faster planetary rotation causes clocks to stop working
A. Strong gravity bends space-time and affects the rate at which time passes