Note to student: The following questions represent the type and difficulty of problems which will appear on the final exam. However this list is neither comprehensive nor reflective of the entire scope of the course. It is a sampling which has been used in the past to measure the degree to which you comprehend the important concepts covered this quarter.

1 The photoelectric effect best demonstrates the

a)wave nature of light

b)particle nature of light

c)both of these

d)none of these

2 Quantum uncertainties are most predominant for simultaneously measuring the speed and location of

a)massive bodies (like the sun)

b)moderately massive bodies (like a baseball)

c)bodies with very little mass (like electrons)

3 According to the uncertainty principle, the more we know about a particle's position, the less we know about its

a)speed

b)momentum

c)kinetic energy

d)all of these

e)none of these

4 In the Bohr model of hydrogen, discrete radii and energy states result when an electron circles the atom in an integral number of

a)wave frequencies

b)deBroglie wavelengths

c)diffraction patterns

d)none of these

5 Which of the following forms an interference pattern when directed toward two suitably-spaced slits?

a)light

b)sound

c)electrons

d)all of these

e)none of these

6 Some alpha particles fired through a gold foil bounce backward by

a)making direct hits with gold atoms

b)electrostatic repulsion when close to gold nuclei

c)electrostatic repulsion with the electron clouds of gold atoms

d)all of these

e)none of these

7 Orbital electrons do not spiral into the nucleus because of

a)electromagnetic forces

b)angular momentum conservation

c)the large nuclear size compared to the electron's size

d)the wave nature of the electron

e)none of these

8 If Planck's constant were smaller, atoms would be

a)larger

b)smaller

c)no different in size

9 Compared to the wavelengths of visible light, the wavelengths of matter waves are relatively

a)large

b)small

10 A hypothetical atom has four distinct energy states. Assuming all transitions are possible, how many spectral lines can this atom produce?

a)5

b)6

c)7

d)8

e)more than 8

11 What is the first law of thermodynamics?

12 Define specific heat. Give an example contrasting high and low specific heats.

13 How could you make a thermometer whose mercury level rises when the temperature decreases?

14 Why can we know exactly the temperature at the bottom of large mountain lakes?

15 Give 2 units of energy.

16 Give 3 mechanisms by which substances absorb heat energy.

1)

2)

3)

17 Why are metals good conductors of heat and electricity?

18 Are the wavelengths an object radiates longer or shorter for higher temperatures?

19 What determines how fast heat flows?

20 How does the temperature of a gas change when its volume suddenly increases? Why?

21 Hydrogen and oxygen molecules in a sample gas have the same temperature. How does the speed and the kinetic energy of the hydrogen molecules compare to that of the oxygen?

22 Do ambient(surrounding) temperatures rise or fall as snow is formed? Why?

23 How is cooking affected by high altitudes?

24 Consider a steaming aluminum soda pop can that contains a small amount of boiling water. When it is quickly inverted into a bath of cooler water, the can is dramatically crushed by atmospheric pressure. Why?

25 How many grams of ice can be melted by 5 grams of 100 degree C steam?

26 What is absolute zero? Why is it called "absolute"?

27 What is the maximum efficiency of a heat engine operating between 3000K and 300K? How could you modify the engine to operate at 100% efficiency?

28 What does entropy measure?

29 Three hundred joules of heat are added to a system that performs 100 joules of work. How does the internal energy change in the system?

30 If you run a refrigerator in a closed room with the refrigerator door open, what happens to the room temperature?

31 A piece of iron and a cup of water both have the same temperature. If they are heated so the internal energy of each doubles,

a)the water will have the higher temperature

b)the iron will have the higher temperature

c)both will have the same temperature

d)not enough information given

32 In what direction do the vibrations of a transverse wave move with respect to the direction the wave travels?

33 What is the specific difference between the Doppler effect, a wave barrier, and a bow wave?

34 What is the frequency of the moon circling the earth?

35 When a wave's energy dissipates as heat, how do the wave's characteristics change?

36 A skipper on a boat riding in contaminated water notices wave crests passing the anchor chain every 7 seconds. The skipper estimates the distance between crests at 14 m. What is the speed of the waves?

37 How are electromagnetic waves produced?

38 Give at least 4 examples of electromagnetic waves? How are they different?

39 Why are infrared waves called heat waves?

40 What waves must sunblock protect against to prevent sunburn?

41 What determines whether a material is transparent?

42 What determines the color of an opaque object?

43 What color does you sense when red and green light are mixed?

44 What part of the electromagnetic spectrum is most absorbed by water?

45 With what color light can you illuminate a green object to make it appear black?

46 What makes the sky blue?

47 What is the law of reflection?

48 How does the bending of light in reflections and refractions actually

affect the time of travel? What wave characteristics change when light is refracted?

49 What do we mean by the critical angle for a transparent material?

50 How does light actually travel down an optical fiber?

51 How can you tell the difference between an virtual and a real image?

52 How must you modify the material of a lens (not its shape) in order to increase its magnification?

53 Consider plane waves incident upon a barrier with a small opening. After passing through the opening, the waves

a. continue as plane waves.

b. fan out.

c. converge.

d. interfere.

e. all of these.

54 Light is emitted when an electron

a. is boosted to a higher energy level.

b. makes a transition to a lower energy level.

c. neither of these.

55 In the process of fluorescence, the input is high-frequency light and the output is

a. higher-frequency light.

b. equally high-frequency light.

c. lower-frequency light.

56 The main visible difference between phosphorescent and fluorescent materials is

a. an afterglow.

b. a difference in brightness.

c. the greenish color of phosphorescence.

57 Green light emitted by excited mercury vapor corresponds to a particular energy transition in the mercury atom. A more energetic transition might emit

a. red light.

b. blue light.

c. either red or blue light.

d. white light.

58 Sometimes a flashlight filament glows red instead of white. This indicates a lowness of

a. wavelength

b. intensity

c. filament temperature.

d. all of these.

e. none of these.

59 When only discrete spectral lines occur, we know that excitation is taking place in a

a)solid

b)liquid

c)gas

d)superconductor

60 What kind of light does a laser produce?

a)coherent

b)monochromatic

c)unidirectional

d)in phase

e)all of the previous

f)amplified energy photons

61 When we say that an electron is "excited," we mean that its potential energy has decreased below its normal highest value for the system.

a)True

b)False

62 The peak frequency of incandescent light is higher for higher absolute temperatures.

a)True

b)False

63 The polarization axes of polaroid sunglasses are

a)vertical

b)horizontal

c)at right angles to each other

64 Colors seen when gasoline forms a thin film on water are a demonstration of

a)refraction

b)reflection

c)dispersion

d)polarization

e)interference

65 Waves diffract the most when their wavelength is

a)short

b)long

c)both diffract the same

d)waves don't refract, only particles do

66 For viewing tiny objects in a microscope, diffraction is

a)helpful

b)a hindrance

c)not a factor

67 A thin film appears blue when illuminated with white light. The color being cancelled by destructive interference is

a)red

b)green

c)white

d)blue

e)none of these

68 The spacings between double-slit interference fringes is increased if the slits are

a)closer together

b)farther apart

c)narrower

d)wider

e)none of these

69 Because of absorption, a Polarioid will actually transmit 40% of nonpolarized light incident on it. Two Polaroids with their axes aligned will transmit

a)16%

b)24%

c)30%

d)32%

e)40%

70 The spacing of Newton's rings will be greatest with

a)red light

b)blue light

c)white light

d)yellow light