Physics Midterm 2
A circle is a special case of an ellipse. Explain how a circle is different from other
ellipses.
A. The foci of a circle are at the same point and are located at the center of the circle.
B. The foci of a circle are at the same point and are located at the circumference of the
circle.
C. The foci of a circle are at the same point and are located outside of the circle.
D. The foci of a circle are at the same point and are located anywhere on the diameter,
except on its midpoint. - answerA. The foci of a circle are at the same point and are
located at the center of the circle
Comets have very elongated elliptical orbits with the sun at one focus. Using Kepler's
Law, explain why a comet travels much faster near the sun than it does at the other end
of the orbit.
A. Because the satellite sweeps out equal areas in equal times
B. Because the satellite sweeps out unequal areas in equal times
C. Because the satellite is at the other focus of the ellipse
D. Because the square of the period of the satellite is proportional to the cube of its
average distance from the sun - answerA. Because the satellite sweeps out equal areas
in equal times
Explain why the string, pins, and pencil method works for drawing an ellipse.
A. The string, pins, and pencil method works because the length of the two sides of the
triangle remains constant as you are drawing the ellipse.
B. The string, pins, and pencil method works because the area of the triangle remains
constant as you are drawing the ellipse.
C. The string, pins, and pencil method works because the perimeter of the triangle
remains constant as you are drawing the ellipse.
D. The string, pins, and pencil method works because the volume of the triangle
remains constant as you are drawing the ellipse. - answerC. The string, pins, and pencil
method works because the perimeter of the triangle remains constant as you are
drawing the ellipse.
Describe the postulate on which Einstein based the theory of general relativity and
describe an everyday experience that illustrates this postulate.
A. Gravity and velocity have the same effect and cannot be distinguished from each
other. An acceptable illustration of this is any description of the feeling of constant
velocity in a situation where no outside frame of reference is considered.
,B. Gravity and velocity have different effects and can be distinguished from each other.
An acceptable illustration of this is any description of the feeling of constant velocity in a
situation where no outside frame of reference is considered.
C. Gravity and acceleration have the same effect and cannot be distinguished from
each other. An acceptable illustration of this is any description of the feeling of
acceleration in a situation where no outside frame of reference is considered.
D. Gravity and acceleration have different e - answerC. Gravity and acceleration have
the same effect and cannot be distinguished from each other. An acceptable illustration
of this is any description of the feeling of acceleration in a situation where no outside
frame of reference is considered
Titan, with a radius of 2.58 x 10^6 m, is the largest moon of the planet Saturn. If the
mass of Titan is 1.35 x10^23 kg, what is the acceleration due to gravity on the surface
of this moon?
A. 1.35 m/s^2
B. 3.49 m/s^2
C. 3.49 x 10^6 m/s^2
D. 1.35 x 10^6 m/s^2 - answerA. 1.35 m/s^2
Saturn's moon Titan has an orbital period of 15.9 days. If Saturn has a mass of
5.68×10^23 kg, what is the average distance from Titan to the center of Saturn?
A. 1.22×10^6 m
B. 4.26×10^7 m
C. 5.25×10^4 km
D. 4.26×10^10 km - answerA. 1.22×10^6 m
Explain why doubling the mass of an object doubles its weight, but doubling its distance
from the center of Earth reduces its weight fourfold.
A. The weight is two times the gravitational force between the object and Earth.
B. The weight is half the gravitational force between the object and Earth.
C. The weight is equal to the gravitational force between the object and Earth, and the
gravitational force is inversely proportional to the distance squared between the object
and Earth.
D. The weight is directly proportional to the square of the gravitational force between the
object and Earth. - answerC. The weight is equal to the gravitational force between the
object and Earth, and the gravitational force is inversely proportional to the distance
squared between the object and Earth
Explain why a star on the other side of the Sun might appear to be in a location that is
not its true location.
A. It can be explained by using the concept of atmospheric refraction.
B. It can be explained by using the concept of the special theory of relativity.
,C. It can be explained by using the concept of the general theory of relativity.
D. It can be explained by using the concept of light scattering in the atmosphere. -
answerC. It can be explained by using the concept of the general theory of relativity.
The Cavendish experiment marked a milestone in the study of gravity. Part A. What
important value did the experiment determine? Part B. Why was this so difficult in terms
of the masses used in the apparatus and the strength of the gravitational force?
A. Part A. The experiment measured the acceleration due to gravity, g. Part B. Gravity
is a very weak force but despite this limitation, Cavendish was able to measure the
attraction between very massive objects.
B. Part A. The experiment measured the gravitational constant, G. Part B. Gravity is a
very weak force but, despite this limitation, Cavendish was able to measure the
attraction between very massive objects.
C. Part A. The experiment measured the acceleration due to gravity, g. Part B. Gravity
is a very weak force but despite this limitation, Cavendish was able to measure the
attraction between less massive objects.
D. Part A. The experiment measured the gravit - answerD. Part A. The experiment
measured the gravitational constant, G. Part B. Gravity is a very weak force but despite
this limitation, Cavendish was able to measure the attraction between less massive
objects.
A moon orbits a planet in an elliptical orbit. The foci of the ellipse are 50, 000 km apart.
The closest approach of the moon to the planet is 400, 000 km. What is the length of
the major axis of the orbit?
A. 400, 000 km
B. 450, 000, km
C. 800, 000 km
D. 850, 000 km - answerD. 850, 000 km
Rhea, with a radius of 7.63×10^5 m, is the second-largest moon of the planet Saturn. If
the mass of Rhea is 2.31×10^21 kg, what is the acceleration due to gravity on the
surface of this moon?
A. 2.65×10^−1 m/s
B. 2.02×10^5 m/s
C. 2.65×10^−1 m/s^2
D. 2.02×10^5 m/s^2 - answerC. 2.65×10^−1 m/s^2
Earth has a mass of 5.971×10^24 kg and a radius of 6.371×10^6 m. Use the data to
check the value of the gravitational constant.
A. 6.66× 10 ^ −11 ( N · m )/( kg^2 ) , it matches the value of the gravitational constant G.
B. 1.05× 10 ^ −17 ( N · m )/( kg^2 ) , it matches the value of the gravitational constant G.
, C. 6.66× 10 ^ −11 ( N · m^2 )/( kg^2 ) , it matches the value of the gravitational constant
G.
D. 1.05× 10 ^ −17 ( N · m^2 )/( kg^2 ) , it matches the value of the gravitational constant
G. - answerC. 6.66× 10 ^ −11 ( N · m^2 )/( kg^2 ) , it matches the value of the
gravitational constant G.
The orbit of the planet Mercury has a period of 88.0 days and an average radius of
5.791×10^10 m. What is the mass of the sun?
A. 3.43×10^19 kg
B. 1.99×10^30 kg
C. 2.56×10^29 kg
D. 1.48×10^40 kg - answerB. 1.99×10^30 kg
The closest Earth comes to the sun is 1.47×10^8 km, and Earth's farthest distance from
the sun is 1.52×10^8 km. What is the area inside Earth's orbit?
A. 2.23×10^16 km^2
B. 6.79×10^16 km^2
C. 7.02×10^16 km^2
D. 7.26×10^16 km^2 - answerC. 7.02×10^16 km^2
Earth is 1.496×10^8 km from the sun, and Neptune is 4.490×10^9 km from the sun.
What best represents the number of Earth years it takes for Neptune to complete one
orbit around the sun?
A. 10 years
B. 30 years
C. 160 years
D. 900 years - answerC. 160 years
A planet of mass m circles a sun of mass M. Which distance changes throughout the
planet's orbit?
A. distance f_1 to f_2
B. distance m to M
C. distance M to f_2, M to f_1
D. distance M to f_1 - answerB. distance m to M
The focal point of the elliptical orbit of a moon is 50,000 km from the center of the orbit.
If the eccentricity of the orbit is 0.25, what is the length of the semi-major axis?
A. 12,500 km
B. 100,000 km
C. 200,000 km
D. 400,000 km - answerC. 200,000 km