Study guide for Physical Science Exam 2

1. True/False - You will need to distinguish between true and false statements based on the principles discussed in the book and in class.  This can include such things as identifying appropriate units, identifying terms and their definitions, proper use of symbols, etc.
2. Multiple Choice - You will need to draw conclusions from presented material and choose the best answer. This can include such things as identifying appropriate units, performing simple calculations, identifying terms that go with a definition, proper use of symbols, etc. Multiple choice also makes it easy to ask questions about the concepts presented in the chapters and how they apply to specific situations. These questions may require you to interpret how one quantity may affect another quantity. An example of the last statement is "If the net unbalanced force on an object is doubled, what will happen to the acceleration of that object? Will it (A) be half as large, (B) be the same, (C) be twice as large, or (D) be four times as large." You would need to apply the formula "F=ma" to decide on the appropriate response.
3. Equations - Some questions on the exam will require you to use the formulas available in the book. I will provide a copy of the formulas on the exam so you do not need to memorize them. However, you should know what the symbols of the formula mean and how to use the formulas. Some questions can be answered by knowing the relationship between some of the variables within the exam. Other questions will require you to perform a calculation. You should bring a calculator with you to the exam.
4. Essay - I will place two short essay questions on the exam worth 10 pts each. These essays are to test whether you understand the broader principles and issues that come into play when studying physical science. I will provide a list of essay questions I may possibly ask so you can think through the issues ahead of time.

Use the organization of the text book to help you prepare for the exam. The following features of the text will help you

1. Important terms at the end of each chapter. You should be able to define the words presented and know how they apply to the material we have studied.
2. Exercises and Questions at the end of the chapter will give you practice using the concepts and facts of each chapter. There are also problems at the end of chapters 2 and 3. Although I will not put a strong emphasis on calculation based problems, you should be able to do calculations similar to the ones I performed in class. The problems will give you some practice in solving these types of problems.

Possible Essay Questions

• Conservation principles indicate that certain quantities in the universe are neither created nor destroyed. These conservation principles also apply to systems smaller than the universe, as long as there are no outside forces working on the system. Describe one of the conservation principles mentioned in class and give an example of why this principle is useful in the study of physical systems. Finally, make some statements concerning the implications of these conservation principles as related to the origin of the universe.
• You have been elected as senator of your state and have been placed on the budget committee overseeing the allocation of money to governmental science agencies, such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Health (NIH), National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA), etc. What motivation is there for governmental funding of science projects in this country and what considerations would you focus on in order to make a balanced decision concerning funding. Use a specific example to illustrate this balanced consideration.
• You have been elected as senator of your state and have been placed on a committee to establish energy policy for the United States. It is predicted that, by staying with the current energy policy, the country will have a national energy shortage within 5 years. With examples, discuss what considerations you would make to establish a balanced energy policy that will address the problem at hand and that will satisfy your constituency.

End of Chapter 3

1. Kinetic Energy
2. Potential Energy
3. Thermal Energy
4. Einstein's Relativity (relationship between mass and energy)
   
5. Conservation of energy
6. Rockets
7. Angular momentum
8. Momentum and conservation of momentum
9. The energy problem
10. Why the universe is comprehensible
11. Why mathematics works well to describe the universe
12. Source of diversity in the universe
13. Categories of Energy Usage
14. Non-renewable energy sources
15. Renewable energy sources
16. Impact of energy use on quality of life
17. Stewardship

Chapter 4

1. Kinetic theory
2. Pressure
3. Temperature scales and conversion from one to the other
4. Boyle's law, Charles' law and the ideal gas law
5. Mechanisms of heat transfer
6. Effects of temperature increase
7. Phases of matter and transitions from one form to another
8. Evaporation
9. The source of order in random systems
10. Laws of Thermodynamics
11. Engine efficiency
12. Entropy
13. Perpetual motion

Chapter 5

1. Constituents of Atoms
2. Coulomb's law
3. Voltage
4. Lightning
5. Current
6. Electrical properties of materials
7. Ohm's law
8. Comparison of electricity and gravity
9. Source of magnetism
10. Electromagnets
11. Properties of magnets
12. Electric energy use and generation
13. Transformers and power transmission
14. Beneficial uses of electricity and magnetism

A page of information will be available on the exam. It will contain formulas, conversion relationships, and important constants. You should know when and how to apply this information.


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