Exploring the Cosmos - Degree Exam 2012 - Particles, Forces & the Big Bang
1. What is the fundamental particle that the LHC is hunting for?
The proton
The neutrino
The Z boson
The Higgs boson
2. If a source of waves starts moving towards you, how does the frequency of the waves measured in your frame of reference compare to what was observed when the source was not moving?
The frequency will stay the same.
The frequency will decrease.
The frequency will become negative
The frequency will increase.
3. Which of the following is not true of Tycho Brahe?
He claimed that planets travel along elliptical paths.
He observed a supernova in 1572 and concluded that the celestial sphere is not immutable.
He did not believe in the Copernican system.
He developed equipment for making the most precise astronomical observations of his time.
4. In the Standard Model of particle physics, which of the following is NOT its own antiparticle?
The photon.
The Z boson.
The gluon.
The neutron.
5. The cosmic microwave background was created when the universe was roughly how old?
3 minutes old.
13.7 billion years old.
10−10 seconds old.
300 000 years old.
6. Our present best understanding of gravitational lensing comes from which of the following?
Newton’s Law of Gravity
Einstein’s theory of General Relativity
Kepler’s third law
Quantum Chromodynamics
7. In the scenario of inflation, the inhomogeneity in the distribution of galaxies is due to what?
The cosmic microwave background.
Primordial nucleosynthesis.
Quark confinement.
Quantum fluctuations in the very early universe.
8. Which one of the following particles interacts only weakly?
The electron.
The up quark.
The neutrino.
The gluon.
9. Which of the following is not one of Kepler’s Laws?
The speed of a planet varies depending on where it is in its orbit, so that it sweeps out equal area in equal time.
The period of a planet’s orbit squared equals the average radius of the orbit cubed.
The planets follow elliptical orbits.
The gravitational force between the sun and a planet is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
10. According to our best current understanding, most of the matter-energy in the universe is in what form?
Stars
Interstellar dust
Dark energy
Dark matter
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