Foundations of Physical Science Pre-Test
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Course Introduction
Foundations of Physical Science offers an introduction to the fundamental concepts and principles that govern the physical world. Covering core topics from both physics and chemistry, this course explores the nature of matter, energy, forces, motion, and the laws that describe their interactions. Students will investigate scientific processes through experimentation, observation, and critical analysis, building a strong base for further study in science and related fields. Emphasis is placed on developing problem-solving skills, understanding real-world applications, and fostering scientific literacy.
Recommended Textbook
An Introduction to Physical Science 14th Edition by James Shipman(Numbers)
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Chapter 1: Measurement
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Sample Questions
Q1) A very tentative explanation of observations of some regularity of nature is a(n)
A) scientific law.
B) theory.
C) experiment.
D) hypothesis.
Answer: D
Q2) A measurement of 0.00254 g is the same as
A) 0.254 mg.
B) 25.4 mg.
C) 254 mg.
D) 2.54 mg.
E) none of these.
Answer: D
Q3) ______________ is the continuous forward flow of events.
Answer: Time
Q4) How long is a 10.0-ft pole in meters?
Answer: 3.05 m
Q5) ______________ is a measurement of the quantity of matter. Answer: Mass
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Chapter 2: Motion
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Sample Questions
Q1) The following are data for an accelerating car: t (s) 0 5 10 15 20
v (m/s)0 3 6 9 12
a. Is this car undergoing uniform acceleration?
b. If so, what is the acceleration?
Answer: a.Yes
b.0.6 m/s<sup>2</sup>
Q2) An object that is moving in a linear path with an acceleration at a right angle to the motion has a(n)______________ velocity.
A) changing
B) increasing C) decreasing D) constant
Answer: A
Q3) In straight-line motion,if a moving object slows down,the direction of the acceleration is ______________ the direction of the velocity.
Answer: opposite to,or antiparallel to
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Chapter 3: Force and Motion
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Sample Questions
Q1) For Newton's third law,the action and reaction forces are equal in ______________ and opposite in direction.
Answer: magnitude
Q2) In an equation,the symbol m generally stands for
A) inertia.
B) torque.
C) momentum.
D) mass.
E) meters.
Answer: D
Q3) On which planet (other than Earth)have air bags been deployed?
A) Venus
B) Mars
C) Mercury
D) Saturn
Answer: B
Q4) In the SI,weight is expressed in units of ______________.
Answer: newtons
Q5) Angular momentum has units of ______________.
Answer: kg-m<sup>2</sup>/s
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Chapter 4: Work and Energy
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Q1) The kinetic energy of a pendulum is least
A) when its potential energy is least.
B) at the top of its swing.
C) at the bottom of its swing.
D) when its total energy is greatest.
Q2) The bob of a simple pendulum is 0.50 m above the floor at its lowest position.Calculate the maximum speed of the bob when it is held at a maximum height of 2.5 m and released.
Q3) Given 10 kWh of electricity and assuming no losses,how much work,in joules,could be done?
Q4) Mechanical energy
A) is always the total energy of a system.
B) is the sum of the energies of motion and position.
C) is always conserved.
D) necessarily involves gravitational potential energy.
Q5) A stone is dropped from a bridge 15 m above a river.With what speed does the stone hit the water?
Q6) A negative potential energy may be made positive by changing the ______________ point.
Q7) The units of work are the same as those of ______________.
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Chapter 5: Temperature and Heat
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Q1) A common property used to measure temperature is the ______________ of materials.
Q2) If the temperature of a quantity of ideal gas increases,then
A) the number of molecules must increase.
B) the pressure must increase.
C) the volume must increase.
D) the product of the pressure and volume must increase.
Q3) The entropy of an isolated system always ______________ when natural processes occur.
Q4) A large calorie (Cal)is the amount of heat needed to change the temperature of one ______________ of water by one Celsius degree.
A) dekagram
B) centigram
C) gram
D) kilogram
Q5) The heating of a room by a fire in a fireplace is chiefly due to A) vaporization.
B) radiation.
C) convection.
D) conduction.
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Chapter 6: Waves and Sound
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Sample Questions
Q1) How many times greater is the speed of red light ( = 700 nm)than the speed of violet light ( = 400 nm)in a vacuum?
Q2) Light waves travel fastest in
A) water.
B) glass.
C) a vacuum.
D) air.
E) none of these; they travel at the same speed in all these media.
Q3) A radar pulse returns 3.0 × 10<sup>-4</sup> s after it was sent out and reflected by an object.What is the separation distance of the radar source and the object?
Q4) What is the frequency,in hertz,of a sound wave (v = 340 m/s)with a wavelength of 68 m?
A) 5 Hz
B) 23120 Hz
C) 340 Hz
D) 0.2 Hz
Q5) Light in a vacuum has a speed of ______________ m/s.
Q6) A pendulum has how many natural frequencies?
Q7) The SI unit of frequency is ______________.
Page 8
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Chapter 7: Optics and Wave Effects
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Sample Questions
Q1) The greatest diffraction occurs for
A) < d.
B) = d.
C) > d.
D) none of these; that is, it makes no difference.
Q2) When light strikes a transparent medium,some light is reflected and some is
Q3) A concave mirror will produce
A) only inverted images.
B) real or virtual images.
C) only virtual images.
D) only real images.
Q4) All real images
A) cannot be focused on a screen.
B) are erect.
C) can be focused on a screen.
D) are inverted.
Q5) Light traveling from a more dense to a less dense medium is refracted ______________ the normal.
Q6) A diamond is said to have "fire" because of ______________.
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Chapter 8: Electricity and Magnetism
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Sample Questions
Q1) Zero potential in household electricity is called ______________.
Q2) A component in an automobile 12-V electrical system has a resistance of 20 .
a. How much current is in the component when the system is in operation?
b. How much energy is dissipated by the component each second?
Q3) The direction of the magnetic field of a bar magnet is A) in the direction a compass would point.
B) in any direction.
C) away from the south pole.
D) toward the north pole.
Q4) Electric charge is measured in units of A) coulombs.
B) watts.
C) volts.
D) newtons.
Q5) The abbreviation of the unit of resistance is
A) \(\Psi\)
B) \(\Delta\)
C) \(\Sigma\)
D) \(\Omega\)
E) \(\Pi\)
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Chapter 9: Atomic Physics
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Sample Questions
Q1) One prediction of Einstein's special theory of relativity is that objects traveling close to the speed of light
A) get lighter.
B) get more massive.
C) get longer.
D) disappear.
Q2) Which is not a possible value for the principal quantum number n?
A) 3
B) 7
C) 3/2
D) None of these
Q3) The energy of the electron in the hydrogen atom has only certain ______________ values.
Q4) The removal of an electron from an atom is called A) binding affinity.
B) atomizing.
C) electron affinity.
D) ionization.
Q5) The "particle" of light given off by an excited electron when it loses energy is called a(n)______________.
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Chapter 10: Nuclear Physics
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Sample Questions
Q1) The half-life of <sup>3</sup>H is 12 years.About how long does it take for 7/8 of a sample of that radionuclide to decay?
A) 3 years
B) 24 years
C) 4 years
D) 36 years
Q2) When an alpha particle hits a \({ } _ { 19 } ^ { 39 } \mathrm {~K}\)
Nucleus,one of the products is a proton.The other product is
A) \({ } _ { 18 } ^ { 36 } \mathrm { Ar }\)
B) \({ } _ { 17 } ^ { 38 } \mathrm { Cl }\)
C) \({ } _ { 20 } ^ { 42 } \mathrm { Ca }\)
D) none of these.
Q3) When an unstable O nucleus undergoes beta decay,the nucleus formed is that of
A) Oxygen.
B) Neon.
C) Nitrogen.
D) Carbon.
E) Fluorine.
Q4) A scientist named ______________ discovered the neutron in 1932.
Q5) A scientist named ______________ discovered the proton in 1919.
Page 12
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Chapter 11: The Chemical Elements
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Sample Questions
Q1) The symbol for copper is
A) C.
B) Co.
C) Cr.
D) Cu.
Q2) Give the common ionic charge for each of the following elements,and classify each as a metal or a nonmetal.
lithium_____________
bromine_____________ _______________ cal cium__________________ _________________ sulfur________________
aluminum_____________
Q3) The element potassium should produce compounds most similar to those of
A) Tc.
B) Na.
C) Al.
D) Sr.
Q4) The second period of the periodic table is composed of ______________ (how many?)elements.
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Chapter 12: Chemical Bonding
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Sample Questions
Q1) A water molecule is
A) angular and nonpolar.
B) linear and polar.
C) linear and nonpolar.
D) angular and polar.
Q2) Which of the following compounds should be named using the Stock system?
A) Ag<sub>2</sub>O
B) Au<sub>2</sub>S
C) ZnO
D) Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>
Q3) Suppose 39 g of reactant A is mixed with 40 g of reactant B.After a chemical reaction takes place between A and B,which statement is correct?
A) The total mass of products plus any unreacted reactants will be 79 g.
B) The total mass of products plus any unreacted reactants will be less than 79 g.
C) The total mass of products plus any unreacted reactants will be more than 79 g.
D) The total mass of products will be 79 g.
Q4) The dipole arrow in an S-Se bond would point toward the ______________ atom.
Q5) Draw the Lewis structure for Freon-12,CF<sub>2</sub>Cl<sub>2</sub>.
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Chapter 13: Chemical Reactions
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is the molarity of a solution that contains 2 mol of solute in 4 L of solution?
Q2) Reacting an acid with a base gives water and A) a carbonate.
B) ammonia.
C) carbon dioxide.
D) a salt.
Q3) Complete and balance the equation: Mg + HC<sub>2</sub>H<sub>3</sub>O<sub>2</sub> ? _____________________
Q4) Which type of reaction is Zn + 2HCl ZnCl<sub>2</sub> + H<sub>2</sub>?
A) Decomposition
B) Combination
C) Double-replacement
D) Single-replacement
Q5) When the forward and reverse reactions are proceeding at the same rate,the reaction is said to have reached ______________.
Q6) Write the balanced chemical equation for the complete combustion of pentane,C<sub>5</sub>H<sub>12</sub>.
Q7) 6.02 × 10<sup>23</sup> is known as ______________.
Page 15
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Chapter 14: Organic Chemistry
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Sample Questions
Q1) Propene and cyclopropane are A) the same compound.
B) isomers.
C) neither isomers nor the same compound.
Q2) The main component of the cell walls of plants is the carbohydrate called
Q3) 1-Bromobutane and 4-bromobutane are A) the same compound.
B) neither isomers nor the same compound. C) isomers.
Q4) Which of the following atoms normally has one covalent bond to it?
A) I
B) O
C) C
D) P
E) Kr
Q5) 1-Fluoropentane and 5-fluoropentane are A) isomers.
B) neither isomers nor the same compound. C) the same compound.
Page 16
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Chapter 15: Place and Time
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Sample Questions
Q1) On March 21,the noonday Sun is overhead at what latitude?
A) 0°
B) 23.5°N
C) 23.5°S
D) That of the Tropic of Cancer
Q2) The number of daylight hours at 40°S is greatest during the month of A) June.
B) December.
C) September.
D) March.
Q3) The maximum east or west longitude possible is also called the A) meridian.
B) longitude.
C) International Date Line.
D) equator.
Q4) Some people mistakenly call noon and midnight ______________ and ______________.
Q5) The ______________ of a surface position on Earth can be defined as the angular measurement,in degrees,north or south of the equator.
Q6) Our present days of the week are related to the names of the Sun,the Moon,and ______________ planets.
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Chapter 16: The Solar System
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which planet moves the fastest?
A) Earth
B) Mars
C) Venus
D) Mercury
Q2) Which of the following is not a terrestrial planet?
A) Earth
B) Mars
C) Jupiter
D) Venus
Q3) Kepler's third law of planetary motion is also known as the ______________ law.
A) periodic
B) elliptical path
C) harmonic
D) heliocentric
Q4) Which of the following planets moves the slowest in its orbit around the Sun?
A) Earth
B) Mars
C) Venus
D) Mercury
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Chapter 17: Moons and Small Solar System Bodies
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Q1) Which planet's major moons were named after literary characters?
A) Jupiter
B) Saturn
C) Uranus
D) Neptune
Q2) The oldest Moon rocks are about ______________ years old.
Q3) A high tide is occurring at Charleston,South Carolina (80°W,33°N).At approximately what other longitude is a high tide occurring?
A) 100°E
B) 80°E
C) 60°E
D) 40°E
E) 20°E
Q4) Rills on the Moon are believed to have been caused by
A) moonquakes.
B) meteorite impacts.
C) volcanoes.
D) expansion and contraction of the Moon's surface.
Q5) The bright side of the waxing crescent moon is toward the ______________.
Page 19
Q6) Halley's Comet returns about every ______________ years.
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Chapter 18: The Universe
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Q1) Brown dwarfs are often described as
A) quasars.
B) giant planets.
C) failed stars.
D) pulsars.
Q2) In a star,the condition of balance between the inward force of gravity and the outward force of thermal and radiation pressure is known as _______________ equilibrium.
A) hydrostatic
B) thermal
C) photostatic
D) magnetostatic
Q3) Which of the following is thought to be a black hole?
A) Gleise 229B
B) Sirius B
C) Orion Nebula
D) Cygnus X-1
Q4) The creation of elements inside a star is called ______________.
Q5) Gas and dust distributed among the stars is known as the ______________.
Page 20
Q6) A star of magnitude 0 is how many times brighter than a star of magnitude 6?
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Chapter 19: The Atmosphere
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Sample Questions
Q1) Oxygen is supplied to the atmosphere by A) ozone.
B) incomplete combustion.
C) photosynthesis.
D) complete combustion.
Q2) Wind speed is measured by means of A) a psychrometer.
B) an anemometer.
C) a wind vane.
D) a barometer.
Q3) Ideally,the wind direction is ______________ to isobars.
Q4) The horizontal movement of air is called A) an anticyclone.
B) wind.
C) air currents.
D) a hurricane.
Q5) The relative humidity is 100% at the ______________ temperature.
Q6) The rate at which the temperature decreases with altitude is called the ______________.
Q7) The ozone layer absorbs ______________ radiation.
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Chapter 20: Atmospheric Effects
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Q1) When at home during a tornado warning,you should seek shelter in the ______________ of the building.
Q2) In the amended Montreal Protocol,many nations agreed to phase out ______________ by the year 2000.
Q3) An \(\text { El Niño }\) usually results in A) more rainfall for South America.
B) warmer water in the western Pacific.
C) less rainfall for Australia.
D) all of the above.
E) none of the above.
Q4) The low-pressure center of a hurricane is called the A) eye.
B) vortex.
C) lid.
D) cap.
Q5) Coal,gas,and oil are ______________ fuels.
Q6) Hurricanes derive their energy from ______________.
Q7) A natural agent of chemical weathering that is enhanced by CO<sub>2</sub> pollution is ______________.
Q8) In the Bergeron process,condensation occurs on ______________.
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Chapter 21: Structural G Eology and P Late Tectonics
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Q1) A modern geologic theory that considers Earth's lithosphere to be made up of moving plates is known as
A) the principle of uniformity.
B) the law of superposition.
C) the Moho concept.
D) plate tectonics.
Q2) About what percent of Earth's radius do the crust and mantle together constitute?
A) 15%
B) 70%
C) 45%
D) 30%
Q3) An earthquake of magnitude ______________ on the Richter scale is the smallest that can be felt by humans.
Q4) The lithosphere consists of
A) all of the crust's depth.
B) all of the crust's depth and part of the mantle's depth.
C) part of the crust's depth.
D) all of the crust's depth and all of the mantle's depth.
Q5) Transverse seismic body waves are known by the letter ______________.
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Chapter 22: Minerals, rocks, and Volcanoes
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Q1) The mineral that is most abundant in Earth's crust is A) quartz.
B) feldspar.
C) calcite.
D) pyrite.
Q2) The term ______________ refers to the way in which a mineral breaks into splinters,irregularly shaped pieces,or shell-shaped surfaces.
Q3) The existence of the Ring of Fire is best explained by the A) theory of plate tectonics.
B) principle of superposition.
C) concept of uniformitarianism.
D) law of catastrophism.
Q4) Volcanoes that explode violently tend to have magmas of A) high temperature and low silica content.
B) high temperature and high silica content.
C) low temperature and low silica content.
D) low temperature and high silica content.
Q5) ______________ is the study of planet Earth.
Q6) A(n)______________ is a cohesive aggregate of one or more minerals.
Q7) The study of minerals is called ______________.
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Chapter 23: Surface Processes
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Q1) The percentage volume of unoccupied space in a material is called its
A) traction.
B) porosity.
C) permeability.
D) salinity.
Q2) A loop-like bend in a river channel is called a(n)______________.
Q3) What is the largest ocean on Earth?
A) Atlantic
B) Indian
C) Antarctic
D) Mediterranean
E) Pacific
Q4) The leveling of the Earth's surface is known as ______________.
Q5) What is the second largest ocean on Earth?
A) Atlantic
B) Indian
C) Antarctic
D) Mediterranean
E) Pacific
Q6) The true edges of the continental landmasses are called the ______________.
Page 25
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Chapter 24: Geologic Time
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Q1) Periods are divided into A) eons.
B) epochs.
C) millennia.
D) eras.
Q2) Fossilized tree resin is known as A) coal.
B) amber.
C) opal.
D) stromatolite.
Q3) The Jurassic is a(n) A) epoch.
B) era.
C) eon.
D) period.
Q4) The Tertiary is a(n) A) epoch.
B) era.
C) eon.
D) period.
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