Physics 007 sample midterm #1 (spring 2010)

5. Heraclitus the Young drops a rock and sees it fall down. Being a pupil of Aristotle hebelieves that this is caused byA) The magnetic attraction of the EarthB) The natural motion of the rock which makes it move towards the center of theuniverseC) The wind that is created as the rock movesD) The gravitational attraction of the EarthE) The fact that the Earth rises up to meet the rock6. A consequence of Galileo's principle of relativity is thatA) Velocity is absolute.B) Space has three dimensions.C) Velocity is relative.D) Acceleration is completely relative.E) The speed of sound is constant.7. The retrograde motion of planets in the heliocentric model is a result ofA) The fact that light travels at infinite speedB) The vacuum of spaceC) The rotation of the sunD) The absence of gravity in spaceE) The different speed of the planets as they move around the sun8. A scientific theory can be accepted only ifA) It is supported by a majority of scientistsB) It is snactioned by the National Academy of Sciences.C) It has limited applicabilityD) It is first proven to be abolutely true in all circumstances and situationsE) It describes correctly all available observations and experimental results9. The epicycle model was created toA) Account for Kerpler's third lawB) Complicate matters so that only a few astronomers would understand the way inwhich the solar system worksC) Provide a simpler alternative to the heliocentric modelD) Satisfy Galileo's ideas about motionE) Reconcile the observations with the idea that the planets move in circlesPage 2