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Physical Science Midterm

Total questions: 75

Worksheet time: 38mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

A/An ____ is described as the flow of electric charge or current equal to one coulomb per second.

a)

capacitor

b)

ampere

c)

capacitance

d)

volt

2.

What do control rods do in a nuclear reactor?

a)

They absorb neutrons to stop the chain reaction.

b)

They absorb excess energy from the reaction.

c)

They control the temperature of the water.

d)

The fuel pellets are stored there.

3.

Which of the following would be the best insulator?

a)

aluminum

b)

copper

c)

air

d)

silver

4.

In a step-up transformer, the number of turns of wire is greater in the ____ coil than in the ____ coil, and the ____ voltage exceeds the ____ voltage.

a)

input, output, input, output

b)

output, input, output, input

c)

input, output, output, input

d)

output, input, input, output

5.

A ____ is described as a device that converts chemical energy to electric energy.

a)

resistor

b)

lightbulb

c)

battery

d)

capacitor

6.

Renewable organic matter, such as wood and rice hulls, are examples of ____.

a)

fission products

b)

fossil fuels

c)

biomass

d)

nuclear fuels

7.

A ____ is described as a device with specific resistance and is used to control current.

a)

resistor

b)

battery

c)

parallel connection

d)

series connection

8.

The thermal energy obtained from a nuclear reactor is used to make ____.

a)

fission products

b)

electricity

c)

nuclear waste

d)

steam

9.

Which of the following statements is true about electric forces?

a)

Electric forces cause objects to repel or attract each other.

b)

Electric forces cause objects to only repel each other.

c)

Electric forces cause objects to only attract each other.

d)

Electric forces have no effect on each other.

10.

Current that does not reverse direction is called ______.

a)
direct current
b)
alternating current
c)
magnetic current
d)
circuit current
11.

The transfer of energy that does NOT require matter is ______.

a)
conduction
b)
convection
c)
radiation
d)
combustion
12.

Electricity produced by falling water is called ______.

a)
hydroelectricity
b)
tidal energy
c)
thermodynamics
d)
geothermal energy
13.

The number of turns on the primary coil of a step-down transformer ______ the number of turns on the secondary coil.

a)
equals
b)
is less than
c)
is greater than
d)
is unrelated to
14.

The function of a generator is to change ______.

a)
electrical energy to mechanical energy
b)
electrical energy to chemical energy
c)
chemical energy to electrical energy
d)
mechanical energy to electrical energy
15.

When a pot of water is put on a stove, the water at the top gets hot primarily by ______.

a)
conduction
b)
convection
c)
condensation
d)
radiation
16.

The fuel used in a nuclear reactor usually comes from ______.

a)
coal
b)
hydrogen and helium
c)
biomass
d)
uranium-238
17.

Which of the following is the correct sequence of strokes in a four-stroke engine?

a)

compression, intake, exhaust, power

b)

intake, exhaust, power, compression

c)

intake, compression, power, exhaust

d)

intake, power, compression, exhaust

18.

charges repel, whereas charges attract.

a)

Opposite, like

b)

Like, opposite

c)

Positive, negative

d)

Negative, positive

19.

Which factor will not affect the strength of a solenoid?

a)

strength of current

b)

adding an iron core

c)

color of the wire

d)

number of wraps

20.

The chain reaction in a nuclear reactor is controlled by inserting the .

a)

core

b)

uranium

c)

boron or cadmium rods

d)

heat exchanger

21.

The inside surface of the glass inside a vacuum bottle is coated with aluminum to prevent heat loss by

a)

convection

b)

combustion

c)

radiation

d)

conduction

22.

is described as a property that determines how much current will flow for a given battery voltage.

a)

Thermal energy

b)

Resistance

c)

Kilowatt-hour

d)

Resistor

23.

The region around a magnet where the magnetic forces act is the .

a)

magnetic pole

b)

electromagnetic pole

c)

magnetic domain

d)

magnetic field

24.

When a conducting sphere is charged positively, initially the charge is deposited on the left side. However, due to the sphere’s conducting nature, the charge spreads uniformly throughout the surface of the sphere. Charge is uniformly distributed because:

a)

charged atoms at the location of charge distribute throughout the surface.

b)

excess electrons within the sphere move toward excess protons.

c)

excess protons move from the location of charge to rest.

d)

excess charge within the sphere moves out into the ground from the surface.

25.

When you break an iron magnet into two pieces, you get

a)

a piece of iron that is no longer magnetic

b)

two north poles

c)

two north poles and two south poles

d)

two south poles

26.

A/An ______ is described as the flow of charged particles.

a)

electric current

b)

electric potential difference

c)

gravitational force

d)

electric field

27.

The rate at which an electrical device converts energy from one form to another is called ______.

a)

voltage regulation

b)

electrical power

c)

electrical energy

d)

electrical resistance

28.

All of the following are good conductors of heat EXCEPT ______.

a)

silver

b)

copper

c)

air

d)

aluminum

29.

One source of constant electric current is a ______.

a)

dry cell

b)

switch

c)

coulomb

d)

transformer

30.

Current that does NOT reverse direction is called ______.

a)

magnetic current

b)

circuit current

c)

direct current

d)

alternating current

31.

Which of the following is the correct relationship among power, current, and voltage?

a)

E = P × t

b)

V = P × I

c)

P = I/V

d)

P = I × V

32.

When a closed tin is heated, the pressure inside it increases. This happens because:

a)

The molecules now collide more with the walls of the tin than among themselves.

b)

The number of molecules increases on heating.

c)

The molecules move faster and each molecule strikes the walls of the tin more often.

d)

The molecules become heavier and strike the walls of the tin harder.

33.

A/An ______ is described as a closed loop or pathway that allows electric charges to flow.

a)

parallel connection

b)

series connection

c)

electric circuit

d)

conventional current

34.

A material through which electrons do NOT readily flow is a(n) ______.

a)

insulator

b)

fuse

c)

conductor

d)

transformer

35.

Electric charge that has accumulated on an object is referred to as ______.

a)

current electricity

b)

static electricity

c)

current circuit

d)

circuit electricity

36.

A/An ______ is an energy unit used to measure electric energy use by power companies.

a)

ohm

b)

volt

c)

ampere

d)

kilowatt-hour

37.

The function of an electric motor is to change ______.

a)

electrical energy to chemical energy

b)

chemical energy to electrical energy

c)

electrical energy to mechanical energy

d)

mechanical energy to electrical energy

38.

The flow of electric charge or current equal to one coulomb per second is a/an ______.

a)

volt

b)

ampere

c)

kilowatt hour

d)

ohm

39.

The domains in a magnet are ______.

a)

positively charged

b)

aligned according to magnetic fields

c)

negatively charged

d)

arranged randomly

40.

What is the effect on the current in a simple circuit when both the voltage and the resistance are divided by 2?

a)

multiplied by 2

b)

no change

c)

multiplied by 4

d)

divided by 2

41.

Electric current is produced when a spinning ______ shaft rotates magnets inside a generator.

a)

combustion

b)

steam

c)

boiler

d)

turbine

42.

Heat is ______ energy that is transferred from one object at a certain temperature to another at a different temperature.

a)

electromagnetic

b)

thermal

c)

solar

d)

kinetic

43.

Which of the following is not a risk of nuclear energy use?

a)

radioactive waste

b)

cold water pollution

c)

expensive to build

d)

hot water pollution

44.

Petroleum, natural gas, and coal are the three kinds of _______.

a)

nuclear waste

b)

synthetic fuels

c)

nuclear fuels

d)

fossil fuels

45.

An electromagnet is _______.

a)

only operating when the current is on

b)

a permanent magnet

c)

attracts all metal substances

d)

made with bar magnets

46.

Energy from the Sun travels to Earth as _______.

a)

combustion

b)

chemical energy

c)

mechanical energy

d)

radiant energy

47.

Fuel cells are powered by which of the following?

a)

electricity

b)

water

c)

hydrogen gas

d)

biomass

48.

Electric companies usually sell electrical energy in units of _______.

a)

watts

b)

volts

c)

kilowatt-hours

d)

amperes

49.

Temperature is a measure of _______ of the particles in an object.

a)

the average potential energy

b)

the average kinetic energy

c)

the sum of the potential and kinetic energy

d)

the difference between the potential and kinetic energy

50.

Resistance is measured in a unit called the _______.

a)

coulomb

b)

ampere

c)

volt

d)

ohm

51.

A device that increases or decreases voltage in a power line is a _______.

a)

generator

b)

transformer

c)

commutator

d)

motor

52.

Some gauges on the dashboard of a car are ______.

a)

step-down transformers

b)

galvanometers

c)

generators

d)

step-up transformers

53.

Solar collectors are parts of a(n) ______.

a)

radiant heating system

b)

active solar heating system

c)

passive solar heating system

d)

external combustion engine

54.

Which of the following is the correct relationship among power, current and voltage?

a)

P = I × V

b)

V = P × I

c)

V = I/R

d)

P = I/V

55.

Electromagnetic induction is the process of producing an electric current by moving a loop of wire ______.

a)

around an iron core

b)

through a magnetic domain

c)

around a magnetic pole

d)

through a magnetic field

56.

The function of a generator is to change ______.

a)

mechanical energy into electrical energy

b)

electrical energy into chemical energy

c)

electrical energy into mechanical energy

d)

chemical energy into electrical energy

57.

Current that reverses direction in a regular pattern is called ______.

a)

magnetic current

b)

circuit current

c)

alternating current

d)

direct current

58.

Which is the transfer of thermal energy through direct contact of particles?

a)

radiation

b)

conduction

c)

specific heat

d)

convection

59.

Which of the following is an example of a nonrenewable source of energy?

a)

water

b)

wind

c)

coal

d)

the Sun

60.

______ offer the best hope for safe, long-term containment of radioactive wastes.

a)

Ocean depths

b)

Deep, stable rock deposits

c)

Polar ice caps

d)

Salt lakes

61.

The south pole of a magnet ______.

a)

attracts another south pole

b)

attracts a north pole

c)

repels a north pole

d)

repels a paper clip

62.

The location of the strongest magnetic field is the ______.

a)

magnetic fields

b)

magnetic poles

c)

magnetic domains

d)

center of the magnet

63.

A heat engine ______.

a)

changes mechanical energy into electrical energy

b)

changes mechanical energy to thermal energy

c)

changes kinetic energy into thermal energy

d)

changes thermal energy into mechanical energy

64.

A simple transformer consists of two coils of wire called the ______.

a)

step-up and step-down generators

b)

alternating and direct currents

c)

primary and secondary coils

d)

input and output loops

65.

The location of the strongest magnetic forces is the ______.

a)

magnetic fields

b)

electromagnets

c)

magnetic poles

d)

magnetic domains

66.

The magnetic field of a magnet is ______.

a)

the same at all parts of the magnet

b)

strongest at the center

c)

strongest at the poles

d)

weakest at the poles

67.

Changing the current changes the ______ of an electromagnet.

a)

charge

b)

direction

c)

strength and direction

d)

strength

68.

A circuit that has two or more branches for electrons to follow is a(n) ______.

a)

parallel circuit

b)

circuit diagram

c)

series circuit

d)

electron circuit

69.

The part of a nuclear reactor in which the fuel is located is called the ______.

a)

control rod

b)

core

c)

heat exchanger

d)

turbine

70.

A ______ is equal to 1000 watts delivered continuously for 3,600 seconds.

a)
kilowatt-hour
b)

Ohm

c)

Meters Per Second

d)

Newton

71.

What do hydroelectric dams, tidal energy, and wind energy systems have in common?

a)

generators

b)

turbines

c)

steam

d)

hot air

72.

A/An ______ is a device that is used to measure currents.

a)
galvanometer
b)

electromagnetic

c)

solenoid

d)

motor

73.

An area with excess electrons has a net ______ charge; an area with a deficit of electrons has a net ______ charge.

a)
negative, positive
b)

positive, neutral

c)

negative, neutral

d)

positive, negative

74.

A circuit that has two or more separate paths for electrons to follow is a(n) ______.

a)
parallel circuit
b)

circuit breaker

c)

series circuit

d)

electron circuit

75.

The region around a magnet where the magnetic forces act is the ______.

a)
magnetic field
b)

magnetic domain

c)

magnetic pole

d)

electromagnetic pole