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In your own words, answer the following questions in approximately one page. NOTE: if I detect any copying or plagiarizing, you will receive 0 points for this exam. So, if you used other sources to answer any of these questions, make sure that what you turn in is in your own words. No references or quotations from external sources are allowed. DO NOT WORK WITH ANYONE ELSE IN THE CLASS ON YOUR ANSWERS.
1) Describe two strange effects that occur near the event horizons of black holes, and that are predicted by Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity.
2) Compare and contrast the structure of our solar system to those that have been discovered as a result of extra-solar planet searches.
3) Compare and contrast the evolution of a star of one solar mass vs. a star that starts off life with 30 solar masses.
4) Give examples of two different types of objects that are used as “standard candles.” How do they help set the distance scale?
5) Describe the observations that originally led to the Hubble law. How have Type 1a supernova observations changed our view of the expansion of the Universe?
6) Compare and contrast elliptical and spiral galaxies.
7) Describe two observations that support the existence of dark matter
8) What are the largest structures seen in the Universe? How do we know that they are the largest structures?
9) Why is the cosmic microwave background considered one of the main pieces of evidence that supports big bang cosmology? What is another piece of evidence?
10) Describe how inflationary cosmology solves the horizon and flatness problems.
11) What is the difference between dark matter and dark energy?
12) Describe the standard model of particle physics.
13) What is meant by the solar neutrino problem? How do neutrino oscillations help solve it?
14) What is meant by the phrase a “Theory of Everything”? Why do physicists think that additional dimensions are needed in order to find this theory?