1. Example questions
We use a subset of these questions in our workshops to let participants browse different types of questions.
Visit for our other workshop handouts (look for Workshop Materials).
Visti and for additional clicker questions in the sciences from our course transformation efforts

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Credit should be given to the author of the question as designated on each slide

3. Astronomy

4. Example question: Astronomy
You look to the eastern horizon as the Moon is rising and discover that it is in the new moon phase. Later that same day when the moon is setting, which of the moon phases shown below would the Moon have looked like?
Center for Astronomy Education, Ed Prather

5. What do you think is most interesting about this picture?
discover
lunar eclipse
solar eclipse
cloud blocking the Sun
sunspots
other
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2011 January 5

6. (D) I need more information
Example question: Astronomy
Let’s think about the density of non-uniform objects. Which has the largest average density?
Jupiter
Earth
Earth
The Sun
(A)
(B)
(D) I need more information
(C)
(Cynthia Heiner)

7. Astronomy (Prather) A B C D E
If this is the phase of the Moon when it rises: what is the phase of the Moon 12 hours later? A B C D E
(Prather)

8. Physics

9. Superpowers Change the mass of things Change the charge of things
Which superpower would you
rather have? The ability to…
Change the mass of things
Change the charge of things
Change the magnetization of things
Change the boiling point of things
Have participants click in without discussion. Show the histogram as long as it’s a split -- otherwise, keep it hidden. Then have them discuss among themselves for just 2 minutes. Model running a class discussion. Hear multiple answers. Ask why someone might have chosen D. Ask for another answer. Don’t pass judgement on the answers. Let the class come to consensus. Show both histograms before/after. Make it clear at the end what the right answer is.
Probabiliity of boy = 1/2; of girl = 1/2, for any one egg. So girl/girl is 1/4. Girl/boy is 1/4. Boy/girl is 1/4. Boy/boy is 1/4. There are two ways to get girl/boy, so probability is 1/4. This is like flipping coins. H/T is more probable than T/T or H/H when flipping two coins.
This is an example of a “no one right answer” question. What is the goal? How “deep” is this question?
Question: Ian Beatty, UMass-Amherst
Image: Thibault fr on Wikimedia

10. Physics velocity time 2 sec
Susan throws a ball straight up into the air. It goes up and then falls back into her hand 2 seconds later. Draw a graph showing the velocity of the ball from the moment it leaves her hand until she catches it again.
velocity
time
2 sec
(UBC CWSEI)

11. Which one is the closest match to your graph?
Physics
time
velocity
2 sec A B C D
E) some other graph
Which one is the closest match to your graph?
(UBC CWSEI)

12. Physics (UBC CWSEI) A B C D E position time
John is walking to school. This graph shows his position as a function of time. When is John moving with the greatest velocity?
position
time A B C D E
(UBC CWSEI)

13. Example question: Physics
The pie graph shows the energy of the Skater, where could she be on the track? A B C D E KE PE
Kathy Perkins, CU Boulder

14. Example question: Physics
You’re on a cart, initially at rest, throwing balls at a partition that is rigidly mounted on the front of the cart. If the balls bounce straight back, as in the figure, then is the cart put in motion?
Yes, left
Yes, right No
Don’t know
Eric Mazur, “Peer Instruction”

15. Example question: Physics
About how close is a thunderstorm if you hear the thunder 6 seconds after hearing the lightening flash? (The speed of sound is 344 m/s)
0 km
1 km
2 km
6 km
None of these
From Steve: The second one I'm 99% sure I just made it up .  (It's not *quite* as awful as it might look, by the way :-)  I use it to have a conversation with the class about metric units,  how far a km is... it's amazing how many still aren't comfortable with that! And, it also opens up the question of why the *sound* and the flash are separated - many of those students still haven't really thought about the consequences of the finite speed of sound, and the fact that light is so much faster... )
Steven Pollock, CU-Boulder

16. Eric Mazur, “Peer Instruction”
Physics P A B C D E
A ball is rolling around the inside of a circular track. The ball leaves the track at point P. Which path does the ball follow?
Eric Mazur, “Peer Instruction”

17. Physics / Perception (Duncan)
Suppose you pass white light through a prism and all of the colours of the spectrum are projected on a screen. If you then put a red filter over your eye and look at the spectrum, what colours do you see?
you see mostly red light; the blue and green disappears
you see mostly blue light; the other colours disappear
all of the colours turn red
(Duncan)

18. Example Question: Physics
Boiling occurs when the vapor pressure of a liquid equals the atmospheric pressure. In the high altitude city of Denver, is the boiling point of water
<100 C
100 C
>100 C
Origin unknown

19. Example Question: Physics
The sky appears to be blue during the day because
Air absorbs blue light less than other frequencies (i.e., acts like a blue filter).
Air molecules emit blue light after being struck by sunlight.
The sky reflects blue light from the oceans.
The temperature high in the Earth’s upper atmosphere is 1000 K.
None of the above.
Bill Gerace, UMass Amherst

20. Example Question: Physics
A block m sits on a rough surface, with a spring attached and extended. As the block moves up the incline a small distance, how many forces are exerted on the block?
One force
Two forces
Three forces
Four forces
Five forces
Six forces
Seven forces
More than seven forces
Impossible to determine
None of the above
Bill Gerace, UMass Amherst

21. Example Question: Physics
In which of the following situations is the object accelerating? Choose ALL that apply; enter “0” for “none”.
A car slowing down at a stop sign
A ball being swung in a circle at constant speed
A vibrating string
The Moon orbiting the Earth
A skydiver falling at terminal speed
An astronaut in an orbiting space station
A ball rolling down a hill
A person driving down a straight section of highway at
Constant speed with her foot on the accelerator
A molecule in the floor of this room
Bill Leonard, UMass Amherst

22. Example Question: Physics
Which of the following are ambiguous? Choose ALL that apply.
Origin
Function
Equilibrium
f(x) x M
sin-1(x)
Relationship
Power
None of these
Bill Leonard, UMass Amherst

23. Example Question: Physics
Bill Gerace, UMass Amherst

24. Example Question: Physics
Bill Gerace, UMass Amherst

25. Example Question: Physics
A child is standing at the rim of a disk holding a rock. The disk rotates freely without friction. At the instant shown, the child throws the rock radially outward. Which of the indicated paths most nearly represents the trajectory of the rock as seen from above?
6. None of the above
7. Cannot be determined
Bill Gerace, UMass Amherst

26. Example Question: Physics
The diagrams below show two uniformly charged spheres. The charge on the right sphere is 3 times as large as the charge on the left sphere. Which force diagram best represents the magnitudes and directions of the electric forces on the two spheres?
A. D.
B. E. C.
Bill Gerace, UMass Amherst

27. Example Question: Physics
[Context: Students have been shown how to connect two forks to a quarter, and balance the assembly counterintuitively on the edge of a cup. After experimenting with this for a bit:] Make a drawing of the top view of the arrangement of 2 forks, 1 quarter, and 1 cup. [after drawing:] Which drawing below most closely resembles yours? A. C. B. D. None of these
Bill Leonard, UMass Amherst

28. Example Question: Physics
If you want to do as little work as possible while carrying a heavy box, should you be careful not to let it move up and down at all as you walk?
Yes No
It depends
Ian Beatty, UMass Amherst

29. Example Question: Physics
Two identical steel balls are released from rest from the same height and travel along tracks as shown and labeled below. Which ball reaches the end of its track first?
The ball on track A.
The ball on track B.
Neither; it's a tie.
Not enough information. A B
Bill Gerace, UMass Amherst, and

30. Example Question: Physics
To minimize the work you do getting a heavy bag of groceries from the first floor to the second floor of a building, should you
carry the bag up the stairs?
carry the bag up in an elevator?
put the bag on the floor of an elevator, ride up with it, and then pick up the bag again?
carry the bag up a ramp?
put the bag in a cart and push it up a ramp?
Bill Gerace, UMass Amherst

31. Example Question: Physics
Consider…
Mechanics
Depth
Goals
Bill Leonard, UMass Amherst

32. Example Question: Physics
Which of the following are you least comfortable using to solve problems?
Kinematics
Newton’s Laws
Work-Energy Theorem
Momentum-Impulse Theorem
Angular Momentum-Angular Impulse Theorem
Ian Beatty, UMass Amherst

33. Example Question: Physics
A simple pendulum is released from rest with the string at an angle A. It swings back and forth with frequency f. The angle θ that the string makes with the vertical as a function of time can be described by the equation θ(t)=Acos(2∏ft).Which of the following equations might describe a real pendulum whose oscillations gradually die out as time passes? (“B” is some constant.)
θ(t)=Acos(2∏ft)
θ(t)=Acos(2∏f√t)
θ(t)=Acos2(2∏ft)
θ(t)=Ae-Btcos(2∏ft)
θ(t)=Acos(2∏fe-Btt)
θ(t)=Acos(2∏ft)–Bt
None of the above
Ian Beatty, UMass Amherst

34. Physics
An ice cube is floating in a glass of water that is filled entirely to the brim. As the ice cube melts, the water level will
stay the same, remain at the brim.
rise, causing the water to spill.
fall to a level below the brim.
cannot say without knowing the density of ice.
(UBC CWSEI)

35. Physics
If you lower a 1.5 kg mass on a string into a 5 kg beaker filled with water, what happens to the reading on the scale?
increases to 6.5 kg
increases to a value < 6.5 kg
increases to a value > 6.5 kg
stay the same
(UBC CWSEI)

36. Physics: Demo prediction
A cup filled with water has a hole in the side through which the liquid is flowing out. If the cup is dropped for a height, what will happen to the water flowing from the cup?
SHOULD E be ‘SOMETHING ELSE” and NOT show the right answer. This might force students to trust themselves …
It will keep on coming out, flowing the same as before
It will keep coming out, but it will flow a bit slower than before
It will keep coming out, but start to flow upwards
It will keep coming out, flowing horizontally with the falling cup
It will stop flowing
(Cynthia Heiner)