1. Halliday/Resnick/Walker Fundamentals of Physics Reading Quiz Questions
Classroom Response System Questions
Chapter 1 Measurement
Reading Quiz Questions

2. 1.1.1. According to the text, on what are science and engineering based?
knowledge and intuition
meter sticks and accurate time pieces
measurements and comparison
hypotheses and theories
e) vision and perseverance

3. 1.1.1. According to the text, on what are science and engineering based?
knowledge and intuition
meter sticks and accurate time pieces
measurements and comparison
hypotheses and theories
e) vision and perseverance

4. Complete the following statement: The standard meter is defined in terms of the speed of light because
a) all scientists have access to sunlight.
b) no agreement could be reached on a standard meter stick.
c) the yard is defined in terms of the speed of sound in air.
d) the normal meter is defined with respect to the circumference of the earth.
e) it is a universal constant.

5. Complete the following statement: The standard meter is defined in terms of the speed of light because
a) all scientists have access to sunlight.
b) no agreement could be reached on a standard meter stick.
c) the yard is defined in terms of the speed of sound in air.
d) the normal meter is defined with respect to the circumference of the earth.
e) it is a universal constant.

6. 1. 3. 1. The text uses SI units, such as the meter or the kilogram
The text uses SI units, such as the meter or the kilogram. Which one of the following phrases is the best translation for the French phrase for which “SI” is the abbreviation?
a) International System of Units
b) Institute of Science Standards
c) Institute for Systems Integration
d) Systematic Information
e) Science and Engineering Standards

7. 1. 3. 1. The text uses SI units, such as the meter or the kilogram
The text uses SI units, such as the meter or the kilogram. Which one of the following phrases is the best translation for the French phrase for which “SI” is the abbreviation?
a) International System of Units
b) Institute of Science Standards
c) Institute for Systems Integration
d) Systematic Information
e) Science and Engineering Standards

8. 1.3.2. Which of the following units is not an SI base unit?
a) second
b) meter
c) kilogram
d) slug

9. 1.3.2. Which of the following units is not an SI base unit?
a) second
b) meter
c) kilogram
d) slug

10. 1.3.3. In the International System of Units, mass is measured using which of the following units?
a) grams
b) kilograms
c) pounds
d) newtons
e) slugs

11. 1.3.3. In the International System of Units, mass is measured using which of the following units?
a) grams
b) kilograms
c) pounds
d) newtons
e) slugs

12. 1.3.4. In the International System of Units, length is measured using which of the following units?
a) inches
b) feet
c) meters
d) centimeters
e) kilometers

13. 1.3.4. In the International System of Units, length is measured using which of the following units?
a) inches
b) feet
c) meters
d) centimeters
e) kilometers

14. 1.3.5. Express 0.00592 in scientific notation.
b) × 103
c) × 102
d) × 105
e) × 105

15. 1.3.5. Express 0.00592 in scientific notation.
b) × 103
c) × 102
d) × 105
e) × 105

16. The ratio equals
a) 10+3
b) 103
c) 106
d) 10+6
e) 100

17. The ratio equals
a) 10+3
b) 103
c) 106
d) 10+6
e) 100

18. The energy content of food is reported in Calories, where 1 Calorie = 1000 kilocalories and 1 kilocalorie = 4186 J. How many joules are in a drink that contains 140 Calories?
a) 33 joules
b) 590 joules
c) 5.9 × 108 joules
d) 4.2 × 106 joules
e) 1.4 × 105 joules

19. The energy content of food is reported in Calories, where 1 Calorie = 1000 kilocalories and 1 kilocalorie = 4186 J. How many joules are in a drink that contains 140 Calories?
a) 33 joules
b) 590 joules
c) 5.9 × 108 joules
d) 4.2 × 106 joules
e) 1.4 × 105 joules

20. 1.4.2. Which one of the following statements concerning unit conversion is false?
a) Units can be treated as algebraic quantities.
b) Units have no numerical significance, so 1.00 kilogram = 1.00 slug.
c) Unit conversion factors are given inside the front cover of the text.
d) The fact that multiplying an equation by a factor of 1 does not change an equation is important in unit conversion.
e) Only quantities with the same units can be added or subtracted.

21. 1.4.2. Which one of the following statements concerning unit conversion is false?
a) Units can be treated as algebraic quantities.
b) Units have no numerical significance, so 1.00 kilogram = 1.00 slug.
c) Unit conversion factors are given inside the front cover of the text.
d) The fact that multiplying an equation by a factor of 1 does not change an equation is important in unit conversion.
e) Only quantities with the same units can be added or subtracted.

22. Which one of the following pairs of units may not be added together, even after the appropriate unit conversions have been made?
a) feet and centimeters
b) seconds and slugs
c) meters and miles
d) grams and kilograms
e) hours and years

23. Which one of the following pairs of units may not be added together, even after the appropriate unit conversions have been made?
a) feet and centimeters
b) seconds and slugs
c) meters and miles
d) grams and kilograms
e) hours and years

24. 1.4.4. How many meters are there in 12.5 kilometers?
b) 125
c) 1250 d) e)

25. 1.4.4. How many meters are there in 12.5 kilometers?
b) 125
c) 1250 d) e)

26. 1.4.5 Express the quantity 12.5 meters in kilometers?
a) km
b) km
c) 1.25 km
d) 12.5 km
e) 125 km

27. 1.4.5 Express the quantity 12.5 meters in kilometers?
a) km
b) km
c) 1.25 km
d) 12.5 km
e) 125 km

28. 1.4.6 If one inch is equal to 2.54 cm, express 9.68 inches in meters.
a) m
b) m
c) m
d) m
e) m

29. 1.4.6 If one inch is equal to 2.54 cm, express 9.68 inches in meters.
a) m
b) m
c) m
d) m
e) m

30. By international agreement, the standard meter is currently defined by which of the following methods.
a) The standard meter is one-ten millionth of the distance between the Equator and the North Pole.
b) The standard meter is the length of the path traveled by light in a vacuum during a specific time interval.
c) The standard meter is the distance between two fine parallel lines on a platinum bar stored under vacuum near Paris, France.
d) The standard meter is defined in terms of a specific number of wavelengths of light emitted by a specific isotope of an inert gas.
e) The standard meter is defined in terms of the length of the tibia bone of a 17th century king.

31. By international agreement, the standard meter is currently defined by which of the following methods.
a) The standard meter is one-ten millionth of the distance between the Equator and the North Pole.
b) The standard meter is the length of the path traveled by light in a vacuum during a specific time interval.
c) The standard meter is the distance between two fine parallel lines on a platinum bar stored under vacuum near Paris, France.
d) The standard meter is defined in terms of a specific number of wavelengths of light emitted by a specific isotope of an inert gas.
e) The standard meter is defined in terms of the length of the tibia bone of a 17th century king.

32. The textbook discusses order-of-magnitude estimates that scientists and engineers often use. Consider the distance between New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA. What is the order of magnitude of this distance?
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 5
e) 10

33. The textbook discusses order-of-magnitude estimates that scientists and engineers often use. Consider the distance between New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA. What is the order of magnitude of this distance?
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 5
e) 10

34. In 1983, the current definition of the standard meter was adopted at the 17th General Conference on Weights and Measures. In addition to the length standard adopted, what other significant action was taken?
a) Atomic clocks became the standard for time measurement.
b) The British system of units, which includes the foot and the mile, was outlawed.
c) A new unit was adopted for the measurement of sound waves called the “phone.”
d) The speed of light was defined to be exactly m/s.
e) The United States officially adopted the metric system of units and measures.

35. In 1983, the current definition of the standard meter was adopted at the 17th General Conference on Weights and Measures. In addition to the length standard adopted, what other significant action was taken?
a) Atomic clocks became the standard for time measurement.
b) The British system of units, which includes the foot and the mile, was outlawed.
c) A new unit was adopted for the measurement of sound waves called the “phone.”
d) The speed of light was defined to be exactly m/s.
e) The United States officially adopted the metric system of units and measures.

36. 1.6.1. How is the standard unit of time, the “second,” defined in the International System of Units?
a) using the frequency of the light emitted from the ideal gas krypton
b) using a standard pendulum that has a length of exactly one standard meter
c) using a portion of the time for a single rotation of the Earth
d) using a high precision telescope to measure the light coming from the most distant objects in the Universe
e) using a high precision cesium (atomic) clock

37. 1.6.1. How is the standard unit of time, the “second,” defined in the International System of Units?
a) using the frequency of the light emitted from the ideal gas krypton
b) using a standard pendulum that has a length of exactly one standard meter
c) using a portion of the time for a single rotation of the Earth
d) using a high precision telescope to measure the light coming from the most distant objects in the Universe
e) using a high precision cesium (atomic) clock

38. 1. 6. 2. The period of rotation of the Earth is one day
The period of rotation of the Earth is one day. The time of one day was compared with that measured by a cesium clock. How much variation was observed in the period of rotation of the Earth during the four year interval shown in the text?
a) The variation was within about two milliseconds.
b) The variation was within about two nanoseconds.
c) The variation was within about one second.
d) The variation was within about one minute.
e) The variation was too small to detect.

39. 1. 6. 2. The period of rotation of the Earth is one day
The period of rotation of the Earth is one day. The time of one day was compared with that measured by a cesium clock. How much variation was observed in the period of rotation of the Earth during the four year interval shown in the text?
a) The variation was within about two milliseconds.
b) The variation was within about two nanoseconds.
c) The variation was within about one second.
d) The variation was within about one minute.
e) The variation was too small to detect.

40. The international standard kilogram is a cylinder that is housed under special conditions near Paris, France. The cylinder is made from what kind of material?
a) gold
b) rose quartz
c) platinum-iridium alloy
d) stainless steel
e) silver-gold-copper alloy

41. The international standard kilogram is a cylinder that is housed under special conditions near Paris, France. The cylinder is made from what kind of material?
a) gold
b) rose quartz
c) platinum-iridium alloy
d) stainless steel
e) silver-gold-copper alloy

42. 1. 7. 2. The second mass standard is that of the carbon-12 atom
The second mass standard is that of the carbon-12 atom. What is the unit associated with this second mass standard?
a) atomic mass unit (u)
b) atomic number (Z)
c) isotope ratio (I)
d) nanogram (ng)
e) fermi (fm)

43. 1. 7. 2. The second mass standard is that of the carbon-12 atom
The second mass standard is that of the carbon-12 atom. What is the unit associated with this second mass standard?
a) atomic mass unit (u)
b) atomic number (Z)
c) isotope ratio (I)
d) nanogram (ng)
e) fermi (fm)