Question 1

Which of the following is not a possible energy source for a steam- electric generating plant?

Accepted Answer

A)   solar energy
B)   fossil fuels
C)   wood
D)   fissionable material such as uranium
E)   All of the above are possible energy sources.F) A) and E)
G) All of the above

Question 2

Is it physically possible [even though it might be impractical to actually carry out] to drive a ship across the ocean by using the thermal energy in the surface waters of the ocean? That is, could this be done without violating any principle of physics?

Accepted Answer

A)   Yes, by exhausting the unused thermal energy into the stratosphere or into the deep ocean, where the temperature is cooler than that of the ocean's surface.
B)   No, because this process would violate the law of conservation of energy.
C)   Yes, by exhausting the unused thermal energy into Earth's lower atmosphere, where the temperature is warmer than that of the ocean's surface.
D)   No, because this process would violate the second law of thermodynamics.
E)   No, because there is no thermal energy in the ocean.F) B) and C)
G) B) and E)

Question 3

The biggest reason why heat engines are far from 100% efficient is

Accepted Answer

A)   gravitational forces.
B)   gremlins.
C)   the second law of thermodynamics.
D)   friction.
E)   the first law of thermodynamics.F) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Question 4

What is the work output of a heat engine whose thermal energy input is 400 J and whose exhaust is 300 J?

Accepted Answer

A)   700 J
B)   300 J
C)   100 J
D)   400 J
E)   200 JF) A) and E)
G) C) and D)

Question 5

The most efficient form of locomotion in the animal kingdom is

Accepted Answer

A)   a human walking.
B)   a bird flying.
C)   a propeller- driven airplane.
D)   a human on a bicycle.
E)   railroad trains.F) None of the above
G) A) and B)

Question 6

In one cycle of operation, the thermal energy input to a particular heat engine is 200 joules and the exhaust is 80 joules. The efficiency of this engine is

Accepted Answer

A)   impossible to determine from the given information.
B)   40 percent.
C)   80 percent.
D)   20 percent.
E)   60 percent.F) D) and E)
G) C) and E) E

Question 7

When the inside of a refrigerator is cooled, does thermal energy flow from hot to cold, or is it from cold to hot? Does this happen spontaneously, or is outside assistance required?

Accepted Answer

A)   From cold to hot. Since this is against the normal flow of thermal energy, outside assistance is required.
B)   From cold to hot. Since this is the normal way that thermal energy flows, no outside assistance is needed.
C)   Only the Shadow knows.
D)   From hot to cold. Since this is against the normal flow of thermal energy, outside assistance is required.
E)   From hot to cold. Since this is the normal way that thermal energy flows, no outside assistance is needed.F) None of the above
G) A) and B)

Question 8

The basic energy transformation that takes place in all heat engines is

Accepted Answer

A)   kinetic to thermal.
B)   chemical to thermal.
C)   chemical to electric.
D)   non- thermal to thermal.
E)   thermal to non- thermal.F) D) and E)
G) A) and D)

Question 9

The second law of thermodynamics implies that

Accepted Answer

A)   in physical process in which heat is produced, the total amount of energy is reduced by an amount equal to amount of heat produced.
B)   from the microscopic point of view, thermal energy is just kinetic energy of individual atoms and molecules.
C)   thermal energy cannot be entirely converted into non- thermal forms of energy.
D)   non- thermal forms of energy cannot be entirely converted into thermal forms of energy.
E)   in every physical process, the total amount of energy must remain unchanged.F) A) and E)
G) A) and D)

Question 10

Which of the following would be "linear" growth of your bank savings account?

Accepted Answer

A)   Growth by 7% every year
B)   Growth by $1000 every year
C)   Both of the above.
D)   Neither of the aboveE) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 11

Company X increases its profits every year by 1% million. Its growth in profits is

Accepted Answer

A)   Linear.
B)   Exponential.
C)   Parabolic.
D)   Quadratic.E) A) and C)
F) All of the above B

Question 12

When you touch a warm pot on the stove,

Accepted Answer

A)   work flows from your hand to the pot.
B)   thermal energy flows from your hand to the pot.
C)   thermal energy flows from the pot to your hand.
D)   electric energy flows from the pot to your hand.
E)   work flows from the pot to your hand.F) C) and D)
G) None of the above C

Question 13

Suppose you viewed a movie that was running backwards. You would see lots of odd things happening: streams would flow uphill, and so forth. If these odd "backward- moving" things actually happened in nature, which principle or principles of physics would be violated?

Accepted Answer

A)   Newton's law of motion
B)   The second law of thermodynamics
C)   Both of the above.
D)   The law of conservation of energy
E)   All of the above.F) A) and C)
G) A) and D)

Question 14

Does biological evolution violate the law of entropy, and why or why not?

Accepted Answer

A)   No, because Earth's organisms actually increase their own entropy during evolution, despite the appearance that they are becoming better organized.
B)   No, because the increase in the entropy of the radiation passing through living organisms is greater than the decrease in the entropy of those organisms.
C)   No, because the energy increase of Earth's living organisms is exactly balanced by the energy decrease of the radiation flowing through those organisms.
D)   Yes, because this law is violated in situations involving energy from the sun.
E)   Yes, because this law is violated when new species are created on Earth.F) C) and E)
G) C) and D)

Question 15

Compared with the efficiency of a typical steam- electric generating plant, the efficiency of a typical hydro- electric generating plant is

Accepted Answer

A)   smaller, because only a small amount of the energy in the water behind a dam can be converted into electricity.
B)   about the same, because both are heat engines and so both have the large inefficiency implied by the second law of thermodynamics.
C)   greater because a hydro- electric plant is not a heat engine and so it does not have the large inefficiency implied by the second law of thermodynamics.
D)   smaller because a steam- electric converts thermal energy into non- thermal forms and the second law of thermodynamics implies that this is a highly efficient process.
E)   greater because a hydro- electric plant uses the sun as its source of energy, rather than hard- to- obtain fossil fuels.F) C) and D)
G) B) and C)

Question 16

The main reason for the large inefficiency of the automobile is

Accepted Answer

A)   friction in the moving parts.
B)   the kinetic principle.
C)   the second law of thermodynamics.
D)   the first law of thermodynamics.
E)   unburned hydrocarbons.F) B) and C)
G) C) and D)

Question 17

Large amounts of material can often be seen rising from the cooling towers often seen at steam- electric power plants. These emissions are mostly

Accepted Answer

A)   carbon dioxide.
B)   water vapor, i.e., steam.
C)   soot.
D)   radioactive waste.
E)   oxides of sulfur.F) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Question 18

When a fuel cell operates, the energy transformation within the cell itself is

Accepted Answer

A)   chemical energy to thermal energy.
B)   chemical energy to electric energy.
C)   thermal energy to kinetic energy.
D)   electric energy to chemical energy.
E)   thermal energy to electric energy.F) A) and C)
G) A) and D)

Question 19

The "law of heat engines" is one form of

Accepted Answer

A)   the law of inertia.
B)   the second law of thermodynamics.
C)   the ideal gas laws.
D)   the law of conservation of energy.
E)   idiocy.F) C) and E)
G) A) and B)

Question 20

A day during which the atmospheric temperature was 40°C would be described as

Accepted Answer

A)   a nice day.
B)   below freezing.
C)   a hot day.
D)   above boiling.
E)   a cold day, but not freezing.F) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Exam 7: Second Law of Thermodynamics: and You Cant Even Break Even

Which of the following is not a possible energy source for a steam- electric generating plant?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Is it physically possible [even though it might be impractical to actually carry out] to drive a ship across the ocean by using the thermal energy in the surface waters of the ocean? That is, could this be done without violating any principle of physics?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The biggest reason why heat engines are far from 100% efficient is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the work output of a heat engine whose thermal energy input is 400 J and whose exhaust is 300 J?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The most efficient form of locomotion in the animal kingdom is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In one cycle of operation, the thermal energy input to a particular heat engine is 200 joules and the exhaust is 80 joules. The efficiency of this engine is

Correct AnswerverifiedE

When the inside of a refrigerator is cooled, does thermal energy flow from hot to cold, or is it from cold to hot? Does this happen spontaneously, or is outside assistance required?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The basic energy transformation that takes place in all heat engines is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The second law of thermodynamics implies that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following would be "linear" growth of your bank savings account?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Company X increases its profits every year by 1% million. Its growth in profits is

Correct AnswerverifiedB

When you touch a warm pot on the stove,

Correct AnswerverifiedC

Suppose you viewed a movie that was running backwards. You would see lots of odd things happening: streams would flow uphill, and so forth. If these odd "backward- moving" things actually happened in nature, which principle or principles of physics would be violated?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Does biological evolution violate the law of entropy, and why or why not?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Compared with the efficiency of a typical steam- electric generating plant, the efficiency of a typical hydro- electric generating plant is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The main reason for the large inefficiency of the automobile is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Large amounts of material can often be seen rising from the cooling towers often seen at steam- electric power plants. These emissions are mostly

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When a fuel cell operates, the energy transformation within the cell itself is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The "law of heat engines" is one form of

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A day during which the atmospheric temperature was 40°C would be described as

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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E

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B

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C

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