Intuitor

Basic Physics Savvy Quiz
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Introduction

Physics is the foundation for the modern technology America's standard of living is based on. Millions of Americans have used physics knowledge as a key to high-paying jobs in engineering, computer science, and medicine. Physics is the Rosetta Stone which translates mathematics into science. Yet a surprisingly large number of Americans are the victims of a horrifying array of physics misconceptions, many caused by the imprecise nature of everyday language.

At Intuitor we have decided to fight back against the dark forces of ignorance and shine the bright light of truth on the wickedness of physics misconceptions through the lens of the Intuitor Physics Savvy Quiz. We have already taken a stand against the insultingly stupid movie physics foisted upon young and unsuspecting minds by the American Babylon called Hollywood. Yet, we find that bad physics thinking has already infected the minds of millions.

We urge you to take the Physics Savvy Quiz and find out if you have been infected by the heinous virus of physics misconceptions. The quiz is painless and consists entirely of true-false questions. These can be answered without making calculations and are taken from concepts taught in introductory-level high school or middle school physical science classes. In other words, if you have never taken high school physics and can barely do algebra, you should still be able to answer the questions.

Beware, the physics terms used in the quiz have very specific meanings which may differ from everyday English.

Keep in mind that monkeys would have an average score of 50%. People who score less than 75% should seek immediate professional help from their nearest qualified physics educator. For others we have included a list of self help books as shown below. Good luck!

Take the Intuitor Physics Savvy Quiz.

 

 

Self Help Books

1) Conceptual Physics
by Paul G. Hewitt: This is the simplest physics textbook available, and yet it does an excellent job of covering basic subjects. It's expensive but is usually available as a used book and is well worth owning.

2) Instant Physics: From Aristotle to Einstein, and Beyond
by Tony Rothman: Rothman wrote this book specifically for the individuals who sat through a basic physics class and didn't understand it. It is a classic in its genre and is almost guaranteed to enlighten.

3) Basic Physics : A Self-Teaching Guide
by Karl F. Kuhn: This is a best seller designed to teach basic physics. It is a good book for anyone who is taking, or about to take, their first physics class.

4) Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics (see ad below)
by Tom Rogers: explains physics basics in a humorous and engaging manner using examples from Hollywood movies.
The Cultural and Economic Impact of Physics

Just how profoundly has physics influenced our culture and economy? Test your knowledge on the questions below:
1) Which of the following individuals was named as person of the 20th century by Time Magazine?
a) Franklin Roosevelt  b) Mahatma Gandhi  c) Adolf Hitler  d) Albert Einstein
 
2) Which type of science is weighted the heaviest in the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)?
a) biology  b) general chemistry  c) organic chemistry  d) physics  e) they are equally weighted
 
3) Which of the following terms in everyday language comes from physics.
a) quantum leap  b) free fall  c) resonance  d) being on the same wave length  e) all the answers
 
4) What famous artist developed a wave theory of light before it was developed by physicists?
a) van Gogh  b) Rembrandt  c) Leonardo da Vinci  d) Michelangelo
 
5) Engineers can be considered applied physicists. What is the ratio of  engineers to medical/biological scientists in the drug industry?
a) 1:100  b) 1:10  c) 1:1  d) zero, there are no engineers in the drug industry.
 
6) Which of the following has the largest job market in the United States?
a) Engineers  b) Physicians  c) Lawyers  d) Psychologists
 
7) Which of the following inventions comes from physics?
a) TV  b) air conditioning  c) cars  d) computers  e) all of the answers
 
8) When Benjamin Franklin went to France on a diplomatic mission during the American Revolution he was already well known in Europe as a _____________.
a) politician  b) writer  c) romantic  d) physicist
 
9) Which of the following art forms would not exist if it were not for physics-related technology?
a) photography  b) recorded music  c) movies  d) all of the answers
 
10) What other famous scientist was named by Time Magazine as person of the century for one of the centuries in the last millennium?
a) Newton  b) Darwin  c) Freud  d) all of the answers

Answers
 

How to Use The Basic Physics Savvy Quiz in the Classroom

The Intuitor Physics Savvy Test can be downloaded in a convenient form for use in the classroom by clicking here.

It can be used as a pre-test and post-test for evaluating the effectiveness of a physical science or high school physics class. It also makes a good extra credit or homework assignment. Have students give the test to and discuss the results with a parent. Each student should turn in the parent's score along with a brief description of what happened when they discussed the results.

The online version of the quiz provides explanations and answers for anyone who clicks the submit button at the end of the quiz. It is not necessary to actually take the quiz in order to click the submit button and gain access to the explanations. The questions are generally based on common misconceptions. Whenever possible the explanations also discuss where these misconceptions come from. Sometimes it helps to overcome a misconception by understanding its origin.

Please note that the Intuitor Physics Savvy Quiz is copyrighted and is the exclusive property of Intuitor. It cannot be sold or published in any medium, electronic or conventional, without the written permission of Intuitor. However, teachers, students, and homeschoolers can download and reproduce unlimited free copies for legitimate classroom or homeschool purposes.

Check out these other web sites :

Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics Help stamp out indecent movie physics!

The Physics of Resonance This is one of the most striking and unexpected phenomenon in all of physics.

The Hidden World of the Electromagnetic (EM) Spectrum

 

 First the web site, now the book!

The Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics web site was created in 1996 and has grow to about a million visits a year. It's now available in book form with lots of expanded content. For more information click here.

Copyright © 1996-2007 Tom Rogers, all rights reserved. Forchess ® is a registered trademark of T. K. Rogers.
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on the web since April 2, 1996