Questions and Answers of Integrated Science

Describe the internal structure of Jupiter and Saturn.
What evidence exists that Mars at one time had abundant liquid water? If Mars did have liquid water at one time, what happened to it and why?
Describe the surface and atmospheric conditions on Mars.
What are the basic differences between the terrestrial planets and the giant planets? Describe how the protoplanet nebular model accounts for these differences.
Describe the protoplanet nebular model of the origin of the solar system. Which part or parts of this model seem least credible to you? Explain. What information could you look for today that would
The Milky Way galaxy is a huge, flattened cloud of spiral arms radiating out from the center. Describe several ideas that explain why it has this shape. Identify which idea you favor and explain why.
What is the significance of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram?
Analyze when apparent magnitude is a better scale of star brightness and when absolute magnitude is a better scale of star brightness.
What are the significant differences between the life and eventual fate of a massive star and an average-sized star such as the Sun?
A star is 520 light-years from Earth. During what event in history did the light now arriving at Earth leave the star?
What is the evidence that supports a big bang theory of the universe?
If the universe is expanding, are the galaxies becoming larger?Explain.
Why is an average star like the Sun unable to have carbon fusion reactions in its core?
What is a red giant star? Explain the conditions that lead to the formation of a red giant. How can a red giant become brighter than it was as a main sequence star if it now has a lower surface
When does a protostar become a star? Explain.
Why must the internal temperature of a star be hotter for helium fusion reactions than for hydrogen fusion reactions?
What is the source of all the elements in the universe that are more massive than helium but less massive than iron? What is the source of all the elements in the universe that are more massive than
Describe the two forces that keep a star in a balanced, stable condition while it is on the main sequence. Explain how these forces are able to stay balanced for a period of billions of years or
What does the color of a star indicate about the surface temperature of the star? What is the relationship between the temperature of a star and the spectrum of the star? Describe in general the
What is the difference between apparent magnitude and absolute magnitude?
Which size of star has the longest life span, a star 60 times more massive than the Sun, one just as massive as the Sun, or a star that has a mass of one-twenty-fifth that of the Sun? Explain.
What is meant by the main sequence of the H-R diagram? What one thing determines where a star is plotted on the main sequence?
Describe the theoretical physical circumstances that lead to the creation of (a) a white dwarf star, (b) a red giant, (c) a neutron star, (d) a black hole, and (e) a supernova.
What is a nova? What is a supernova?
Describe, in general, the life history of a star with an average mass like the Sun.
Describe in general the structure and interior density, pressure, and temperature conditions of an average star such as the Sun.
What is the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram?
Explain why a protostar heats up internally as it gravitationally contracts.
Why are astronomical distances not measured with standard referent units of distance such as kilometers or miles?
What is a light-year, and how is it defined?
What are the similarities and differences between a nuclear fission power plant and a nuclear fusion power plant?
Write a letter to your congressional representative describing why used nuclear fuel rods should be reprocessed rather than buried as nuclear waste.
Explain how the fission of heavy elements and the fusion of light elements both release energy.
Suppose you believe the threshold model of radiation exposure is correct. Describe a conversation between yourself and another person who feels strongly that the linear model of radiation exposure is
Make up a feasible explanation for why some isotopes have half-lives of seconds, yet other kinds of isotopes have half-lives in the billions of years.
Analyze the different types of radioactive decay to explain how each is a hazard to living organisms.
What are the significant differences between a radioactive isotope and an isotope that is not radioactive?
Compare and contrast nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.
What is a mass defect? How is it related to the binding energy of a nucleus? How can both be calculated?
Why is there controversy about the effects of long-term, low levels of radiation exposure?
What is meant by background radiation? What is the normal radiation dose for the average person from background radiation?
Would you expect an isotope with a long half-life to be more, the same, or less radioactive than an isotope with a short half-life?Explain.
What is half-life? Give an example of the half-life of an isotope, describing the amount remaining and the time elapsed after five half-life periods.
How are positively charged protons able to stay together in a nucleus since like charges repel?
Describe three kinds of radiation emitted by radioactive materials. Describe what eventually happens to each kind of radiation after it is emitted.
What is radioactive decay? Describe how the radioactive decay rate can be changed if this is possible.
How is a radioactive material different from a material that is not radioactive?
Describe at least four different examples of how you could make hard water soft.
Describe how you would teach someone why the pH of an acid is a low number (less than 7), while the pH of a base is a larger number (greater than 7).
What are the significant similarities and differences between an acid, a base, and a salt?
There are at least three ways to change the boiling point of water, so describe how you know for sure that 100°C (212°F) is the boiling point at sea level.
What is the same and what is different between a salt that will dissolve in water and one that is insoluble?
Analyze the basic reason that water, being a universal solvent, becomes less dense when it freezes, has a high heat of fusion, has a high specific heat, and has a high heat of vaporization.
What ion is responsible for (a) acidic properties? (b) for basic properties?
What feature of a soap molecule gives it cleaning ability?
What is a hydrogen bond? Explain how a hydrogen bond forms.
According to the definition of an acid and the definition of a base, would the pH increase, decrease, or remain the same when NaCl is added to pure water? Explain.
What is hard water? How is it softened?
Explain why water has a greater density at 4°C than at 0°C.
A deep lake in Minnesota is covered with ice. What is the water temperature at the bottom of the lake? Explain your reasoning.
Explain why adding salt to water increases the boiling point.
Explain why some ionic compounds are soluble while others are insoluble in water.
How is a solution different from other mixtures?
Summarize for another person the steps needed for successfully writing a balanced chemical equation.
Provide several examples of each of the four basic categories of chemical reactions and describe how each illustrates a clear representation of the category.
What are the advantages and disadvantages to writing a chemical equation with chemical symbols and formulas rather than just words?
Make up an explanation for why ionic compounds are formed when a metal from the left side of the periodic table reacts with a nonmetal from the right side, but covalent bonds are formed between
Analyze how you would know for sure that a pure substance you have is an element and not a compound.
Analyze how you would know for sure that a pure substance you have is a compound and not an element.
What are the significant similarities and differences between a physical change and a chemical change?
Predict the products for the following reactions: (a) the combustion of ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH), and (b) the rusting of aluminum (Al).
What must occur in order for an ion exchange reaction to take place? What is the result if this does not happen?
How is the activity series for metals used to predict if a replacement reaction will occur or not?
Describe in your own words how a chemical equation is balanced.
What is the law of conservation of mass? How do you know if a chemical equation is in accord with this law?
What is the basic difference between a single bond and a double bond?
Write the formula for magnesium hydroxide. Explain what the parentheses mean.
What is a polyatomic ion? Give the names and formulas for several common polyatomic ions.
What is the octet rule and why is it important?
What is the difference between an ionic and covalent bond?What do atoms forming the two bond types have in common?
Describe how the following are alike and how they are different:(a) a sodium atom and a sodium ion, and (b) a sodium ion and a neon atom.
What is the difference between a chemical change and a physical change? Give three examples of each.
Describe at least several basic differences between the Bohr and quantum mechanics models of the atom.
Analyze the significance of the observation that matter only emits and absorbs energy in discrete units.
Describe a conversation between yourself and another person as you correct his or her belief that atomic weight has something to do with gravity.
Thomson’s experiments led to the discovery of the electron.Analyze how you know for sure that he discovered the electron.
What are the significant similarities and differences between the isotopes of a particular element?
Evaluate Millikan’s method for finding the charge of an electron.Are there any doubts about the results of using this technique?
What is the difference between a hydrogen atom in the ground state and one in the excited state?
What is similar about the Bohr model of the atom and the quantum mechanical model?
Which has the lowest energy, an electron in the first energy level(n = 1) or an electron in the third energy level (n = 3)? Explain.
Why do the energies of electrons in an atom have negative values? (Hint: It is not because of the charge of the electron.)
Describe the three main points in the Bohr model of the atom.
How is the atomic weight of an element determined?
An atom has 11 protons in the nucleus. What is the atomic number? What is the name of this element? What is the electron configuration of this atom?
What does atomic number mean? How does the atomic number identify the atoms of a particular element? How is the atomic number related to the number of electrons in an atom?
Compare the size of an atom to the size of its nucleus.
What is the main problem with a solar system model of the atom?
Describe the experimental evidence that led Rutherford to the concept of a nucleus in an atom.
What was the experimental evidence that Thomson had discovered the existence of a subatomic particle when working with cathode rays?

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