Sample questions for the first test:

1) Swimmers typically wear goggles. One reason is that the water in the pool is of doubtful benefit to our eyes. Another reason, however, is that we don't see well under water. Why is that? Explain why the goggles help, and then explain why the surfaces of the goggles are usually flat, even though curved surfaces are less likely to break.

2) Usually if you wave your right hand at your reflection in the mirror, your image seems to wave back with its left hand. However, if you look into the double mirror at the back of the room, the image is right-handed. Why is this?

3) Suppose a guitar string is tuned while it is wet. Now it is dry, and as a consequence its mass is decreased by 5%. By how many percent has its frequency changed? Has it increased or decreased?

4) The college radio station KRCC broadcasts at 91.5 MHz. Radio signals can be blocked by metal walls. Suppose you're in a metal-walled room, but the door, which is 80 cm wide, is open. Obviously, if you're standing right in front of  the door your FM radio can pick up KRCC's signal. Where else in the room can your radio receive the signal? Everywhere?

5) Suppose someone breaks a lens that has a focal length of -15 cm. You have a piece of this lens - does this piece function as a lens? If so, how does it compare with the original, unbroken lens?