Past Fall Tests for practice

Hi everyone,

Next week in Week 8, on October 31st, we will have Fall Oral Presentations by all students in the class. I am looking forward to this very much. The week after, Week 9, we will do the second part of quantum mechanics — the wavelike properties of quanta. I will post pre-class reading for that by the weekend before.

Our Fall Test is to be held in-class (in MP606) two weeks after the Fall Oral Presentations, in Week 10 of the semester. It will be on Wednesday November 14th, starting at exactly 2:20pm and finishing at exactly 3:10pm. No lateness excuses can be accepted. If you are late, you will have less time to do the Test. No exceptions. Please arrive early if you possibly can. (Our second hour that day will be used to talk about unifying gravity and quantum mechanics.)

The Fall Test (FT) is worth 10% of your final grade. You will have fifty (50) minutes to do the Test, i.e. it will be time pressured. You must answer three out of the four questions given, so you should expect to spend about five minutes choosing and then fifteen minutes per question answering. Each question is short-answer style. Expect to write roughly 2/3 to 3/4 page per question. Please bring a (silent!) watch or clock with you if you think you might need to check the time, as our classroom clock faces your backs.

All concepts covered in class in September, October, and the first two weeks of November – everything from Powers of Ten to the Wavelike Nature of Quanta – are fair game. Weeks 1-7 and 9 are examinable, but the Week 8 oral presentation topics are off limits. Consider my lecture summary notes to be the definitive source for what you need to know (not Brian Greene’s textbook). If you aren’t sure about any concept, ask me.

The Test’s composition will reflect the amount of time we spent on each topic according to our syllabus:-

Q1. Distance and time scales; Powers of ten; The Standard Model of Particle Physics.
Q2. From Newton to Einstein; Maxwell, Einstein, and the speed of light.
Q3. Black Holes; Hawking Radiation.
Q4. Quantum weirdness; The wavelike nature of quanta.

All writing must be done in blue or black pen only, on the Test paper itself. In particular, pencil or other erasable writing will not be marked (because it can be tampered with). Crossouts in pen are absolutely fine, just as long as they are done clearly. If you need scratch paper, use only the blank sheet at the back of the Test paper. No exceptions.

NO unauthorized aids will be allowed. In particular:-

* No textbook or class notes or web documents;
* NO cellphones;
* No computers or tablets or calculators;
* No food or drink* (it’s noisy, smelly and distracting); and
* No electronic devices, apart from a watch

The sole aid permitted is a one-sided one-page summary sheet – the “Safety Blanket”. This item is certainly not compulsory, and it will not be graded, but creating yours is highly likely to improve your grade. It should also help reduce any nervousness. Your Safety Blanket must be handwritten by you, on only one side of the sheet of Letter- (or A4-) sized paper, in a font large enough that an old fart like me can read it, and signed by you. If you bring a Safety Blanket, it must be presented to the Professor for approval a minimum of ten minutes prior to the Test (ie, by 2:10pm). You should have no trouble getting approval if the above rules are followed. Note: to help ensure Test security, all Safety Blankets must be surrendered along with Test papers at the end. So if you need to keep a copy of your Safety Blanket, make a copy prior to the Test.

Of course, all standard UofT exam rules apply as well. If you are not sure about the rules (for example, the rule that “Ignorance of the rules does not excuse cheating.”), then please read up on them pronto.

Please remember that absolutely NO cell phones are allowed in the room during any UofT examination. As our UofT code of academic integrity emphasizes, “In a UofT exam, it’s not a cell phone, it’s an unauthorized aid.” Leave your cell phone at home, or find somewhere else safe on campus to leave it during the Test. No university employee can take responsibility for the safety of your belongings, so please plan accordingly. If your cellphone makes any noise during my exam, I will physically throw it out of the room.

All bags containing any extra personal belongings must be left at the front of the room beside the Professor for the duration of the Test and for at least five minutes prior. No access to personal items* will be permitted during 2:15-3:10pm, and no bathroom visits* will be allowed either.

* Exceptions can be granted only on medical grounds, in tune with UofT rules.

Here are some past exams from this course as taught by me, for you to practise on.

• 2011 Fall Test
• 2010 Fall Test
• 2009 Fall Test

I suggest that you start studying for the Test now. People who study more for the Test and who bring more detailed Safety Blankets get better grades.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. You know how to contact me.

Cheers,
Prof. P.