If you drop a bowling ball and billiard ball from a tall building, in what order do they hit the ground?

Answers: 135 (91%)

The bowling ball hits first	37	27%
The billiard ball hits first	15	11%
The balls hit about the same time	74	55%
Can’t tell	9	7%

Example answers:

• It’s heavier
• Because it is heavier
• If it was a vacuum they would hit at the same time
• I would imagine the bowling ball would because it weighs more
• Because of it’s weight
• The mass of the bowling ball is bigger – therefore gravity has more of a pull on it
• Depending on the gravity pull
• [The bowling ball hits first] but only because of air resistance or friction; [the balls hit about the same time] neglecting friction
• Ok, I’m probably wrong here but I always want to say that the heavier one would hit first because it would have more speed, but I think I learned in HS physics that due to some equation or something, they hit at the same time
• I’ve forgotten – I know Aristotle has something to say about this, but I forgot it.

 

Why do objects seem distorted in a swimming pool?

Answers: 142 (95%)

Bent/Refracted	26	22%
Reflected	15	13%
Water property (unspecified)	12	10%
Water is different than air	7	6%
Movement of water/waves	32	27%
Misc	26	22%

Example answers:

• Objects seem distorted in water because they are reflected so much hrough the matter of water that they become magnified or demagnified in variations of it’s (water) movements. This is as observed from outside water, but underwater, observation is undistorted.
• The deflection of light from waves.

A student’s sketch of refraction

What is heat? Answers: 106 (71%) Hot Air 10 9% Energy from the Sun 5 5% Kinetic Energy 6 6% Energy 43 41% Warmth 26 25% Temperature 9 9% Misc 7 6%

What is temperature? Answers: 121 (81%) Measure of heat 93 77% Climate 18 15% Misc 10 8%

Example answers:

• Heat is a state or condition, and temperature is a way of measuring this condition.

How does a compass work?

Answers:

Gravity	15	12%	17%
Some other force	12	10%	13%
Magnetism	69	57%	72%
Tells you the direction	26	21%	—

Example answers:

• Earth has a very big iron deposit near the North Pole causing a magnetic charge strong enough to pull the smaller magnet in a compass northward.
• A compass works by the magnetic pull of the Earth. I guess North, South, East, West have different magnetic pulls.
• [Compasses] work by magnetic pull with water

 

This test was designed by John DeLaughter and Seth Stein