Ethereum Consensus Mechanisms and Improvements Quiz

1. What is a consensus mechanism?

• A method of encrypting messages between users in a network.
• A process for creating new cryptocurrency coins from existing ones.
• A technique to gather data from multiple sources for analysis.
• A protocol that brings all nodes of a distributed blockchain network into agreement on a single data set.

2. How do nodes input data in a consensus mechanism?

• Nodes input data from a pending transaction, then report back with an approval or disapproval status once the request is cross-checked with its records.
• Nodes input data by manually entering information in the system.
• Nodes input data randomly and create blocks without checks.
• Nodes input data by receiving instructions from a central authority.

3. What happens if a node wants to challenge the record in a consensus mechanism?

• The node would ignore the record entirely.
• The node would automatically accept the record.
• The node would have to request a network-wide recall.
• The node would create a duplicate transaction.

4. What is an example of consensus mechanisms in action?

• The score required to win a match.
• The colors used in a video game.
• The way humans agree on the rules of a game.
• The number of players in a board game.

5. What is the primary goal of a consensus mechanism?

• To eliminate all forms of central authority in networks.
• To create a single point of failure in blockchain systems.
• To make transactions faster than any other system.
• To reach an agreement or consensus among peers about the state of the distributed ledger technology (DLT).

6. Which consensus algorithm does Ethereum currently use?

• Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT)
• Proof-of-Stake (PoS)
• Proof-of-Work (PoW)
• Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS)

7. How does Ethereum`s proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism work?

• Nodes validate transactions every hour and combine them into weekly blocks for rewards.
• Validators create blocks through random selection and transaction proposals, rewarded in ETH.
• Miners compete to solve complex puzzles and update the blockchain, earning rewards.
• Participants take turns creating blocks based on their stake, with fixed rewards distributed monthly.

8. What is the fork-choice mechanism in Ethereum`s PoS consensus?

• The fork-choice mechanism randomly selects blocks for validation.
• The fork-choice mechanism allows any block to become final.
• The fork-choice mechanism rejects blocks not created by miners.
• The fork-choice mechanism selects blocks based on staked ether weight.

9. What is the purpose of the fork-choice algorithm in Ethereum?

• To define the maximum block size for transactions processed.
• To decide which chain is the `correct` chain in cases of multiple possible blocks.
• To create new tokens for network validators.
• To increase the transaction fees for miners processing blocks.

10. How does Ethereum`s current consensus mechanism ensure security?

• Ethereum`s PoS consensus mechanism ensures security through a set of rewards and penalties applied to capital locked by stakers.
• Ethereum`s PoS consensus mechanism relies solely on random block generation for security.
• Ethereum`s PoS consensus mechanism guarantees security without any economic incentives.
• Ethereum`s PoS consensus mechanism ensures security through fixed transaction fees alone.

11. What is the difference between Ethereum`s current and previous consensus mechanisms?

• Ethereum now only allows transactions through a centralized authority instead of decentralization.
• Ethereum`s new mechanism requires no rewards for block creation, unlike the previous system.
• Ethereum previously used proof-of-work (PoW) for block creation and now uses proof-of-stake (PoS) with validators.
• Ethereum always used proof-of-stake (PoS) for block creation from the start.

12. What is the Beam Chain proposal for Ethereum`s consensus layer?

• The Beam Chain proposal is a new method for mining Ethereum.
• The Beam Chain proposal replaces the entire Ethereum blockchain.
• The Beam Chain proposal solely focuses on increasing transaction speed.
• The Beam Chain proposal aims to transform Ethereum`s consensus layer with zk proofs and post-quantum cryptography.

13. Why is the Beam Chain proposal necessary?

• To modernize Ethereum`s core infrastructure.
• To improve the mining process of Ethereum.
• To increase transaction fees for users.
• To limit the number of validators in the network.

14. What cryptographic enhancements are part of the Beam Chain proposal?

• symmetric encryption methods
• hash-based consensus algorithms
• traditional block confirmations
• zk proofs and post-quantum cryptography

15. How does the Beam Chain proposal improve staking in Ethereum?

• The Beam Chain proposal increases the minimum staking requirement to 64 ETH, limiting access to only wealthy users.
• The Beam Chain proposal eliminates the need for staking entirely, allowing anyone to participate freely.
• The Beam Chain proposal restricts staking to only institutional investors, excluding individual participants.
• The Beam Chain proposal reduces the minimum staking requirement from 32 ETH to just 1 ETH, making staking more accessible to a larger audience.

16. What is the significance of SNARK-based cryptography in the Beam Chain proposal?

• SNARK-based cryptography reduces the cost of Ethereum transactions.
• SNARK-based cryptography improves transaction speed in all blockchains.
• SNARK-based cryptography allows validators to select preferred zkVM implementations.
• SNARK-based cryptography eliminates the need for validators altogether.

17. What is the role of FOCIL in the Beam Chain proposal?

• FOCIL eliminates validators to improve speed.
• FOCIL enhances censorship resistance with isolated validators.
• FOCIL reduces the block size for faster transactions.
• FOCIL manages transaction fees among all nodes.

18. How does the Beam Chain proposal address Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) mitigation?

• The Beam Chain proposal prevents any forms of transaction ordering on the network.
• The Beam Chain proposal includes improvements in MEV mitigation through its design choices, though specific details are not provided in the sources.
• The Beam Chain proposal ensures MEV is maximized for all transactions on the network.
• The Beam Chain proposal eliminates all MEV-related activities in Ethereum completely.

19. What is the expected timeline for implementing the Beam Chain proposal?

• 2030
• 2028
• 2025
• 2035

20. Who introduced the Beam Chain proposal?

• Charles Hoskinson
• Gavin Wood
• Justin Drake
• Vitalik Buterin

21. What is the primary focus of the Beam Chain proposal?

• Enhance censorship resistance, improve staking mechanisms, and incorporate cryptographic enhancements.
• Focus solely on lowering fees for transactions on Ethereum.
• Increase transaction speeds while removing validators.
• Streamline user interface and improve wallet accessibility.

22. How does the Beam Chain proposal enhance decentralization in Ethereum?

• The Beam Chain proposal centralizes decision-making by limiting validators to a single execution client.
• The Beam Chain proposal aims to decentralize block production further by introducing isolated validators with execution auctions and faster slots.
• The Beam Chain proposal increases the minimum required ETH to become a validator to ensure fewer participants.
• The Beam Chain proposal focuses on enhancing profitability by reducing transaction fees for validators.

23. What is the significance of RISC-V in the Beam Chain proposal?

• RISC-V has become the de facto standard of zkVMs in the Beam Chain proposal, allowing for flexibility in zkVM implementations.
• RISC-V is a hardware component that reduces transaction fees drastically.
• RISC-V is solely responsible for Ethereum mining rewards.
• RISC-V`s role is to eliminate the need for validators in the network.

24. What is the purpose of the `snarkification` in the Beam Chain proposal?

• To reduce transaction fees during staking
• To simplify the consensus protocol for developers
• To increase the number of validators on the network
• To leverage zero-knowledge proofs for security

25. How does the Beam Chain proposal address technological debt in Ethereum?

• The Beam Chain proposal focuses on enhancing user interfaces rather than core technology improvements.
• The Beam Chain proposal focuses solely on improving transaction speed without addressing underlying issues.
• The Beam Chain proposal aims to address technological debt by incorporating new research and improvements in succinct non-interactive argument of knowledge (SNARK) technology.
• The Beam Chain proposal eliminates all historical code entirely to start fresh.

26. What is the role of Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) mitigation in the Beam Chain proposal?

• The Beam Chain proposal completely eliminates MEV by redesigning Ethereum`s fee structure.
• MEV mitigation is not addressed in the Beam Chain proposal at all.
• The Beam Chain proposal includes improvements in MEV mitigation, though specific details are not provided in the sources.
• MEV mitigation in the Beam Chain proposal focuses solely on increasing transaction fees.

27. What is the expected impact on validator participation with the Beam Chain proposal?

• Decreasing validator participation.
• Keeping validator participation the same.
• Potentially increasing validator participation.
• Eliminating validator participation completely.

28. How does the Beam Chain proposal ensure flexibility in zkVM implementations?

• The Beam Chain proposal mandates that all validators use the same zkVM implementation to ensure uniformity.
• The Beam Chain proposal eliminates the use of zkVMs entirely, focusing only on traditional architectures.
• The Beam Chain proposal restricts validators to a single zkVM implementation based on RISC-V architecture.
• The Beam Chain proposal ensures flexibility by allowing validators to select their preferred zkVM implementations, whether based on RISC-V or other architectures.

29. What is the significance of post-quantum cryptography in the Beam Chain proposal?

• Post-quantum cryptography makes Ethereum completely immune to all attacks.
• Post-quantum cryptography eliminates the need for consensus mechanisms in Ethereum.
• Post-quantum cryptography is used solely for transaction speed improvements.
• Post-quantum cryptography ensures Ethereum`s resilience against quantum threats.

30. How does the Beam Chain proposal improve block production in Ethereum?

• The Beam Chain proposal reduces block sizes to improve transaction speeds.
• The Beam Chain proposal only focuses on enhancing the Ethereum wallet interface.
• The Beam Chain proposal aims to decentralize block production further by introducing isolated validators with execution auctions and faster slots.
• The Beam Chain proposal limits validator participation to only large stakeholders.