Time Signatures & Beat

In a time signature, which note value does a bottom number of 2 indicate gets one beat?

In a 2-beat measure (such as 2/4), what is the strong/weak pattern?

What does it mean that 4/4, 3/4 and 2/2 are all "simple" meters (mesures simples)?

In a time signature, what does the TOP number tell you?

In a time signature, what does the BOTTOM number tell you?

Why is the whole note the reference for reading the bottom number of a time signature?

Read the time signature 3/4 in plain language: how many beats per measure, and what note value gets the beat?

What is the C symbol (common time) at the start of a piece equivalent to?

What does the cut-time symbol (C with a vertical line through it) mean?

Both 4/4 and 2/2 add up to a whole note of music per measure — so what actually makes them different?

What kind of bar line marks the END of a piece, and how is it drawn?

What is the space between two bar lines called, and what stays constant about it throughout a piece?

Where in the music is the time signature placed, and where is the key signature relative to it?

Which beat of any measure is ALWAYS a strong beat?

In 4/4, which beats are strong and which are weak?

In 3/4, how many of the three beats are strong?

A measure marked 2/4 — mark each beat as strong (F) or weak (f).

Both 2/4 and 2/2 have "2" on top, so why aren't they the same time signature?