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214 Cards in this Set
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Exam 1 Answers For Final Exam: |
Study Below: |
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What do we mean in astronomy by the term “horizon?” (a) the real physical location where we see the stars rise or set from where we are looking (b) an imaginary plane that extends from your observing location and Earth out to the stars? |
(b) an imaginary plane that extends from your observing location and Earth out to the stars? |
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How long does it take light to travel from our Sun to the Earth? (a) 0.0001 second (b) 1 second (c) 8 minutes (d) 68 hours (e) 149 days |
(c) 8 minutes |
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An Astronomical Unit (A.U.) is the mean distance between the _________ . (a) Earth & Sun (b) Earth & Moon (c) Earth & Pluto (d) Sun and Neptune (e) none of these |
(a) Earth & Sun |
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The idea that physics is the same everywhere in the universe and that there is nothing special about the Earth is called the (a) superposition theorem (b) relativity (c) Special Pleading (d) Cosmological Principal (e) precession |
(d) Cosmological Principal |
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What is wrong with an advertisement using the phrase that a product is “light years ahead of its time?” (a) nothing (b) poor grammar (c) a light year measures distance not time (d) Kepler’s Laws contradict it |
(c) a light year measures distance not time |
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What is not a part of our solar system? (a) the sun (b) Mercury (c) Earth (d) the Milky Way (e) comets |
(d) the Milky Way |
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If you are facing north and see a star directly above the North Star (Polaris), in 12 hours it will be located (a) in exactly the same location (b) directly below the North Star (c) there is no way to know |
(b) directly below the North Star |
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What are the largest known structures in the universe? (a) galaxy clusters (b) galaxies (c) filaments and walls outlining voids (d) stars (e) superclusters |
(c) filaments and walls outlining voids |
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During the winter where should we look for the sun to rise? (a) directly east of us (b) southeast of us (c) northeast of us (d) directly north of us (e) none of these |
(b) southeast of us |
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The fact that the shadow of the Earth during a lunar eclipse is always a circle is one thing that allows us to conclude that (a) the Sun is far away (b) the Sun's disk is a circle (c) the Earth is a sphere (d) The Earth could be flat |
(c) the Earth is a sphere |
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When we observe objects in the sky, what we normally measure is (a) the distance to the objects (b) the angular separation of the objects |
(b) the angular separation of the objects |
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How many hours per day are Circumpolar Stars above the horizon? (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 4 (d) 12 (e) 24 |
(e) 24 |
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About how long is it between two full moons?(a) about 1 week (b) about 2 weeks (c) about 1 month (d) about 2 months |
(c) about 1 month |
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The point directly above your head is called your (a) zenith (b) meridian (c) declination (d) altitude |
(a) zenith |
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Which statement below most accurately describes modern constellations? (a) They are 13 connect-the-dot mythological sky figures along the ecliptic. (b) They are 88 well defined regions on the celestial sphere. (c) They are 88 connect-the-dot mythological sky figures |
(b) They are 88 well defined regions on the celestial sphere. |
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In a picture made by keeping the shutter of a camera open, one sees streaks going one-fourth of a complete circle around Polaris,how many hours was the shutter open? (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 6 (e) 8 |
(d) 6 |
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Where on Earth can you stand and, over the course of a year, see the entire sky? (a) only at the North Pole (b) at either pole (c) at the equator (d) anywhere (e) only at the South Pole |
(c) at the equator |
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The study, evaluation, and trying to make conclusions about the nature and effects of global climate change should made by (a) politicians (b) famous actors (c) religious leaders (d) scientist (e) popular opinion |
(d) scientist |
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If you see the Moon rising as the Sun is setting, what phase must the Moon be closest to? (a) full (b) new (c) first quarter (d) third quarter (e) waning crescent |
(a) full |
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Which of the following is most important for a theory to possess? (a) It explains things that have already been observed. (b) It makes predictions that had not been observed, but then turned out to be correct (c) It makes predictions that can never be proved or disproved because they cannot be measured |
(b) It makes predictions that had not been observed, but then turned out to be correct |
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What is the ecliptic plane? (a) The plane of the Earth's equator. (b) The plane of the Milky Way Galaxy. (c) The plane above the Sun’s equator. (d) The plane of the Moon’s orbit around the Earth. (e) none of these |
(e) none of these |
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What is the primary language of science? (a) Latin (b) French (c) Italian (d) Elvish (e) Mathematics |
(e) Mathematics |
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When a solar flare blows off the surface of the sun, how long is it before we will see it and know it happened? (a) immediately (b) 2.3 seconds (c) 32 seconds (d) 8 minutes (e) 10,000 years |
(d) 8 minutes |
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What is the greatest strength of the scientific method? (a) once a theory is shown to be true we don't have to test it anymore (b) scientist are able to all agree on a well tested theory (c) even ideas established for hundreds of years are under constant study and being challenged by the scientific method (d) the scientific method keeps younger scientists from coming back later and repeating the same experiments |
(c) even ideas established for hundreds of years are under constant study and being challenged by the scientific method |
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What is the major cause of the Earth's seasons? (a) The Earth is closer to the sun in our summer than in our winter. (b) The Earth is tilted 23.5 degrees on its axis with respect to the ecliptic plane. (c) Greenhouse effects increase during our summer and decrease during our winter (d) The Earth has a natural heating and cooling period over the year that has nothing to do with any of the above. |
(b) The Earth is tilted 23.5 degrees on its axis with respect to the ecliptic plane. |
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When will be the only time a person at the equator see the sun directly overhead at their zenith at noon? (a) summer and winter solstices (b) fall and spring equinoxes (c) never |
(b) fall and spring equinoxes |
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During a solar eclipse, what is the correct ordering of the Earth, Sun, and Moon? (a) Sun, Earth, Moon (b) Sun, Moon, Earth (c) Moon, Earth, Sun (d) Earth, Sun, Moon (e) Moon, Sun, Earth |
(b) Sun, Moon, Earth |
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In scientific notation 0.0001234 equals (a) 1.234 x 10-3 (b) 1.234 x 10-4 (c) 1.234 x 10-5 (d) 1.234 x 10- 6 (e) 1.234 x 10- 8 |
(b) 1.234 x 10-4 |
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Why does the Moon turn red during a lunar eclipse? (a) the surface of the moon has a reddish tint (b) dust particles from outer space make the moon appear red (c) the sun changes color during a lunar eclipse (d) red light is refracted (bent) by the earth’s atmosphere so it hits the moon |
(d) red light is refracted (bent) by the earth’s atmosphere so it hits the moon |
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The Sun is part of (a) the Solar System (b) the Milky Way Galaxy (c) the universe (d) all of these |
(d) all of these |
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Do we have pictures showing U.S.A. astronauts footprints, rover tracks, and equipment left on the moon? (a) Yes (b) No |
(a) Yes |
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The prefixes “micro” and “kilo” represent what powers of 10? (a) -9 and +6 (b) -6 and +3 (c) -3 and +6 (d) -12 and +9 (e) -2 and +9 |
(b) -6 and +3 |
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If the Moon had an orbit twice as far from the Earth, would we still see a total solar eclipse? (a) Yes (b) No |
(b) No |
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What does your book mean by saying you are "stardust?" (a) Earth came from the collision of two stars (b) the atoms in our bodies were formed in stars (probably multiple stars) (c) Earth formed from things that used to be in the Sun (d) Earth and the other planets will eventually form a star |
(b) the atoms in our bodies were formed in stars (probably multiple stars) |
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The tilt of Jupiter's rotational axis is only 3 degrees. If the Earth had the same tilt what would be true about its seasons? (a) they would be more extreme (b) they would be less extreme (c) they would be about the same |
(b) they would be less extreme |
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If you were standing at the Earth's North Pole, where would you see the north celestial pole? (a) at your zenith (b) on the eastern horizon (c) 23.5 degrees south of your zenith (d) none of these |
(a) at your zenith |
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Which type of day deals with how long it actually takes the Earth to rotate with respect to the stars? (a) Sidereal Day (b) Solar Day |
(a) Sidereal Day |
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Which days of the year do we have 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness? (a) summer solstice (b) winter solstice (c) fall equinox (d) spring equinox (e) Both (c) and (d) |
(e) Both (c) and (d) |
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We always see the same side of the Moon because (a) the Moon does not rotate (b) the Moon rotates once each time it orbits the Earth (c) the back side is always in total darkness |
(b) the Moon rotates once each time it orbits the Earth |
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If you lived at a latitude of 39 degrees, would you ever see the Sun directly overhead at your zenith? (a) Yes (b) No |
(b) No |
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What did your instructor point out as the primary weakness of the use of the internet and search engines to find information? (a) It makes it too easy (b) It allows for fast access (c) there is too much information available to you now (d) it returns wrong AND correct answers and without work to educate yourself about the topic you won't know the difference |
(d) it returns wrong AND correct answers and without work to educate yourself about the topic you won't know the difference |
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Which type of day refers to how long it actually takes the earth to rotate once around its axis? (a) Solar day (b) Sidereal day (c) Galactic day (d) Lunar day |
(b) Sidereal day |
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Where in the sky will you find the planets? (a) on the ecliptic, just like the Sun (b) near the northern circumpolar stars (c) near the southern circumpolar stars |
(a) on the ecliptic, just like the Sun |
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The equator of the Celestial Sphere is located directly above the (a) Earth's equator (b) Ecliptic (c) North polar axis (d) South Polar axis (e) 45 degrees north latitude |
(a) Earth's equator |
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All of the following statements are true. Which one explains the reason that there is NOT a solar eclipse at every new moon? (a) The nodes of the moon's orbit precess with an 18-year period. (b) The orbital plane of the moon is tilted slightly (by about 5 degrees) to the ecliptic plane. (c) The moon rotates synchronously with its revolution about the Earth. (d) The Moon goes through a complete cycle of phases about every 29 1/2 days. |
(b) The orbital plane of the moon is tilted slightly (by about 5 degrees) to the ecliptic plane |
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The Greeks and other early astronomers thought the earth was (a) flat (b) a sphere (c) a tetragon (d) a cube |
(b) a sphere |
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One of the important things that a scientific model must do is to make predictions that are(a) sensible (b) measureable, or can be verified (c) consistent with our view of the world |
(b) measureable, or can be verified |
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Will the Earth's rotational axis always point at the same point in the sky? (a) Yes (b) No |
(b) No |
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Are the orbits of the planets equally spaced from the sun? (a) Yes (b) No |
(b) No |
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Exam 2 Answers For Final Exam: |
Study Below: |
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We refer to the typeof electromagnetic radiation that has a frequency a little bit higher thanvisible light as: (a) radio waves (b) ultraviolet (c) infrared (d) gamma rays (e) X-rays |
(b) ultraviolet |
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Which color oflight has a longer wavelength than yellow light? (a)violet (b)blue (c)orange (d)green (e)indigo |
(c) Orange |
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Whatdo we use to compensate for our atmosphere degrading the quality of seeing on aground based telescope? (a) fiber optics (b) infrared optics (c)ultraviolet optics (d)adaptive optics (e)none of these |
(d) adaptive optics |
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The ______ effectis caused when the source of light is coming towards you or moving away fromyou. (a) Doppler (b) Mossbauer (c)Stern-Gerlach (d)Photoelectric |
(a) Doppler |
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Telescopes thatare in orbit around the Earth avoid (a) Earth's atmosphere blocking somewavelengths of radiation and atmospheric effects reducing image quality. (b) Earth's magnetic field variations thatcause telescopes to not be stable and move around on their mounts. (c) It allows the telescopes to be placedin the Van Allen Radiation belts which is beneficial to electronics. (d) It allows the telescopes to be heatedup to much higher temperatures by our Sun and makes their images brighter. |
(a) Earth's atmosphere blocking some wavelengths of radiation and atmospheric effects reducing image quality. |
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Measuringthe most intense frequency of light coming from a light bulb and using Wien'sLaw gives you its (a) Doppler shift (b) gravitational constant (c) temperature (d)chemical composition (e)angular momentum |
(c) temperature |
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What type particleis emitted by atoms that let us identify them easily? (a) graviton (b) photon (c)neutron (d) higgs (e)neutrino |
(b) photon |
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A light wave does not require (a) amedium (b) a speed (c) a frequency (d) a wavelength (e) an energy |
(a) a medium |
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Who proposed a sun-centered solar systemfirst? (a)Copernicus in 1500's (b)Kepler in 1600's (c)Ptolemy in 170 AD (d) Aristarchusof Samos before 200 BC |
(d) Aristarchus of Samos before 200 BC |
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All large astronomical telescopes arereflectors because (a) they are easy to make (b) light can be reflected but notrefracted (c) they basically do nothave chromatic aberrations |
(c) they basically do not have chromatic aberrations |
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Do all of the telescopes we use today only showus light visible to our eyes? (a)yes (b) no |
(b) no |
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Theenergy of electromagnetic radiation is directly related to its (a) wavelength (b)frequency (c) BOTH of these |
(c) BOTH of these |
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Ifa electromagnetic wave has a longer period, then is also must have a (a) a longer wavelength (b) a shorter wavelength (c) all electromagneticradiation has the same period |
(a) a longer wavelength |
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Whattwo forces must balance each other in star if it is to be stable in size,neither getting bigger or smaller. (a) densityand gamma radiation (b)gravity and radiative energy (c)infrared and ultraviolet radiation |
(b) gravity and radiative energy |
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Weperceive infrared radiation with our senses as (a) a bright red light with oureyes (b) as heat (c) a bright bluelight with our eyes |
(b) as heat |
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Oncea protostar turns into a star similar to our sun, what must have started in itscore to provide its energy? (a) complex chemical reactions (b) fission (c) fusion |
(c) fusion |
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Whichof the following is not a type of electromagnetic wave? (a) ultraviolet (b) radio (c) visible light (d) X-rays (e) none of these,all of them are electromagnetic waves. |
(e) none of these, all of them are electromagnetic waves. |
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Which color oflight has a shorter wavelength than blue light? (a) violet (b) red (c) orange (d) green (e) allof these |
(a) violet |
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In its earlieststages a protostar begins as (a) lots of small rocks (b)lots of large rocks (c) amolecular cloud of dust and gas (d)a small star |
(c) a molecular cloud of dust and gas |
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In the formationof a protostar, which is the most important force causing it to collapse into aprotoplanetary disk? (a) gravity (b) the strong nuclear force (c) the weak nuclear force (d) Higgs Bosons |
(a) gravity |
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Whichone of the following can you infer from observing that a star is reddish incolor? (a) Itssurface is cooler than the surface of the Sun. (b) Its surface is hotter thanthe Sun. (c) It is much more massive than theSun. (d) It is much brighter than the Sun.& |
(a) Its surface is cooler than the surface of the Sun. |
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Wehave found planetary systems around (a) very few stars (b) a fairly largenumber of stars (c) only two stars (d) no other star has anyplanets |
(b) a fairly large number of stars |
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What concerned Galileo during hisarguments with the Roman Catholic Church in the 17th Century? (a)That they refused to accept science as the explanation for the world and haveno respect for the Bible. (b)That by using the Bible to try to prove something isn't true that may be true,one cast doubt on the truthfulness of the Bible ifit turns out that whatever under discussion turns out to be true (c)That they continued to think the Bible was true. (d)That people continued to believe in God rather than science that rejects allbelief in God. |
(b) That by using the Bible to try to prove something isn't true that may be true, one cast doubt on the truthfulness of the Bible if it turns out that whatever under discussion turns out to be true |
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Which will appearto twinkle more? (a) a star at yourzenith (b) a star near your horizon The answer to this is determined byhow much of the Earth's atmosphere one is having to look through |
(b) a star near your horizon |
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Theentire electromagnetic spectrum can be divided into seven bands: radio,microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X ray, and gamma ray (from longestto shortest wavelength). To which of these two bands is Earth's atmosphere themost transparent? (a) ultraviolet and infrared (b) microwave andradio (c)visible and radio (d) X ray and gamma ray |
(c) visible and radio |
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The energy of aphoton depends on its (a) wavelength (b) frequency (c)both of these |
(c) both of these |
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A planet moves fastest when it is _________ the Sun. (a)farthest from (b)closest to (c) between its furthest and closest approach to (d) none of these |
(b) closest to |
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Anet force must be acting when an object (a) accelerates (b) changes direction (c) changes speed butnot direction (d) all ofthese require a net force |
(d) all of these require a net force |
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Whatwill determine if a protostar is able to eventually turn into a normal starwith fusion taking place in its core? (a) its color (b) where it is inthe galaxy (c) its mass (d) its speed ofrotation |
(c) its mass |
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When consideringlight as made up of individual pieces, each characterized by a particularamount of energy, the pieces are called______. (a)photons (b) protons (c) electrons (d) neutrons |
(a) photons |
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According to thelaws of thermal radiation, hotter objects emit photons with ______. (a) lower average energy (b) longer average wavelength (c) lower average frequency (d) higher average energy |
(d) higher average energy |
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What wavelength oflight do we primarily detect from a protostar as it is forming? (a) infrared (b) visible (c)ultraviolet (d) since they are inside dust and gas wecannot detect them |
(a) infrared |
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Dustgrains in a molecular cloud are affected by gravity. The force of gravity (a) attracts the dust grains towardseach other (b) pushesthe dust grains away from each other |
(a) attracts the dust grains towards each other |
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Kepler'sFirst Law gives that planets move in _________ orbits around the Sun. (a) circular (b) elliptical (c) parabolic (d)hyperbolic (e)cycloidal |
(b) elliptical |
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Radio waves havemuch longer wavelengths that visible light. This would mean that they have (a) lower energies than visible light (b) higher energiesthat violet light (c)no change in energy |
(a) lower energies than visible light |
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Have we ever been able to get an actual telescopeimage of a protostar forming? (a)Yes (b) No |
(a) Yes |
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Emission, absorption, transmission, and reflection arethe different ways ______ can interact with matter. (a) light (b) protons (c)neutrons (d) electrons |
(a) light |
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What is wrong with the idea thatCopernicus didn’t want to publish his book due to fear of the Church? (a)two of the astronomers who encouraged him were also leaders in the Roman Catholic Church (b)the book was dedicated and accepted by the Pope when it was published (c)the book was actually accepted by the R.C. Church for about 100 years after itwas published (d)all of the above reasons show why this idea is wrong |
(d) all of the above reasons show why this idea is wrong |
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Who first measured the circumference of the earth? (a)Newton in the 17th Century (b)Eratosthenes before 200 B.C. (c) Ptolemy in 140 A.D. (d)Columbus in 1492 (e)Copernicus in the 16th Century |
(b) Eratosthenes before 200 B.C. |
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What is the same for all electromagnetic waves whenthey are traveling in space? (a) frequency (b) amount of energy they deliver (c) speed (d) wavelength |
(c) speed |
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What book didGalileo want to use in his defense of his belief in the heliocentric solarsystem that he was not allowed to use? (a)the Bible (b) Copernicus’book (c) a book by Kepler (Music of the Spheres) (d) his own book |
(a) the Bible |
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When we refer to aplanet's "Primary" atmosphere, we are referring to the atmosphere ithad near the time it formed. Which type planet is more likely to have itsprimary atmosphere? (a) The terrestrial planets, like Mars,located near to the sun, that have a low mass (b) The gas (Jovian) planets, likeJupiter, located much father from the sun, that have a high mass |
(b) The gas (Jovian) planets, like Jupiter, located much father from the sun, that have a high mass |
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Whichtypes of electromagnetic radiation are shorter wavelength than visible light? (a) ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays (b) infrared,microwaves, and radio waves |
(a) ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays |
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Theconnection between gravity and orbits enables astronomers to measure the _____of stars and planets. (a) distances (b) sizes (c)masses (d)compositions (e) lightoutput |
(c) masses |
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Nuclearreactions require very high __________ and ________. (a) density; area (b) mass; area (c) temperature;density (d) volume;density |
(c) temperature; density |
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The "radialvelocity method" described in Chapter 5 is used to detect (a) distance to stars (b) temperature of stars (c)planets orbiting stars |
(c) planets orbiting stars |
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The Solar System formed from a giant cloud of dust andgas that collapsed under (a)magnetic forces (b)electrical forces (c)gravity |
(c) gravity |
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As the cloud of dust and gas collapses to form a newsolar system it will begin to (a)pulsate (b) rotate (c) flip over |
(b) rotate |
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One of your Self Testquestions asked about the formation of the terrestrial (inner four planets,which includes the Earth) and the gas giants (four outer planets (which areJupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune). Werethey formed at the same time and the same way? (a)Yea (b) No |
(b) No |
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Exam 3 Answers For Final Exam: |
Study Below: |
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TheEarth's atmosphere is made up of ________. (a) only a single layer (b) more than one layer(troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, etc.) |
(b) more than one layer (troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, etc.) |
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What is theprimary tool we use for studying the interior or the Earth? (a) X-rays (b) seismic waves (c) satellite observations (d) infrared radiation (e) craters |
(b) seismic waves |
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What isresponsible for the greenhouse effect on Earth, Mars, and Venus? (a) specific gas molecules in theiratmospheres (b) distance from the sun (c) only Venus has agreenhouse effectradiated |
(a) specific gas molecules in their atmospheres |
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The closest planetto the sun is _________. (a) Mercury (b) Saturn (c)Mars (d) Jupiter (e) Uranus |
(a) Mercury |
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Mercury does nothave a greenhouse effect because (a) it has lots of craters (b) it doesn'thave an atmosphere (c) itrevolves slowly |
(b) it doesn't have an atmosphere |
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What is one of themain processes on Earth and other terrestrial planets that builds upstructures? (a) impacts (b) erosion (c) volcanism (d) absorption ofsunlight |
(c) volcanism |
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Why does Earth havefewer craters than the other three terrestrial planets? (a) Earth was hit less by meteors (b) Earth's gravity repelsasteroids (c) Earth's surfaceexperiences more erosion |
(c) Earth's surface experiences more erosion |
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Which of theseplanets is the smallest? (a) Saturn (b) Uranus (c)Jupiter (d) Mars (e) Neptune |
(d) Mars |
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The thing that makes Jupiter’s moon Europa unique isthat it is the only moon known to have a (a) rocky surface (b) water ice surface (c) cratered surface |
(b) water ice surface |
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Earth's magnetosphere is the (a)molten core, whose motions produce the magnetic field. (b)region beyond the atmosphere, where the magnetic field protects us from thesolar wind. (c)atmospheric layer between the stratosphere and thermosphere, where motions aregoverned by the magnetic field. (d) region in the crust near each magneticpole. |
(b) region beyond the atmosphere, where the magnetic field protects us from the solar wind. |
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If you see craterA inside of crater B, we know that (a) crater A is older (b) crater B is older (c) both are the same age (d) crater A formed crater |
(b) crater B is older |
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The Coriolis effect caused by the Earth'srotation cause winds in the atmosphere to (a)rotate (b) spin off into space (c) heat up causing a greenhouse effect (d) blow straight towards the equator |
(a) rotate |
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Between which twoplanets does the distance from the sun have the first big jump that separatesthe inner planets from the outer planets? (a)Mercury and Venus (b)Venus and Earth (c)Earth and Mars (d)Mars and Jupiter |
(d) Mars and Jupiter |
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The words"weather" and "climate" (a) mean essentially the same thing (b) are differentbecause weather deals with short term effects and climate |
(b) are different because weather deals with short term effects and climate |
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What is the most important thing that protects us fromgamma rays, X-rays, and ultraviolet light on Earth? (a) theEarth’s magnetic field (b)the Earth’s orbit keeps these from hitting us (c)the Earth’s atmosphere |
(c) the Earth’s atmosphere |
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Lava flows on theMoon and Mercury created large, smooth plains. We don't see similar features on Earth because (a) Earth has less lava. (b) Earth had fewer large impactsin the past. (c) Earth is aGas Giant like Saturn (d) Earth has plate tectonics anderosion that modify the surface (e)Earth has a faster rotation rate than the Moon and Mercury |
(d) Earth has plate tectonics and erosion that modify the surface |
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To form the present structure of Earth, whichof the following is most likely to have taken place while Earth was molten? (a)Heavy elements sank to the center under gravity, while lighter materials roseto the surface and solidified into rocks. (b)Lighter elements sank to the center leaving the heavier material to form therocky surface after cooling. (c)Hydrogen and helium became highly compressed by gravity and sank to the corebelow a layer of heavier rocky material. (d)All materials were thoroughly mixed by convection in the molten state, andEarth remained mixed as it cooled. D.s |
(a) Heavy elements sank to the center under gravity, while lighter materials rose to the surface and solidified into rocks. |
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On Earth, the majority of earthquakesoccur (a)along the zone of maximum tidal stress around the equator. (b) in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. (c)in the centers of tectonic plates (e.g., North American continent). (d) along the boundaries of majortectonic plates. |
(d) along the boundaries of major tectonic plates. |
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Is the atmosphere of the terrestrial planetstoday the same as when they were first formed? (a)Yes (b) No |
(b) No |
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What typeradiation is absorbed by a planets atmosphere to cause the greenhouse effect? (a) radio (b) microwaves (c) infrared (d) visible light (e) ultraviolet |
(c) infrared |
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What causes winds to flow only eastward onthe Earth? (a)Tidal forces (b) Corioliseffect (c) Solar wind (d) Earth's rotationaround the sun |
(b) Coriolis effect |
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What keeps theEarth from being a frozen ball of ice? (a) the speed it moves around the sun (b) the greenhouse effect, primarily due to water vapor (c) volcanoes |
(b) the greenhouse effect, primarily due to water vapor |
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The ozone layer ofthe Earth protects us from (a) ultraviolet radiation (b) the solar wind (c) particles trapped in theVan Allen Radiation Belts |
(a) ultraviolet radiation |
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One of the primarythings that helps protect the Earth from the solar wind, is its (a) magnetic field (b) rotation (c) tilt on its axis (d) oceans |
(a) magnetic field |
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The craters on Venus are surprisingbecause they indicate that the surface is (a)made up of light powder (b)is made up of water (c)is all about the same age |
(c) is all about the same age |
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Compared to thedistances between each of the terrestrial planets, the distances between each ofthe outer planets are (a) much larger. (b) just slightly less. (c)about the same. (d) muchsmaller |
(a) much larger. |
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Jupiter and Saturn are made up mainly outof what elements? (a)Carbon dioxide and nitrogen (b)Methane and ammonia (c)Hydrogen and helium (d) Water and rock |
(c) Hydrogen and helium |
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Uranus and Neptune are fairly similar interms of size, internal structure, and color. (a)True (b) False |
(a) True |
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The Great Red Spot on Jupiter is (a)a large, long-lived, high-pressure storm in Jupiter's atmosphere. (b)the colored polar cap of Jupiter. (c)clouds of dust-laden gas upwelling above the top of a massive mountain or avolcano on the planet's surface. (d)a type of storm in Jupiter's atmosphere that can last for a few months at atime before disappearing. |
(a) a large, long-lived, high-pressure storm in Jupiter's atmosphere. |
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How many planets in our solar system havedensities about that of water because they are primarily made up of gas? (a) 1 (b)4 (c) 5 (d) 9 (e) 16 |
(b) 4 |
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Which of thefollowing is not associated with thefour outer planets? (a) high velocity winds (b)many moons (c) large storms (d) magnetic fields (e) largemountains on their surface |
(e) large mountains on their surface |
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Which type planetshave rings? (a) Terrestrial (b) Jovian - Gas Giants (Uranus and Neptune are alsoreferred to as Ice Giants because the gasses form ice). |
(b) Jovian - Gas Giants (Uranus and Neptune are also referred to as Ice Giants because the gasses form ice). |
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Jupiter is__________. (a) much smaller than Earth (b) about the same size asEarth (c) much biggerthan Earth |
(c) much bigger than Earth |
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Since the atmosphere of the Earth haschanged before, as well as man other things, such as material put up in theatmosphere by very large meteor impacts and super volcanoes, plus continentaldrift what do we know has happened in the past? (a)the Earth never changes (b) naturalcauses can't have measurable impacts on the Earth's climate (c)we have don't have anything to worry about because all of those are in the pastand can't happen anymore (d)There is no evidence that things have ever changed, such as this area of Texashas always looked just as it is today (e)The Earth's climate has changed many times in the past from ice ages, to highglobal temperatures, so we should expect it to happen again. So we are left with the challenge to try tostudy it correctly, without biases and priorconclusions before we do so. |
(e) The Earth's climate has changed many times in the past from ice ages, to high global temperatures, so we should expect it to happen again. So we are left with the challenge to try to study it correctly, without biases and prior conclusions before we do so. |
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Saturn’s rings, which are inside the RocheLimit, cannot form a moon because of (a) radiation pressure (b) low density (c) tidal forces (d) Saturn already havingtoo many moons |
(c) tidal forces |
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Your professor has pointed out that climatechange on Earth is something science can attemptto tell you about and that it is pointless to listen to predictions by actors,politicians, activists of all persuasions (religious, non-religious, ...), andso forth. What is it about science that makes it reasonable to use in the attemptto use to answer the question? (someof the scientist have forgotten this) (a)Science always gets things correct if it is able to make a calculation and needs no further study. (b)Science always leaves itself open tocorrection, when it is found to be wrong,or when it fails to make correctpredictions. (c)Science is very successful at being able to prove that what a person wants to be true is true and doesn't need to be questioned. |
(b) Science always leaves itself open to correction, when it is found to be wrong, or when it fails to make correct predictions. |
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The atmospherecomposition of Jupiter and Saturn are more like (a) Mercury (b) Venus (c) Earth (d)Mars (e) the Sun |
(e) the Sun |
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Why is it hard to have a spacecraft on thesurface of Venus? (a)it is extremely hot (b) the atmospheric pressure very high (c) its atmosphere contains sulfuric acid (d) all of these. |
(d) all of these. |
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One way we measure the diameters of thegas giants is (a)seismology (b) radioactive decay (c)rate of accretion (d) stellaroccultation (how long they take to pass a star) |
(d) stellar occultation (how long they take to pass a star) |
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Which internal heat source still generates heat withinEarth today? (a)convection (b) radioactivedecay (c) differentiation (d)accretion |
(b) radioactive decay |
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The Great Red Spoton Jupiter is (a) very small (b) decreasing is size rapidly (c) larger than the size of theEarth |
(c) larger than the size of the Earth |
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We can tell what the different cloud layers of Jupiterare made of because of (a) thecolor of light they reflect (b)the strength of Jupiter’s magnetic field (c)them moving very fast |
(a) the color of light they reflect |
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The magnetic fields of the gas giant planets are (a)smaller than the Earth’s (b)the same size as the Earth’s (c)much bigger than the Earth’s |
(c) much bigger than the Earth’s |
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What is responsible for keeping Jupiter’s moon Io hotenough to have active volcanoes? (a) heat from thesun (b) radioactive decay (c) differentiation (d) tidal forces (e) accretion |
(d) tidal forces |
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Who discovered the four large moons thatorbit Jupiter (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Calisto)? (a)Plato (b) Ptolemy (c) Copernicus (d) Galileo (e)Einstein |
(d) Galileo |
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What was the first object we found in our solar systemto have active volcanoes like the Earth? (a)Mercury (b) Jupiter (c) Uranus (d) Io (e) Pluto |
(d) Io |
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Are any moons of the gas giants larger than any of theterrestrial planets? (a) yes (b) no (c) there is no way for usto measure their size |
(a) yes |
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Which of thefollowing is neither a terrestrial planet, nor a gas giant planet? (a) Jupiter (b) Venus (c)Mars (d) Saturn (e) Ceres |
(e) Ceres |
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When we study the light reflected or absorbed by planets to identifytheir composition one of our most important tools is a (a) accelerator (b) spectrometer (c)SQUID (d) quantum computer |
(b) spectrometer |
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Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune aregenerally referred to as the Gas giants, but sometimes are split into twogroups called the (a)Gas and Ice giants (b) Terrestrial and Gas giants (c) Asteroid and Comet giants |
(a) Gas and Ice giants |
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Exam 4 Answers For Final Exam: |
Study Below: |
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Nuclear fusion is the (a)combining of electrons with nuclei to produce atoms and release energy. (b)combining of hydrogen atoms to produce hydrogen molecules, H2, and energy. (c) process of fusing together lightnuclei (e.g., hydrogen) to produce heavier nuclei (e.g., helium) and energy. (d)splitting of heavier nuclei to produce lighter nuclei and energy.< |
(c) process of fusing together light nuclei (e.g.,hydrogen) to produce heavier nuclei (e.g., helium) and energy. |
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What two physical processes balanceeach other to create the condition known as gravitationalequilibrium in stars? (a) The strong force and the weak force. (b) The gravitational force and outward radiation pressure. (c) The gravitational force and surfacetension. (d) The strong forceand the electromagnetic force. |
(b) The gravitational force and outward radiation pressure. |
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What is theheaviest element that can be formed by the fusion process of a star before itsupernovas? (a)Iron (Fe) (b) Uranium(U) (c) Helium (He) (d) Carbon (C) (e) Hydrogen (H) |
(a) Iron (Fe) |
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In a binary star system, what isone of the most important things we are able to measure thanks to Newton’slaws? (a)distance to the stars (b) temperatureof the stars (c) mass of the stars |
(c) mass of the stars |
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What did HenriettaLevitt do with her data that allowed her to find a very important method used inastronomy? (a) she sent it to a better known astronomer (b) she plotted it |
(b) she plotted it |
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Youwere shown videos in class of how the galaxy looks in (a) ultravioletlight (b) infrared (c) visible (d) X-rays (e) all of these |
(e) all of these |
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If you werecomparing three stars‘ peaks in their blackbody spectra, which one wouldrepresent the coolest star? (a) one that peaks in the ultraviolet (b) one that peaks inthe visible spectrum (c) one that peaks in the infrared |
(c) one that peaks in the infrared |
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You were shown inclass a picture of an area of the sky that appeared as a dark cloud. Then another picture of the same area, butyou could clearly see stars behind the cloud. What was the difference between the two pictures? (a) one used a telescope with betterresolution (b) the one where you couldsee the stars took the picture in infrared light (c) one used a telescope with highermagnification (d) the one where youcould see the stars took the picture using a larger camera |
(b) the one where you could see the stars took thepicture in infrared light |
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The source ofenergy that keeps the Sun shining today is ______. (a)chemical reactions. (b)nuclear fusion. (c) nuclearfission. (d) gravitationalcontraction. |
(b) nuclear fusion. |
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Which process willthe sun primarily use to produce energy when it is a red giant? (a)proton-proton chain (b) triple alpha process (He into C) (c) Si fusion (d) Fe fusion |
(b) triple alpha process (He into C) |
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What allows us todetect that a star is moving towards or away from us? (a) Zeeman effect (b) Dopplereffect (c) Seabeck effect (d) Piezoelectric effect (e) creation of stellar flares |
(b) Doppler effect |
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We study thestructure of our universe using (a)visible light (b) X-rays (c) infrared light (d) radio waves (e) all of these |
(e) all of these |
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Our sun will end its life as a (a) white dwarf (b) neutron star (c)black hole |
(a) white dwarf |
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Henrietta Leavittmeasured properties of Cepheid variable stars. By looking at their luminosity versus their period she found (a)a way to measure the distance to these type stars (b) a way to measure the X-ray output of these type stars (c) a proof for how Einstein’s theorieswere correct (d) a prooffor how quantum mechanics is correct |
(a) a way to measure the distance to these type stars |
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Heavy elements,such as Iron, Uranium, Lead and such are expected to have been formed (a) In the initial explosion of the Big Bang (b) In the fusionprocess of small stars like our sun (c) During thesupernova process of a massive star (d)In the dust and gas clumping together to form a protostarwere |
(c) During the supernova process of a massive star |
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Which of thefollowing is not expected to be formed by our sun as it ages and dies? (a) supernova (b) planetary nebula (c) white dwarf (d) red giant |
(a) supernova |
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If a comet's orbitmake a very large angle with respect to the ecliptic where all the otherplanets orbit, where does it come from? (a) the Kuiper Belt (b) The Oort Cloud |
(b) The Oort Cloud |
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What is true about gamma rays, X-rays, visible light,and radio waves? (a) theyare completely different physical phenomena (b)they are all different types of radiation (c) they are all electromagneticradiation, but just have different wavelengths |
(c) they are all electromagnetic radiation, but just have different wavelengths |
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One of the characteristics of an objectthat we will refer to as an asteroid rather that as a dwarf planet is becauseit is not spherical in shape. The reasonit is not spherical is because (a)spherical shapes are not natural (b) their mass is too low to havepulled them into a spherical shape |
(b) their mass is too low to have pulled them into a spherical shape |
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The reason energy is released in the fusionprocess in stars is because of the products of fusion have ____ than what onestarted out with. (a) moremass (b) less mass (c) more charge (d)less charge |
(b) less mass |
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The fusion processin dwarf stars like our sun is occurring (a)in their cores (b)in their radiative zones (c)in their convection zones (d)on their surface |
(a) in their cores |
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How are we able torecord images of objects on the other side of our galaxy that are hidden infrom us in visible light? (a) we have sent spacecraft to take pictures (b) we just wait forour sun to move where we can see it (c)we rely on using other wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation such asinfrared and radio (d) we cannot see the other side of our galaxywith any method we know about at this time |
(c) we rely on using other wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation such as infrared and radio |
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The way we are able to know that somegalaxies are very far away and are moving rapidly away from us is due toextreme (a) red shifts oftheir hydrogen spectra (b)amounts of He present (c)blue shifts of its hydrogen spectra |
(a) red shifts of their hydrogen spectra |
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How can we measure distances tostars and galaxies in our universe? (a) stellar parallax (b) spectroscopic parallax (c) Cepheid variables (d) supernovae (e) all of these |
(e) all of these |
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Photographs from telescopesreveal that the number of galaxies in our universe is (a)very large (b)very small (c)unknown since none were observed |
(a) very large |
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Our Sun lies on what is called the Main Sequenceon a plot of the brightness (luminosity) of stars versus theirtemperature. Will our Sun ever move offthe Main Sequence? (a) Yes (b)No (c) We don’t know |
(a) Yes |
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Throughnuclear reactions in their cores, stars on the main sequence like our sun todayconvert (a)hydrogen to helium. (b)helium to hydrogen. (c) helium to carbon. (d) carbon to iron. |
(a) hydrogen to helium. |
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The direction thata comet's plasma tail points shows the direction of ________. (a)the comets motion (b) the sun relative to the comet (c) the earth relative to the come |
(b) the sun relative to the comet |
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Darkmatter cannot be seen, but we can detect its presence by its (a) strong radio emissions. (b) strong emissions in the nearinfrared. (c) gravitational influence on visible stars. |
(c) gravitational influence on visible stars. |
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When a large solarflare occurs, what do we call the part that has the potential of causing asignificant problem on Earth? (a) coronal hole (b) sunspot (c) coronal mass ejection |
(c) coronal mass ejection |
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Which of thefollowing is the type of nebula our sun will produce just before it dies? (a) reflection (b) emission (c)black hole (d) dark (e) planetary |
(e) planetary |
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What element is a dead end foreither fusion or fission, meaning that if you try to do either one to it youmust supply energy? (a)Lead (b) Hydrogen (c)Iron (d) Uranium (e) Gold |
(c) Iron |
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What is aprotostar? (a) a star on the Main Sequence (b) a star that has justmoved off the Main Sequence (c)a dying star (d)a star in its early stages of formation (e)a red giant star |
(d) a star in its early stages of formation |
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What is the mostimportant aspect of a star that determines how it evolves? (a) its radius (b) its position in the galaxy (c) its mass (d)its magnetic field (e) number ofsunspots |
(c) its mass |
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Have we ever observed newborn stars? (a) Yes (b)No (c) New stars areno longer forming |
(a) Yes |
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What part of theHR diagram do we find most stars? (a) On the upper right (red giants) (b) lower half (white dwarfs) (c) a diagonal from upper left to lower right |
(c) a diagonal from upper left to lower right |
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How could wediscover that the Andromeda galaxy could not be inside the Milky Way galaxy? (a) stellar parallax (b) Hubble's Law (c) studying Cepheid variable stars hefound in it |
(c) studying Cepheid variable stars he found in it |
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How does a verymassive star normally end its life? (a) It gradually shrinks to the size ofEarth. (b) We don't know because its lifetime islonger than the age of the universe. (c) It slowly collapses inward and stopswhen it reaches the size of Jupiter. (d)It explodes violently as a supernova and produces a supernova remnant. |
(d) It explodes violently as a supernova and produces a supernova remnant. |
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Starsthat have ejected a planetary nebula go on to become (a) pulsars. (b) white dwarfs. (c) protostars. (d) supernovae. (e) black holes |
(b) white dwarfs. |
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How big is atypical white dwarf? (a) about the size of our sun now (b) size of Jupiter (c) size of the Earth (d)size of a small city |
(c) size of the Earth |
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Which usually results in more of the star beingblown away in the event? (a) aNova (b) a Supernova |
(b) a Supernova |
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How times brightercan supernova become than a normal star like our sun? (a) 10 times (b)1000 times (c) 100,000times (d) billions of times (as bright assome small galaxies) |
(d) billions of times (as bright as some small galaxies) |
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We know sunspotsare areas of strong magnetic fields because of observing (a) light reflections (b)splitting of spectral lines (c)large flares |
(b) splitting of spectral lines |
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Does our galaxy look the same whenwe look at it with telescopes that detect different wavelengths ofelectromagnetic radiation? (a)Yes (b) No (c)It is not possible to do this |
(b) No |
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What do we thinkis at the center of our galaxy? (a) a another galaxy (b) a neutron star (c) an extremely massive blackhole (d) a large number of whitedwarfs |
(c) an extremely massive black hole |
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Sunspots appear dark because they (a)are coronal holes. (b) are cooler than the surroundingsurface. (c)are regions from which the light is prevented from escaping by strong magneticfields. (d)have a different chemical composition than the surrounding surface. |
(b) are cooler than the surrounding surface. |
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Often one willhear doubts about methods used to measure distances to astronomicalobjects. What support do we have thatour methods are probably correct? (a) Science has superior ways of looking atthings and once determined they do not need to be studied again. (b) There are methodsthat work at different distances, which overlap, and thus can be checkedagainst each other for agreement. (c) We can tell how far away things are justby looking at them, so all method are easy to check |
(b) There are methods that work at different distances, which overlap, and thus can be checked against each other for agreement. |
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Why do Cepheidvariable stars make good objects to find distances to galaxies many millions oflight years away? (a) They can be more than 10,000 timesbrighter than our sun. (b) They have a very distinctive brightnesscurve that allows them to be easily picked out millions of light years away. (c) The length of their period is directlyrelated to their absolute magnitude (luminosity). (d)All of these, a, b, and c, are reasons we use them for this purpose. |
(d) All of these, a, b, and c, are reasons we use them for this purpose. |
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What is the Sun's photosphere? (a)The middle layer of the Sun's atmosphere (b)The lowest layer of the Sun's atmosphere (c)The envelope of convective mass motion in the outer interior of the Sun (d) The upper layer of the Sun'satmosphere |
(d) The upper layer of the Sun's atmosphere |
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The neutrino is (a) a tiny particlethat interacts very weakly with matter, with extremely low or zero mass and nocharge. (b) another name for the neutron, acomponent of almost all atomic nuclei, with a mass close to the proton and nocharge. (c) another name for a photon of very highenergy (i.e., short-wavelength, electromagnetic radiation with greatpenetrating power). (d) a massive butvery elusive nuclear particle that carries most of the energy generated in thecore of the Sun to the surface |
(a) a tiny particle that interacts very weakly with matter, with extremely low or zero mass and no charge. |
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Aneutron star is a very dense star composed of only neutrons. If one tried to lift a small amount of one itwould weigh (a) a few pounds (b) a few hundred pounds (c) about a ton (d) hundreds of millions of tons |
(d) hundreds of millions of tons |
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Whichmajor astronomical event was apparently recorded by Chinese astronomers in theSung Dynasty in 1054 A.D.? (A) A supernovaexplosion in our Galaxy, visible even in daylight (B) The passage of the planet Venus acrossthe face of the Sun, a solar transit (C) The discovery of the planet, Mercury (D) The total eclipse of the Sun in thatyear |
(A) A supernova explosion in our Galaxy, visible even in daylight |
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Aneutron star is about the same size as (A) our Sun. (B) the Earth. (C) the Moon. (D) a large city. |
(D) a large city. |
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Variablestars, such as Cepheid variables and RR Lyrae stars, are used in what importantmeasurement in astronomy? (A) Rotation speeds of galaxies (B) Surface temperature measurement (C) Distancemeasurement (D) The keeping of accurate time |
(C) Distance measurement |
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Whatis one of the reasons it requires high temperatures and pressures for hydrogenfusion to take place? (a) protons must be converted to electrons (b) electrons and protons mustbe brought close together (c)protons have the same electric charge and thus repel each other and this mustbe overcome |
(c)protons have the same electric charge and thus repel each other and this mustbe overcome |
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Thefusion process is taking place in the core of the sun where we cannot reachdirectly. How do we monitor it? (a) by light emitted on the surface (b) by neutrinos that can passout of the sun without problem (c) by the way sunspots move on its surface |
(a) by light emitted on the surface |
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Whatis one of the methods we use to study the interior of the Sun? (a) laser interferometry (b) helioseismology (c)... there will be other choices added |
(b) helioseismology |
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How doe we detect the motions of the surface ofthe surface of the sun moving up and down? |
(a) Doppler effect |
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How long is the cycle of sunspot activityon our Sun? (a)1 year (b) 14 days (c) 11 years (d)86 years |
(c) 11 years |
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What happens during each sunspot cycle toour Sun's magnet field? (a)it disappears and returns (b) the north and south poles flip (c) nothing |
(b) the north and south poles flip |
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What dwarf planet in the asteroid belt arewe now studying with the aid of an orbiting spacecraft? (a)Eris (b) Pluto (c) Ceres |
(c) Ceres |
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In class you were shown pictures shown bythe UK space mission Rosetta. Thisspacecraft is studying (a) a comet (b) a dwarf planet (c)the moons of Jupiter (d) Saturn (e) Pluto |
(a) a comet |
