Question 1

Voyager 2 should reach the nearest stars (besides the Sun)in about 500 years.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 2

Based on observations of the universal expansion, the age of the universe is about _ .

Accepted Answer

A) 14 trillion years 
B) 14,000 years 
C) 14 million years 
D) 14 billion years 
A) 14 trillion years 
B) 14,000 years 
C) 14 million years 
D) 14 billion years D

Question 3

On a cosmic calendar, in which the history of the universe is compressed into 1 year, when did the dinosaurs become extinct?

Accepted Answer

A) in late November 
B) in late September 
C) in late December 
D) in late August 
E) in late October 
A) in late November 
B) in late September 
C) in late December 
D) in late August 
E) in late October C

Question 4

The Milky Way is moving further away from most other galaxies in the universe.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

From the fact that virtually every galaxy is moving away from us and more distant galaxies are moving away from us at a faster rate than closer ones, we conclude that

Accepted Answer

A) the farthest galaxies will eventually be moving faster than the speed of light. 
B) the universe is shrinking. 
C) the universe is expanding. 
D) the Milky Way Galaxy is expanding. 
E) we are located at the center of the universe. 
A) the farthest galaxies will eventually be moving faster than the speed of light. 
B) the universe is shrinking. 
C) the universe is expanding. 
D) the Milky Way Galaxy is expanding. 
E) we are located at the center of the universe.

Question 6

On the scale of the cosmic calendar, in which the history of the universe is compressed to 1 year, how long has human civilization (i.e., since ancient Egypt)existed?

Accepted Answer

A) a few seconds 
B) less than a millionth of a second 
C) about half the year 
D) a few hours 
E) about a month 
A) a few seconds 
B) less than a millionth of a second 
C) about half the year 
D) a few hours 
E) about a month

Question 7

According to current scientific estimates, when did the Big Bang occur?

Accepted Answer

A) about 4.5 billion years ago 
B) about 65 million years ago 
C) about 10 billion years ago 
D) about 20 billion years ago 
E) about 14 billion years ago 
A) about 4.5 billion years ago 
B) about 65 million years ago 
C) about 10 billion years ago 
D) about 20 billion years ago 
E) about 14 billion years ago

Question 8

Which statement about motion in the universe is not true?

Accepted Answer

A) Your speed of rotation around Earth's axis is faster if you live near the equator than if you live near the North Pole. 
B) The mysterious dark matter is the fastest- moving material in the universe. 
C) Some stars in the Milky Way Galaxy are moving toward us and others are moving away from us. 
D) Except for a few nearby galaxies, all other galaxies are moving away from us. 
A) Your speed of rotation around Earth's axis is faster if you live near the equator than if you live near the North Pole. 
B) The mysterious dark matter is the fastest- moving material in the universe. 
C) Some stars in the Milky Way Galaxy are moving toward us and others are moving away from us. 
D) Except for a few nearby galaxies, all other galaxies are moving away from us.

Question 9

Our solar system consists of .

Accepted Answer

A) the Sun and all the objects that orbit it 
B) a few hundred billion stars, bound together by gravity 
C) the Sun and the planets, and nothing else 
D) the Sun and several nearby stars, as well as the planets and other objects that orbit these stars 
A) the Sun and all the objects that orbit it 
B) a few hundred billion stars, bound together by gravity 
C) the Sun and the planets, and nothing else 
D) the Sun and several nearby stars, as well as the planets and other objects that orbit these stars

Question 10

Rank the following 4 items by how long it takes for light to reach us from these objects, from shortest to longest.

Accepted Answer

A) the Andromeda Galaxy, the center of the Milky Way, Pluto, Sun 
B) Pluto, Sun, center of Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy 
C) Pluto, Sun, the Andromeda Galaxy, center of the Milky Way 
D) Sun, Pluto, the Andromeda Galaxy, center of the Milky Way 
E) Sun, Pluto, center of the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy 
A) the Andromeda Galaxy, the center of the Milky Way, Pluto, Sun 
B) Pluto, Sun, center of Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy 
C) Pluto, Sun, the Andromeda Galaxy, center of the Milky Way 
D) Sun, Pluto, the Andromeda Galaxy, center of the Milky Way 
E) Sun, Pluto, center of the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy

Question 11

Our solar system is located about 27,000 light- years from the galactic center. How far does our solar system travel in one orbit?

Accepted Answer

A) 1018 km 
B) 5)4 × 1017 km 
C) 1)7 × 1018 km 
D) 8)5 × 1017 km 
A) 1018 km 
B) 5)4 × 1017 km 
C) 1)7 × 1018 km 
D) 8)5 × 1017 km

Question 12

A typical supercluster contains no more than about 10,000 stars.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Astronomers infer that the universe is expanding because distant galaxies all appear to .

Accepted Answer

A) be moving away from us, with more distant ones moving faster 
B) rotate rapidly 
C) be made mostly of dark matter 
D) be growing in size 
A) be moving away from us, with more distant ones moving faster 
B) rotate rapidly 
C) be made mostly of dark matter 
D) be growing in size

Question 14

Consider the following statement, and explain whether or not it is sensible: NASA hopes to build a new telescope that will allow us to see some galaxies as they appeared 8 billion years ago.

Accepted Answer

Sensible: By looking to a dist

Question 15

The number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy is approximately .

Accepted Answer

A) a few hundred billion 
B) a few hundred million 
C) a few hundred 
D) a few hundred thousand 
A) a few hundred billion 
B) a few hundred million 
C) a few hundred 
D) a few hundred thousand

Question 16

If we use 1 millimeter to represent 1 light- year, how large in diameter is the Milky Way Galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A) 1 million millimeters 
B) 100 millimeters 
C) 100 kilometers 
D) 100 meters 
E) 1 kilometer 
A) 1 million millimeters 
B) 100 millimeters 
C) 100 kilometers 
D) 100 meters 
E) 1 kilometer

Question 17

Stars nearby to our sun have an average relative speed of about 70,000 km/hour. How fast is that in km/s?

Accepted Answer

A) about 1200 km/s 
B) about 4.2 million km/s 
C) about 20 km/s 
D) about 3000 km/s 
A) about 1200 km/s 
B) about 4.2 million km/s 
C) about 20 km/s 
D) about 3000 km/s

Question 18

What do astronomers mean by the Big Bang?

Accepted Answer

A) the event that marked the birth of our solar system 
B) the explosion of a massive star at the end of its life 
C) the event that marked the beginning of the expansion of the universe 
D) a gigantic explosion that blew all the galaxies in the universe to smithereens 
A) the event that marked the birth of our solar system 
B) the explosion of a massive star at the end of its life 
C) the event that marked the beginning of the expansion of the universe 
D) a gigantic explosion that blew all the galaxies in the universe to smithereens

Question 19

Which of the following is largest?

Accepted Answer

A) 1 light- year 
B) size of Pluto's orbit 
C) distance to the nearest star (other than our Sun) 
D) size of a typical galaxy 
A) 1 light- year 
B) size of Pluto's orbit 
C) distance to the nearest star (other than our Sun) 
D) size of a typical galaxy

Question 20

Compared to its size, the Milky Way is very far away from all other galaxies.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Voyager 2 should reach the nearest stars (besides the Sun)in about 500 years.

Based on observations of the universal expansion, the age of the universe is about _ .

On a cosmic calendar, in which the history of the universe is compressed into 1 year, when did the dinosaurs become extinct?

The Milky Way is moving further away from most other galaxies in the universe.

From the fact that virtually every galaxy is moving away from us and more distant galaxies are moving away from us at a faster rate than closer ones, we conclude that

On the scale of the cosmic calendar, in which the history of the universe is compressed to 1 year, how long has human civilization (i.e., since ancient Egypt)existed?

According to current scientific estimates, when did the Big Bang occur?

Which statement about motion in the universe is not true?

Our solar system consists of .

Rank the following 4 items by how long it takes for light to reach us from these objects, from shortest to longest.

Our solar system is located about 27,000 light- years from the galactic center. How far does our solar system travel in one orbit?

A typical supercluster contains no more than about 10,000 stars.

Astronomers infer that the universe is expanding because distant galaxies all appear to .

Consider the following statement, and explain whether or not it is sensible: NASA hopes to build a new telescope that will allow us to see some galaxies as they appeared 8 billion years ago.

The number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy is approximately .

If we use 1 millimeter to represent 1 light- year, how large in diameter is the Milky Way Galaxy?

Stars nearby to our sun have an average relative speed of about 70,000 km/hour. How fast is that in km/s?

What do astronomers mean by the Big Bang?

Which of the following is largest?

Compared to its size, the Milky Way is very far away from all other galaxies.

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet System

Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Other Planetary Systems: the New Science of Distant Worlds

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

A Universe of Galaxies

The Birth of the Universe

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe

Life in the Universe

Filters

Exam 1: A Modern View of the Universe

Voyager 2 should reach the nearest stars (besides the Sun)in about 500 years.

Based on observations of the universal expansion, the age of the universe is about _ .

On a cosmic calendar, in which the history of the universe is compressed into 1 year, when did the dinosaurs become extinct?

The Milky Way is moving further away from most other galaxies in the universe.

From the fact that virtually every galaxy is moving away from us and more distant galaxies are moving away from us at a faster rate than closer ones, we conclude that

On the scale of the cosmic calendar, in which the history of the universe is compressed to 1 year, how long has human civilization (i.e., since ancient Egypt)existed?

According to current scientific estimates, when did the Big Bang occur?

Which statement about motion in the universe is not true?

Our solar system consists of .

Rank the following 4 items by how long it takes for light to reach us from these objects, from shortest to longest.

Our solar system is located about 27,000 light- years from the galactic center. How far does our solar system travel in one orbit?

A typical supercluster contains no more than about 10,000 stars.

Astronomers infer that the universe is expanding because distant galaxies all appear to .

Consider the following statement, and explain whether or not it is sensible: NASA hopes to build a new telescope that will allow us to see some galaxies as they appeared 8 billion years ago.

The number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy is approximately .

If we use 1 millimeter to represent 1 light- year, how large in diameter is the Milky Way Galaxy?

Stars nearby to our sun have an average relative speed of about 70,000 km/hour. How fast is that in km/s?

What do astronomers mean by the Big Bang?

Which of the following is largest?

Compared to its size, the Milky Way is very far away from all other galaxies.

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet System

Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Other Planetary Systems: the New Science of Distant Worlds

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

A Universe of Galaxies

The Birth of the Universe

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe

Life in the Universe

Filters