Question 1

Based on the figure below, a superior planet at opposition

Accepted Answer

A)  would rise at noon and set at midnight. 
B)  would rise at midnight and set at noon. 
C)  would rise at sunset and set at sunrise. 
D)  would rise at sunrise and set at sunrise. 
E)  would rise at 8 P.M.and set at 8 A.M. 
A)  would rise at noon and set at midnight. 
B)  would rise at midnight and set at noon. 
C)  would rise at sunset and set at sunrise. 
D)  would rise at sunrise and set at sunrise. 
E)  would rise at 8 P.M.and set at 8 A.M.

Question 2

Which equation represents the relationship of the planet's period to its semimajor axis in data shown in the figure below?

Accepted Answer

A)  P$\infty$ A 
B)  P2$\infty$ A2 
C)  P3 $\infty$ A2 
D)  P2 $\infty$A3 
E)  P$\infty$A3 
A)  P$\infty$ A 
B)  P2$\infty$ A2 
C)  P3 $\infty$ A2 
D)  P2 $\infty$A3 
E)  P$\infty$A3

Question 3

Which object, masses listed, will experience the greatest acceleration if the same force is applied to all of them?

Accepted Answer

A)  1 kg 
B)  2 kg 
C)  10 kg 
D)  20 kg 
E)  50 kg 
A)  1 kg 
B)  2 kg 
C)  10 kg 
D)  20 kg 
E)  50 kg

Question 4

When the Sun, Earth, and a planet all lie along a straight line, the planet is at

Accepted Answer

A)  quadrature. 
B)  only opposition. 
C)  only greatest elongation. 
D)  only conjunction. 
E)  either opposition or conjunction. 
A)  quadrature. 
B)  only opposition. 
C)  only greatest elongation. 
D)  only conjunction. 
E)  either opposition or conjunction.

Question 5

The major component of a physical law that is missing from an empirical law is

Accepted Answer

A)  a theoretical framework. 
B)  physical data. 
C)  sound logical deduction. 
D)  peer review. 
E)  nothing; they are conceptually identical. 
A)  a theoretical framework. 
B)  physical data. 
C)  sound logical deduction. 
D)  peer review. 
E)  nothing; they are conceptually identical.

Question 6

An inferior planet is one that is

Accepted Answer

A)  smaller than Earth. 
B)  larger than Earth. 
C)  closer to the Sun than Earth. 
D)  farther from the Sun than Earth. 
E)  made of lighter materials than Earth. 
A)  smaller than Earth. 
B)  larger than Earth. 
C)  closer to the Sun than Earth. 
D)  farther from the Sun than Earth. 
E)  made of lighter materials than Earth.

Question 7

Galileo observed that Venus has phases, and that the angular size of Venus changes with phase.Why does this support a heliocentric solar system? You should draw a diagram to help explain.

Accepted Answer

In the geocentric model,Venus is always

Question 8

How did Ptolemy "fix" the geocentric system?

Accepted Answer

A)  He introduced retrograde motion. 
B)  He introduced prograde motion. 
C)  He moved the Sun to the center. 
D)  He introduced epicycles. 
E)  He introduced Earth's motion. 
A)  He introduced retrograde motion. 
B)  He introduced prograde motion. 
C)  He moved the Sun to the center. 
D)  He introduced epicycles. 
E)  He introduced Earth's motion.

Question 9

Based on the figure below, explain why a superior planet, when it is at conjunction, will not be seen at all from Earth during the night.

Accepted Answer

Conjunction means that the pla

Question 10

A circular orbit has an eccentricity of ________ and a very elliptical orbit has an eccentricity of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  1; 0 
B)  1; 1 
C)  0; infinity 
D)  0; 1 
E)  infinity; 0 
A)  1; 0 
B)  1; 1 
C)  0; infinity 
D)  0; 1 
E)  infinity; 0

Question 11

Choose and explain one example of Galileo's work that follows the scientific method.Be sure to explain how your example follows the scientific method.

Accepted Answer

Importantly,Galileo tested predictions a

Question 12

If you start from rest and accelerate at 15 mph/s for 5 seconds, how fast will you be traveling at the end?

Accepted Answer

A)  75 mph 
B)  45 mph 
C)  3 mph 
D)  12 mph 
E)  20 mph 
A)  75 mph 
B)  45 mph 
C)  3 mph 
D)  12 mph 
E)  20 mph

Question 13

The fact that Kepler's heliocentric model of the Solar System predicted ________ more easily and accurately than the geocentric model is an illustration of how scientific theories evolve by the scientific method.

Accepted Answer

A)  solar eclipses 
B)  lunar eclipses 
C)  retrograde motion of planets 
D)  prograde motion of planets 
E)  the duration of the seasons 
A)  solar eclipses 
B)  lunar eclipses 
C)  retrograde motion of planets 
D)  prograde motion of planets 
E)  the duration of the seasons

Question 14

In the figure below, a planet orbits the Sun.The line connecting the planet and Sun sweeps out three areas labeled A, B, and C, during three different time intervals.If the duration of the time intervals are the same (meaning t2 - t1 = t4 -t3 = t6 - t5), how are the sizes of these areas related?

Accepted Answer

A)  A $\gt$ B $\gt$ C 
B)  C$\gt$ B $\gt$A 
C)  A $\gt$ C $\gt$ B 
D)  B $\gt$ A $\gt$ C 
E)  A, B, and C have the same area. 
A)  A $\gt$ B $\gt$ C 
B)  C$\gt$ B $\gt$A 
C)  A $\gt$ C $\gt$ B 
D)  B $\gt$ A $\gt$ C 
E)  A, B, and C have the same area.

Question 15

As a car drives around a corner at constant speed, the car is

Accepted Answer

A)  not accelerating. 
B)  accelerating because speed is decreasing. 
C)  accelerating because speed is increasing. 
D)  accelerating because the direction is changing. 
E)  accelerating because the applied force is zero. 
A)  not accelerating. 
B)  accelerating because speed is decreasing. 
C)  accelerating because speed is increasing. 
D)  accelerating because the direction is changing. 
E)  accelerating because the applied force is zero.

Question 16

Based on his observations of the planets, Copernicus calculated the relative distance of the planets from the Sun using the heliocentric model.These distances were

Accepted Answer

A)  10 times too large. 
B)  exactly correct. 
C)  close to the correct values, with errors less than 0.5 astronomical unit (AU). 
D)  accurate, but not as accurate as Ptolemy's values. 
E)  two times too small. 
A)  10 times too large. 
B)  exactly correct. 
C)  close to the correct values, with errors less than 0.5 astronomical unit (AU). 
D)  accurate, but not as accurate as Ptolemy's values. 
E)  two times too small.

Question 17

Which of the following are the inferior planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  only Mercury 
B)  Mercury and Mars 
C)  Mercury and Venus 
D)  only Mars 
E)  Mercury, Mars, and Pluto 
A)  only Mercury 
B)  Mercury and Mars 
C)  Mercury and Venus 
D)  only Mars 
E)  Mercury, Mars, and Pluto

Question 18

Cars can accelerate forward because

Accepted Answer

A)  car exhaust pushes backwards against the air. 
B)  car tires push backwards against the road. 
C)  they are designed to violate Newton's third law of motion. 
D)  they take advantage of laws of physics discovered later than Newton's laws. 
E)  car exhaust has zero mass. 
A)  car exhaust pushes backwards against the air. 
B)  car tires push backwards against the road. 
C)  they are designed to violate Newton's third law of motion. 
D)  they take advantage of laws of physics discovered later than Newton's laws. 
E)  car exhaust has zero mass.

Question 19

If the Sun is located at one focus of Earth's elliptical orbit, what is at the other focus?

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth 
B)  the Moon 
C)  another planet 
D)  nothing 
E)  Jupiter 
A)  Earth 
B)  the Moon 
C)  another planet 
D)  nothing 
E)  Jupiter

Question 20

Explain what retrograde motion is, and what causes this phenomenon.A drawing is recommended.

Accepted Answer

Retrograde motion is when a pl

Exam 3: Motion of Astronomical Bodies

Based on the figure below, a superior planet at opposition

Which equation represents the relationship of the planet's period to its semimajor axis in data shown in the figure below?

Which object, masses listed, will experience the greatest acceleration if the same force is applied to all of them?

When the Sun, Earth, and a planet all lie along a straight line, the planet is at

The major component of a physical law that is missing from an empirical law is

An inferior planet is one that is

Galileo observed that Venus has phases, and that the angular size of Venus changes with phase.Why does this support a heliocentric solar system? You should draw a diagram to help explain.

How did Ptolemy "fix" the geocentric system?

Based on the figure below, explain why a superior planet, when it is at conjunction, will not be seen at all from Earth during the night.

A circular orbit has an eccentricity of ________ and a very elliptical orbit has an eccentricity of ________.

Choose and explain one example of Galileo's work that follows the scientific method.Be sure to explain how your example follows the scientific method.

If you start from rest and accelerate at 15 mph/s for 5 seconds, how fast will you be traveling at the end?

The fact that Kepler's heliocentric model of the Solar System predicted ________ more easily and accurately than the geocentric model is an illustration of how scientific theories evolve by the scientific method.

In the figure below, a planet orbits the Sun.The line connecting the planet and Sun sweeps out three areas labeled A, B, and C, during three different time intervals.If the duration of the time intervals are the same (meaning t2 - t1 = t4 -t3 = t6 - t5), how are the sizes of these areas related?

As a car drives around a corner at constant speed, the car is

Based on his observations of the planets, Copernicus calculated the relative distance of the planets from the Sun using the heliocentric model.These distances were

Which of the following are the inferior planets?

Cars can accelerate forward because

If the Sun is located at one focus of Earth's elliptical orbit, what is at the other focus?

Explain what retrograde motion is, and what causes this phenomenon.A drawing is recommended.

Thinking Like an Astronomer

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth and the Moon

Gravity and Orbits

Light

The Tools of the Astronomer

The Formation of Planetary Systems

The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

Worlds of Gas and Liquidthe Giant Planets

Planetary Moons and Rings

Dwarf Planets and Small Solar System Bodies

Taking the Measure of Stars

Our Starthe Sun

The Interstellar Medium and Star Formation

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

Relativity and Black Holes

Galaxies

The Milky Waya Normal Spiral Galaxy

The Expanding Universe

Cosmology

Large-Scale Structure in the Universe

Life

Filters

A circular orbit has an eccentricity of and a very elliptical orbit has an eccentricity of .