Question 1

The greatest astronomer of antiquity [that is, of the time before the Middle Ages] was

Accepted Answer

A)  Aristotle. 
B)  Brahe. 
C)  Copernicus. 
D)  Plato. 
E)  Ptolemy. 
A)  Aristotle. 
B)  Brahe. 
C)  Copernicus. 
D)  Plato. 
E)  Ptolemy.

Question 2

Tycho Brahe

Accepted Answer

A)  made measurements that contradicted Ptolemy's theory and supported Copernicus's theory. 
B)  made measurements that contradicted both Ptolemy's theory and Copernicus's theory. 
C)  invented the telescope. 
D)  made measurements that supported both Ptolemy's theory and Copernicus's theory. 
E)  was the first to propose the theory that the planets move in ellipses around the sun. 
A)  made measurements that contradicted Ptolemy's theory and supported Copernicus's theory. 
B)  made measurements that contradicted both Ptolemy's theory and Copernicus's theory. 
C)  invented the telescope. 
D)  made measurements that supported both Ptolemy's theory and Copernicus's theory. 
E)  was the first to propose the theory that the planets move in ellipses around the sun.

Question 3

According to the consensus among those scientists who have studied the question, what is the scientific status of creationism today?

Accepted Answer

A)  Although creationism is plausible on the basis of the principles of many scientific fields, and although there is also real scientific evidence for it, most scientists still will not accept creationism because it seems too unconventional or "kooky." 
B)  It disagrees with the principles of many scientific fields, and there is a lot of scientific evidence against it. 
C)  Creationism is plausible on the basis of the principles of many scientific fields, and here is also real scientific evidence for it, which is why most scientists believe that creationism has real validity. 
D)  Although there is a lot of evidence against it, creationism is plausible on the basis of the principles of many scientific fields. 
E)  Although it disagrees with the principles of many scientific fields, there is a lot of real scientific evidence for creationism. 
A)  Although creationism is plausible on the basis of the principles of many scientific fields, and although there is also real scientific evidence for it, most scientists still will not accept creationism because it seems too unconventional or "kooky." 
B)  It disagrees with the principles of many scientific fields, and there is a lot of scientific evidence against it. 
C)  Creationism is plausible on the basis of the principles of many scientific fields, and here is also real scientific evidence for it, which is why most scientists believe that creationism has real validity. 
D)  Although there is a lot of evidence against it, creationism is plausible on the basis of the principles of many scientific fields. 
E)  Although it disagrees with the principles of many scientific fields, there is a lot of real scientific evidence for creationism.

Question 4

Which of the following represents a continuation of the basic general idea of the "Copernican revolution"?

Accepted Answer

A)  The idea that the human species is not very different biologically from the other species. 
B)  The idea that our sun is just one star among billions of similar stars. 
C)  The idea that the universe was not made just for us. 
D)  All of the above. 
E)  None of the above. 
A)  The idea that the human species is not very different biologically from the other species. 
B)  The idea that our sun is just one star among billions of similar stars. 
C)  The idea that the universe was not made just for us. 
D)  All of the above. 
E)  None of the above.

Question 5

Planets do not move in precise ellipses, as had been thought by Kepler, because of

Accepted Answer

A)  dust grains and other material that disturbs the orbits. 
B)  influences due to the other planets. 
C)  Both of the above. 
D)  Nonsense-- the planets actually do move in precise ellipses. 
A)  dust grains and other material that disturbs the orbits. 
B)  influences due to the other planets. 
C)  Both of the above. 
D)  Nonsense-- the planets actually do move in precise ellipses.

Question 6

Kepler was finally able to absolutely prove the truth of his theory of the motion of the planets by using

Accepted Answer

A)  his own highly accurate observations of the planets. 
B)  data gathered by the ancient Greeks. 
C)  the data of Tycho Brahe. 
D)  All of the above. 
E)  Nonsense-- it is impossible to prove that a theory is true. 
A)  his own highly accurate observations of the planets. 
B)  data gathered by the ancient Greeks. 
C)  the data of Tycho Brahe. 
D)  All of the above. 
E)  Nonsense-- it is impossible to prove that a theory is true.

Question 7

Regarding the validity of Ptolemy's and Copernicus' theories:

Accepted Answer

A)  Ptolemy was proven wrong and Copernicus was proven right. 
B)  they were both wrong and useless theories. 
C)  they were both good theories, but Ptolemy's point of view ultimately turned out to be more useful. 
D)  they were both good theories, but Copernicus' point of view ultimately turned out to be more useful. 
E)  the experimental facts known in Copernicus' time tended to support Copernicus' theory over Ptolemy's. 
A)  Ptolemy was proven wrong and Copernicus was proven right. 
B)  they were both wrong and useless theories. 
C)  they were both good theories, but Ptolemy's point of view ultimately turned out to be more useful. 
D)  they were both good theories, but Copernicus' point of view ultimately turned out to be more useful. 
E)  the experimental facts known in Copernicus' time tended to support Copernicus' theory over Ptolemy's.

Question 8

How did Brahe measure highly accurate planetary positions?

Accepted Answer

A)  With the recently- invented telescope. 
B)  By careful measurements of the brightness of the planets, as seen from Earth. 
C)  With a new type of telescope that used mirrors instead of lenses. 
D)  By his invention of the technique know as triangulation (measuring the distance between 2 points, and measuring 2 angles, to determine the distance to a 3rd point). 
E)  With larger and more elegant sighting instruments. 
A)  With the recently- invented telescope. 
B)  By careful measurements of the brightness of the planets, as seen from Earth. 
C)  With a new type of telescope that used mirrors instead of lenses. 
D)  By his invention of the technique know as triangulation (measuring the distance between 2 points, and measuring 2 angles, to determine the distance to a 3rd point). 
E)  With larger and more elegant sighting instruments.

Question 9

Tycho Brahe's extremely accurate measurements of the planetary positions showed that

Accepted Answer

A)  both Ptolemy's theory and Copernicus's theory were wrong. 
B)  Ptolemy's theory was wrong and Copernicus's theory was correct. 
C)  both Ptolemy's theory and Copernicus's theory were correct. 
D)  Copernicus's theory was wrong and Ptolemy's was correct. 
E)  Kepler's theory was wrong. 
A)  both Ptolemy's theory and Copernicus's theory were wrong. 
B)  Ptolemy's theory was wrong and Copernicus's theory was correct. 
C)  both Ptolemy's theory and Copernicus's theory were correct. 
D)  Copernicus's theory was wrong and Ptolemy's was correct. 
E)  Kepler's theory was wrong.

Question 10

Kepler's idea that planets move in ellipses around the sun is best classified as

Accepted Answer

A)  an incorrect fallacy. 
B)  a fact. 
C)  an experimental observation. 
D)  a hallucination. 
E)  a useful theory. 
A)  an incorrect fallacy. 
B)  a fact. 
C)  an experimental observation. 
D)  a hallucination. 
E)  a useful theory.

Question 11

The very earliest Greek theory of the structure of the universe pictured Earth at the center with the planets revolving around it at an unchanging rate in simple circles. The Greeks later revised this theory because

Accepted Answer

A)  they didn't believe the theory was sufficiently beautiful to represent the eternal gods. 
B)  certain observations led them to the conclusion that Earth has a spherical shape. 
C)  they observed that the planetary motions are irregular and include such things as retrograde motion. 
D)  they came to believe that the sun should be at the center of things. 
E)  Actually, the Greeks never did abandon this theory--the theory was not altered until the time of Copernicus. 
A)  they didn't believe the theory was sufficiently beautiful to represent the eternal gods. 
B)  certain observations led them to the conclusion that Earth has a spherical shape. 
C)  they observed that the planetary motions are irregular and include such things as retrograde motion. 
D)  they came to believe that the sun should be at the center of things. 
E)  Actually, the Greeks never did abandon this theory--the theory was not altered until the time of Copernicus.

Question 12

"Physics" could best be described as the study of

Accepted Answer

A)  matter. 
B)  atoms in motion. 
C)  the application of science to the needs of human beings. 
D)  the general principles underlying natural phenomena. 
E)  the absolute, or certain, truths about the natural world. 
A)  matter. 
B)  atoms in motion. 
C)  the application of science to the needs of human beings. 
D)  the general principles underlying natural phenomena. 
E)  the absolute, or certain, truths about the natural world.

Question 13

What is the scientific status of astrology today?

Accepted Answer

A)  Although astrology is implausible on general theoretical grounds, there is real observational evidence for it. 
B)  It is implausible on general theoretical grounds, and there are no scientific observations to support it. 
C)  Although it is theoretically plausible, and although real observational evidence exists for it, most scientists still will not accept astrology because it seems too unconventional or "kooky." 
D)  Although there is no real observational evidence for this phenomenon, astrology is theoretically plausible. 
E)  Astrology is plausible on general theoretical grounds, and there is also real observational evidence for it, which is why most scientists believe that astrology has real validity. 
A)  Although astrology is implausible on general theoretical grounds, there is real observational evidence for it. 
B)  It is implausible on general theoretical grounds, and there are no scientific observations to support it. 
C)  Although it is theoretically plausible, and although real observational evidence exists for it, most scientists still will not accept astrology because it seems too unconventional or "kooky." 
D)  Although there is no real observational evidence for this phenomenon, astrology is theoretically plausible. 
E)  Astrology is plausible on general theoretical grounds, and there is also real observational evidence for it, which is why most scientists believe that astrology has real validity.

Question 14

Copernicus proposed his theory because

Accepted Answer

A)  it was obvious to most educated people by that time that Earth orbits the sun. 
B)  Ptolemy's theory was known to be wrong. 
C)  it was more in line with Church thinking than was the pre- Christian Greek theory. 
D)  it fit the data taken by Tycho Brahe. 
E)  he thought that Ptolemy's theory was too messy and that his was more "fitting." 
A)  it was obvious to most educated people by that time that Earth orbits the sun. 
B)  Ptolemy's theory was known to be wrong. 
C)  it was more in line with Church thinking than was the pre- Christian Greek theory. 
D)  it fit the data taken by Tycho Brahe. 
E)  he thought that Ptolemy's theory was too messy and that his was more "fitting."

Question 15

One of the defining features of "pseudoscience" is that pseudoscientific ideas

Accepted Answer

A)  appear to be scientific. 
B)  are unusual, or odd. 
C)  Both of the above. 
D)  are held tentatively, as a hypothesis. 
E)  are wrong. 
A)  appear to be scientific. 
B)  are unusual, or odd. 
C)  Both of the above. 
D)  are held tentatively, as a hypothesis. 
E)  are wrong.

Question 16

According to author Norman Mailer from his book Of a Fire on the Moon, quoted in the textbook's opening section,

Accepted Answer

A)  quantum theory shows that the universe is infinitely deep and subtle. 
B)  science is leading us toward a greater understanding of the important truths in life. 
C)  our culture uses science to gain power over nature but doesn't know how that power should be used. 
D)  science is in the process of solving most of the world's social problems. 
E)  physics professors are crackpots. 
A)  quantum theory shows that the universe is infinitely deep and subtle. 
B)  science is leading us toward a greater understanding of the important truths in life. 
C)  our culture uses science to gain power over nature but doesn't know how that power should be used. 
D)  science is in the process of solving most of the world's social problems. 
E)  physics professors are crackpots.

Question 17

The very earliest Greek cosmological theory, several centuries before Ptolemy, stated that

Accepted Answer

A)  the entire universe is in reality just the inside of a giant cosmic frog. 
B)  the planets revolve in loop- the- loops around the sun. 
C)  the planets go in simple circles around Earth. 
D)  the planets revolve in loop- the- loops [circles within circles] around Earth. 
E)  the planets go in simple circles around the sun. 
A)  the entire universe is in reality just the inside of a giant cosmic frog. 
B)  the planets revolve in loop- the- loops around the sun. 
C)  the planets go in simple circles around Earth. 
D)  the planets revolve in loop- the- loops [circles within circles] around Earth. 
E)  the planets go in simple circles around the sun.

Question 18

Which of the following scientists made highly accurate measurements that first disproved the theories of Ptolemy and Copernicus?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nonsense-- nobody has disproved Copernicus's theory. 
B)  Nonsense-- you cannot disprove a general scientific theory. 
C)  Galileo 
D)  Brahe 
E)  Kepler 
A)  Nonsense-- nobody has disproved Copernicus's theory. 
B)  Nonsense-- you cannot disprove a general scientific theory. 
C)  Galileo 
D)  Brahe 
E)  Kepler

Question 19

Which statement illustrates the fact that two different theories can both agree with the same set of observations?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nonsense-- it is impossible for two different theories to both be correct. 
B)  the theories of Copernicus and Kepler, after Tycho made his observations 
C)  the theories of Galileo and Kepler 
D)  the Earth- centered circular orbit theory of the early Greeks, and the later theory of Ptolemy 
E)  the theories of Ptolemy and Copernicus, before Tycho made his observations 
A)  Nonsense-- it is impossible for two different theories to both be correct. 
B)  the theories of Copernicus and Kepler, after Tycho made his observations 
C)  the theories of Galileo and Kepler 
D)  the Earth- centered circular orbit theory of the early Greeks, and the later theory of Ptolemy 
E)  the theories of Ptolemy and Copernicus, before Tycho made his observations

Question 20

How did Galileo know that the planets go around the sun rather than around Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  From telescopic measurements of the positions of the stars as Earth moved around the sun during the course of one year. 
B)  From telescopic observations of the phases of Venus as it moves around the sun. 
C)  From measurements of the tides raised by the moon as compared with the tides raised by the sun. 
D)  By noting that Venus always lies near the sun, as seen from Earth, from which he concluded that Venus must be orbiting the sun. 
E)  From the writings of Aristarchus, the ancient Greek astronomer. 
A)  From telescopic measurements of the positions of the stars as Earth moved around the sun during the course of one year. 
B)  From telescopic observations of the phases of Venus as it moves around the sun. 
C)  From measurements of the tides raised by the moon as compared with the tides raised by the sun. 
D)  By noting that Venus always lies near the sun, as seen from Earth, from which he concluded that Venus must be orbiting the sun. 
E)  From the writings of Aristarchus, the ancient Greek astronomer.

The greatest astronomer of antiquity [that is, of the time before the Middle Ages] was

Tycho Brahe

According to the consensus among those scientists who have studied the question, what is the scientific status of creationism today?

Which of the following represents a continuation of the basic general idea of the "Copernican revolution"?

Planets do not move in precise ellipses, as had been thought by Kepler, because of

Kepler was finally able to absolutely prove the truth of his theory of the motion of the planets by using

Regarding the validity of Ptolemy's and Copernicus' theories:

How did Brahe measure highly accurate planetary positions?

Tycho Brahe's extremely accurate measurements of the planetary positions showed that

Kepler's idea that planets move in ellipses around the sun is best classified as

The very earliest Greek theory of the structure of the universe pictured Earth at the center with the planets revolving around it at an unchanging rate in simple circles. The Greeks later revised this theory because

"Physics" could best be described as the study of

What is the scientific status of astrology today?

Copernicus proposed his theory because

One of the defining features of "pseudoscience" is that pseudoscientific ideas

According to author Norman Mailer from his book Of a Fire on the Moon, quoted in the textbook's opening section,

The very earliest Greek cosmological theory, several centuries before Ptolemy, stated that

Which of the following scientists made highly accurate measurements that first disproved the theories of Ptolemy and Copernicus?

Which statement illustrates the fact that two different theories can both agree with the same set of observations?

How did Galileo know that the planets go around the sun rather than around Earth?

Atoms: the Nature of Things

How Things Move: Galileo Asks the Right Questions

Why Things Move As They Do

Newtons Universe

Conservation of Energy: You Cant Get Ahead

Second Law of Thermodynamics: and You Cant Even Break Even

Light and Electromagnetism

Electromagnetism Radiation and Global Climate Change

The Special Theory of Relativity

The General Theory of Relativity and the New Cosmology

The Quantum Idea

The Quantum Universe

The Nucleus and Radioactivity: an New Force

Fusion and Fission: and a New Energy

The Energy Challenge

Quantum Fields: Relativity Meets the Quantum

Filters

Exam 1: The Way of Science: Experience and Reason

The greatest astronomer of antiquity [that is, of the time before the Middle Ages] was

Tycho Brahe

According to the consensus among those scientists who have studied the question, what is the scientific status of creationism today?

Which of the following represents a continuation of the basic general idea of the "Copernican revolution"?

Planets do not move in precise ellipses, as had been thought by Kepler, because of

Kepler was finally able to absolutely prove the truth of his theory of the motion of the planets by using

Regarding the validity of Ptolemy's and Copernicus' theories:

How did Brahe measure highly accurate planetary positions?

Tycho Brahe's extremely accurate measurements of the planetary positions showed that

Kepler's idea that planets move in ellipses around the sun is best classified as

The very earliest Greek theory of the structure of the universe pictured Earth at the center with the planets revolving around it at an unchanging rate in simple circles. The Greeks later revised this theory because

"Physics" could best be described as the study of

What is the scientific status of astrology today?

Copernicus proposed his theory because

One of the defining features of "pseudoscience" is that pseudoscientific ideas

According to author Norman Mailer from his book Of a Fire on the Moon, quoted in the textbook's opening section,

The very earliest Greek cosmological theory, several centuries before Ptolemy, stated that

Which of the following scientists made highly accurate measurements that first disproved the theories of Ptolemy and Copernicus?

Which statement illustrates the fact that two different theories can both agree with the same set of observations?

How did Galileo know that the planets go around the sun rather than around Earth?

Atoms: the Nature of Things

How Things Move: Galileo Asks the Right Questions

Why Things Move As They Do

Newtons Universe

Conservation of Energy: You Cant Get Ahead

Second Law of Thermodynamics: and You Cant Even Break Even

Light and Electromagnetism

Electromagnetism Radiation and Global Climate Change

The Special Theory of Relativity

The General Theory of Relativity and the New Cosmology

The Quantum Idea

The Quantum Universe

The Nucleus and Radioactivity: an New Force

Fusion and Fission: and a New Energy

The Energy Challenge

Quantum Fields: Relativity Meets the Quantum

Filters