Question 1

Newton's modification of Kepler's Third Law lets us measure the mass of the Sun.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

According to Newton's second law,when the same force acts on two bodies,the body with the larger mass will have the ________ acceleration.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Newton's second law,when the same...

Question 3

What relationship did Newton find between orbital and escape velocities? Relate this to the staging of the Apollo missions,first to a parking orbit about the Earth,and then on to the Moon.

Accepted Answer

The escape velocity is greater than the

Question 4

While both Ptolemy and Copernicus assumed all orbits were ________,Kepler's first law corrected this and made planetary motion predictable.

Accepted Answer

The answer of While both Ptolemy and Copernicus assumed all...

Question 5

How much stronger is the gravitational pull of the Sun on Earth,at 1 AU,than it is on Saturn at 10 AU?

Accepted Answer

A)  5X 
B)  10X 
C)  25X 
D)  100X 
E)  250X 
A)  5X 
B)  10X 
C)  25X 
D)  100X 
E)  250X

Question 6

Tycho Brahe's contribution to Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion was:

Accepted Answer

A)  his detailed and accurate observations of the planet's position. 
B)  his observations of Jupiter's moons. 
C)  a mathematical explanation of epicycles. 
D)  a precise lunar calendar. 
E)  the correct explanation of lunar phases. 
A)  his detailed and accurate observations of the planet's position. 
B)  his observations of Jupiter's moons. 
C)  a mathematical explanation of epicycles. 
D)  a precise lunar calendar. 
E)  the correct explanation of lunar phases.

Question 7

While the orbits of planets are nearly circular,the eccentricities of the orbits of ________ are near one.

Accepted Answer

The answer of While the orbits of planets are nearly...

Question 8

Galileo's observations of sunspots proved the Sun was rotating,like the Earth.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Kepler based his theories on the precise planetary observations of Tycho Brahe.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Which of these was NOT seen telescopically by Galileo?

Accepted Answer

A)  Sunspots 
B)  Venus' phase cycle 
C)  Four moons around Jupiter 
D)  Stellar parallax 
E)  Craters and mare on the Moon 
A)  Sunspots 
B)  Venus' phase cycle 
C)  Four moons around Jupiter 
D)  Stellar parallax 
E)  Craters and mare on the Moon

Question 11

Kepler's second law implies what about planetary motion?

Accepted Answer

A)  A planet moves at a constant speed during its orbit of the Sun. 
B)  A planet moves faster when it is farther from the Sun. 
C)  A planet moves slower when it is closer to the Sun. 
D)  A planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun. 
E)  This law implies nothing about a planet's motion. 
A)  A planet moves at a constant speed during its orbit of the Sun. 
B)  A planet moves faster when it is farther from the Sun. 
C)  A planet moves slower when it is closer to the Sun. 
D)  A planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun. 
E)  This law implies nothing about a planet's motion.

Question 12

What is meant by the Astronomical Unit?

Accepted Answer

The Astronomical uni

Question 13

How can astronomers determine the mass of the Sun?

Accepted Answer

Using Newton's Laws,we know that gravity

Question 14

Astronomical alignments in antiquity on solstice and equinox sunrises and sunsets show us these builders had developed a ________ for farming.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Astronomical alignments in antiquity on solstice and...

Question 15

How does Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation explain Kepler's laws?

Accepted Answer

A)  Universal gravitation implies that the orbits of the planets must be elliptical (Kepler's first law). 
B)  Universal gravitation implies that the planets will sweep out equal areas in equal times (Kepler's second law). 
C)  Universal gravitation implies that the planets further from the Sun will move more slowly than the planets closer to the Sun (Kepler's third law). 
D)  Universal gravitation implies that when a planet is closer to the Sun in its orbit, it will move faster than when it is farther from the Sun (Kepler's second law). 
E)  Both C and D are correct. 
A)  Universal gravitation implies that the orbits of the planets must be elliptical (Kepler's first law). 
B)  Universal gravitation implies that the planets will sweep out equal areas in equal times (Kepler's second law). 
C)  Universal gravitation implies that the planets further from the Sun will move more slowly than the planets closer to the Sun (Kepler's third law). 
D)  Universal gravitation implies that when a planet is closer to the Sun in its orbit, it will move faster than when it is farther from the Sun (Kepler's second law). 
E)  Both C and D are correct.

Question 16

Kepler determined the shape of each planet's orbit by triangulation from different points on Earth's orbit,using observations made at many different times of the year.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Of the Ptolemaic and Copernican models,who wins the battle of Occam's Razor for the simplest explanation of retrograde motions?

Accepted Answer

Copernicus simply had retrograde motion

Question 18

Which of these observations of Galileo refuted Ptolemy's epicycles?

Accepted Answer

A)  the complete cycle of Venus' phases 
B)  the rotation of sunspots across the Sun's surface 
C)  the revolution of Jupiter's moons around it 
D)  the craters on the Moon 
E)  the visibility of many more stars with the telescope 
A)  the complete cycle of Venus' phases 
B)  the rotation of sunspots across the Sun's surface 
C)  the revolution of Jupiter's moons around it 
D)  the craters on the Moon 
E)  the visibility of many more stars with the telescope

Question 19

The force of gravity varies with the:

Accepted Answer

A)  product of the two masses. 
B)  inverse of the distance separating the two bodies. 
C)  inverse square of the distance separating the two bodies. 
D)  Both A and B are correct. 
E)  Both A and C are correct. 
A)  product of the two masses. 
B)  inverse of the distance separating the two bodies. 
C)  inverse square of the distance separating the two bodies. 
D)  Both A and B are correct. 
E)  Both A and C are correct.

Question 20

The heliocentric model was actually first proposed by:

Accepted Answer

A)  Aristotle. 
B)  Archimedes. 
C)  Aristarchus. 
D)  Alexander the Great. 
E)  Hipparchus. 
A)  Aristotle. 
B)  Archimedes. 
C)  Aristarchus. 
D)  Alexander the Great. 
E)  Hipparchus.

Exam 2: The Copernican Revolution: The Birth of Modern Science

Newton's modification of Kepler's Third Law lets us measure the mass of the Sun.

According to Newton's second law,when the same force acts on two bodies,the body with the larger mass will have the ________ acceleration.

What relationship did Newton find between orbital and escape velocities? Relate this to the staging of the Apollo missions,first to a parking orbit about the Earth,and then on to the Moon.

While both Ptolemy and Copernicus assumed all orbits were ________,Kepler's first law corrected this and made planetary motion predictable.

How much stronger is the gravitational pull of the Sun on Earth,at 1 AU,than it is on Saturn at 10 AU?

Tycho Brahe's contribution to Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion was:

While the orbits of planets are nearly circular,the eccentricities of the orbits of ________ are near one.

Galileo's observations of sunspots proved the Sun was rotating,like the Earth.

Kepler based his theories on the precise planetary observations of Tycho Brahe.

Which of these was NOT seen telescopically by Galileo?

Kepler's second law implies what about planetary motion?

What is meant by the Astronomical Unit?

How can astronomers determine the mass of the Sun?

Astronomical alignments in antiquity on solstice and equinox sunrises and sunsets show us these builders had developed a ________ for farming.

How does Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation explain Kepler's laws?

Kepler determined the shape of each planet's orbit by triangulation from different points on Earth's orbit,using observations made at many different times of the year.

Of the Ptolemaic and Copernican models,who wins the battle of Occam's Razor for the simplest explanation of retrograde motions?

Which of these observations of Galileo refuted Ptolemy's epicycles?

The force of gravity varies with the:

The heliocentric model was actually first proposed by:

Charting the Heavens: The Foundations of Astronomy

Radiation: Information from the Cosmos

Spectroscopy: The Inner Workings of Atoms

Telescopes: The Tools of Astronomy

The Solar System: Comparative Planetology and Formation Models

Earth: Our Home in Space

The Moon and Mercury: Scorched and Battered Worlds

Venus: Earth's Sister Planet

Mars: A Near Miss for Life?

Jupiter: Giant of the Solar System

Saturn: Spectacular Rings and Mysterious Moons

Uranus and Neptune: The Outer Worlds of the Solar System

Solar System Debris: Keys to Our Origin

Exoplanets: Planetary Systems Beyond Our Own

The Sun: Our Parent Star

The Stars: Giants,Dwarfs,and the Main Sequence

The Interstellar Medium: Gas and Dust among the Stars

Star Formation: A Traumatic Birth

Stellar Evolution: The Life and Death of a Star

Stellar Explosions: Novae,Supernovae,and the Formation of the Elements

Neutron Stars and Black Holes: Strange States of Matter

The Milky Way Galaxy: A Spiral in Space

Galaxies: Building Blocks of the Universe

Galaxies and Dark Matter: The Large-Scale Structure of the Cosmos

Cosmology: The Big Bang and the Fate of the Universe

The Early Universe: Toward the Beginning of Time

Life in the Universe: Are We Alone?

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