Question 1

Measuring the light reflected from a planet's surface and/or atmosphere allows us to determine its

Accepted Answer

A)  chemical composition 
B)  physical size 
C)  temperature 
D)  distance 
A)  chemical composition 
B)  physical size 
C)  temperature 
D)  distance A

Question 2

In our solar system, terrestrial planets are

Accepted Answer

A)  small, made mostly of rock and iron with high densities, and found close to the Sun 
B)  large, made mostly of gases and liquids with low densities, and found far from the Sun 
C)  large, made of pure gases with low densities, and found far from the Sun 
D)  small, made of pure rock with high densities, and found close to the Sun 
A)  small, made mostly of rock and iron with high densities, and found close to the Sun 
B)  large, made mostly of gases and liquids with low densities, and found far from the Sun 
C)  large, made of pure gases with low densities, and found far from the Sun 
D)  small, made of pure rock with high densities, and found close to the Sun A

Question 3

What kind of energy does sunlight possess?

Accepted Answer

A)  kinetic 
B)  radiative 
C)  mechanical 
D)  potential 
A)  kinetic 
B)  radiative 
C)  mechanical 
D)  potential B

Question 4

Most of the mass of the universe is in the form of

Accepted Answer

A)  stars 
B)  gas clouds 
C)  black holes 
D)  dark matter 
A)  stars 
B)  gas clouds 
C)  black holes 
D)  dark matter

Question 5

Planetary systems discovered around other stars

Accepted Answer

A)  all have exactly the same layout as the planets in our own solar system 
B)  all have completely different layouts as the planets in our own solar system 
C)  exhibit a range of different layouts, some being very similar to our solar system while others being very different 
D)  all have very similar but not identical layout to our solar system 
A)  all have exactly the same layout as the planets in our own solar system 
B)  all have completely different layouts as the planets in our own solar system 
C)  exhibit a range of different layouts, some being very similar to our solar system while others being very different 
D)  all have very similar but not identical layout to our solar system

Question 6

If we compress the entire history of the into one year, each second represents

Accepted Answer

A)  about a billion years 
B)  a few tens of millions of years 
C)  a few hundred years 
D)  a few million years 
A)  about a billion years 
B)  a few tens of millions of years 
C)  a few hundred years 
D)  a few million years

Question 7

If we had sent a radio signal to an advanced civilization in 2006 which is located in the zeta reticuli star system approximately 39 light-years away and the signal was immediately replied to, when would the reply arrive back at Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  2084 
B)  2012 
C)  2045 
D)  2039 
A)  2084 
B)  2012 
C)  2045 
D)  2039

Question 8

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that enormous numbers of habitable worlds may exist in the universe?

Accepted Answer

A)  the laws of physics are the same everywhere 
B)  the universe is very old 
C)  the universe is very large 
D)  the building blocks of life are common 
A)  the laws of physics are the same everywhere 
B)  the universe is very old 
C)  the universe is very large 
D)  the building blocks of life are common

Question 9

Due to the incredible size of the universe, our search for extraterrestrial life will probably be limited to within our

Accepted Answer

A)  Local Group of galaxies 
B)  Local Supercluster of galaxies 
C)  Milky Way galaxy 
D)  solar system 
A)  Local Group of galaxies 
B)  Local Supercluster of galaxies 
C)  Milky Way galaxy 
D)  solar system

Question 10

Place the three phases of water in order of increasing force of interaction between molecules:

Accepted Answer

A)  ice, water, vapor 
B)  vapor, ice, water 
C)  water, ice, vapor 
D)  vapor, water, ice 
A)  ice, water, vapor 
B)  vapor, ice, water 
C)  water, ice, vapor 
D)  vapor, water, ice

Question 11

How would the inward migration of a Jovian-like planet in an extrasolar planetary system alter the probability of Life appearing?

Accepted Answer

A)  it would improve chances since it would protect inner, Terrestrial-like planets from impacts 
B)  it would improve chances slightly since some of the Terrestrial planets may become moons of the Jovian planet 
C)  it would greatly decrease the chance since the orbits of the inner, Terrestrial-like planets would be disrupted 
D)  it would make no difference at all 
A)  it would improve chances since it would protect inner, Terrestrial-like planets from impacts 
B)  it would improve chances slightly since some of the Terrestrial planets may become moons of the Jovian planet 
C)  it would greatly decrease the chance since the orbits of the inner, Terrestrial-like planets would be disrupted 
D)  it would make no difference at all

Question 12

Assuming the encounter hypothesis is correct and planets can only form from the gravitational interactions between passing stars, what implications does this have for the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe?

Accepted Answer

A)  there would be no possibility of life at all because close stellar encounters never occur 
B)  life would be exceedingly rare because close stellar encounters are exceedingly rare 
C)  we have no way to determine the probability of close stellar encounters so we have no way of knowing 
D)  life would be very common because stellar close encounters are constantly occurring 
A)  there would be no possibility of life at all because close stellar encounters never occur 
B)  life would be exceedingly rare because close stellar encounters are exceedingly rare 
C)  we have no way to determine the probability of close stellar encounters so we have no way of knowing 
D)  life would be very common because stellar close encounters are constantly occurring

Question 13

Which of the following properties of the planets in our solar system is not explained by condensation theory?

Accepted Answer

A)  direction of revolution 
B)  rotation rates 
C)  chemical compositions 
D)  orbital shapes 
A)  direction of revolution 
B)  rotation rates 
C)  chemical compositions 
D)  orbital shapes

Question 14

Compared to its neutral atom, an ion has the same number of

Accepted Answer

A)  protons and neutrons 
B)  protons but a different number of neutrons 
C)  protons but a different number of electrons 
D)  neutrons but a different number of protons 
A)  protons and neutrons 
B)  protons but a different number of neutrons 
C)  protons but a different number of electrons 
D)  neutrons but a different number of protons

Question 15

Isotopes have the same number of

Accepted Answer

A)  protons and neutrons 
B)  protons but a different number of electrons 
C)  neutrons but a different number of protons 
D)  protons but a different number of neutrons 
A)  protons and neutrons 
B)  protons but a different number of electrons 
C)  neutrons but a different number of protons 
D)  protons but a different number of neutrons

Question 16

Human beings mostly emit which kind of electromagnetic radiation?

Accepted Answer

A)  ultraviolet 
B)  visible 
C)  microwave 
D)  infrared 
A)  ultraviolet 
B)  visible 
C)  microwave 
D)  infrared

Question 17

In our solar system, Jovian planets are

Accepted Answer

A)  large, made mostly of gases and liquids with low densities, and found far from the Sun 
B)  small, made of pure rock with high densities, and found close to the Sun 
C)  large, made of pure gases with low densities, and found far from the Sun 
D)  small, made mostly of rock and iron with high densities, and found close to the Sun 
A)  large, made mostly of gases and liquids with low densities, and found far from the Sun 
B)  small, made of pure rock with high densities, and found close to the Sun 
C)  large, made of pure gases with low densities, and found far from the Sun 
D)  small, made mostly of rock and iron with high densities, and found close to the Sun

Question 18

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that the processes that formed life on Earth could have occurred elsewhere?

Accepted Answer

A)  the universe is very old 
B)  the laws of physics are the same everywhere 
C)  the universe is very large 
D)  the chemical elements that make up life on Earth are common 
A)  the universe is very old 
B)  the laws of physics are the same everywhere 
C)  the universe is very large 
D)  the chemical elements that make up life on Earth are common

Question 19

The Local Group is an example of a

Accepted Answer

A)  galaxy cluster 
B)  galaxy 
C)  supercluster 
D)  planetary system 
A)  galaxy cluster 
B)  galaxy 
C)  supercluster 
D)  planetary system

Question 20

Which of the following do the atoms ¹⁴N and ¹⁵N have in common?

Accepted Answer

A)  total number of neutrons and electrons 
B)  number of protons 
C)  total number of protons and neutrons 
D)  number of neutrons 
A)  total number of neutrons and electrons 
B)  number of protons 
C)  total number of protons and neutrons 
D)  number of neutrons

Measuring the light reflected from a planet's surface and/or atmosphere allows us to determine its

In our solar system, terrestrial planets are

What kind of energy does sunlight possess?

Most of the mass of the universe is in the form of

Planetary systems discovered around other stars

If we compress the entire history of the into one year, each second represents

If we had sent a radio signal to an advanced civilization in 2006 which is located in the zeta reticuli star system approximately 39 light-years away and the signal was immediately replied to, when would the reply arrive back at Earth?

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that enormous numbers of habitable worlds may exist in the universe?

Due to the incredible size of the universe, our search for extraterrestrial life will probably be limited to within our

Place the three phases of water in order of increasing force of interaction between molecules:

How would the inward migration of a Jovian-like planet in an extrasolar planetary system alter the probability of Life appearing?

Assuming the encounter hypothesis is correct and planets can only form from the gravitational interactions between passing stars, what implications does this have for the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe?

Which of the following properties of the planets in our solar system is not explained by condensation theory?

Compared to its neutral atom, an ion has the same number of

Isotopes have the same number of

Human beings mostly emit which kind of electromagnetic radiation?

In our solar system, Jovian planets are

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that the processes that formed life on Earth could have occurred elsewhere?

The Local Group is an example of a

Which of the following do the atoms ¹⁴N and ¹⁵N have in common?

A Universe of Life

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Habitability of Earth

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Mars

Life on Jovian Moons

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

Extrasolar Planets: Their Nature and Potential Habitability

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

Filters

Exam 3: The Universal Context of Life

Measuring the light reflected from a planet's surface and/or atmosphere allows us to determine its

In our solar system, terrestrial planets are

What kind of energy does sunlight possess?

Most of the mass of the universe is in the form of

Planetary systems discovered around other stars

If we compress the entire history of the into one year, each second represents

If we had sent a radio signal to an advanced civilization in 2006 which is located in the zeta reticuli star system approximately 39 light-years away and the signal was immediately replied to, when would the reply arrive back at Earth?

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that enormous numbers of habitable worlds may exist in the universe?

Due to the incredible size of the universe, our search for extraterrestrial life will probably be limited to within our

Place the three phases of water in order of increasing force of interaction between molecules:

How would the inward migration of a Jovian-like planet in an extrasolar planetary system alter the probability of Life appearing?

Assuming the encounter hypothesis is correct and planets can only form from the gravitational interactions between passing stars, what implications does this have for the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe?

Which of the following properties of the planets in our solar system is not explained by condensation theory?

Compared to its neutral atom, an ion has the same number of

Isotopes have the same number of

Human beings mostly emit which kind of electromagnetic radiation?

In our solar system, Jovian planets are

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that the processes that formed life on Earth could have occurred elsewhere?

The Local Group is an example of a

Which of the following do the atoms ¹⁴N and ¹⁵N have in common?

A Universe of Life

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Habitability of Earth

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Mars

Life on Jovian Moons

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

Extrasolar Planets: Their Nature and Potential Habitability

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

Filters