Question 1

The principle of Occam's Razor states that

Accepted Answer

A)  in explaining natural phenomena, the simplest explanation consistent with the observations is to be preferred. 
B)  no scientific theory, no matter how well tested, can ever be proved absolutely true. 
C)  scientific explanations may invoke supernatural causes if no other causes are found. 
D)  while personal biases may influence individual scientists, the process of science itself can uncover these biases. 
E)  only a model that has survived repeated observational tests deserves to be called a scientific theory. 
A)  in explaining natural phenomena, the simplest explanation consistent with the observations is to be preferred. 
B)  no scientific theory, no matter how well tested, can ever be proved absolutely true. 
C)  scientific explanations may invoke supernatural causes if no other causes are found. 
D)  while personal biases may influence individual scientists, the process of science itself can uncover these biases. 
E)  only a model that has survived repeated observational tests deserves to be called a scientific theory.

Question 2

All the following statements are true. Which one follows directly from Kepler's third law (p² = a³)?

Accepted Answer

A)  Venus orbits the Sun at a slower average speed than Mercury. 
B)  Venus is more massive than Mercury. 
C)  Venus takes longer to rotate than it does to orbit the Sun. 
D)  Venus has a thicker atmosphere than Mercury. 
A)  Venus orbits the Sun at a slower average speed than Mercury. 
B)  Venus is more massive than Mercury. 
C)  Venus takes longer to rotate than it does to orbit the Sun. 
D)  Venus has a thicker atmosphere than Mercury.

Question 3

When Copernicus first created his Sun-centered model of the universe, it did not lead to substantially better predictions of planetary positions than the Ptolemaic model. Why not?

Accepted Answer

A)  Copernicus used perfect circles for the orbits of the planets. 
B)  Copernicus placed the planets in the wrong order going outward from the Sun. 
C)  Copernicus misjudged the distances between the planets. 
D)  Copernicus placed the Sun at the center, but did not realize that the Moon orbits the Earth. 
A)  Copernicus used perfect circles for the orbits of the planets. 
B)  Copernicus placed the planets in the wrong order going outward from the Sun. 
C)  Copernicus misjudged the distances between the planets. 
D)  Copernicus placed the Sun at the center, but did not realize that the Moon orbits the Earth.

Question 4

The Earth is instantly replaced in its orbit by a speak of dust. Which statement best describes the subsequent orbital motion of that piece of dust?

Accepted Answer

A)  The dust particle will spiral into the Sun. 
B)  The dust particle will be ejected from the Solar System. 
C)  The dust particle will continue in the same orbit as the Earth did, orbiting the Sun in 1 year. 
D)  The dust particle will move to a smaller orbit and orbit the Sun in less than 1 year. 
E)  The dust particle will move to a larger orbit and orbit the Sun in more than 1 year. 
A)  The dust particle will spiral into the Sun. 
B)  The dust particle will be ejected from the Solar System. 
C)  The dust particle will continue in the same orbit as the Earth did, orbiting the Sun in 1 year. 
D)  The dust particle will move to a smaller orbit and orbit the Sun in less than 1 year. 
E)  The dust particle will move to a larger orbit and orbit the Sun in more than 1 year.

Question 5

Only one of the statements below uses the term theory in its correct, scientific sense. Which one?

Accepted Answer

A)  Einstein's theory of relativity has been tested and verified thousands of times. 
B)  Evolution is only a theory, so there's no reason to think it really happened. 
C)  I have a new theory about the cause of earthquakes, and I plan to start testing it soon. 
D)  I wrote a theory that is 152 pages long. 
A)  Einstein's theory of relativity has been tested and verified thousands of times. 
B)  Evolution is only a theory, so there's no reason to think it really happened. 
C)  I have a new theory about the cause of earthquakes, and I plan to start testing it soon. 
D)  I wrote a theory that is 152 pages long.

Question 6

Which of the following is the reason for the solar day being longer than a sidereal day?

Accepted Answer

A)  precession of Earth's axis 
B)  the tilt of Earth's axis 
C)  the combined effect of the rotation of Earth and its orbit about the Sun 
D)  Earth year being a non-integer number of Earth days 
E)  the non-circular orbit of Earth around the Sun 
A)  precession of Earth's axis 
B)  the tilt of Earth's axis 
C)  the combined effect of the rotation of Earth and its orbit about the Sun 
D)  Earth year being a non-integer number of Earth days 
E)  the non-circular orbit of Earth around the Sun

Question 7

Ptolemy was important in the history of astronomy because he ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  developed a model of the solar system that made sufficiently accurate predictions of planetary positions to remain in use for many centuries 
B)  developed the first scientific model of the universe 
C)  was the first to create a model of the solar system that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at the center 
D)  was the first to believe that all orbits are perfect circles 
A)  developed a model of the solar system that made sufficiently accurate predictions of planetary positions to remain in use for many centuries 
B)  developed the first scientific model of the universe 
C)  was the first to create a model of the solar system that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at the center 
D)  was the first to believe that all orbits are perfect circles

Question 8

How does a 12-month lunar calendar differ from our 12-month solar calendar?

Accepted Answer

A)  It has about 11 fewer days. 
B)  It does not have seasons. 
C)  Its new year always occurs in February instead of on January 1. 
D)  It uses a 23-hour rather than a 24-hour day. 
A)  It has about 11 fewer days. 
B)  It does not have seasons. 
C)  Its new year always occurs in February instead of on January 1. 
D)  It uses a 23-hour rather than a 24-hour day.

Question 9

The great contribution of Tycho Brahe was to ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  observe planetary positions with sufficient accuracy so that Kepler could later use the data to discover the laws of planetary motion 
B)  discover four moons orbiting Jupiter, thereby lending strong support to the idea that the Earth is not the center of the universe 
C)  offer the first detailed model of a Sun-centered solar system, thereby beginning the process of overturning the Earth-centered model of the Greeks 
D)  discover that planets orbit the Sun in elliptical orbits with varying speed 
A)  observe planetary positions with sufficient accuracy so that Kepler could later use the data to discover the laws of planetary motion 
B)  discover four moons orbiting Jupiter, thereby lending strong support to the idea that the Earth is not the center of the universe 
C)  offer the first detailed model of a Sun-centered solar system, thereby beginning the process of overturning the Earth-centered model of the Greeks 
D)  discover that planets orbit the Sun in elliptical orbits with varying speed

Question 10

The ancient Greeks get a lot of attention for their contributions to science because ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  they were the first people known to try to explain nature with models based on reason and mathematics, without resort to the supernatural 
B)  the books of every other culture were lost in the destruction of the library of Alexandria 
C)  they were the first people to realize that Earth is a planet orbiting the Sun 
D)  they were the only ancient culture that kept written records of their astronomical observations 
A)  they were the first people known to try to explain nature with models based on reason and mathematics, without resort to the supernatural 
B)  the books of every other culture were lost in the destruction of the library of Alexandria 
C)  they were the first people to realize that Earth is a planet orbiting the Sun 
D)  they were the only ancient culture that kept written records of their astronomical observations

Question 11

When and where did the Library of Alexandria exist?

Accepted Answer

A)  from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1800 in Greece 
B)  from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1800 in Egypt 
C)  From 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Rome 
D)  from 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Greece 
E)  from 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Egypt 
A)  from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1800 in Greece 
B)  from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1800 in Egypt 
C)  From 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Rome 
D)  from 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Greece 
E)  from 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Egypt

Question 12

Why did Ptolemy have the planets orbiting Earth on "circles upon circles" in his model of the universe?

Accepted Answer

A)  to explain why more distant planets take longer to make a circuit through the constellations of the zodiac 
B)  to explain the fact that planets sometimes appear to move westward, rather than eastward, relative to the stars in our sky 
C)  to explain why the Greeks were unable to detect stellar parallax 
D)  To properly account for the varying distances of the planets from Earth 
E)  To explain why Venus goes through phases as seen from Earth 
A)  to explain why more distant planets take longer to make a circuit through the constellations of the zodiac 
B)  to explain the fact that planets sometimes appear to move westward, rather than eastward, relative to the stars in our sky 
C)  to explain why the Greeks were unable to detect stellar parallax 
D)  To properly account for the varying distances of the planets from Earth 
E)  To explain why Venus goes through phases as seen from Earth

Question 13

In science, a broad idea that has been repeatedly verified so as to give scientists great confidence that it represents reality is called ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  a paradigm 
B)  a hypothesis 
C)  a Ptolemaic model 
D)  a theory 
A)  a paradigm 
B)  a hypothesis 
C)  a Ptolemaic model 
D)  a theory

Question 14

Scientific theories can never be proved true beyond all doubt.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Match the accomplishment to the person:

Accepted Answer

A)  Tycho collected data, Newton found elliptical orbits, Kepler explained in terms of physics. 
B)  Tycho collected data, Kepler found elliptical orbits, Newton explained in terms of physics. 
C)  Kepler collected data, Tycho found elliptical orbits, Newton explained in terms of physics. 
A)  Tycho collected data, Newton found elliptical orbits, Kepler explained in terms of physics. 
B)  Tycho collected data, Kepler found elliptical orbits, Newton explained in terms of physics. 
C)  Kepler collected data, Tycho found elliptical orbits, Newton explained in terms of physics.

Question 16

He discovered that the orbits of planets are ellipses.

Accepted Answer

A)  Tycho Brahe 
B)  Copernicus 
C)  Kepler 
D)  Galileo 
E)  Ptolemy 
A)  Tycho Brahe 
B)  Copernicus 
C)  Kepler 
D)  Galileo 
E)  Ptolemy

Question 17

Copernicus's model of the solar system gave much better predictions than the model of Ptolemy.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Copernicus was the first person to suggest a Sun-centered solar system.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

In the Ptolemaic system, Venus should not show phases.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Kepler's second law, which states that as a planet moves around its orbit it sweeps out equal areas in equal times, means that

Accepted Answer

A)  a planet travels faster when it is nearer to the Sun and slower when it is farther from the Sun. 
B)  a planet's period does not depend on the eccentricity of its orbit. 
C)  planets that are farther from the Sun move at slower average speeds than nearer planets. 
D)  the period of a planet does not depend on its mass. 
E)  planets have circular orbits. 
A)  a planet travels faster when it is nearer to the Sun and slower when it is farther from the Sun. 
B)  a planet's period does not depend on the eccentricity of its orbit. 
C)  planets that are farther from the Sun move at slower average speeds than nearer planets. 
D)  the period of a planet does not depend on its mass. 
E)  planets have circular orbits.

The principle of Occam's Razor states that

All the following statements are true. Which one follows directly from Kepler's third law (p² = a³)?

When Copernicus first created his Sun-centered model of the universe, it did not lead to substantially better predictions of planetary positions than the Ptolemaic model. Why not?

The Earth is instantly replaced in its orbit by a speak of dust. Which statement best describes the subsequent orbital motion of that piece of dust?

Only one of the statements below uses the term theory in its correct, scientific sense. Which one?

Which of the following is the reason for the solar day being longer than a sidereal day?

Ptolemy was important in the history of astronomy because he ________.

How does a 12-month lunar calendar differ from our 12-month solar calendar?

The great contribution of Tycho Brahe was to ________.

The ancient Greeks get a lot of attention for their contributions to science because ________.

When and where did the Library of Alexandria exist?

Why did Ptolemy have the planets orbiting Earth on "circles upon circles" in his model of the universe?

In science, a broad idea that has been repeatedly verified so as to give scientists great confidence that it represents reality is called ________.

Scientific theories can never be proved true beyond all doubt.

Match the accomplishment to the person:

He discovered that the orbits of planets are ellipses.

Copernicus's model of the solar system gave much better predictions than the model of Ptolemy.

Copernicus was the first person to suggest a Sun-centered solar system.

In the Ptolemaic system, Venus should not show phases.

Kepler's second law, which states that as a planet moves around its orbit it sweeps out equal areas in equal times, means that

Our Place in the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

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

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of Planetary Systems: Our Solar System and Beyond

Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet Systems

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

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

Galaxies and the Foundation of Modern Cosmology

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

The Beginning of Time

Life in the Universe

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Exam 3: The Science of Astronomy

The principle of Occam's Razor states that

All the following statements are true. Which one follows directly from Kepler's third law (p² = a³)?

When Copernicus first created his Sun-centered model of the universe, it did not lead to substantially better predictions of planetary positions than the Ptolemaic model. Why not?

The Earth is instantly replaced in its orbit by a speak of dust. Which statement best describes the subsequent orbital motion of that piece of dust?

Only one of the statements below uses the term theory in its correct, scientific sense. Which one?

Which of the following is the reason for the solar day being longer than a sidereal day?

Ptolemy was important in the history of astronomy because he ________.

How does a 12-month lunar calendar differ from our 12-month solar calendar?

The great contribution of Tycho Brahe was to ________.

The ancient Greeks get a lot of attention for their contributions to science because ________.

When and where did the Library of Alexandria exist?

Why did Ptolemy have the planets orbiting Earth on "circles upon circles" in his model of the universe?

In science, a broad idea that has been repeatedly verified so as to give scientists great confidence that it represents reality is called ________.

Scientific theories can never be proved true beyond all doubt.

Match the accomplishment to the person:

He discovered that the orbits of planets are ellipses.

Copernicus's model of the solar system gave much better predictions than the model of Ptolemy.

Copernicus was the first person to suggest a Sun-centered solar system.

In the Ptolemaic system, Venus should not show phases.

Kepler's second law, which states that as a planet moves around its orbit it sweeps out equal areas in equal times, means that

Our Place in the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

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

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of Planetary Systems: Our Solar System and Beyond

Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet Systems

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

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

Galaxies and the Foundation of Modern Cosmology

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

The Beginning of Time

Life in the Universe

Filters