Question 1

We do not see stars in the daytime because

Accepted Answer

A) the Sun blocks their view. 
B) they simply don't exist in the daytime part of the sky. 
C) skylight overwhelms starlight. 
D) of the lack of contrast with moonlight. 
E) the solar wind obscures their view. 
A) the Sun blocks their view. 
B) they simply don't exist in the daytime part of the sky. 
C) skylight overwhelms starlight. 
D) of the lack of contrast with moonlight. 
E) the solar wind obscures their view. C

Question 2

The determining factor in the stages a star will progress through from birth to death is its

Accepted Answer

A) mass. 
B) temperature. 
C) composition. 
D) relative density. 
A) mass. 
B) temperature. 
C) composition. 
D) relative density. A

Question 3

Why can't any star, no matter how massive, fuse elements heavier than iron?

Accepted Answer

A) Because the nucleons within iron have the least mass possible 
B) Because elements heavier than iron have less average mass per nucleon 
C) It could happen, we just have not yet observed a star massive enough to do this. 
D) Actually, this occurs on a regular basis, which explains the great abundance of heavy elements. 
A) Because the nucleons within iron have the least mass possible 
B) Because elements heavier than iron have less average mass per nucleon 
C) It could happen, we just have not yet observed a star massive enough to do this. 
D) Actually, this occurs on a regular basis, which explains the great abundance of heavy elements. A

Question 4

The background stars during a solar eclipse are those of constellations

Accepted Answer

A) of the opposite season. 
B) seen in the nighttime sky. 
C) not seen normally. 
D) seen in the opposite hemisphere. 
A) of the opposite season. 
B) seen in the nighttime sky. 
C) not seen normally. 
D) seen in the opposite hemisphere.

Question 5

A star's luminosity tells us

Accepted Answer

A) how much energy a star produces. 
B) its surface temperature. 
C) its rotational speed. 
D) both how much energy it produces and its surface temperature. 
A) how much energy a star produces. 
B) its surface temperature. 
C) its rotational speed. 
D) both how much energy it produces and its surface temperature.

Question 6

How far is a light year?

Accepted Answer

A) Nearly 10 trillion km 
B) The distance of one Earth orbit. 
C) 300,000 km 
D) All of the above 
A) Nearly 10 trillion km 
B) The distance of one Earth orbit. 
C) 300,000 km 
D) All of the above

Question 7

The star nearest the Earth is

Accepted Answer

A) the Sun. 
B) Alpha Centauri. 
C) Polaris. 
D) the Moon. 
A) the Sun. 
B) Alpha Centauri. 
C) Polaris. 
D) the Moon.

Question 8

Because a white dwarf is no longer burning fuel, it is more accurately described as being a

Accepted Answer

A) stellar remnant 
B) failed star 
C) protostar 
D) black elf 
A) stellar remnant 
B) failed star 
C) protostar 
D) black elf

Question 9

If a star collapses to a tenth its size, gravitation at its surface increases by

Accepted Answer

A) ten. 
B) twenty. 
C) one hundred. 
D) one thousand. 
E) more than one thousand. 
A) ten. 
B) twenty. 
C) one hundred. 
D) one thousand. 
E) more than one thousand.

Question 10

Thermonuclear fusion occurs mainly in the

Accepted Answer

A) cores of stars. 
B) outer layers of stars. 
C) both, actually 
A) cores of stars. 
B) outer layers of stars. 
C) both, actually

Question 11

Red giant stars are

Accepted Answer

A) close to exhausting their supply of hydrogen. 
B) have already exhausted their supply of hydrogen. 
C) are close to exhausting their supply of helium. 
D) have already exhausted their supply of helium. 
A) close to exhausting their supply of hydrogen. 
B) have already exhausted their supply of hydrogen. 
C) are close to exhausting their supply of helium. 
D) have already exhausted their supply of helium.

Question 12

When a star collapses to become a black hole, its mass

Accepted Answer

A) increases. 
B) decreases. 
C) remains unchanged. 
A) increases. 
B) decreases. 
C) remains unchanged.

Question 13

What is the reference that astronomers use to denote the luminosity of stars?

Accepted Answer

A) The luminosity of the Sun 
B) The luminosity of the Northern Star 
C) The luminosity of Proxima Centauri, our solar system's closest neighbor star 
D) The luminosity of the cluster of stars at the center of the Milky Way galaxy 
A) The luminosity of the Sun 
B) The luminosity of the Northern Star 
C) The luminosity of Proxima Centauri, our solar system's closest neighbor star 
D) The luminosity of the cluster of stars at the center of the Milky Way galaxy

Question 14

Luminosity is

Accepted Answer

A) the total amount of light energy that star emits into space. 
B) the stars apparent brightness. 
C) the stars particular color spectrum output. 
D) the stars total infrared output. 
A) the total amount of light energy that star emits into space. 
B) the stars apparent brightness. 
C) the stars particular color spectrum output. 
D) the stars total infrared output.

Question 15

The stars Procyon and Betelgeuse both appear equally bright to Earthbound viewers. Yet Betelgeuse emits 5000 times more light than Procyon. Why do they appear to be equally bright?

Accepted Answer

A) Because Betelgeuse is much farther than Procyon 
B) Because Betelgeuse is undergoing fission, not fusion 
C) Because Betelgeuse lies in the same plane of Earth's orbit 
D) Because Procyon is superhot 
A) Because Betelgeuse is much farther than Procyon 
B) Because Betelgeuse is undergoing fission, not fusion 
C) Because Betelgeuse lies in the same plane of Earth's orbit 
D) Because Procyon is superhot

Question 16

The longest living stars are those of

Accepted Answer

A) low mass. 
B) high mass. 
C) intermediate mass. 
A) low mass. 
B) high mass. 
C) intermediate mass.

Question 17

What do astronomers expect will be left at the center of our solar system once the Sun has gone through all its life stages?

Accepted Answer

A) A planet sized diamond 
B) A red giant 
C) A black hole 
D) A wormhole 
A) A planet sized diamond 
B) A red giant 
C) A black hole 
D) A wormhole

Question 18

The observable universe is

Accepted Answer

A) the minor portion of the universe we can observe. 
B) the part of the universe that is within the visible electromagnetic spectrum. 
C) part of the universe visible to the unaided eye. 
D) about 100 billion light years across. 
A) the minor portion of the universe we can observe. 
B) the part of the universe that is within the visible electromagnetic spectrum. 
C) part of the universe visible to the unaided eye. 
D) about 100 billion light years across.

Question 19

The gold in Uncle Harry's teeth fillings originated in

Accepted Answer

A) the deep interior of the Earth. 
B) fusion processes that date back about 5.5 billion years. 
C) the Big Bang. 
D) stars that blew up eons ago. 
E) Fort Knox. 
A) the deep interior of the Earth. 
B) fusion processes that date back about 5.5 billion years. 
C) the Big Bang. 
D) stars that blew up eons ago. 
E) Fort Knox.

Question 20

We say we are looking back in time when we are looking at the stars because

Accepted Answer

A) we see stars as they once were when their light reaches us. 
B) space curves, we are actually looking at the past when we look in the night sky. 
C) stars are emitting immense radiation, we are seeing processes that have already happened. 
D) Earth's atmosphere bends and distorts their light. 
A) we see stars as they once were when their light reaches us. 
B) space curves, we are actually looking at the past when we look in the night sky. 
C) stars are emitting immense radiation, we are seeing processes that have already happened. 
D) Earth's atmosphere bends and distorts their light.

Exam 27: Stars and Galaxies

We do not see stars in the daytime because

The determining factor in the stages a star will progress through from birth to death is its

Why can't any star, no matter how massive, fuse elements heavier than iron?

The background stars during a solar eclipse are those of constellations

A star's luminosity tells us

How far is a light year?

The star nearest the Earth is

Because a white dwarf is no longer burning fuel, it is more accurately described as being a

If a star collapses to a tenth its size, gravitation at its surface increases by

Thermonuclear fusion occurs mainly in the

Red giant stars are

When a star collapses to become a black hole, its mass

What is the reference that astronomers use to denote the luminosity of stars?

Luminosity is

The stars Procyon and Betelgeuse both appear equally bright to Earthbound viewers. Yet Betelgeuse emits 5000 times more light than Procyon. Why do they appear to be equally bright?

The longest living stars are those of

What do astronomers expect will be left at the center of our solar system once the Sun has gone through all its life stages?

The observable universe is

The gold in Uncle Harry's teeth fillings originated in

We say we are looking back in time when we are looking at the stars because

Patterns of Motion and Equilibrium

Newtons Laws of Motion

Momentum and Energy

Gravity, Projectiles, and Satellites

Fluid Mechanics

Thermal Energy and Thermodynamics

Heat Transfer and Change of Phase

Static and Current Electricity

Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction

Waves and Sound

Light

Atoms and the Periodic Table

The Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity

Elements of Chemistry

How Atoms Bond and Molecules Attract

Mixtures

How Chemicals React

Two Classes of Chemical Reactions

Organic Compounds

Rocks and Minerals

Plate Tectonics and Earths Interior

Shaping Earths Surface

Geologic Timereading the Rock Record

The Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climatic Effects

Driving Forces of Weather

The Solar System

The Structure of Space and Time

Prologue: the Nature of Science

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