Question 1

An astronomer surveying the sky toward a random region of the sky detects by chance the most distant galaxy ever detected. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  nonscience 
B)  discovery science 
C)  hypothesis-driven science 
D)  pseudoscience 
A)  nonscience 
B)  discovery science 
C)  hypothesis-driven science 
D)  pseudoscience B

Question 2

The methods of modern science were originated by the

Accepted Answer

A)  Mayans 
B)  Egyptians 
C)  Greeks 
D)  Babylonians 
A)  Mayans 
B)  Egyptians 
C)  Greeks 
D)  Babylonians C

Question 3

The first person to suggest that the Earth moved around the Sun was

Accepted Answer

A)  Aristarchus 
B)  Newton 
C)  Copernicus 
D)  Galileo 
A)  Aristarchus 
B)  Newton 
C)  Copernicus 
D)  Galileo A

Question 4

The circular shape of the Earth's shadow on the Moon during a lunar eclipse suggested to the Greeks that the Earth was

Accepted Answer

A)  cylindrical in shape 
B)  at the center of the Universe 
C)  flat 
D)  spherical in shape 
A)  cylindrical in shape 
B)  at the center of the Universe 
C)  flat 
D)  spherical in shape

Question 5

The geocentric model of the Greeks consisted of a

Accepted Answer

A)  flat Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a dome-shaped sky 
B)  flat Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a celestial sphere 
C)  spherical Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a dome-shaped sky 
D)  spherical Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a celestial sphere 
A)  flat Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a dome-shaped sky 
B)  flat Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a celestial sphere 
C)  spherical Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a dome-shaped sky 
D)  spherical Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a celestial sphere

Question 6

Scientific models supported by a large, compelling body of evidence are referred to as

Accepted Answer

A)  facts 
B)  ideas 
C)  theories 
D)  hypotheses 
A)  facts 
B)  ideas 
C)  theories 
D)  hypotheses

Question 7

Apparent retrograde motion occurs when a planet appears to

Accepted Answer

A)  be stationary with respect to background stars 
B)  move eastward with respect to background stars 
C)  move due north with respect to background stars 
D)  move westward with respect to background stars 
A)  be stationary with respect to background stars 
B)  move eastward with respect to background stars 
C)  move due north with respect to background stars 
D)  move westward with respect to background stars

Question 8

Kepler's 1st Law of planetary motion states that

Accepted Answer

A)  the orbits of the planets are ellipses with the Sun at one focus 
B)  an imaginary line joining the Sun and planet sweeps out equal areas in equal times 
C)  the further a planet is from the Sun, the slower it moves in its orbit 
D)  the further a planet is from the Sun, the faster it moves in its orbit 
A)  the orbits of the planets are ellipses with the Sun at one focus 
B)  an imaginary line joining the Sun and planet sweeps out equal areas in equal times 
C)  the further a planet is from the Sun, the slower it moves in its orbit 
D)  the further a planet is from the Sun, the faster it moves in its orbit

Question 9

Two asteroids have identical masses. However, one asteroid is twice as far from the Sun than the other. According to Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation the force of gravity exerted by the Sun on the more distant asteroid is

Accepted Answer

A)  the same size as the force exerted on the closer asteroid 
B)  one-quarter of the size of the force exerted on the closer asteroid 
C)  twice as large as the force exerted on the closer asteroid 
D)  one-half of the size of the force exerted on the closer asteroid 
A)  the same size as the force exerted on the closer asteroid 
B)  one-quarter of the size of the force exerted on the closer asteroid 
C)  twice as large as the force exerted on the closer asteroid 
D)  one-half of the size of the force exerted on the closer asteroid

Question 10

A scientific model is considered valid if it is consistent with

Accepted Answer

A)  a single observation by an individual scientist 
B)  the opinions of experts in the field 
C)  repeated observations made by an individual scientist 
D)  independent observations made by different scientists 
A)  a single observation by an individual scientist 
B)  the opinions of experts in the field 
C)  repeated observations made by an individual scientist 
D)  independent observations made by different scientists

Question 11

A scientist intuitively believes that a higher power must be present in the universe. However, she can provide no experimental data to support her belief. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  pseudoscience 
B)  hypothesis-driven science 
C)  nonscience 
D)  discovery science 
A)  pseudoscience 
B)  hypothesis-driven science 
C)  nonscience 
D)  discovery science

Question 12

Two asteroids are found at the same distance from the Sun. However, one asteroid is twice as massive the other. According to Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation the force of gravity exerted by the Sun and the more massive asteroid is

Accepted Answer

A)  twice as large as the force exerted on the less massive asteroid 
B)  four times as large as the force exerted on the less massive asteroid 
C)  half as large as the force exerted on the less massive asteroid 
D)  exactly the same as the force exerted on the less massive asteroid 
A)  twice as large as the force exerted on the less massive asteroid 
B)  four times as large as the force exerted on the less massive asteroid 
C)  half as large as the force exerted on the less massive asteroid 
D)  exactly the same as the force exerted on the less massive asteroid

Question 13

Tycho Brahe

Accepted Answer

A)  developed a theory of gravity to explain the motions of the planets 
B)  obtained the first observational evidence suggesting the Earth moved about the Sun 
C)  showed that the orbits of the planets were ellipses and not circles 
D)  made detailed measurements of the motions of the planets in the sky 
A)  developed a theory of gravity to explain the motions of the planets 
B)  obtained the first observational evidence suggesting the Earth moved about the Sun 
C)  showed that the orbits of the planets were ellipses and not circles 
D)  made detailed measurements of the motions of the planets in the sky

Question 14

Kepler's 3rd Law of planetary motion states that

Accepted Answer

A)  the orbits of planets are ellipses with the Sun at one focus 
B)  an imaginary line joining the Sun and planet sweeps out equal areas in equal times 
C)  the further a planet is from the Sun, the slower it moves in its orbit 
D)  the further a planet is from the Sun, the faster it moves in its orbit 
A)  the orbits of planets are ellipses with the Sun at one focus 
B)  an imaginary line joining the Sun and planet sweeps out equal areas in equal times 
C)  the further a planet is from the Sun, the slower it moves in its orbit 
D)  the further a planet is from the Sun, the faster it moves in its orbit

Question 15

In the scientific method a hypothesis is another name for

Accepted Answer

A)  an observation 
B)  an educated guess 
C)  a test 
D)  a theory 
A)  an observation 
B)  an educated guess 
C)  a test 
D)  a theory

Question 16

The observations of sunspots on the Sun and craters on the Moon by Galileo contradicted the commonly held belief that the universe was

Accepted Answer

A)  spherical 
B)  unchanging 
C)  infinite 
D)  perfect 
A)  spherical 
B)  unchanging 
C)  infinite 
D)  perfect

Question 17

According to Kepler's 2nd Law of planetary motion, a planet moves fastest in its orbit when it is

Accepted Answer

A)  undergoing retrograde motion 
B)  in between perihelion and aphelion 
C)  at perihelion 
D)  at aphelion 
A)  undergoing retrograde motion 
B)  in between perihelion and aphelion 
C)  at perihelion 
D)  at aphelion

Question 18

Asteroid 13681 Monty Python has an orbit with a semi-major axis, a, of 2.99 AU. What is its orbital period?

Accepted Answer

A)  2.08 years 
B)  2.99 years 
C)  6.34 years 
D)  5.17 years 
A)  2.08 years 
B)  2.99 years 
C)  6.34 years 
D)  5.17 years

Question 19

Stellar parallax is the apparent

Accepted Answer

A)  shift in position of nearby stars as the Earth moves around the Sun 
B)  westward motion of a planet with respect to the background stars 
C)  shift in position of nearby stars as the Sun moves about the center of the galaxy 
D)  shift in position of nearby stars as the Earth rotates on its axis 
A)  shift in position of nearby stars as the Earth moves around the Sun 
B)  westward motion of a planet with respect to the background stars 
C)  shift in position of nearby stars as the Sun moves about the center of the galaxy 
D)  shift in position of nearby stars as the Earth rotates on its axis

Question 20

Which of the following observations is explained by Einstein's General Theory of Relativity but not Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation?

Accepted Answer

A)  the ability of gravity to act across a distance 
B)  planets periodically undergo apparent retrograde motion 
C)  all objects fall to Earth at the same rate 
D)  planets move faster in their orbits when they are closer to the Sun 
A)  the ability of gravity to act across a distance 
B)  planets periodically undergo apparent retrograde motion 
C)  all objects fall to Earth at the same rate 
D)  planets move faster in their orbits when they are closer to the Sun

An astronomer surveying the sky toward a random region of the sky detects by chance the most distant galaxy ever detected. This is an example of

The methods of modern science were originated by the

The first person to suggest that the Earth moved around the Sun was

The circular shape of the Earth's shadow on the Moon during a lunar eclipse suggested to the Greeks that the Earth was

The geocentric model of the Greeks consisted of a

Scientific models supported by a large, compelling body of evidence are referred to as

Apparent retrograde motion occurs when a planet appears to

Kepler's 1st Law of planetary motion states that

Two asteroids have identical masses. However, one asteroid is twice as far from the Sun than the other. According to Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation the force of gravity exerted by the Sun on the more distant asteroid is

A scientific model is considered valid if it is consistent with

A scientist intuitively believes that a higher power must be present in the universe. However, she can provide no experimental data to support her belief. This is an example of

Two asteroids are found at the same distance from the Sun. However, one asteroid is twice as massive the other. According to Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation the force of gravity exerted by the Sun and the more massive asteroid is

Tycho Brahe

Kepler's 3rd Law of planetary motion states that

In the scientific method a hypothesis is another name for

The observations of sunspots on the Sun and craters on the Moon by Galileo contradicted the commonly held belief that the universe was

According to Kepler's 2nd Law of planetary motion, a planet moves fastest in its orbit when it is

Asteroid 13681 Monty Python has an orbit with a semi-major axis, a, of 2.99 AU. What is its orbital period?

Stellar parallax is the apparent

Which of the following observations is explained by Einstein's General Theory of Relativity but not Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation?

The Universal Context of Life

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

Habitability Outside the Solar System

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

Filters

Exam 2: The Science of Life in the Universe

An astronomer surveying the sky toward a random region of the sky detects by chance the most distant galaxy ever detected. This is an example of

The methods of modern science were originated by the

The first person to suggest that the Earth moved around the Sun was

The circular shape of the Earth's shadow on the Moon during a lunar eclipse suggested to the Greeks that the Earth was

The geocentric model of the Greeks consisted of a

Scientific models supported by a large, compelling body of evidence are referred to as

Apparent retrograde motion occurs when a planet appears to

Kepler's 1st Law of planetary motion states that

Two asteroids have identical masses. However, one asteroid is twice as far from the Sun than the other. According to Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation the force of gravity exerted by the Sun on the more distant asteroid is

A scientific model is considered valid if it is consistent with

A scientist intuitively believes that a higher power must be present in the universe. However, she can provide no experimental data to support her belief. This is an example of

Two asteroids are found at the same distance from the Sun. However, one asteroid is twice as massive the other. According to Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation the force of gravity exerted by the Sun and the more massive asteroid is

Tycho Brahe

Kepler's 3rd Law of planetary motion states that

In the scientific method a hypothesis is another name for

The observations of sunspots on the Sun and craters on the Moon by Galileo contradicted the commonly held belief that the universe was

According to Kepler's 2nd Law of planetary motion, a planet moves fastest in its orbit when it is

Asteroid 13681 Monty Python has an orbit with a semi-major axis, a, of 2.99 AU. What is its orbital period?

Stellar parallax is the apparent

Which of the following observations is explained by Einstein's General Theory of Relativity but not Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation?

The Universal Context of Life

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

Habitability Outside the Solar System

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

Filters