Question 1

Describe two important reasons why the ability to put telescopes in space dramatically affected the science of astronomy.

Accepted Answer

Images taken from telescopes in space do not suffer the blurring that is due to light's passage through the Earth's atmosphere,and thus the images are much sharper.Also some wavelengths of radiation do not penetrate through the Earth's atmosphere,such as ultraviolet light or X-rays,and thus they can only be observed from space.

Question 2

If an event were to take place on the Sun,how long would it take for the light to reach us?

Accepted Answer

A)  8 minutes 
B)  11 hours 
C)  1 second 
D)  1 day 
A)  8 minutes 
B)  11 hours 
C)  1 second 
D)  1 day A

Question 3

The speed of light is about

Accepted Answer

A)  20 km/s. 
B)  30,000 km/s. 
C)  300,000 km/s. 
D)  5 million km/s. 
A)  20 km/s. 
B)  30,000 km/s. 
C)  300,000 km/s. 
D)  5 million km/s. C

Question 4

If the diameter of our galaxy is approximately 100,000 light-years,our galaxy is __________ times larger than our Solar System.

Accepted Answer

A)  100 
B)  104 
C)  106 
D)  108 
A)  100 
B)  104 
C)  106 
D)  108

Question 5

Which of the following is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A)  A scientific theory is an undisputed fact. 
B)  If continual testing of a hypothesis shows it to be valid,it may become an accepted theory. 
C)  A hypothesis must always have one or more testable predictions. 
D)  A scientific theory may eventually be proven wrong when scientists acquire new data. 
A)  A scientific theory is an undisputed fact. 
B)  If continual testing of a hypothesis shows it to be valid,it may become an accepted theory. 
C)  A hypothesis must always have one or more testable predictions. 
D)  A scientific theory may eventually be proven wrong when scientists acquire new data.

Question 6

If you compared the diameter of the Earth (13,000 km)to 1 second,what unit of time would be equivalent to the size of our Galaxy,whose diameter is   ? __________,which is the length of time between now and when __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  3 million years;man's ancestors first began to walk upright 
B)  30,000 years;humans first arrived in the Americas 
C)  400 years;Galileo used a telescope to demonstrate that Jupiter had moons that revolved around it 
D)  4 billion years;the Solar System was born 
A)  3 million years;man's ancestors first began to walk upright 
B)  30,000 years;humans first arrived in the Americas 
C)  400 years;Galileo used a telescope to demonstrate that Jupiter had moons that revolved around it 
D)  4 billion years;the Solar System was born

Question 7

Computers are an important technological advance used in astronomy in the 21st century.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

When you see a pattern in nature,it is usually evidence of

Accepted Answer

A)  a theory being displayed. 
B)  quantum mechanics in action. 
C)  a breakdown of random clustering. 
D)  an underlying physical law. 
A)  a theory being displayed. 
B)  quantum mechanics in action. 
C)  a breakdown of random clustering. 
D)  an underlying physical law.

Question 9

The invention of satellites advanced astronomy because telescopes on satellites can explore wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation,such as X-rays,that cannot penetrate the Earth's atmosphere.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

After the Sun,the next nearest star to us is approximately __________ away.

Accepted Answer

A)  4 light-seconds 
B)  4 light-minutes 
C)  4 light-hours 
D)  4 light-years 
A)  4 light-seconds 
B)  4 light-minutes 
C)  4 light-hours 
D)  4 light-years

Question 11

Which of the following is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Local Group is a member of the Virgo Supercluster,which contains thousands of galaxies. 
B)  The Local Group contains two large spiral galaxies and a few dozen dwarf galaxies. 
C)  Our Solar System has eight classical planets. 
D)  The Milky Way galaxy contains approximately 100 million stars. 
A)  The Local Group is a member of the Virgo Supercluster,which contains thousands of galaxies. 
B)  The Local Group contains two large spiral galaxies and a few dozen dwarf galaxies. 
C)  Our Solar System has eight classical planets. 
D)  The Milky Way galaxy contains approximately 100 million stars.

Question 12

A crucial component of a scientific theory is that it is able to be tested by observations and thus proven true or false.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

The most massive elements (such as those that make up rocky planets like Earth)were formed

Accepted Answer

A)  in the early universe. 
B)  inside stars and supernovae. 
C)  through meteor collisions. 
D)  in the core of Earth. 
A)  in the early universe. 
B)  inside stars and supernovae. 
C)  through meteor collisions. 
D)  in the core of Earth.

Question 14

The language of science is

Accepted Answer

A)  Greek. 
B)  mathematics. 
C)  calculus. 
D)  Java. 
A)  Greek. 
B)  mathematics. 
C)  calculus. 
D)  Java.

Question 15

Our Sun is the most massive and luminous star in the Milky Way.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Albert Einstein is best known for his revolutionary theory of

Accepted Answer

A)  relativity. 
B)  quantum mechanics. 
C)  cosmology. 
D)  economics. 
A)  relativity. 
B)  quantum mechanics. 
C)  cosmology. 
D)  economics.

Question 17

Describe two ways in which Einstein's new theories changed commonly accepted scientific views of that time.

Accepted Answer

Mass and energy are essentiall

Question 18

There are many different areas of science,but a common factor in each is the evaluation and analysis of patterns.What patterns does astronomy deal with? (Describe in general and give at least one concrete example. )

Accepted Answer

Astronomy deals with patterns related to

Question 19

The distance to the nearest large spiral galaxy,Andromeda,is   .How long does it take light to travel from us to Andromeda?

Accepted Answer

A)  360 years 
B)  1.2 thousand years 
C)  4.5 billion years 
D)  2.5 million years 
A)  360 years 
B)  1.2 thousand years 
C)  4.5 billion years 
D)  2.5 million years

Question 20

Which of the following most closely approximates the number of stars in the Milky Way?

Accepted Answer

A)  10 million 
B)  100 million 
C)  10 billion 
D)  100 billion 
A)  10 million 
B)  100 million 
C)  10 billion 
D)  100 billion

Exam 1: Why Learn Astronomy

Describe two important reasons why the ability to put telescopes in space dramatically affected the science of astronomy.

If an event were to take place on the Sun,how long would it take for the light to reach us?

The speed of light is about

If the diameter of our galaxy is approximately 100,000 light-years,our galaxy is __________ times larger than our Solar System.

Which of the following is FALSE?

If you compared the diameter of the Earth (13,000 km)to 1 second,what unit of time would be equivalent to the size of our Galaxy,whose diameter is ? __________,which is the length of time between now and when __________.

Computers are an important technological advance used in astronomy in the 21st century.

When you see a pattern in nature,it is usually evidence of

The invention of satellites advanced astronomy because telescopes on satellites can explore wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation,such as X-rays,that cannot penetrate the Earth's atmosphere.

After the Sun,the next nearest star to us is approximately __________ away.

Which of the following is FALSE?

A crucial component of a scientific theory is that it is able to be tested by observations and thus proven true or false.

The most massive elements (such as those that make up rocky planets like Earth)were formed

The language of science is

Our Sun is the most massive and luminous star in the Milky Way.

Albert Einstein is best known for his revolutionary theory of

Describe two ways in which Einstein's new theories changed commonly accepted scientific views of that time.

There are many different areas of science,but a common factor in each is the evaluation and analysis of patterns.What patterns does astronomy deal with? (Describe in general and give at least one concrete example. )

The distance to the nearest large spiral galaxy,Andromeda,is .How long does it take light to travel from us to Andromeda?

Which of the following most closely approximates the number of stars in the Milky Way?

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

Gravity and Orbitsa Celestial Ballet

Light

The Tools of the Astronomer

The Birth and Evolution of Planetary Systems

The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

Worlds of Gas and Liquidthe Giant Planets

Gravity Is More Than Keplers Laws

Planetary Adornmentsmoons and Rings

Dwarf Planets and Small Solar System Bodies

Taking the Measure of Stars

A Run-Of-The-Mill G-Type Starour Sun

Star Formation and the Interstellar Medium

Stars in the Slow Lanelow-Mass Stellar Evolution

Live Fast,die Younghigh-Mass Stellar Evolution

Our Expanding Universe

Galaxies

The Milky Waya Normal Spiral Galaxy

Modern Cosmology

The Origin of Structure

Life

Filters

If you compared the diameter of the Earth (13,000 km)to 1 second,what unit of time would be equivalent to the size of our Galaxy,whose diameter is ? ,which is the length of time between now and when .