Question 1

Pluto is the only dwarf planet in our Solar System.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

The figures above show the night sky as it appears for an observer in the United States at the same time of the night but at four different seasons of the year.Which conclusion below is NOT reasonable based on these observations?

Accepted Answer

A) Constellations do not change their location relative to one another,but which constellations appear in the night sky does change from season to season. 
B) There are some constellations such as Ursa Minor,Ursa Major,Cassiopeia,and Cephus that are always seen in the night sky. 
C) Some constellations such as Capricornus and Sagittarius are only visible during summer and fall. 
D) A good time to harvest crops would be when the constellation Pegasus is directly overhead. 
E) A good time to plant crops would be when the constellation Sagittarius is directly overhead. 
A) Constellations do not change their location relative to one another,but which constellations appear in the night sky does change from season to season. 
B) There are some constellations such as Ursa Minor,Ursa Major,Cassiopeia,and Cephus that are always seen in the night sky. 
C) Some constellations such as Capricornus and Sagittarius are only visible during summer and fall. 
D) A good time to harvest crops would be when the constellation Pegasus is directly overhead. 
E) A good time to plant crops would be when the constellation Sagittarius is directly overhead.

Question 3

A light-year is a unit commonly used in astronomy as a measure of time.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

If you compare the diameter of the Earth to 1 minute of time,then what interval of time would represent the diameter of the Solar System? Assume the diameter of the Solar System is approximately 80 AU.

Accepted Answer

The diameter of the Earth is 2 × 6378 km

Question 5

The decision to classify Pluto as a dwarf planet was made by:

Accepted Answer

A) its discoverer Clyde Tombaugh in 1930 
B) the president of the U.S.Naval Observatory in 2001 
C) the International Astronomical Union in 2006 
D) the Secretary General of the United Nations in 2001 
E) a vote of the majority of Americans in 2006 
A) its discoverer Clyde Tombaugh in 1930 
B) the president of the U.S.Naval Observatory in 2001 
C) the International Astronomical Union in 2006 
D) the Secretary General of the United Nations in 2001 
E) a vote of the majority of Americans in 2006

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

Mass and energy are manifestations of th

Question 7

Describe the main steps involved in the scientific method.

Accepted Answer

First you make a hypothesis and then you

Question 8

Which is NOT an advantage of placing telescopes in space? From space,a telescope:

Accepted Answer

A) has better access to high energy radiation such as ultraviolet light and X-rays 
B) has better access to low energy radiation such as infrared and microwave radiation 
C) avoids the blurring of images caused by the Earth's atmosphere 
D) avoids light pollution from big cities 
E) is closer to the objects being observed 
A) has better access to high energy radiation such as ultraviolet light and X-rays 
B) has better access to low energy radiation such as infrared and microwave radiation 
C) avoids the blurring of images caused by the Earth's atmosphere 
D) avoids light pollution from big cities 
E) is closer to the objects being observed

Question 9

If you compared the diameter of the Earth,which is 13,000 km,to 1 second,then what unit of time would be equivalent to the size of the Milky Way,whose diameter is 1021 m,and what significant milestone would this time correspond to in our evolution?

Accepted Answer

A) 2 million years,the length of time humans have existed on Earth 
B) 30,000 years,the length of time humans have lived in North America 
C) 400 years,the length of time humans have been exploring the skies with telescopes 
D) 4 billion years,the age of the Solar System 
E) 14 billion years,the age of the universe 
A) 2 million years,the length of time humans have existed on Earth 
B) 30,000 years,the length of time humans have lived in North America 
C) 400 years,the length of time humans have been exploring the skies with telescopes 
D) 4 billion years,the age of the Solar System 
E) 14 billion years,the age of the universe

Question 10

The word astronomy means:

Accepted Answer

A) "patterns among the stars" 
B) "to study the stars" 
C) "discovering the universe" 
D) "the movement of the stars" 
E) "personality traits set by the stars" 
A) "patterns among the stars" 
B) "to study the stars" 
C) "discovering the universe" 
D) "the movement of the stars" 
E) "personality traits set by the stars"

Question 11

The Local Group is a member of the Virgo Supercluster.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Using the method of comparing times to get a handle on the large distances in astronomy,compare the size of Earth to the size of the visible universe.Start by making the size of the Earth comparable to a snap of your fingers,which lasts about 1/7 seconds.Show your computation.

Accepted Answer

If the size of Earth is like a

Question 13

The distance to the nearest large spiral galaxy,the Andromeda galaxy,is 2.4 × 1022 m.How long does it take light to travel from Andromeda to us?

Accepted Answer

A) 4.4 years 
B) 360 years 
C) 1.2 thousand years 
D) 2.5 million years 
E) 4.5 billion years 
A) 4.4 years 
B) 360 years 
C) 1.2 thousand years 
D) 2.5 million years 
E) 4.5 billion years

Question 14

What is the only thing that makes the Sun an exceptional star?

Accepted Answer

The fact t

Question 15

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

Question 16

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 it in general and give at least one concrete example. )

Accepted Answer

Astronomy deals with patterns related to

Question 17

One of the nearest stars is Alpha Centauri,whose distance is 4.2 × 1016 m.How long does it take light to travel from Alpha Centauri to us?

Accepted Answer

A) 1.25 seconds 
B) 8.3 minutes 
C) 4.4 years 
D) 560 years 
E) 6,200 years 
A) 1.25 seconds 
B) 8.3 minutes 
C) 4.4 years 
D) 560 years 
E) 6,200 years

Question 18

If the diameter of the Milky Way is approximately 100,000 light-years,then our galaxy is _________ times larger than our Solar System.For reference,Pluto's orbit has an approximate diameter of 80 AU.

Accepted Answer

A) 100 
B) 1,000 
C) 10,000 
D) 106 
E) 108 
A) 100 
B) 1,000 
C) 10,000 
D) 106 
E) 108

Question 19

The Copernican principle states that there is nothing special about our local region of the universe.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 1: Why Learn Astronomy

Pluto is the only dwarf planet in our Solar System.

The figures above show the night sky as it appears for an observer in the United States at the same time of the night but at four different seasons of the year.Which conclusion below is NOT reasonable based on these observations?

A light-year is a unit commonly used in astronomy as a measure of time.

If you compare the diameter of the Earth to 1 minute of time,then what interval of time would represent the diameter of the Solar System? Assume the diameter of the Solar System is approximately 80 AU.

The decision to classify Pluto as a dwarf planet was made by:

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

Describe the main steps involved in the scientific method.

Which is NOT an advantage of placing telescopes in space? From space,a telescope:

If you compared the diameter of the Earth,which is 13,000 km,to 1 second,then what unit of time would be equivalent to the size of the Milky Way,whose diameter is 1021 m,and what significant milestone would this time correspond to in our evolution?

The word astronomy means:

The Local Group is a member of the Virgo Supercluster.

Using the method of comparing times to get a handle on the large distances in astronomy,compare the size of Earth to the size of the visible universe.Start by making the size of the Earth comparable to a snap of your fingers,which lasts about 1/7 seconds.Show your computation.

The distance to the nearest large spiral galaxy,the Andromeda galaxy,is 2.4 × 1022 m.How long does it take light to travel from Andromeda to us?

What is the only thing that makes the Sun an exceptional star?

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

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 it in general and give at least one concrete example. )

One of the nearest stars is Alpha Centauri,whose distance is 4.2 × 1016 m.How long does it take light to travel from Alpha Centauri to us?

If the diameter of the Milky Way is approximately 100,000 light-years,then our galaxy is _________ times larger than our Solar System.For reference,Pluto's orbit has an approximate diameter of 80 AU.

The Copernican principle states that there is nothing special about our local region of the universe.

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

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

Motion of Astronomical Bodies

Gravity and Orbits

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 Liquid the Giant Planets

Planetary Adornments Moons and Rings

Dwarf Planets and Small Solar System Bodies

Taking the Measure of Stars

Our Starthe Sun

Star Formation and the Interstellar Medium

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

Relativity and Black Holes

The Expanding Universe

Galaxies

The Milky Waya Normal Spiral Galaxy

Modern Cosmology

Large-Scale Structure in the Universe

Life

Filters

If you compared the diameter of the Earth,which is 13,000 km,to 1 second,then what unit of time would be equivalent to the size of the Milky Way,whose diameter is 10²¹ m,and what significant milestone would this time correspond to in our evolution?

The distance to the nearest large spiral galaxy,the Andromeda galaxy,is 2.4 × 10²² m.How long does it take light to travel from Andromeda to us?

One of the nearest stars is Alpha Centauri,whose distance is 4.2 × 10¹⁶ m.How long does it take light to travel from Alpha Centauri to us?