Deck 2: The Ordered Universe: Why Do Planets Appear to Wander Slowly Across the Sky

Question 1

The astronomical model placing the Sun at the center of the solar system was resisted for hundreds of years because

A) a way to measure astronomical distances with great precision had not been invented.
B) errors in calculations of data analysis went undetected.
C) most scholarly texts were written in Latin.
D) the Catholic Church banned all discussions of Copernican ideas.
E) all scientists used the great calendar at Stonehenge and looked no further.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

If the Moon were positioned twice as far from the Earth as it is now, the gravitational attraction would be

A) twice as great.
B) four times as great.
C) one-fourth as great.
D) the same as it is now.
E) one-half as great.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

To calculate the gravitational force between two objects, we need all the following except

A) acceleration of both objects.
B) mass of the first object.
C) mass of the second object.
D) gravitational constant.
E) distance between the two objects.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following is most likely to happen to an astronaut during liftoff?

A) Bones and muscles collapse.
B) Nerve damage occurs.
C) Body fluids are replenished.
D) Blood is drained from the brain.
E) Old wounds heal miraculously.

Question 5

Linear momentum is a quantity that is equal to the

A) difference between an object's mass and velocity.
B) sum of an object's mass multiplied by velocity.
C) product of an object's mass multiplied by velocity.
D) gravitational force multiplied by velocity.
E) the reciprocal of an object's mass multiplied by velocity.

Question 6

Copernicus hypothesized that

A) the Sun is the center of the universe.
B) the Earth is the center of the universe.
C) the planets have circular orbits.
D) the planets have elliptical orbits
E) there are crystal spheres and no solar system.

Question 7

What did the builders of Stonehenge accomplish?

A) They demonstrated that some natural events are predictable.
B) They figured out the structure and mechanics of the Solar System.
C) They established contact with ancient astronauts.
D) They maintained written records of natural events, which are carved in stone.
E) They made a gathering place for sale of their crops.

Question 8

The Ptolemaic theory of the universe includes

A) an unmoving Earth at the center.
B) an unmoving Sun at the center.
C) elliptical orbits.
D) stationary planets.
E) a modern view of the solar system.

Question 9

What is the rate of acceleration for a car that reaches a speed of three meters per second from rest in ten seconds?

A) 3 meters per second
B) 3 m/s²
C) 0.15 meter per second
D) 0.3 meters per second
E) 30 m/s²

Question 10

Dr. John Snow's research and observations improved the lives of London's citizens in the 1800s by

A) improving the quality of the drinking water.
B) finding a cure for cholera.
C) diagnosing tuberculosis in the Royal family.
D) associating disease with polluted water.
E) identifying the bacterium, Vibrio cholerae.

Question 11

The Greek astronomers' explanation for the celestial spheres did not encompass the phenomenon of

A) geocentricism.
B) planetary motion.
C) a solar system.
D) retrograde motion.
E) a solar eclipse.

Question 12

Acceleration due to gravity

A) is a universal constant.
B) is a fundamental property.
C) decreases with increasing altitude.
D) is different for different objects in free fall.
E) Only occurs on earth.

Question 13

Which of the following is in uniform motion?

A) a kite dancing on the wind
B) a jet as it takes off from an airport
C) an Olympic skier winding through a slalom course
D) a high diver spinning in the air
E) a train traveling west at 70 mph

Question 14

The 17th century laws of planetary motion stated that

A) all planets orbit in circular paths.
B) the Earth is the center of the universe.
C) all planets orbit in elliptical paths.
D) solar system bodies are structured as spheres within spheres.
E) a planet's velocity is constant during its orbit around the Sun.

Question 15

"Eighty miles per hour toward the northeast" is an example of

A) acceleration.
B) uniform motion.
C) rate.
D) velocity.
E) speed.

Question 16

The paired forces in Newton's third law

A) never produce an acceleration.
B) act on different objects.
C) cancel each other.
D) exist only for internal forces.
E) are stronger if gravitational acceleration is low.

Question 17

Which of the following is true of the Law of Universal Gravitation?

A) Force = big G times mass times mass of the Earth divided by the radius of the Earth squared.
B) Gravitational force of an object on earth is relative to its acceleration.
C) Gravitational force between two objects sometimes equals zero.
D) Force = little g times mass.
E) Force =mass times velocity.

Question 18

Newton's three laws of motion include the statement that

A) for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
B) the less massive an object, the more force is required to overcome inertia.
C) every falling object falls at different and constantly changing rates.
D) the acceleration produced on a body by a force is inversely proportional to the amount of force applied to the body.
E) there is no gravity in most of the vast space between stars.

Question 19

Which scientist would have been most likely to use mathematics in understanding elliptical orbits of planets?

A) Tycho Brahe
B) Johannes Kepler
C) Nicolas Copernicus
D) Claudius Ptolemy
E) Galileo Galilei

Question 20

Ockham's razor is a(n)

A) instrument used in medical studies.
B) philosophy advocating the simplest solutions.
C) constellation in the southern hemisphere.
D) example of pseudoscience.
E) tool used in raising Stonehenge's giant stones.

Question 21

In 1854, how did John Snow use scientific reasoning to solve the mystery of the source of cholera plaguing London?

Question 22

An example of a chaotic system is

A) turbulent flow of fluids.
B) the trajectory of a missile.
C) the orbit of the Moon and the Earth.
D) the rate at which tree grows.
E) the variation of gravity on Earth.

Question 23

Compare the main contributions of Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton. How did their work depend on other scientists?

Question 24

If a pumpkin has the mass of 2 kg, how much does it weigh? Explain.

Question 25

Which of the following does not demonstrate angular momentum?

A) navigation equipment on airplanes
B) the hubcap and tire system on an automobile
C) a figure skater's spin
D) an apple falling from a tree
E) a satellite in outer space

Question 26

Describe the forces at work during a roller coaster ride. Compare the impact of these forces on human physiology with the forces felt by the astronauts during a space launch.

Question 27

What is the main difference between velocity and speed?

Question 28

It appears that Stonehenge was built to mark the passage of time, i.e., function as a giant calendar. How do we know this using scientific reasoning?

Question 29

What was the role of Galileo's experiments in the formulation of Newton's laws?

Question 30

Explain how evolving technology affected the acceptance of the Sun-centered model of our solar system.

Question 31

Describe the philosophical and religious implications of the Copernican theory of the universe, compared to the Ptolemaic theory of the universe.

Question 32

What was the main contribution of Nicholas Copernicus and how did his work depend on other scientists?

Question 33

How does the concept of Ockham's razor apply to Kepler's model of the solar system?

Question 34

Choose one of Isaac Newton's three laws of motion and describe how it applies to something that happened to you recently.

Question 35

The Earth and Moon are moving slowly away from a common center of mass. How will this affect the angular momentum of the Earth-Moon system in 20 million years?

A) Angular momentum will increase.
B) Angular momentum will decrease.
C) Angular momentum will stay the same.
D) The Moon's rotation will increase.
E) The Earth's rotation will increase.

Question 36

What is the branch of science called mechanics?

Question 37

What was the argument used in the Roman Catholic Church's case to retroactively acquit Galileo nearly 400 years after his original heresy trial? What tactic of Galileo's seems to have caused him problems during his trial?

Question 38

Using Newton's laws, what do you need to know to predict the future anywhere in the universe?

Question 39

The position of the constellations (groups of stars) in the night sky changes through the year, as observed from Earth. Explain this shift using both the Ptolemaic and Copernican models of the solar system.

Question 40

Which of these statements is not true about Copernicus?

A) He hypothesized that planetary orbits were circular.
B) He thought that Ptolemy's ideas about the shape of orbits were correct.
C) He provided the first serious alternative to Ptolemy's system.
D) His model of the universe placed the Sun, rather than the Earth, at the center.
E) He used telescopic observations to confirm his theories.

Question 41

What did astronomical observations mean to ancient people?

Question 42

What's more fun on a roller coaster, Newton's 1^st or 2^nd law? Explain.

Question 43

If a hammer falls from an airplane for 100 seconds, what velocity might it ideally attain (express the answer in ft/s and mi/hr)? Falling in air, however, the hammer will not attain such a velocity. Why is that?

Question 44

What two things allowed Kepler, using Tycho's data, to break through centuries of mistaken interpretation of the solar system and discover the modern concept of how our solar system and the universe work?

Question 45

Explain how seatbelts are related to Newton's laws.

Question 46

What evidence can you offer from personal experience that shows how gravity is a universal force?

Question 47

What assumption of astronomers prior to Tycho and Kepler held back progress on understanding the place of Earth in the solar system and the nature of planetary orbits?

Question 48

What is linear momentum and how is it computed?

Question 49

In Galileo's experiments, where the ball is falling freely, at what angle is it coming down to the ground? In computations regarding these experiments, acceleration of the ball is given what letter and what does that letter mean?