Deck 3: The Universal Context of Life

Question 1

Most of the mass of the Milky Way is in the form of

A) stars
B) gas clouds
C) black holes
D) dark matter

Answer 1

dark matter

Question 2

If we were to send a radio signal to an advanced civilization in 2014 which is located in the Zeta Reticuli star system approximately 39 light years away and the signal was immediately replied to, when would the reply arrive back at Earth?

A) 2092
B) 2039
C) 2053
D) 2014

Answer 2

2092

Question 3

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that the processes that formed life on Earth could have occurred elsewhere?

A) the universe is very old
B) the laws of physics are the same everywhere
C) the universe is very large
D) the chemical elements that make up life on Earth are common

Answer 3

the laws of physics are the same everywhere

Question 4

The Voyager 2 probe is currently traveling away from the Sun at a speed of approximately 50,000 km/h. At this speed, how long would it take for Voyager 2 to travel to the nearest solar-type star, Tau Ceti, which 11.9 light years from Earth?

A) 12 million years
B) 260 thousand years
C) 12 thousand years
D) 520 thousand years

Question 5

The light-year is defined to be the

A) time it takes light to travel from the Sun to the Earth
B) time it takes for light to travel from the nearest star to the Earth
C) distance light travels in one year
D) average distance between the Earth and the nearest star

Question 6

If we were to detect a signal from an advanced civilization in 2013 which is located at a distance of 7 light-years from the Sun, in what year was the signal actually transmitted?

A) 2007
B) 2013
C) 2020
D) 2006

Question 7

One piece of evidence that supports the Big Bang Theory is

A) the confirmation of the prediction that the universe is made of approximately three-fourths hydrogen and one-fourth helium by mass
B) that the universe is mostly made of dark energy
C) the detection of dark matter in the halos of galaxies
D) the fact that the universe has a finite age

Question 8

According to current theories, the universe appears to be made

A) of dark matter
B) of dark energy
C) mostly of ordinary matter in the form of stars and galaxies
D) of an equal mixture of dark matter and dark energy

Question 9

The nearest star is at a distance of 4.4 light-years. Given that light travels at 300,000 km/s in space, how far away is the nearest star in kilometers (km)?

A) 4.2 × 10¹³ km
B) 2.7 × 10¹⁵ km
C) 3.0 × 10⁸ km
D) 9.5 × 10¹² km

Question 10

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that extraterrestrial life may be constructed in a similar fashion to life on Earth?

A) the universe is very large
B) the universe is very old
C) the laws of physics are the same everywhere
D) the chemical elements that make up life on Earth are common

Question 11

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that there has been plenty of time for life to have appeared and evolved elsewhere?

A) the universe is very large
B) the universe is very old
C) the laws of physics are the same everywhere
D) the building blocks of life are common

Question 12

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that enormous numbers of habitable planets may exist?

A) the laws of physics are the same everywhere
B) the universe is very old
C) the universe is very large
D) the building blocks of life are common

Question 13

The strongest piece of evidence that supports the Big Bang theory is the

A) fact that the universe is expanding
B) detection of dark matter in the halos of galaxies
C) fact that stars have finite lifetimes
D) detection of the cosmic microwave background radiation left over from the formation of the universe

Question 14

Which of the following places the structures in our own part of the universe in order of increasing (smallest to largest) scale?

A) Solar System, Local Group, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Supercluster
B) Local Supercluster, Local Group, Milky Way Galaxy, Solar System
C) Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Supercluster, Local Group
D) Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Local Supercluster

Question 15

If we were to send a radio signal to an advanced civilization in 2012 which is located in the Zeta Reticuli star system approximately 39 light years away, when would the signal arrive at its destination?

A) 2051
B) 2039
C) 2012
D) 2090

Question 16

Approximately how many stars are there in the Milky Way galaxy?

A) a few hundred million
B) a few hundred thousand
C) a hundred billion
D) a trillion

Question 17

According to current astronomical data, approximately how old is the universe?

A) 65 million years
B) 6000 years
C) 4.6 billion years
D) 14 billion years

Question 18

In our Milky Way galaxy, the Sun is located

A) in the galactic bulge
B) at the galactic center
C) in the halo
D) in the disk

Question 19

Due to the vast scale of the universe, when we observe a star in the night sky, we are seeing it

A) not as it is now, but as it will be in the future
B) as it was at the moment the universe formed
C) as it is right now
D) not as it is now, but as it was in the past

Question 20

The Zeta Reticuli star system is approximately 3.7 x 1014 km from Earth. Given that light travels at 300,000 km/s in space, how far away is this star system in light years?

A) 39 ly
B) 4.4 ly
C) 52 ly
D) 27 ly

Question 21

The expansion of the universe is due to the

A) motion of galaxies through space
B) expansion of space within galaxies
C) expansion of stars within galaxies
D) expansion of space between galaxies

Question 22

The main chemical building blocks of life, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen were formed

A) inside interstellar gas clouds during star formation
B) in the center of the Earth and then ejected onto the surface via volcanism
C) in the nuclear burning cores of stars and then ejected into space when they died
D) in the Big Bang that created the universe

Question 23

In the process of nuclear fusion,

A) two or more nuclei fuse or stick together to form a heavier nucleus that has exactly the same mass as the original nucleus
B) a heavy nucleus breaks apart into a number of smaller nuclei whose combined mass is less than the original nucleus
C) two or more nuclei fuse or stick together to form a heavier nucleus whose combined mass is slightly less than the original nuclei
D) two or more nuclei fuse or stick together to form a heavier nucleus whose combined mass is slightly greater than the original nuclei

Question 24

A star that is less massive than the Sun will have

A) a shorter lifetime since it has less fuel to burn
B) a longer lifetime since its central nuclear-burning core is cooler
C) a longer lifetime since although its overall mass is lower, the mass of its nuclear burning core is the higher
D) an identical lifetime as the Sun since all stars evolve at the same rate

Question 25

In our solar system, Terrestrial planets are

A) small, made mostly of rock and iron with high densities, and found close to the Sun
B) large, made mostly of gases and liquids with low densities, and found far from the Sun
C) small, made of pure rock with high densities, and found close to the Sun
D) large, made of pure gases with low densities, and found far from the Sun

Question 26

We are located at the

A) edge of our physical universe
B) center of our observable universe
C) edge of our observable universe
D) center of our physical universe

Question 27

Which planet lies between the planets Saturn and Neptune?

A) Uranus
B) Jupiter
C) Venus
D) Mars

Question 28

Which planet is the second furthest from the Sun?

A) Mercury
B) Venus
C) Mars
D) Saturn

Question 29

Between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter we find

A) the Oort cloud
B) Orion's belt
C) the Kuiper belt
D) the asteroid belt

Question 30

Out immediately beyond the orbit of the planet Neptune we find

A) Orion's belt
B) the asteroid belt
C) the Kuiper belt
D) the Oort cloud

Question 31

The fundamental parameters of the Universe are so finely tuned that if they had been only slightly different, life would not have been possible. This statement is often referred to as the

A) anthropic principle
B) mediocrity principle
C) philanthropic principle
D) cosmological principle

Question 32

Far from the Sun in a spherical cloud surrounding the solar system we find

A) Orion's belt
B) the Oort cloud
C) the asteroid belt
D) the Kuiper belt

Question 33

The number of stars in the observable universe

A) is approximately equal to the population of the Earth at the turn of the 21st century
B) cannot be estimated
C) is approximately equal to the total number of sand grains on every beach on Earth
D) is infinitely large

Question 34

A star that is more massive than the Sun will have

A) an identical lifetime as the Sun because although its overall mass is higher, the mass of its nuclear burning core is the same
B) a longer lifetime because it has more fuel to burn
C) a shorter lifetime because although its overall mass is higher, the mass of its nuclear burning core is smaller
D) a shorter lifetime because its central core is hotter

Question 35

In our solar system, Jovian planets are

A) large, made mostly of gases and liquids with low densities, and found far from the Sun
B) small, made of pure rock with high densities, and found close to the Sun
C) large, made of pure gases with low densities, and found far from the Sun
D) small, made mostly of rock and iron with high densities, and found close to the Sun

Question 36

If we compress the entire history of the Earth into one year, life on Earth appeared

A) in early February
B) at the beginning of January
C) in late September
D) in late December

Question 37

Due to the incredible size of the universe, our search for extraterrestrial life will probably be limited to within our

A) Local Group of galaxies
B) Local Supercluster of galaxies
C) Milky Way galaxy
D) solar system

Question 38

For at least the past few billion years, the rate of expansion of the universe has

A) been slowing down
B) slowed down and stopped
C) been speeding up
D) remained steady

Question 39

If we compress the entire history of the Earth into one year, modern humans appear

A) a couple of minutes before midnight on New Year's Eve
B) a few seconds before midnight on New Year's Eve
C) at 9 PM on New Year's Eve
D) at midnight on New Year's Eve

Question 40

When we make an observation of a distant galaxy 10 billion light-years away, we are seeing this galaxy as it

A) is right now
B) was when the universe was only 10 billion years old
C) was when the universe was formed
D) was when the universe was only 4 billion years old

Question 41

In the nebular theory, the process by which planets form is referred to as

A) accumulation
B) fusion
C) agglomeration
D) accretion

Question 42

The most abundant materials in the solar nebula were

A) hydrogen compounds like water, methane, and ammonia
B) hydrogen and helium gases
C) metals
D) rocks

Question 43

Pluto and Eris are probably members of the

A) asteroid belt
B) Jovian family of planets
C) Kuiper belt
D) Oort cloud

Question 44

The larger moons of the Jovian planets

A) were probably formed from spinning disks of gas that surrounded the planets
B) are most likely gravitationally captured asteroids and comets
C) formed when large planetesimals collided with them
D) were spun out from their parent planets due to their rapid rotation

Question 45

Asteroids and comets are

A) planetesimals left over from the era of planet formation
B) former moons of the jovian planets that were lost into interplanetary space
C) the remnants of early planets that fragmented into pieces
D) fragments of material blasted from the inner planets during the era of planet formation

Question 46

In the outer regions of the solar nebula where temperatures were low,

A) only rock and iron could condense
B) only hydrogen compounds could condense as ices
C) hydrogen and helium gases were able to condense
D) in addition to rock and iron, hydrogen compounds also condensed as ices

Question 47

The tiny outer moons of the Jovian planets

A) were probably formed from spinning disks of gas that surrounded the planets
B) are most likely gravitationally captured asteroids and comets
C) formed when large planetesimals collided with them
D) were spun out from their parent planets due to their rapid rotation

Question 48

Most asteroids tend to reside in the asteroid belt due to the gravitation influence of

A) the Sun
B) Mars
C) Jupiter
D) nearby stars

Question 49

The outer Jovian planets most likely formed from

A) clumps of hydrogen and helium gas spun from a rapidly rotating protosun
B) larger collections of hydrogen and helium gas attracting particles of rock and ice to them
C) the collision and coalescence of clumps of hydrogen and helium gas within the solar nebula
D) planetesimals of rock and ice attracting hydrogen and helium gas from the solar nebula

Question 50

Which of the following properties of the planets in our solar system is not explained by condensation theory?

A) direction of revolution
B) rotation rates
C) chemical compositions
D) orbital shapes

Question 51

Jupiter's moon Ganymede and Saturn's moon Titan are

A) a similar size to the Earth
B) larger than the planet Mercury
C) smaller than the Earth's moon
D) larger than the Earth

Question 52

According to the nebular theory for the formation of the solar system,

A) planets should be rotating in the same direction as they orbit the Sun
B) planets can be rotating in any random direction compared to the direction they orbit the Sun
C) planets should be rotating in the opposite direction to the direction they orbit the Sun
D) no prediction is made as to the directions of rotations of the planets

Question 53

According to current definitions, Kuiper belt objects like Pluto and Eris that are large enough to be round are referred to as

A) planetoids
B) minor planets
C) comets
D) dwarf planets

Question 54

Apart from terrestrial planets, another promising place to find life in the solar system is

A) inside comets
B) beneath the surfaces of icy Jovian moons
C) in the atmospheres of Jovian planets
D) inside asteroids

Question 55

Given the basic building blocks of planets are widespread and the same laws of physics operate everywhere, we would expect

A) we have not detected any other planetary systems so we have no way of knowing
B) other planetary systems to be identical to our own with the same number and types of planets as our own solar system
C) other planetary systems to be laid out in a similar manner to our own with inner rocky terrestrial planets and outer gaseous Jovian planets
D) other planetary systems to be very different than our own because the detailed conditions that existed in our own solar nebula are unlikely to have been replicated elsewhere

Question 56

Which of the following materials present in the solar system had the highest condensation temperatures?

A) metals
B) rocks
C) hydrogen and helium gases
D) hydrogen compounds like water, methane, and ammonia

Question 57

The process of planet formation in the early solar system is best described by which of the following terms?

A) precipitation
B) consolidation
C) condensation
D) crystallization

Question 58

The interstellar cloud that formed our solar system heated up as it collapsed due to the law of conservation of

A) energy
B) mass
C) volume
D) angular momentum

Question 59

The interstellar cloud that formed our solar system rotated more rapidly as it collapsed due to the law of conservation of

A) energy
B) mass
C) volume
D) angular momentum

Question 60

According to the nebular theory, as an interstellar cloud forms a new star and planetary system it

A) expands, cools down, and spins slower
B) contracts, heats up, and spins faster
C) expands, cools down, and spins faster
D) contracts, heats up, and spins slower

Question 61

Which subatomic particle or particles are found in the nuclei of atoms?

A) protons only
B) electrons and protons
C) protons and neutrons
D) neutrons and electrons

Question 62

The process by which molecules condense from a gas directly into a solid is called

A) deposition
B) condensation
C) sublimation
D) gassification

Question 63

Compared to its neutral atom, an ion has the same number of

A) protons and neutrons
B) protons but a different number of neutrons
C) protons but a different number of electrons
D) neutrons but a different number of protons

Question 64

Which of the following is an organic molecule?

A) N₂H₄
B) B₂O₂
C) C₂H₄
D) H₂O₂

Question 65

The process by which molecules escape from a liquid into the gas phase is called

A) evaporation
B) gasification
C) sublimation
D) condensation

Question 66

Which of the following do the atoms ¹⁴N and ¹⁵N have in common?

A) total number of neutrons and electrons
B) number of protons
C) total number of protons and neutrons
D) number of neutrons

Question 67

Many of the extrasolar planetary systems discovered to date are

A) very similar to our own solar system with inner rocky terrestrial planets and outer gaseous jovian planets
B) quite different to our own solar system, many with jovian planets found close to their parent stars
C) similar to our solar system in having inner rocky terrestrial planets but different in having no jovian planets
D) identical to our own with the same number and types of planet as our own solar system

Question 68

How many neutrons are in an isotope of uranium-235 if uranium has an atomic mass number of 92?

A) 143
B) 235
C) 92
D) 327

Question 69

An isotope of the element Manganese (Mn) has an atomic number of 25 and a mass number of 55. Assuming the atom is neutral, this means it has

A) 55 protons, 55 electrons, and 25 neutrons
B) 25 protons, 25 electrons, and 30 neutrons
C) 25 protons, 30 electrons, and 25 neutrons
D) 25 protons, 25 electrons, and 55 neutrons

Question 70

How many electrons are present in the ion of the isotope of oxygen, ¹⁸O^3! if oxygen has an atomic number of 8?

A) 18
B) 5
C) 8
D) 11

Question 71

A solid transforms into a liquid at the

A) boiling point
B) melting point
C) dew point
D) evaporation point

Question 72

Place the three phases of water in order of increasing force of interaction between molecules:

A) ice, water, vapor
B) vapor, ice, water
C) water, ice, vapor
D) vapor, water, ice

Question 73

The process by which molecules escape from a solid directly into the gas phase is called

A) gasification
B) evaporation
C) condensation
D) sublimation

Question 74

Isotopes have the same number of

A) protons and neutrons
B) protons but a different number of electrons
C) neutrons but a different number of protons
D) protons but a different number of neutrons

Question 75

How many protons are in an isotope of iridium-192 if iridium has an atomic mass number of 77?

A) 115
B) 192
C) 77
D) 269

Question 76

Atoms are held together by

A) the electrostatic force of attraction between the protons in the nucleus and the surrounding electrons
B) the combined electrostatic force of attraction between the protons and neutrons in the nucleus and the surrounding electrons
C) the force of gravitational attraction between the protons in the nucleus and the surrounding electrons
D) the electrostatic force of attraction between the neutrons in the nucleus and the surrounding electrons

Question 77

Substances composed of combinations of two or more different atoms are known as

A) polyatoms
B) mixtures
C) elements
D) compounds

Question 78

How many electrons are present in the ion of the isotope of cobalt, 60Co2+ if cobalt has an atomic number of 27?

A) 33
B) 29
C) 27
D) 25

Question 79

Which of the following do the atoms ¹⁴C and ¹⁴N have in common?

A) total number of protons and neutrons
B) number of electrons
C) number of neutrons
D) number of protons

Question 80

The Oort cloud comets were probably

A) captured from interstellar space by the Sun
B) once moons of the outer jovian planets Uranus and Neptune
C) formed when comets that passed close to one of the jovian planets were flung out into the outer reaches of the solar system
D) blasted from dwarf planets like Pluto and Eris