Astronomy 2

Question 1

By what process does the sun generate energy?
A) gradual expansion
B) chemical reactions
C) nuclear fission
D) gravitational contraction
E) nuclear fusion

Answer 1

E

Question 2

At the center of the sun nuclear fusion converts hydrogen into
A) hydrogen compunds such as methane
B) molecular hydrogen
C) radioactive elements such as uranium and plutonium
D) helium, gamma rays, and neutrinos
E) radiation and elements such as carbon and nitrogen

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Suppose you try to bring two protons close togetehr. Because of the electromagnetic force, the two protons will
A) collide
B) remain stationary
C) repel one another
D) join together to form a deuterium nucleus
E) attract one another

Answer 3

C

Question 4

according to modern science approximately how old is the sun
A) 25 million years
B) 400 millions years
C) 10000 years
D) 4.5 billion years

Answer 4

D

Question 5

what two physical processes balance each other to create the condition known as gravitational equilibrium in stars
A) gravitational force and surface tension
B) the strong force and the electromagnetic force
C) the strong force and the weak force
D) gravitational force and outward gas pressure

Answer 5

D

Question 6

why do sun spots appear dark
A) they are regions nearly devoid of gas
B) they are composed of different elements than the rest of the sun
C) they are regions that do not emit any radiation
D) they are regions that are significantly cooler than the rest of the photosphere

Answer 6

D

Question 7

energy balance in the sun refers to a balance between
A) the amount of energy the sun radiates into space and the amount of energy that reaches earth
B) the force of gravity pulling inward and the force due to pressure pushing outward
C) the rate at which fusion generates energy in the Sun’s core and the rate at which the sun’s surface radiated energy into space
D) the mass that the sun loses each second and the amount of mass converted into energy each second

Answer 7

C

Question 8

the sun’s surface is called the
A) photosphere
B) corona
C) convection zone
D) chromosphere

Answer 8

A

Question 9

The sun’s average surface temperature is about
A) 1000 K
B) 37000 K
C) 5800 K
D) 1000000 K

Answer 9

C

Question 10

what is the solar wind
A) the wind that causes huge arcs of gas to rise above the sun’s surface
B) the uppermost layer of the sun, lying just above the corona
C) a stream of charged particles flowing outward from the surface of the sun
D) the strong wind that blows sunspots around on the surface of the sun

Answer 10

C

Question 11

the funadamental nuclear reaction occuring in the core of the sun is
A) nuclear fusion of helium into carbon
B) nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium
C) radioactive decay
D) nuclear fission

Answer 11

B

Question 12

which planet has the highest average surface temp and why
A) venus because of its dense carbon dioxide atmosphere
B) mars because of its red color
C) jupiter because it is so big
D) mercury because it is closest to the sun
E) earth because of its greenhouse effect

Answer 12

A

Question 13

why did the solar nebula heat up as it collapsed
A) nuclear fussion occurring in the core of the protosun produced energy that heated the nebula
B) as the cloud shrank its kinetic energy was converted to gravitational potential energy
C) as the cloud shrank its gravitational potential energy was converted to thermal energy
D) the shock wave from a nearby supernova heated the gas
E) radiation from other nearby stars that had formed earlier heated the nebula

Answer 13

C

Question 14

what kinf of material in the solar nebula could condense at temps as high as 1500 K such as existed in the inner region of the nebula
A) molecules such as methane and ammonia
B) metals
C) rocks
D) silicone-based minerals
E) hydrogen compounds

Answer 14

B

Question 15

based on our current theory of earths formation the water we drink likely comes from
A) chemical reactions that occurred in earths core after earth formed
B) water bearing planetesimals that impacted earth
C) ice that condensed in the solar nebula in the region where earth fromed
D) chemical reactions that occurred in earths crust after earth fromed
E) material left behind uring the giant impact that formed the moon

Answer 15

B

Question 16

in essence the solar nebula theory states that
A) our solar system formedf rom the collapse of an interstellar cloud of gas and dust
B) the planets each formed from the collapse of its own separate nebula
C) nebulae are clouds of gas and dust in space
D) the nebular theory is a discarded idea that imagined planets forming as a result of a near collision between our sun and another star

Answer 16

A

Question 17

what do we mean by the frost line when we discuss the formation of planets in the solar nebula
A) it marks the special distance from the sun at which hydrogen compounds become abundant closer tot eh sun there are no hydrogen compounds
B) it is another way of stating the temp at which water freezes into ice
C) it is the altitude in a plantes atmosphere at which snow can form
D) it is a circle at a particular distance from the sun beyond which the temp was low enough for ices to condense

Answer 17

D

Question 18

what do we mean by accretion in the context of planet formation
A) the growth of planetesimals from smaller solid particles that collided and stuck together
B) the growth of the sun as the destiny of gas increased in the center of the solar nebula
C) the solidification of ices rocks and metal from the gas of the solar nebular
D) the formation of moons around planets

Answer 18

A

Question 19

according to our theory of solar systems formation what are asteroids and comets
A) chunks of rock or ice that condensed after the planets and moons finished forming
B) chunks of rocks or ice that were expelled from planets by volcanoes
C) leftover planetismals that never accreted into planets
D) the shattered remains of collisions between planets

Answer 19

C

Question 20

considering only the tilt of their axis which planet listed below would have the most extreme seasons
A) earth
B) mars
C) uranus
d) jupiter

Answer 20

C

Question 21

according to our theory of solar system formation which law best explains why the solar nebula spun faster as it shrank in size
A) the law of conservation of energy
B) the law of universal gravitation
C) the law of conservation of angular momentum
D) einstein’s law e=mc squared

Answer 21

C

Question 22

how do scientists determine the age of the solar system
A) radiometric dating of moon rocks
B) radiometric dating of meteorites
C) radiometric dating of the oldest earth rocks
D) theoretical calculations tell us how long it has taken the planets to evolve to their present forms

Answer 22

B

Question 23

when we say that the sun is a ball of plasma we mean that
A) the sun is made of atoms and molecules
B) the sun consists of gas in which many or most of the atoms ar ionized (missing electrons)
C) the sun has rough;y the same composition as blood
D) the sun is made of material that acts like a liquid acts on earth

Answer 23

B

Question 24

what happens to energy in the suns convection zone
A) energy slowly leaks outward through the radiative diffusion of photons that repeatedly bounce off ions and electrons
B) energy is transported outward by the rising of hot plasma
C) energy is produced in the convection zone by thermal radiation
D) energy is produced in the convection zone by nuclear fusion

Answer 24

B

Question 25

how can we best observe the sun's chromosphere and corona A) the chromosphere is best observed with infrared telescopes and the corona is best observed with ultraviolet telescopes B) The chromosphere and corona are both best studied with radio telescopes C) The chromosphere is best observed with ultraviolet telescopes and the corona is best observed with x ray telescopes D) the chromosphere and corona are both best studied with visible light

Answer 25

C

Question 26

satellites in low earth orbits are more likely to crash to earth when the sunspot cycle is near solar maximum because A) they are more likely to have their electronics fried by a solar flare during solar maximum B) the engines ont he satellites can be destroyed by the intense radiation from large solar flares C) earths upper atmosphere tends to expand during solar maximum exerting more drag on satellites in low orbits D) it is too dangerous to send the space shuttle ti service satellites during solar maximum

Answer 26

C

Question 27

which of the following best describes convection A) it is the process in which warm material gets even warmer and cool material gets even cooler B) it is the process in which bubbles of has move upward through a liquid C) it is the process by which rocks sink in water D) it is the process in which a liquid separates according to destiny such as oil and water separating in a jar E) it is the process in which warm material expands and rises while cool material contracts and falls

Answer 27

E

Question 28

suppose earths atmosphere had no greenhouse gases. this would cause earths average surface temp to be A) at the freezing point of water B) slightly warmer than it is now C) well below the freezing point of water D) the same temp as it is now E) at the boiling point of water

Answer 28

C

Question 29

what is a magnetosphere A) the region in a planets atmosphere in which auroras occur B) the layer of a planet in which its magnetic field is generated C) the uppermost layer of any planetary atmosphere D) a region of space around a planet in which the planets magnetic field can affect charged particles

Answer 29

D

Question 30

why is the sky blue (on earth) A) because molecules scatter blue light more effectively than red light B) because deep space is blue in color C) because the sun emits mostly blue light D) because molecules scatter red light more effectively than blue light E) no one knows- this is one of the great mysteries of science

Answer 30

A

Question 31

why does the burning of fossil fuels increase the greenhouse effect on earth A) burning produces infrared light which is then trapped by existing greenhouse gases B) burning releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere C) burning depletes the amount of ozone thereby warming the planet D) burning fuel warms the planet E) all of the above are true

Answer 31

B

Question 32

how does the suns mass compare to earths mass A) the suns mass is about 300 times the mass of the earth B) the suns mass is about 30 times the mass of the earth C) the suns mass is about 300000 times the mass of the earth D) both have approximately the same mass

Answer 32

C

Question 33

why does the sun emit neutrinos A) fusion in the suns core creates neutrinos when protons turn into neutrons B) fission in the suns core creates neutrinos when protons turn into neutrons C) solar flares create neutrinos with very energetic magnetic fields D) convection releases neutrinos which random walk through the radiation zone E) The annihilation of positrons and electrons in the core produces neutrinos

Answer 33

A

Question 34

why do sunspots appear dark in pictures of the sun A) they are too cold to emit any visible light B) they are extremely hot and emit all their radiation as x rays rather than visible light C) they actually are fairly bright but appear dark against the even brighter background of the surrounding photosphere D) They are holes in the solar surface through which we can see through to deeper darker layers of the sun

Answer 34

C

Question 35

Approximately what is the sun made of (by mass) A) 90% dark matter, 10% ordinary matter B) 50% hydrogen, 25% helium, 25% other elements C) 70% hydrogen, 28% helium, 2% other elements D) 100% hydrogen and helium

Answer 35

C