astronomy test 2

Question 1

If you are given a short wavelength, what will the frequency and energy related to a photon look like?

Answer 1

When given a short wavelength, the frequency and energy will be higher. This is opposite for a longer wavelength

Question 2

What is the order of electromagnetic radiation from lowest to highest energy?

Answer 2

From low to high it is
Radio, microwaves, infrared, visible light (roygbv), ultraviolet, x rays, gamma rays

Question 3

Between infrared and gamma rays, which will travel faster?

Answer 3

Trick question! All light will travel
at the same speed (speed of light)

Question 4

What can a star’s spectrum tell us about it?

Answer 4

The peak of the star’s thermal emission tells its temperature
Looking at its spectral lines can show what chemical elements are present
The doppler shift of the spectral lines will help us know the speed it is moving away from us

Question 5

What is happening when we are looking at a physical object? Ie why can we see it?

Answer 5

We are able to see things because of the visible light that will reflect back into our eyes

Question 6

What is an absorption line spectrum?

Answer 6

The absorption line spectrum is when white light passes through a cool cloud of gas. Some of the light is absorbed and some is transmitted through the gas

Question 7

When a star’s spectrum is blue shifted what does its wavelength look like?

Answer 7

When a star’s spectrum is blue shifted its wavelength will appear shorter than normal. The opposite happens for red shift. Its wavelength will appear longer

Question 8

When a star has a smaller redshift is moving away from us slower or faster than one with a larger redshift?

Answer 8

A star with a smaller red shift is moving away from us slower than one with a larger red shift

Question 9

Between a red star and a blue star (no doppler shift involved) which one has more thermal radiation?

Answer 9

The blue star will have more thermal radiation because it has a hotter surface temperature than the red star

Question 10

What is the atomic number?

Answer 10

The atomic is the number of protons in an atom

Question 16

What is a photon?

Answer 16

A photon is what is emitted when an electron gains or gives off energy jumping from different orbitals

Question 17

What does it mean when the an atom has the same number of protons, but a different number of neutrons?

Answer 17

When an atom has the same number of protons, but a different number of neutrons it is an isotope

Question 18

What does it mean when two atoms differ in the number of protons?

Answer 18

When two atoms differ in protons it means they are two different elements

Question 19

What do we call an atom in its lowest energy level?

Answer 19

An atom in its lowest energy level is called the ground state

Question 20

What is an atom mostly made of?

Answer 20

An atom contains protons, neutrons, and electrons, but is mostly made of empty space

Question 21

What is happening when spectral lines appear wider?

Answer 21

When a stars spectral lines appear wider it is rotating

Question 22

How old is our universe?

Answer 22

Our universe is 4.6 BILLION years old

Question 23

What is gravitational equilibrium?

Answer 23

Gravitational equilibrium is when thermal gas pressure is pushing out and gravitational force is pushing in

Question 24

What is the sun made of?

Answer 24

The sun is made of 70% hydrogen, 28% percent helium, and 2% other elements

Question 25

From the outward in to the core what are the layers of the sun?

Answer 25

Moving in to the core the layers of the sun are
Corona, Chromosphere, photosphere, convection zone, radiation zone, core

Question 26

What is special about each layer of the sun?

Answer 26

We are able to see the corona during a solar eclipse. It is the source of X-rays
The chromosphere is a source of ultraviolet light
The photosphere is the layer of the sun we can see
The convection zone is where convection is happening (hot plasma rises and falls as cooler plasma)
The radiation zone is the transition zone between the convection zone and the core

Question 27

Why do sunspots look dark?

Answer 27

Trick question! Sunspots are actually bright, but appear dark against the brighter surface of the

Question 28

What is the difference between nuclear fusion and fission?

Answer 28

Nuclear fusion: lighter elements fuse into heavier elements (this is what are sun is going through)
Nuclear fission: Heavier elements turn into lighter elements