Dec 2013 Flashcards
Which of the following molecules was NOT present in the Hadean atmosphere? A. Carbon Dioxide B. Nitrogen C. Oxygen D. Water
C
When the Earth’s crust cooled 4.2 billion years ago, water vapour in the atmosphere precipitated out, dissolving which gas that was then trapped in the Earth’s crust? A. Ammonia B. Carbon Dioxide C. Nitrogen D. Sulphur Dioxide
B
The Earth’s Ozone Layer protects us from the harmful effects of which kind of radiation? A. Cosmic radiation B. Gamma radiation C. Infra-red radiation D. Ultra-violet radiation
D
Of the elements that make up complex life on Earth, which of the following is primordial? A. Carbon B. Hydrogen C. Nitrogen D. Oxygen
B
Compared to Earth’s atmosphere, what is the approximate atmospheric pressure on Mars? A. 85% B. 55% C. 30% D. 0.6%
D
Which gas dominates the atmosphere of Mars? A. Oxygen B. Nitrogen C. Carbon Dioxide D. Helium
C
Which of Saturn’s moons could potentially see life develop? A. Atlas B. Mimas C. Rhea D. Titan
D
There is strong evidence for liquid water under the surface of which of the following? A. Europa B. Jupiter C. Titan D. Venus
A
SETI concentrates its search for extra-terrestrial life within the “Cosmic Water Hole”. What is its frequency range in the electromagnetic spectrum? A. 1.4 – 1.7 Hz B. 1.4 – 1.7 kHz C. 1.4 – 1.7 MHz D. 1.4 – 1.7 GHz
D
Which of the following factors does not appear in the “Drake Equation”? A. The fraction of those stars about which stable planetary orbits can exist. B. The fraction of planets in habitable zones on which life develops. C. The number of planets which are a source of radio emissions. D. The number of planets on average which can exist for 4 billion years in a star’s habitable zone
C
The Right Ascension of the Sun is 18 hours during A. December B. March C. June D. September
A
At latitude 55o what is the altitude of the North Celestial Pole above the horizon? A. 27.5o B. 55o C. 35o D. 84.5o
B
For which of the following planets did Galileo use a telescope to observe its four moons? A. Neptune B. Saturn C. Uranus D. Jupiter
D
The Gregorian calendar A. corrects for errors from the precession of the equinoxes and is good for 3000 years. B. starts 11 days earlier each year. C. is a lunar calendar. D. introduced the “divisible by 1000” rule
A
The synodic month A. relates the orbital period of the Sun with that of the Earth and Moon. B. is the period of the Earth’s orbit around the Moon. C. is the period of the Moon’s cycle of phases. D. is the time for the Moon to return to the same point in the sky with respect to the stars
C
When does a total eclipse of the Sun occur? A. When the Earth is partially within the Moon’s umbra. B. When the Earth is totally within the Moon’s umbra. C. When the Moon is partially within the Earth’s penumbra. D. When the Moon is totally within the Earth’s penumbra
B
Who is attributed with dividing the universe into two parts: the corrupt, changeable Earth and the perfect, immutable heavens? A. Pope Gregory XIII B. Aristotle C. Julias Caeser D. Aristarchus of Samos
B
A plane which does not pass through the centre of a sphere cuts the surface of the sphere in a A. great circle. B. straight line. C. conic section. D. small circle
D
Sedna and Quaoar are A. parts of the Oort Cloud. B. asteroids. C. Kuiper Belt objects. D. comets.
C
In Pogson’s formula, differences in the apparent magnitude of stars depend on what function of their ratio of apparent brightness? A. sinusoidal. B. logarithmic C. linear D. quadratic.
B