exam 4 Flashcards
CHAPTER 14 Review & Discussion 1)
What are the Trojan, Apollo, and Amor asteroids?
a) Asteroids that originate from the asteroid belt; cross into Jupiter’s orbit; approach Mars’s orbit
b) Asteroids that orbit near Jupiter’s Lagrange points; cross Earth’s orbit; approach Earth’s orbit without crossing it
c) Asteroids that orbit near Saturn; cross Venus’s orbit; approach Mercury’s orbit
d) Asteroids that orbit entirely within the asteroid belt; cross Neptune’s orbit; approach Uranus’s orbit
b) Asteroids that orbit near Jupiter’s Lagrange points; cross Earth’s orbit; approach Earth’s orbit without crossing it
CHAPTER 14 Review & Discussion 3)
How do the compositions of comets provide clues to the formation of the solar system?
a) Comets contain only ice, which suggests that water was the first material to form in the solar system.
b) The dust and gas in comets are similar to the chemical composition of the Sun, providing evidence of the Sun’s origin.
c) Comets contain a mixture of ice, dust, and organic molecules, offering insight into the early solar system’s conditions and the building blocks of planets and life.
d) Comets are made of metals and gases, indicating that the inner planets formed first and the outer planets followed.
c) Comets contain a mixture of ice, dust, and organic molecules, offering insight into the early solar system’s conditions and the building blocks of planets and life.
CHAPTER 14 Review & Discussion 7)
Where in the solar system do most comets reside?
A) The asteroid belt
B) The Kuiper Belt
C) The Oort Cloud
D) The inner solar system
C) The Oort Cloud
CHAPTER 14 Review & Discussion 8)
Describe the various parts of a comet while it is near the Sun. What are the typical ingredients of a comet nucleus?
a) The coma, tail, and nucleus; Ice, dust, and organic compounds.
b) The corona, photosphere, and nucleus; Gas, dust, and metals.
c) The core, mantle, and atmosphere; Hydrogen, helium, and silicates.
d) The core, tail, and corona; Water, methane, and carbon dioxide.
a) The coma, tail, and nucleus; Ice, dust, and organic compounds.
CHAPTER 14 Review & Discussion 10)
Why can comets approach the Sun from any direction, but asteroids generally orbit close to the plane of the ecliptic?
a) Comets are primarily found in the Kuiper Belt, while asteroids are located in the Oort Cloud, which lies in the ecliptic plane.
b) Comets originate from the spherical Oort Cloud, while asteroids primarily orbit within the flat plane of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
c) Comets are formed from interstellar material and move randomly through the solar system, while asteroids are bound by Jupiter’s gravity to the ecliptic plane.
d) Comets are pushed into random directions by solar wind, while asteroids are confined to the ecliptic plane by magnetic forces from the Sun.
b) Comets originate from the spherical Oort Cloud, while asteroids primarily orbit within the flat plane of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
CHAPTER 14 Review & Discussion 12)
Why has the number of planets in the solar system recently decreased?
In 2006 the IAU decided that the icy dwarf planets beyond Neptune would henceforth be known as plutoids.
Comets may ram into the Sun or a planet, or they may gradually lose all of their ice via sublimation, leaving rocky debris that may enter the Earth’s atmosphere to be observed as a meteor shower
CHAPTER 14 Review & Discussion 15)
What do meteorites reveal about the age and formation of the solar system?
Radioactive dating of meteorites reveals that the age of the solar system is about 4.4 - 4.6 billion years
CHAPTER 15 Review & Discussion 1)
Which of the following are examples of present-day properties that our solar system model does not have to explain, and why is no explanation necessary?
a) The existence of the asteroid belt; It is a stable region between Mars and Jupiter
b) The presence of Saturn’s rings; They are transient and expected to change over time
c) The retrograde motion of Venus; It is explained by the planet’s unique rotation
d) The inclination of Pluto’s orbit; It is an irregular orbit due to past gravitational interactions
a) The existence of the asteroid belt; It is a stable region between Mars and Jupiter
CHAPTER 15 Review & Discussion 2)
Describe some ways in which random processes played a role in the determination of planetary properties
In the evolutionary theories, changes occur gradually. In the catastrophic theories, changes occur suddenly as the result of one-time events such as violent collisions
CHAPTER 15 Review & Discussion 3)
Describe three methods astronomers use to search for extrasolar planets
- Transit Method: excels in detecting small planets but requires edge-on orbits.
- Radial Velocity Method is effective for detecting massive planets in a range of orbits but struggles with small planets.
- Direct Imaging provides the most detailed information but is technically demanding and suited for specific types of planets.
CHAPTER 15 Review & Discussion 6)
What properties of exoplanets can be inferred from planetary transit measurements? What properties can be inferred from radial velocity measurements?
a) Transit measurements provide information about the planet’s size and orbit, while radial velocity measurements reveal its mass and orbital velocity.
b) Transit measurements provide data on the planet’s surface temperature, while radial velocity measurements reveal its atmosphere composition.
c) Transit measurements show the planet’s age and distance from its star, while radial velocity measurements reveal its composition and surface features.
d) Transit measurements provide information about the planet’s magnetic field, while radial velocity measurements reveal its atmospheric pressure.
a) Transit measurements provide information about the planet’s size and orbit, while radial velocity measurements reveal its mass and orbital velocity.
CHAPTER 15 Review & Discussion 7)
What measurements are required to estimate the bulk density of an exoplanet?
A) The exoplanet’s temperature and distance from its star
B) The exoplanet’s radius and mass
C) The exoplanet’s orbital speed and inclination
D) The exoplanet’s composition and atmosphere
B) The exoplanet’s radius and mass
CHAPTER 15 Review & Discussion 11)
Which of the following exoplanet properties challenged existing theories of planetary formation based on the solar system, and how were these challenges resolved?
a) Hot Jupiters; The discovery of planet migration, where gas giants could move inward after formation
b) Exoplanets with very eccentric orbits; The realization that gravitational interactions with other planets can cause orbit circularization
c) Super-Earths; The theory that larger planets form in a wider range of environments, including beyond the frost line
d) Ice giants in close orbits; The discovery that these planets could form far from their host star and migrate inward
a) Hot Jupiters; The discovery of planet migration, where gas giants could move inward after formation
CHAPTER 15 Review & Discussion 12)
Is our solar system unusual among planetary systems?
A) Yes, it has gas giants located far from the star and terrestrial planets close to the star.
B) No, it is similar to most planetary systems observed.
C) Yes, its nearly circular planetary orbits and large, distant gas giants are uncommon.
D) No, it has more planets than most other systems.
e) A and C
e) A and C
CHAPTER 15 Review & Discussion 14)
What is the habitable zone of a star?
The goldilocks zone
CHAPTER 15 Review & Discussion 15)
What evidence is required to find habitable Earth-like planets orbiting other stars?
A) The planet’s mass, size, and distance from its star
B) The planet’s surface temperature and atmospheric composition
C) The star’s brightness and distance from Earth
D) The planet’s orbit and the number of moons it has
A) The planet’s mass, size, and distance from its star
CHAPTER 16 Review & Discussion 1)
Which of the following correctly names and describes the main regions of the Sun and gives the approximate temperatures of the solar surface and core?
a) Core, radiative zone, convective zone, photosphere, chromosphere, corona; surface temperature ~5,500 K, core temperature ~15 million K
b) Photosphere, mantle, outer core, corona, heliosphere; surface temperature ~2,000 K, core temperature ~10 million K
c) Core, photosphere, ionosphere, thermosphere, corona; surface temperature ~8,000 K, core temperature ~12 million K
d) Radiative zone, convective zone, stratosphere, chromosphere, corona; surface temperature ~6,000 K, core temperature ~20 million K
a) Core, radiative zone, convective zone, photosphere, chromosphere, corona; surface temperature ~5,500 K, core temperature ~15 million K
CHAPTER 16 Review & Discussion 2)
What is luminosity, and how is it measured in the case of the Sun?
A) Luminosity is the brightness of a star as seen from Earth, measured in apparent magnitudes.
B) Luminosity is the total energy emitted by a star per second, measured by combining the star’s temperature and radius.
C) Luminosity is the distance of a star from Earth, measured using parallax techniques.
D) Luminosity is the heat output of a star, measured using its surface temperature alone.
B) Luminosity is the total energy emitted by a star per second, measured by combining the star’s temperature and radius.
CHAPTER 16 Review & Discussion 3)
what are the temperatures of the sun’s core and surface respectively?
The solar core has a temperature of about 15 million K. The solar surface (the photosphere) has a temperature of about 6,000K
CHAPTER 16 Review & Discussion 5)
How do observations of the Sun’s surface tell us about conditions in the solar interior?
a) By studying helioseismology, which analyzes oscillations on the Sun’s surface to infer its internal structure
b) By observing the Sun’s magnetic field, which directly originates from the core
c) By detecting gamma rays emitted from the core through the Sun’s surface
d) By measuring the composition of solar wind particles, which represent the Sun’s interior material
a) By studying helioseismology, which analyzes oscillations on the Sun’s surface to infer its internal structure
CHAPTER 16 Review & Discussion 8)
What is the solar wind?
a) A stream of charged particles emitted by the Sun, including electrons and protons
b) A flow of gases from the Sun’s surface that causes solar flares
c) A type of radiation emitted by the Sun’s core
d) The interaction between the Sun’s magnetic field and Earth’s atmosphere
a) A stream of charged particles emitted by the Sun, including electrons and protons
CHAPTER 16 Review & Discussion 15)
What would we observe on Earth if the Sun’s internal energy source suddenly shut off? How long do you think it might take—minutes, days, years, or millions of years—for the Sun’s light to begin to fade? Repeat the question for solar neutrinos
a) The Sun’s light would begin to fade in minutes; Solar neutrinos would stop arriving almost immediately.
b) The Sun’s light would begin to fade in days; Solar neutrinos would stop arriving in days.
c) The Sun’s light would begin to fade in years; Solar neutrinos would stop arriving in years.
d) The Sun’s light would begin to fade in millions of years; Solar neutrinos would stop arriving in minutes.
a) The Sun’s light would begin to fade in minutes; Solar neutrinos would stop arriving almost immediately.
chapter 14 multiple choice: 2)
Most main-belt asteroids are about the size of
(a) the Moon;
(b) North America;
(c) a U.S. state;
(d) a small U.S. city
(d) a small U.S. city.
chapter 14 multiple choice: 3)
Spectroscopic studies indicate that the majority of
asteroids contain large fractions of
(a) carbon;
(b) silicate rocks;
(c) iron and nickel;
(d) ice
(a) carbon;
chapter 14 multiple choice: 4)
Trojan asteroids orbiting at Jupiter’s Lagrangian points are located
(a) far outside Jupiter’s orbit;
(b) close to Jupiter;
(c) behind and in front of Jupiter, sharing its orbit;
(d) between Mars and Jupiter
(c) behind and in front of Jupiter, sharing its orbit;
chapter 14 multiple choice: 5)
The tails of a comet
(a) point away from the Sun;
(b) point opposite the direction of motion of the comet;
(c) curve from right to left;
(d) curve clockwise with the interplanetary magnetic field
(a) point away from the Sun;
chapter 14 multiple choice: 6)
Compared with the orbits of the short-period comets, the orbits of long-period comets
(a) tend to lie in the plane of the ecliptic;
(b) look like short-period orbits, but are simply much larger;
(c) are much less eccentric;
(d) can come from all directions
(d) can come from all directions.
chapter 14 multiple choice: 7)
Kuiper belt objects are not regarded as planets because
(a) they orbit too far from the Sun;
(b) their masses are too low to clear other objects from their orbital paths;
(c) they are all irregular in shape;
(d) they are predominantly icy in composition
(b) their masses are too low to clear other objects from their orbital paths;
chapter 14 multiple choice: 9)
A meteorite is a piece of interplanetary debris that
(a) burns up in Earth’s atmosphere;
(b) misses Earth’s surface;
(c) glances off Earth’s atmosphere;
(d) survives the trip to the surface
(d) survives the trip to the surface.
chapter 15 multiple choice: 1)
A successful scientific model of the origin of planetary systems must be able to account for all of the following solar system features, except for
(a) intelligent life;
(b) the roughly circular planetary orbits;
(c) the roughly coplanar planetary orbits;
(d) the extremely distant orbits of the comets
(a) intelligent life;
chapter 15 multiple choice: 2)
According to the standard model of planetary system formation, the fact that (blank) is an example of an irregularity
(a) Mercury has no moon;
(b) Pluto is not a gas giant;
(c) Uranus has an extremely tilted rotation axis;
(d) there is no planet between Mars and Jupiter
(c) Uranus has an extremely tilted rotation axis;
chapter 15 multiple choice: 3)
Astronomers have confirmed the existence of at least ___ planets beyond our own solar system
(a) one;
(b) ten;
(c) several hundred;
(d) several thousand
(c) several hundred;
chapter 15 multiple choice: 4)
The distance to the nearest exoplanetary system is
(a) a few light-years;
(b) about 100 light-years;
(c) about 1000 light-years;
(d) thousands of light-years
(a) a few light-years;
chapter 15 multiple choice: 7)
Super-Earths are
(a) made of nickel and iron;
(b) comparable in size to Neptune;
(c) a few times more massive than Earth;
(d) usually found in “hot” orbits
(c) a few times more massive than Earth;
chapter 15 multiple choice: 9)
A planet in the habitable zone
(a) has living creatures on it;
(b) may have liquid water on its surface;
(c) is rocky, like Earth;
(d) has an oxygen atmosphere
(b) may have liquid water on its surface;
chapter 15 multiple choice: 10)
The total number of habitable, Earth-like exoplanets is approximately
(a) 10;
(b) 100;
(c) 1000;
(d) unknown
(d) unknown.
chapter 16 multiple choice: 1)
Compared with Earth’s diameter, the Sun’s diameter is about
(a) the same;
(b) 10 times larger;
(c) 100 times larger;
(d) 1 million times larger
(c) 100 times larger
chapter 16 multiple choice: 2)
Overall, the Sun’s average density is roughly the same as that of
(a) rain clouds;
(b) water;
(c) silicate rocks;
(d) iron-nickel meteorites
(b) water;
chapter 16 multiple choice: 3)
Sun spins on its axis roughly once each
(a) hour;
(b) day;
(c) month;
(d) year
(c) month;
chapter 16 multiple choice: 4)
If astronomers lived on Venus instead of on Earth, the solar constant they measure would be
(a) larger;
(b) smaller;
(c) the same
(a) larger;
chapter 16 multiple choice: 5)
The primary source of the Sun’s energy is
(a) fusion of light nuclei to make heavier ones;
(b) fission of heavy nuclei into lighter ones;
(c) the slow release of heat left over from the Sun’s formation;
(d) the solar magnetic field
(a) fusion of light nuclei to make heavier ones;
chapter 16 multiple choice: 7)
A typical solar granule is about the size of
(a) a U.S. city;
(b) a large U.S. state;
(c) the Moon;
(d) Earth
(b) a large U.S. state;
chapter 16 multiple choice: 8)
As we move to greater and greater distances above the solar photosphere, the temperature in the Sun’s atmosphere
(a) steadily increases;
(b) steadily decreases;
(c) first decreases and then increases;
(d) stays the same
(c) first decreases and then increases;
chapter 16 multiple choice: 9)
The time between successive sunspot maxima is about
(a) a month;
(b) a year;
(c) a decade;
(d) a century
(c) a decade;
chapter 16 multiple choice: 10)
The solar neutrino problem is that
(a) we detect more solar neutrinos than we expect;
(b) we detect fewer solar neutrinos than we expect;
(c) we detect the wrong type of neutrinos;
(d) we can’t detect solar neutrinos
(b) we detect fewer solar neutrinos than we expect;
exam 1: 1)
Blue light has a:
a) shorter wavelength and a higher energy than red light.
b) longer wavelength and a higher energy than red light.
c) longer wavelength and a lower energy than red light.
d) shorter wavelength and a lower energy than red light.
a) shorter wavelength and a higher energy than red light.
exam 1: 2)
A total eclipse of the Sun is observed from inside the___ A partial solar eclipse is observed from inside the____.
- south pole; north pole
- north pole; south pole
- penumbra; umbra
- celestial equator
- umbra; penumbra
- umbra; penumbra
exam 1: 3)
The Sun is located at one focus of the Earth’s orbit. What is located at the other focus?
- nothing
- the Moon
- another star
- Jupiter
- nothing
- Kepler’s first law: sun at one focus and the other focus empty
exam 1: 4)
The semi-major axis of an ellipse is
a) half the width of the ellipse measured across the shortest dimension
b) half the width of the ellipse measured across the longest dimension,
c) equal to the period of the orbit.
d) the width of the ellipse measured across the longest dimension
b) half the width of the ellipse measured across the longest dimension
exam 1: 5)
At the time that Newton was developing his laws of motion and gravitation, ___ was the best data available, which was based on observations made with___
- Galileo’s; telescopes
- Tycho’s; telescopes
- Galileo’s; giant protractors
- Tycho’s, giant protractors
- Tycho’s, giant protractors
exam 1: 6)
In Kepler’s model of the universe, the ___ is at the center and the planetary motions are based on___
- moon; triangles
- Sun; triangles
- Sun; ellipses
- moon; circles
- Earth; circles
- Sun; ellipses
exam 1: 7)
When a lunar eclipse occurs, it can be seen from
- the north pole only.
- anyplace on the night side of the Earth
- the south pole only.
- anyplace on the day side of the Earth.
- the equator only
- anyplace on the night side of the Earth
exam 1: 8)
Phosphine has been detected in the atmosphere of the planet Venus. This could indicate ___ , since this compound is ___.
a) volcanic activity on Venus; not likely to last long in the atmosphere of Venus
b) possible life in the atmosphere of Venus; not likely to last long in the atmosphere of Venus
c) possible underground life on Venus; likely to last long in the atmosphere of Venus
d) ancient life on Venus; likely to last long in the atmosphere of Venus
b) possible life in the atmosphere of Venus; not likely to last long in the atmosphere of Venus
exam 1: 9)
The angle subtended by the Moon is 30 arc-minutes. If the Moon’s diameter is held constant but we move it twice as far away. then its angular size would become
- 1 arc-minute
- 15 arc-minutes
- 1/3 arc-second
- 60 arc-minutes
- 1 degree
- 15 arc-minutes
exam 1: 10)
If we replaced the Sun with a larger, blue star, the habitable zone for life would
- disappear.
- move outward towards Mars.
- move inwards towards Venus.
- include the Moon.
- stay the same
- move outward towards Mars.
exam 1: 11)
Which of the following points in the sky is located on the celestial equator?
- 24h RA, 90 degrees DEC
- 10h RA, 90 degrees DEC
- Oh RA, 5 degrees DEC
- 12h RA, 0 degrees DEC
- 12h RA, 0 degrees DEC
exam 1: 12)
Consecutive full Moons Occur every
- solar day.
- sidereal day.
- synodic month.
- sidereal month.
- all of the above
- synodic month.
exam 1: 13)
If a light source is approaching you at high speed, then the Doppler effect causes
- the wavelength of the light to be increased.
- the energy of the light to be increased.
- the frequency of the light to be decreased
- the energy of the light to be decreased.
- interference
- the energy of the light to be increased.
exam 1: 14)
In the photoelectric effect, red light___ any electrons to leave the metal plate because___
- fails to cause; the photons of red light do not have enough energy
- causes; the photons of red light have enough energy
- causes; the photons of red light do not have enough energy
- fails to cause; the photons of red light have enough energy
- fails to cause; the photons of red light do not have enough energy
exam 1: 15)
Tycho Brahe used___ to make his measurements of planetary positions. The stars return to the same positions in the sky every___
- telescopes; synodic month
- protractors and straight rods; 24 sidereal hours
- protractors and straight rods; 24 solar hours
- all of the above
- telescopes; 24 sidereal hours
- protractors and straight rods; 24 sidereal hours
exam 1: 16)
Kepler’s laws apply to___
- only Earth’s orbit around the Sun
- only objects orbiting the Sun
- all orbital motions
- only objects orbiting the Earth
- all orbital motions
exam 1: 17)
In the Ptolemaic and Copernican models of the universe, respectively, the objects in the universe in order of increasing distance from the center are:
a) earth, moon, mercury, venus, sun, jupiter, saturn; mercury, venus, sun, saturn, mars, jupiter, earth
b) earth, moon, mercury, venus, sun, jupiter, saturn; sun, mercury, venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn
c) mercury, earth, moon, venus, sun, jupiter, saturn; sun, mercury, venus, earth, mars, jupiter, Saturn
d) Jupiter, moon, mercury, venus, Sun, saturn; sun, mercury, venus, jupiter, mars, earth, saturn
e) moon, earth, mercury, venus, sun, jupiter, saturn,; sun, earth, merCury, venus, mars, jupiter, saturn
b) earth, moon, mercury, venus, sun, jupiter, saturn; sun, mercury, venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn
exam 1: 18)
The ecliptic is the path of the___ which is tilted 23.5 degrees from___
- Sun; the Celestial Equator
- Moon; the Celestial Equator
- Moon; the North Celestial Pole
- Saturn; the Celestial Equator
- Sun; the North Celestial Pole
- Sun; the Celestial Equator
exam 1: 19)
We showed in class that the equation relating the distance D to the parallax angle A is given by:
D = (180 R) / pi A
where the parallax angle A is assumed to be in degrees and R= 6378 km is the Earths radius. If the parallax angle is 1 arc second (1”), then the distance D to the object in space is
- 1.3x 10^7km
- 1.3x 10^8 km
- 1.3x 10^9 km
- 3.3x 10^7 km
- 3.3x 10^8 km
- 1.3x 10^9 km
- there are 3600 arc seconds in a degree. so a = 1/3600
total calculation: D = (180x6378)/(pix(1/3600))
exam 1: 20)
AS we view stars around the North Celestial Pole from Fairfax, they appear to rotate___ around Polaris, while stars in the eastern sky appear to___
- counter-clockwise; rise
- Clockwise; set
- clockwise; rise
- counter -Clockwise; set
- counter-clockwise; rise
exam 1: 21)
If the Moon’s orbital plane around the Earth was NOT tilted with respect to the Earth’s orbital plane around the Sun, then
- the Earth would be in shadow all the time.
- lunar and solar eclipses would occur every month.
- lunar and solar eclipses would never occur at all.
- solar eclipses would still occur.
- lunar eclipses would still occur
- lunar and solar eclipses would occur every month.
exam 1: 22)
In the Copernican model of the universe, the___ is at the center and the planetary motions are based on___
- Moon; triangles
- Earth; elipses
- Sun; triangles
- Moon; circles
- Sun; circles
- Sun; circles
exam 1: 23)
The North Celestial Pole is located at celestial coordinates___. On March 21, the Sun is located___
a) 0h RA, 90 degrees DEC; on or near the celestial equator
b) 0h RA, 90 degrees DEC; at 60 degrees declination
c) 24h RA, 90 degrees DEC; at 30 degrees declination
d) 0h RA, 0 degrees DEC; at 70 degrees declination
e) 24h RA, 0 degrees DEC; at 80 degrees declination
a) Oh RA, 90 degrees DEC; on or near the celestial equator
exam 1: 24)
According to Kepler’s law, P^2 = A^3, where P is the orbital period measured in Earth years and A is the length of the semi-major axis measured in astronomical units. What would be the orbital period be for a planet orbiting the Sun with A = 4?
- 58.1 Earth years
- 18.7 Earth years
- 2 Earth years
- 29.3 Earth years
- 8 Earth years
- 8 Earth years
- just take the value for ‘a’ and put it to the power of 1.5: a^1.5
exam 1: 25)
Eratosthenes measured the Earth’s radius based on measurement of the ___ on June 22, combined with the distance from Syrene to Alexandria
- angle of the planet Mars from the horizon in Alexandria
- all of the above
- angle of the sun from the zenith in Syrene
- angle of the sun from the zenith in Alexandria
- angle of the horizon from the zenith in Syrene
- angle of the sun from the zenith in Syrene
exam 1: 26)
Procession of the Earth’s spin axis causes___
- the North Celestial Pole to move through different stars
- more earthquakes
- extreme hurricanes
- stronger tides
- the North Celestial Pole to move through different stars
exam 1: 27)
Consider the equation F = m a, where F is the applied force, ‘m’ is the mass of the object, and ‘a’ is the resulting acceleration. if we___ while holding ‘m’ constant, we ___
a) halve F; double a
b) double F; triple a
c) double F; halve a
d) halve F; halve a
d) halve F; halve a
* if one was doubled the other would be as well
exam 1: 28)
The first people on earth to witness a given solar eclipse see it beginning at ___. The track of the eclipse shadow moves across the earth’s surface from ___.
- sunrise; west to east
- sunset; west to east
- noon; east to west
- midnight; east to west
- sunrise; west to east
exam 1: 30)
Kepler’s third law implies that Mercury has a ___ orbital velocity than the earth. according to Kepler’s second law, a line connecting Mercury with the sun ___.
a) faster; sweeps out area faster than the earth’s line
b) faster; sweeps out equal areas in equal times
c) slower; sweeps out equal areas in equal times
d) slower; sweeps out more area than Jupiter’s line
a) faster; sweeps out area faster than the earth’s line
exam 1: 31)
During the Copernican revolution, ___ was the first to place the sun at the center, and ___ made the first telescopic observations.
- Galileo; Copernicus
- Kepler; Brahe
- Galileo; Brahe
- Copernicus; Newton
- Copernicus; Galileo
- Copernicus; Galileo
exam 1: 32)
Aristotle concluded that the Earth is round due to ___.
- the straight shadow of the earth on the moon during a lunar eclipse
- the change in the positions of the stars in the sky as the observer’s latitude changes
- the curved shadow of the earth on the moon during a lunar eclipse
- none of the above
- the change in the positions of the stars in the sky as the observer’s longitude changes
- the curved shadow of the earth on the moon during a lunar eclipse
exam 1: 33)
In newton’s theory of planetary motion, the shapes of the orbits are due to ___. but Einstein’s theory the shapes of the orbits are due to ___.
- the curvature of space-time; the force of gravity
- the light we receive from the sun; the force of gravity
- the force of gravity; the presence of Jupiter
- the force of gravity; the curvature of space-time
- the curvature of space-time; the light we receive from the sun
- the force of gravity; the curvature of space-time
exam 1: 34)
The Copernican principle is important for the observational astronomy because according to it:
- light takes 8 minutes to reach the sun
- physical laws are the same throughout the universe
- physical laws are different throughout the universe
- light takes 1.5 seconds to reach the moon
- time travel is possible
- physical laws are the same throughout the universe
exam 1: 35)
The parallax technique allows us to determine distances to objects in space using triangles. Stellar parallax uses ___ as the baseline for the triangle and regular parallax uses ___.
- the earth’s radius; the moon’s radius
- the moon’s distance from the earth; the moon’s radius
- the earth’s radius; the earth’s distance from the sun
- the earth’s distance from the sun; the earth’s radius
- the earth’s radius; the moons distance from the earth
- the earth’s distance from the sun; the earth’s radius
