FInal Flashcards
(71 cards)
1
Q
True/False: Seasons do not depend on the distance between the Earth and Sun.
A
True
2
Q
True/False: There are 12 zodiac constellations
A
False
3
Q
True/False: The constellations are only the stars making the pattern
A
False
4
Q
True/False: Most stars do not last forever
A
True
5
Q
True/False: The North Star is not the brightest star in the night sky
A
False
6
Q
True/False: All stars are the same color
A
False
7
Q
True/False: Stars do not really twinkle
A
True
8
Q
True/False: All stars are isolated
A
False
9
Q
True/False: Pulsars are pulsating stars.
A
True
10
Q
True/False: A shooting star is actually a star falling through the sky
A
False
11
Q
True/False: All planetary orbits are circular.
A
False
12
Q
True/False: Not all of the planets in our solar system have prograde rotation, meaning their spin direction is the same as their orbital direction
A
False
13
Q
True/False: We see all sides of the Moon
A
False
14
Q
True/False: Spring tide only occurs in the spring.
A
False
15
Q
True/False: Only the Moon causes tides/the Moon has no effect on tides.
A
True
16
Q
True/False: The Sun does not primarily emit yellow light
A
True
17
Q
True/False: The Sun is solid and shines by burning gas or from molten lava
A
False
18
Q
True/False: The Sun always rises exactly in the east
A
False
19
Q
True/False: Black holes are not empty space.
A
True
20
Q
True/False: Black holes are not huge vacuum cleaners in space, sucking everything in.
A
True
21
Q
Which of the following questions is appropriate for scientific inquiry using the scientific method?
a. Why do bad things happen to good people?
b. What kind of a day will I have tomorrow?
c. What is the meaning of life?
d. What is the possibility that life exists on other planets?
A
d. What is the possibility that life exists on other planets?
22
Q
Our cosmic address can be written as …
a. Earth, Solar System, Local Group, Milky Way Galaxy, Universe.
b. Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Solar System, Universe.
c. Earth, Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Universe.
d. Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, Solar System, Local Group, Universe.
e. Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, Solar System, Universe, Local Group.
A
c. Earth, Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Universe.
23
Q
Polaris, the North Star, is a circumpolar star …
a. for everyone living close to the north pole.
b. only if you are located at the north pole.
c. for everyone on the Earth.
d. for everyone living in the northern hemisphere.
A
d. for everyone living in the northern hemisphere
24
Q
Stars appear to move across the sky over the course of one night because …
a. the Earth rotates on its axis.
b. the Earth revolves around the Sun.
c. the Earth processes like a top.
d. the Earth’s axis is tilted.
A
d. the Earth’s axis is tilted.
25
Stars observable at midnight in January differ from stars observable at midnight in July because …
a. the Earth precesses like a top.
b. the Earth’s axis is tilted.
c. the Earth rotates on its axis.
d. the Earth revolves around the Sun.
c. the Earth rotates on its axis.
26
Typically, if an eclipse occurs today, another eclipse (solar or lunar) has occurred or will occur within …
a. two months
b. six months.
c. twelve hours.
d. two weeks.
e. one month.
d. two weeks.
27
Which of the following is NOT a form of light?
a. Infrared radiation
b. Gamma rays
c. Radio waves
d. Visible light
e. All of the above are forms of light
e. All of the above are forms of light
28
29. Which of the following stars emits the most energy per second?
a. A small red star
b. A small blue star
c. A large red star
d. A large blue star
e. There is not enough information to make this determination
d. A large blue star
29
An observer measures the light emitted by an object and detects a red-shift. Which of the following is correct?
a. The observer is moving away from the stationary object.
b. The observer and object are both moving away from each other.
c. The object is moving away from the stationary observer.
d. Any of the above may be true.
b. The observer and object are both moving away from each other.
30
Earth’s atmosphere is most transparent in which two wavelength ranges?
a. Visible and radio
b. Infrared and microwaves
c. Ultraviolet and infrared
d. Ultraviolet and visible
e. X-ray and radio
a. Visible and radio
31
32. The largest observed apparent size of Venus occurs when it is in its __________ phase.
a. Gibbous
b. Full
c. Crescent
d. Half
c. Crescent
32
If a comet has a highly elliptical orbit around the Sun, where does it spend most of its orbit?
a. Moving toward the Sun
b. Moving away from the Sun
c. Close to the Sun
d. Far from the Sun
a. Moving toward the Sun
33
If two objects of different masses are given a push with the same amount of force, which one will accelerate more?
a. The heavier object
b. They will accelerate by the same amount.
c. The lighter object
d. More information is needed to answer the question.
c. The lighter object
34
The Sun generates energy via ...
a. nuclear fission.
b. nuclear fusion.
c. chemical burning.
d. gravitational collapse.
b. nuclear fusion.
35
Why don’t photons flow freely through the convective zone?
a. Free electrons scatter the photons in different directions.
b. The photons have lost too much energy by this point to travel freely.
c. The density of the convective zone is too high.
d. Temperatures are low enough that atoms form and absorb the photons.
c. The density of the convective zone is too high
36
The edges of granules are darker than their centers because they have a different …
a. Opacity
b. Temperature
c. Composition
d. Density
b. Temperature
37
38. Which of the following do NOT vary on an approximate 11-year cycle?
a. Solar flares
b. Sunspots
c. Coronal mass ejections
d. Prominences
e. All of the above vary on the same 11-year cycle.
d. Prominences
38
If a star appears very bright in the night sky, then …
a. It must be very close and very luminous.
b. It can be either very close and/or very luminous, but not necessarily both.
c. It must be very close.
d. It must be very luminous.
b. It can be either very close and/or very luminous, but not necessarily both.
39
A star that gives off more red light than yellow is considered to be …
a. a hot star (around 10,000 K).
b. a warm star (around 6000 K).
c. a cool star (around 3000 K).
d. The temperature of a star is not related to the color of light it emits.
c. a cool star (around 3000 K).
40
You observe a star in the sky that has a certain apparent brightness. Which of the following would decrease the brightness of the star by a factor of four?
a. Moving the star 4 times as far away from Earth
b. Moving the star will not change its apparent brightness.
c. Moving the star to 1/4 its distance from Earth
d. Moving the star to 1/2 its distance from Earth
e. Moving the star twice as far away from Earth
e. Moving the star twice as far away from Earth
41
For two stars of unequal masses in a binary system, the center of mass lies …
a. at the center of the more massive star.
b. at the center of the less massive star.
c. closer to the more massive star.
d. closer to the less massive star. e. exactly in between the two stars.
c. closer to the more massive star.
42
Metal-poor/low-metallicity stars tend to be among the __________ stars.
a. most massive
b. oldest
c. hottest
d. largest
b. oldest
43
Which property of a star controls its formation, evolution, and demise?
a. Metal content
b. Radius
c. Luminosity
d. Mass
c. Luminosity
44
If a star's core were to suddenly start making less energy than normal, this chain of reactions would occur: The star's pressure would ____, which would cause the star to ___, which would cause the temp. in the star’s core to ____, which would return the energy production rate to its normal level.
a. increase; expand; increase
b. decrease; contract; increase
c. decrease; contract; decrease
d. decrease; expand; increase
e. increase; expand; decrease
b. decrease; contract; increase
45
Our Sun will end its life as a …
a. pulsar.
b. white dwarf.
c. black hole.
d. neutron star.
b. white dwarf.
46
After the initial explosion of a massive star, how does a supernova continue to radiate light energy?
a. Unstable elements created in the explosion radioactively decay and emit gamma rays.
b. The ejected outer layers convert energy from the explosion into light energy.
c. High-speed winds from the core remains ionize the ejected material.
d. High-energy radiation is emitted from the core remains due to its high temperature.
a. Unstable elements created in the explosion radioactively decay and emit gamma rays.
47
If the Sun were replaced by a 1-solar-mass black hole, what would happen to its gravitational influence on the Earth?
a. There is not enough information to make this determination.
b. It would increase.
c. It would decrease.
d. It would stay the same.
d. It would stay the same.
48
Why are black holes said to be “black”?
a. Black holes are very small and therefore are not very luminous.
b. Black holes don’t emit any light at visible wavelengths, so optically they appear black.
c. Black holes behave like black body objects, radiating energy based on their temperature.
d. The velocity needed to escape from a black hole is greater than the speed of light, so not even light can escape.
d. The velocity needed to escape from a black hole is greater than the speed of light, so not even light can escape.
49
Is it possible to detect low-mass black holes?
a. Yes, by detecting distortions in space caused by their immense gravitates.
b. No, we cannot detect them. Astronomers have only theorized of their existence.
c. Yes, by observing dark regions blocking our view of background objects.
d. Yes, by detecting radiation being emitted by gas falling into a black hole
c. Yes, by observing dark regions blocking our view of background objects.
50
Which of the following is NOT correct when describing the difference between a nova and a Type Ia (thermonuclear) supernova?
a. A Type I supernova is more luminous than a nova.
b. A star may go nova periodically while it will only go supernova once.
c. The star associated with a nova is a white dwarf, while the star associated with a Type I supernova is a neutron star.
d. A nova is due to sudden hydrogen fusion on the surface of the star, while a Type I supernova is due to sudden carbon fusion throughout the star.
d. A nova is due to sudden hydrogen fusion on the surface of the star, while a Type I supernova is due to sudden carbon fusion throughout the star.
51
Will our Sun ever explode as a nova?
a. No, it is not massive enough.
b. No, it does not exist in a binary system.
c. No, because our Sun won't collapse into the type of stellar remnant that can explode as a nova.
d. Yes
b. No, it does not exist in a binary system.
52
To observe cool stars near the center of our Galaxy, astronomers observe in what wavelength range?
a. Ultraviolet
b. Visible
c. Far-infrared
d. Near-infrared
e. Radio
d. Near-infrared
53
21-cm radiation is emitted by …
a. neutral hydrogen when an electron flips its spin relative to the proton it orbits.
b. water molecules as they vibrate due to the dipole nature of the molecule.
c. hydroxyl molecules when they break apart, forming oxygen and hydrogen.
d. molecular hydrogen when the distance between the two nuclei vibrates back and forth.
a. neutral hydrogen when an electron flips its spin relative to the proton it orbits.
54
Most of the matter in our Galaxy is in the form of …
a. ordinary stars.
b. the super massive black hole at the center of the Galaxy.
c. dark matter.
d. molecular hydrogen
c. dark matter.
55
What evidence do astronomers have that a super massive black hole lies at the center of our Galaxy?
a. Stars appear to be orbiting very close to something, suggesting that it is relatively small.
b. Variations in X-ray emissions from the center of our Galaxy suggest that it is relatively small.
c. The density of stars is much higher near the center than it is in our local neighborhood.
d. Stars appear to be orbiting something at very high speeds
e. All of the above is evidence suggesting the presence of a super massive black hole.
e. All of the above is evidence suggesting the presence of a super massive black hole.
56
In general, spiral galaxies w/ a greater percentage of gas and dust have ___ spiral arms &____ central bulges.
a. narrower; larger
b. broader; larger
c. narrower; smaller
d. broader; smaller
b. broader; larger
57
Which of the following is NOT a reason why Type Ia (thermonuclear) supernovae make useful standard candles?
a. They are a common enough event in galaxies.
b. They are easily identifiable by their light curves.
c. They are very luminous.
d. All Type Ia supernovae have the same maximum luminosity.
d. All Type Ia supernovae have the same maximum luminosity.
58
The collision of two galaxy clusters provided evidence that dark matter does not behave like normal matter because the gas within them _____, but the dark matter did not.
a. dissipated
b. glowed visibly
c. slowed down
d. formed new stars
a. dissipated
59
Which of the following does NOT describe how galaxies appeared 11 billion years ago?
a. They were closer to each other than galaxies are today.
b. Their shapes were more irregular than they are today.
c. They were smaller than galaxies are today.
d. They were redder than galaxies are today
a. They were closer to each other than galaxies are today.
60
Where is the center of our universe?
a. The astronomers do not know exactly where the center is; we just know that we are not it.
b. There is no center to our universe.
c. We are at the center of our universe.
d. The center is somewhere w,in the Virgo cluster.
e. The center is somewhere w/in the Hydra-Centaurus supercluste
b. There is no center to our universe
61
According to Olbers’s paradox, the fact that the night sky is dark tells us that our observable universe is not …
a. transparent and symmetrical.
b. unique.
c. homogeneous and isotropic.
d. static and infinite.
d. static and infinite.
62
According to Hubble’s law, as the distance between galaxies _____ the _____ increases.
a. decreases; apparent brightness
b. decreases; apparent recessional velocity
c. increases; apparent brightness
d. increases; apparent recessional velocity
d. increases; apparent recessional velocity
63
If the value for Hubble’s constant was larger than determined, then the calculated age of our universe would be …
a. younger.
b. older.
c. the same.
d. The age of our universe depends on other cosmological parameters as well.
b. older.
64
The fact that Type Ia (thermonuclear) supernovae at a large distance had_____ redshifts than expected confirmed that the expansion of our universe is accelerating.
a. the same
b. smaller
c. larger
b. smaller
65
Today, we live in a universe dominated by ______.
a. matter
b. dark energy
c. radiation
a. matter
66
Explain why and how the Moon exhibits phases.
Waxing Crescent>New Moon> Waning Crescent>3rd Quarter> Waning Gibbous> Full Moon> Waxing Gibbous> 3rd Quarter
67
Why do different elements display different patterns of lines in their spectra? How would these lines appear to observers viewing a continuous spectrum, absorption spectrum and emission spectrum.
Hotbody> P- Continuous Spec= continuous wavelengths no disruptions, showing all colors. Gas> P- Emission Line Spec= gas cloud re-emit absorbed light leaving colorful lines on black background
Hotbody> Gas>P- gas cloud atoms absorb specific wave lengths showing a spec of dark lines on a colorful background
68
How is the expanding Universe similar to a baking chocolate chip cake (or baking a raisin bread).
When baking a choc. chip cake the cake batter expands which causes the choc. chips to move farther away from each other. Just like the universe as it expands galaxies move away from one another.
69
In the order that they will occur, describe the stages in the life cycle of the Sun?
Sun begin to fuse hydrogen along a spherical shell surrounding the core. This process causes the star to grow in size, passing sub-giant stage until it reaches the red giant phase. The outside cools while the inside heats up eventually causing the sun to puff out turning into a dense white dwarf
70
How did Edwin Hubble prove that the Andromeda “Nebula” is not a nebula within our own Milky Way Galaxy?
After studying a picture taken of Andromeda he had discovered Cepheid variables which he was able to calculate the size and brightness of the Cepheid's and the diameter of the galaxy. Which the Andromeda was much larger than our Milky Way and it was its own stellar system.
71
What is dark energy? Describe one way we can infer its presence.
Dark Energy- energy that pervades the universe and causes expansion of the universe to accelerate w/ no gravitational effect. Its presence is inferred by the isotropy of the cosmic microwave background and the lack of enough matter and radiation density to reach critical density .
