Lesson 3 Quiz

Question 1

People in Central Africa predicted the weather by:

Answer 1

Using the tilt of the crescent moon

Question 2

True or false? The Polynesian navigators used the star polaris to navigate.

Answer 2

False; they used celestial mapping

Question 3

Why did Ptolemy have planets orbiting earth in circles upon circles?

Answer 3

To explain apparent retrograde motion

Question 4

True or false? Copernicus was the first person to propose a sun-centred solar system.

Answer 4

False; it was Aristarchus of Samos

Question 5

Kepler’s First Law states that the orbit of each planet is an elipse with the sun at one focus. What are two examples of characteristics of this in our solar system?

Answer 5

1. the earth is slightly closer to the sun on one side of its orbit
2. the sun is located slightly off-centre from the middle of each planet’s orbit

Question 6

Kepler’s second law states that a planet sweeps out equal areas in equal times. What would be some characteristics of our solar system that describe this law?

Answer 6

Pluto moves faster when it is closer to the sun than when it is farther from the sun

Question 7

Kepler’s third law states that a planet’s orbital period (p) is related to its average (semi major axis) orbital distance (a), according to the mathematical relationship p2=a3. Describe a characteristic of our solar system that explains this law?

Answer 7

1. inner planets orbit the sun at higher speeds than outer planets
2. Venus orbits the sun faster than earth does

Question 8

What was the ancient goal of astrology?

Answer 8

To predict human events

Question 9

True or false? Astronomy and astrology were often practised together in ancient cultures and astrology played an important role in the historical development of astronomy.

Answer 9

True