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Astronomy > Mastering Astronomy study test 1 part 3 > Flashcards

Mastering Astronomy study test 1 part 3 Flashcards

1
Q

____ is about 30 times as far from the Sun as our own Planet.

A

Neptune

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2
Q

___ is the planet with the highest average surface temperature.

A

Venus

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3
Q

The planet with the lowest average density is

A

Saturn

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4
Q

The planet that orbits closet to the sun is

A

Mercury

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5
Q

The only rocky planet to have more than one moon is

A

Mars

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6
Q

___ is the jovian planet that orbits closet to the Sun.

A

Jupiter

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7
Q

___ has a rotational axis that is tilted so much it lies nearly in the plane of its orbit.

A

Uranus

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8
Q

Most of the surface of ____ is covered with liquid water

A

Earth

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9
Q

Planets orbital time

A

Mercury - 87.97 days, Venus, 224.7 days, earth 365.26 days, Mars, 686.98 days, Jupiter 4,332..82 days, Saturn 10,755.7 days, Uranus 30,687.15 days, Neptune 60,190.3 days Pluto, 90,553 days

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10
Q

How much of the celestial sphere is visible for an observer at 0 degrees south at any one instance?

A

50%

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11
Q

Approximately how much of the celestial sphere is visible for an observer at 60 degrees north over the course of one 360 rotation of the earth?

A

60%

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12
Q

Temperatures of planets from hottest to coolest

A

Sun venus mercury moon earth mars jupiter saturn uranus neptune pluto

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13
Q

Earth has two tidal bulges at all times. Approximately where are these bulges located?

A

One faces the moon and one faces opposite the moon.

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14
Q

Do tides also affect land?

A

yes, though land rises and falls by a much smaller amount than the oceans.

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15
Q

Any particular location on Earth experiences.

A

Two high tides and two low tides each day

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16
Q

One tidal bulge faces toward the Moon because that is where the gravitational attraction between earth and moon is strongest. Which of the following best explains why there is also a second tidal bulge?

A

the second tidal bulge arises because gravity weakens with distance essentially stretching earth along the earth-moon line

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17
Q

Moon phase and orbital position relative to sun, tides

A

Low tides are lowest at both full moon and new moon, high tides are highest at both full moon and new moons.

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18
Q

Why does the moon play a greater role in causing tides than the Sun?

A

Because the gravitational attraction between earth and moon varies more across earth than does the gravitational attraction between earth and sun.

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19
Q

A solar eclipse that occurs when the new moon is too far from earth to completely cover the sun can be either a partial solar eclipse or a

A

Annular eclipse

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20
Q

Anyone looking from the night side of earth can, in principle see a

A

total lunar eclipse

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21
Q

During some lunar eclipses the moons appearance changes only slightly because it passes only through the part of earths shadow called the

A

penumbra

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22
Q

An ____ can occur only when the moon is new and has an angular size larger than the sun in the sky

A

Total solar eclipse

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23
Q

A partial lunar eclipse begins when the moon first touches earths

A

Umbra

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24
Q

A point at which the moon crosses earths orbital plane is called an

A

node

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25
Q

Suppose you are in an elevator, as the elevator starts upward its speed will increase. During this time when the elevator is moving upward with increasing speed, your will be.

A

greater than your normal weight at rest

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26
Q

Suppose you are in an elevator that is moving upward, as the elevator nears the floor at which you will get off, its speed slows down during this time when the elevator is moving upward with decreasing speed your weight will be

A

less than your normal weight at rest

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27
Q

For what other motion would your weight also be greater than your normal weight?

A

The elevator moves downward while slowing in speed

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28
Q

If you are standing on a scale in an elevator, what exactly does the scale measure

A

the force you exert on the scale

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29
Q

If we have a new moon today, when we will have the next full moon?

A

In about 2 weeks.

30
Q

We cannot see a new moon in our sky because _________.

A

a new moon is quite near the Sun in the sky

31
Q

The Moon always shows nearly the same face to Earth because ________.

A

the Moon rotates once in the same amount of time that it takes the Moon to orbit Earth once

32
Q

A week after full moon, the Moon’s phase is:

A

third quarter.

33
Q

The fact that we always see the same face of the Moon tells us that:

A

the Moon’s rotation period is the same as its orbital period.

34
Q

In which direction does a quarter Moon rise?

A

east

35
Q

If the Moon rises around 3 A.M., its phase must be

A

waning crescent.

36
Q

At approximately what time would a first quarter Moon rise?

A

noon

37
Q

At approximately what time would a full Moon be on your meridian?

A

midnight

38
Q

If the Moon is rising at midnight, the phase of the Moon must be

A

third quarter.

39
Q

If the Moon is setting at 6 A.M., the phase of the Moon must be

A

full.

40
Q

When someone on Earth observes the Moon in the first-quarter phase, someone on the Moon facing Earth observes Earth in the

A

third-quarter Earth phase.

41
Q

If you lived on the Moon, you’d see full Earth when we see new Moon.

A

True

42
Q

All of the following statements are true. Which one explains the reason why there is not a solar eclipse at every new Moon?

A

The orbital plane of the Moon is tilted by about 5∘ to the ecliptic plane.

43
Q

In addition to the conditions required for any solar eclipse, what must also be true in order for you to observe a total solar eclipse?

A

The Moon’s umbra must touch the area where you are located.

44
Q

If part of the full Moon passes through Earth’s umbra, we will see a(n)

A

partial lunar eclipse.

45
Q

If the Moon is relatively far from Earth, so that the umbra does not reach Earth, someone directly behind the umbra will see

A

an annular eclipse.

46
Q

A solar eclipse occurs only when the Moon is new.

A

True

47
Q

About how many stars are visible to the naked eye on a clear, dark night away from city lights?

A

A couple thousand.

48
Q

What do astronomers mean by a constellation?

A

A constellation is a region in the sky as seen from Earth.

49
Q

What is the ecliptic?

A

The path the Sun appears to trace around the celestial sphere each year.

50
Q

What is the celestial sphere?

A

The celestial sphere is a representation of how the entire sky looks as seen from Earth.

51
Q

What do we mean when we talk about the Milky Way in our sky?

A

The patchy band of light that outlines the plane of the Milky Way Galaxy as seen from Earth

52
Q

Which of the following correctly describes the meridian in your local sky?

A

A half-circle extending from your horizon due north, through your zenith, to your horizon due south

53
Q

The point directly over your head is called _________.

A

the zenith

54
Q

Stars that are visible in the local sky on any clear night of the year, at any time of the night, are called _________.

A

circumpolar

55
Q

We describe a location on Earth’s surface by stating its _________.

A

latitude and longitude

56
Q

If you are located in the Northern Hemisphere, which of the following correctly describes a relationship between the sky and your location?

A

The altitude of the north celestial pole equals your latitude.

57
Q

Which of the following best describes the meaning of declination and right ascension?

A

They are coordinates on the celestial sphere, with declination telling us the angular distance of an object from the celestial equator and right ascension telling us how far around the celestial sphere an object is located from the vernal equinox.

58
Q

The Sun’s declination on June 21st is ______.

A

+23.5 degrees

59
Q

Which of the following best describes the Tropic of Cancer?

A

It is the circle of latitude on Earth for which the Sun appears directly overhead at noon on the summer solstice.

60
Q

Suppose it is January and the Sun remains above your horizon all day long. Where must you be located?

A

somewhere between the Antarctic Circle and the South Pole

61
Q

From a latitude of 60 degrees north during the winter, the Sun will ______.

A

spend most of each day below the horizon

62
Q

If you were standing on Earth’s equator, where would you look to see the north celestial pole?

A

on your horizon due north

63
Q

Which of the following statements about the celestial sphere is NOT true?

A

The “celestial sphere” is another name for our universe.

64
Q

When traveling north from the United States into Canada, you’ll see the North Star (Polaris) getting _________.

A

higher in the sky

65
Q

Suppose you use the Southern Cross to determine that the south celestial pole appears 40 degrees above your horizon. Then you must be located at

A

latitude 40 degrees south

66
Q

Suppose you are facing north and you see the Big Dipper close to your northern horizon, with Polaris (and the Little Dipper) above it. Where will you see the Big Dipper in six hours?

A

To the right of Polaris; that is, 90 degrees counterclockwise from its current position

67
Q

In any particular place on Earth, certain constellations are visible in the evening only at certain times of the year because _________.

A

our evening view of space depends on where Earth is located in its orbit around the Sun

68
Q

The Sun’s path, as viewed from the equator, is highest in the sky on _________.

A

the spring and fall equinoxes

69
Q

Suppose Earth’s axis tilt was significantly greater than its current 23.5 degrees, but Earth’s rotation period and orbital period were unchanged. Which statement below would not be true?

A

The length of each season (for example, the number of days from the summer solstice to the fall equinox) would be significantly longer than it is now.

70
Q

How does Earth’s varying distance from the Sun affect our seasons?

A

It doesn’t — Earth’s orbital distance plays no significant role in the seasons.

71
Q

Which of the following statements is not true about the sky at Earth’s equator?

A

The Sun will pass directly overhead around noon each day.

72
Q

Suppose Earth’s axis had a greater tilt (more than 23.5 degrees). Which of the following statements would not be true?

A

The celestial sphere would be covered by a different set of constellations than it is with the current axis tilt.

Astronomy (16 decks)

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