Ch 1 Astronomy
True or False: Astronomers discovered a moon that does not orbit a planet.
False
True or False: At a nearby park, I built a scale model of our solar system in which I used a basketball to represent Earth.
False
True or False: Because nearly all galaxies are moving away from us, we must be located at the center of the universe.
False
True or False: It will take me light-years to complete this homework assignment!
False
True or False: NASA will soon launch a spaceship that will photograph our Milky Way Galaxy from beyond its halo.
False
True or False: One solar system is bigger than some galaxies.
False
True or False: Someday we may build spaceships capable of traveling a light-year in only a decade.
False
True or False: The observable universe is the same size today as it was a few billion years ago.
False
True or False: Photographs of distant galaxies show them as they were when they were much younger than they are today.
True
True or False: The universe is billions of light-years in age.
True
Which of the following correctly lists our "cosmic address" from small to large? a) Earth, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe. b) Earth, solar system, Local Group, Local Supercluster, Milky Way Galaxy, ,universe c) Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, solar system, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe
a) Earth, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe
The age of our solar system is about.. a) one-third of the age of the universe. b) three-fourths of the age of the universe. c) two billion years less than the age of the universe.
a) one-third of the age of the universe.
The total number of stars in the observable universe is roughly equivalent to.. a) the number of grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth. b) the number of grains of sand on Miami beach. c) infinity.
a) the number of grains of sand on all the beaches of Earth.
The fact that nearly all galaxies are moving away from us, with more distant ones moving faster, helped us to conclude that.. a) the universe is expanding. b) galaxies repel each other like magnets. c) our galaxy lies near the center of the universe.
a) the universe is expanding.
If stars existed but galaxies did not.. a) we should probably still exist anyway. b) we would not exist because life on Earth depends on the light of galaxies. c) we would not exist because we are made of material that was recycled in galaxies.
a) we would not exist because life on Earth depends on the light or galaxies.
An astronomical unit is.. a) any planet's average distance from the Sun. b) Earth's average distance from the Sun. c) any large astronomical distance.
b) Earth's average distance from the Sun.
Could we see a galaxy that is 50 billion light-years away? a) Yes, if we had a big enough telescope. b) No, because it would be beyond the bounds of our observable universe. c) No, because a galaxy could not possibly be that far away.
b) No, because it would be beyond the bounds of our observable universe.
When we say the universe is expanding, we mean that.. a) everything in the universe is growing in size. b) the average distance between galaxies is growing with time. c) the universe is getting older.
b) the average distance between galaxies is growing with time.
If we represent the solar system on a scale that allows us to walk from the Sun to Pluto in a few minutes, then a) the planets are the size of basketballs and the nearest stars are a few miles away. b) the planets are marble-size or smaller and the nearest stars are thousands of miles away. c) the planets are microscopic and the stars are light-years away.
b) the planets are marble-size or smaller and the nearest stars are thousands of miles away.
The star Betelgeuse is about 600 light-years away. If it explodes tonight, a) we'll know because it will be brighter than the full tonight. b) we'll know because debris from the explosion will rain down on us from space. c) we won't know about it until about 600 years from now.
c) we won't know about it until 600 years from now.