Astronomy CH 3

Which of the following was not a major advantage of Copernicus's Sun-centered model over the Ptolemaic model? (a) It made significantly better predictions of planetary positions in our sky. (b) it offered a more natural explanation for the apparent retrograde motion of the planets in our sky (c) it allowed calculation of the orbital periods and distances of the planets.

a) It made significantly better predictions of planetary positions in our sky.

Earth is closer to the Sun in january than in july. Therefore, in accord with Kepler's second law... (a) Earth travels faster in its accord with Kepler's second law (b) Earth travels faster in its orbit around the Sun in January than in July. (c) it is summer in January and winter in July

b) Earth travels faster in its orbit around the Sun in January than in July.

According to Kepler's third law... (a) Mercury travels fastest in the part of its orbit in which it is closest to the sun (b) Jupiter orbits the Sun at a faster speed than Saturn. (c) all planets have nearly circular orbits

b) Jupiter orbits the Sun at a faster speed than Saturn.

Which of the following is not true about scientific progress? (a) Science progresses through the creation and testing of models in nature. (b) Science advances only through the scientific method. (c) Science avoids explanations that invoke the supernatural

b) Science advances only through the scientific method.

In the greek geocentric model, the retrograde motion of a planet occurs when... (a) Earth is about to pass the planet in it orbit around the sun. (b) The planet actually goes backward in its orbit around Earth. (c) the planet is aligned with the moon in our sky

b) The planet actually goes backward in its orbit around Earth.

When Einstein's theory of gravity (general relativity) gained acceptance, it demonstrated that Newton's theory had been... (a) wrong (b) incomplete. (c) really only a guess

b) incomplete.

Which of the following is not true about scientific theory? (a) a theory must explain a wide range of observations or experiments (b) even the strongest theories can never be proved true beyond all doubt (c) A theory is essentially an educated guess.

c) A theory is essentially an educated guess.

Tycho Brahe's contribution to astronomy included... (a) inventing the telescope (b) proving that Earth orbits the sun (c) collecting data that enabled Kepler to discover the laws of planetary motion.

c) collecting data that enabled Kepler to discover the laws of planetary motion.

When we say that a planet has a highly eccentric orbit, we mean that... (a) it is spiraling towards the sun (b) its orbit is an eclipse with the sun at one focus c) in some parts of its orbit it is much closer to the Sun than in other parts.

c) in some parts of its orbit it is much closer to the Sun than in other parts.

Galileo's contribution to astronomy included? (a) discovering the laws of planetary motion (b) discovering the law of gravity (c) making observations and conducting experiments that dispelled scientific objections to the Sun-centered model.

c) making observations and conducting experiments that dispelled scientific objections to the Sun-centered model.