Astronomy exam 1
From the "Causation vs Correlation" article (#2)): The most effective way to establish that a correlation between two variables is due to causation (one "causes" the other) is : A)By testing the effect of as many variables as possible at one time B)By plotting the two variables on a graph and looking for a trend between them C)By doing a "controlled study"
C
Galileo observed all of the following. Which observation offered direct proof of a planet orbiting the Sun? A)The Milky Way is composed of many individual stars. B)Patterns of shadow and sunlight near the dividing line between the light and dark portions of the Moon's face C)Phases of Venus D)Four moons of Jupiter
C
If I see a waxing gibbous moon tonight, what moon phase will I see in one week? A)Waning crescent B)Waxing gibbous C)Waning gibbous D)Waxing crescent
C
In the "Causation vs Correlation" article (#2)), the example of the correlation between a child' eating breakfast and performance in elementary school is given to: A)Demonstrate that correlation almost never implies true causation B)Demonstrate that correlation almost always implies causation C)Demonstrate that it is often very difficult to establish if an observed correlation implies causation D)Show that eating breakfast clearly causes better performance in elementary school
C
In the "Causation vs Correlation" article (#2)), the example of the question of a potential link between vaccinations and autism is discussed. After years of study, public health experts widely believe that: A)Vaccinations likely cause autism B)We have no idea if vaccinations cause autism C)Vaccinations likely do not cause autism
C
Lunar eclipses can occur only during a ________. A)first quarter moon B)new moon C)full moon D)third quarter moon
C
On a scale in which the distance from Earth to the Sun is about 15 meters, the distance from Earth to the Moon is ________. A)about 1 meter B)about 30 meters C)small enough to fit within your hand D)about 5 meters
C
On a scale where the Sun is about the size of a grapefruit and the Earth is about 15 meters away, how far away are the nearest stars besides the Sun? A)100 meters B)About the distance across the state of Delaware C)About the distance across the United States D)About the distance across 50 football fields
C
Only one of the statements below uses the term theory in its correct, scientific sense. Which one? A)I wrote a theory that is 152 pages long. B)Evolution is only a theory, so there's no reason to think it really happened. C)Einstein's theory of relativity has been tested and verified thousands of times. D)I have a new theory about the cause of earthquakes, and I plan to start testing it soon.
C
Orion is visible on winter evenings but not summer evenings because of A)baseball on television. B)interference from the full moon. C)the location of Earth in its orbit. D)the tilt of Earth's axis. E)the precession of Earth's axis.
C
What effect or effects would be most significant if the Moon's orbital plane were exactly the same as the ecliptic plane? A)Solar eclipses would be much rarer. B)Total solar eclipses would last much longer. C)Solar eclipses would be much more frequent. D)both A and C E)both B and C
C
Kepler's third law, p2=a3, means that A)all orbits with the same semimajor axis have the same period. B)planets that are farther from the Sun move at slower average speeds than nearer planets. C)a planet's period does not depend on the eccentricity of its orbit. D)the period of a planet does not depend on its mass. E)All of the above are correct.
E
What makes the North Star, Polaris, special? A)It is the star directly on your northern horizon. B)It is the brightest star in the sky. C)It can be used to determine your longitude on Earth. D)It is the star straight overhead. E)It appears very near the north celestial pole.
E
Which of the following changes did NOT occur during the collapse of the solar nebula? A)spinning faster B)heating up C)concentrating denser materials nearer the Sun
C
T/F A scientific model must make an observational prediction.
TRUE
T/F Galileo found "imperfections" on the Sun in the form of sunspots and "imperfections" on the Moon in the form of mountains and valleys.
TRUE
According to our present theory of solar system formation, why were solid planetesimals able to grow larger in the outer solar system than in the inner solar system A)Because only the outer planets captured hydrogen and helium gas from the solar nebula B)Because gas in the outer solar system contained a larger proportion of rock, metal, and hydrogen compounds than the gas in the inner solar system C)Because only metal and rock could condense in the inner solar system, while ice also condensed in the outer solar system D)Because the Sun's gravity was stronger in the outer solar system, allowing more solid materialto collect
C
According to our theory of solar system formation, what three major changes occurred in the solarnebula as it shrank in size? A)Its mass, temperature, and density all increased. B)It gained energy, it gained angular momentum, and it flattened into a disk. C)It got hotter, its rate of rotation increased, and it flattened into a disk. D)Its gas clumped up to form the terrestrial planets, nuclear fusion produced heavy elements tomake the jovian planets, and central temperatures rose to more than a trillion Kelvin
C
According to our theory of solar system formation, which law best explains why the solar nebula spun faster as it shrank in size? A)The law of universal gravitation B)The law of conservation of energy C)The law of conservation of angular momentum D)Einstein's law E=mc2
C
According to our theory of solar system formation, why do we find some exceptions to the general rules and patterns of the planets? A)The exceptions probably represent objects that formed recently, rather than early in the history of the solar system. B)The exceptions exist because, even though our theory is as correct as possible, nature never follows rules precisely. C)Most of the exceptions are the result of giant impacts or close gravitational encounters. D)Our theory is not quite correct because it cannot explain these exceptions. E)The exceptions probably represent objects that were captured by our solar system frominterstellar space.
C
All the following statements are true. Which one explains the reason that there is not a solar eclipse at every new moon? A)The Moon goes through a complete cycle of phases about every 29 1/2 days. B)The Moon is only about 1/4 as large as Earth in diameter. C)The orbital plane of the Moon is tilted slightly (by about 5 degrees) to the ecliptic plane. D)The nodes of the moon's orbit precess with an 18-year period.
C
How did the Ptolemaic model explain the apparent retrograde motion of the planets? A)The model showed that apparent retrograde motion occurs as Earth passes by another planet in its orbit of the Sun. B)The planets resided on giant spheres that sometimes turned clockwise and sometimes turned counterclockwise. C)The planets moved along small circles that moved on larger circles around the Earth. D)The planets sometimes stopped moving and then reversed to move backward along theircircular orbits.
C
If we have a new moon today, when we will have the next full moon? A)In about 6 months B)In about 1 month C)In about 2 weeks D)In about 1 week
C
Match the accomplishment to the person: A)Kepler collected data, Tycho found elliptical orbits, Newton explained in terms of physics. B)Tycho collected data, Newton found elliptical orbits, Kepler explained in terms of physics. C)Tycho collected data, Kepler found elliptical orbits, Newton explained in terms of physics.
C
On the scale of the cosmic calendar, in which the history of the universe is compressed to 1 year, how long has human civilization (i.e., since ancient Egypt) existed? A)about half the year B)less than a millionth of a second C)a few seconds D)about a month E)a few hours
C
One week after full moon, the Moon's phase is A)full B)new C)third quarter D)first quarter
C
Suppose Earth's axis tilt was significantly greater than its current 23.5 degrees, but Earth's rotationperiod and orbital period were unchanged. Which statement below would not be true? A)Summers and winters would be more severe (for example, hotter and colder, respectively)than they are now B)Polaris would not be our North star. C)The length of each season (for example, the number of days from the summer solstice to thefall equinox) would be significantly longer than it is now.
C
Suppose you see a crescent moon; how much of the Moon's entire surface (the full globe of the Moon) is in daylight? A)all of it B)one-eight C) half D)one-quarter
C
The number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy is roughly A)1,000 B)infinite C)100 billion D)100 million E)100,000
C
We cannot see a new moon in our sky because ________. A)no sunlight is illuminating the Moon B)it is obscured by Earth's shadow C)a new moon is quite near the Sun in the sky D)above the horizon during the daytime
C
What do we mean by the frost line when we discuss the formation of planets in the solar nebula? A)It is the altitude in a planet's atmosphere at which snow can form. B)It marks the special distance from the Sun at which hydrogen compounds become abundant; closer to the Sun, there are no hydrogen compounds. C)It is a circle at a particular distance from the Sun, beyond which the temperature was low enough for ices to condense D)It is another way of stating the temperature at which water freezes into ice.
C
What is the ecliptic? A)A half-circle extending from your horizon due north, through your zenith, to your horizon due south B)The path traced by the Moon's shadow on Earth during a solar eclipse C)The path the Sun appears to trace around the celestial sphere each year D)The Sun's daily path from east to west in our sky
C
What percentage of the solar nebula's mass consisted of hydrogen and helium gases? A)50 percent B)5 percent C)98 percent D)0.5 percent E)100 percent
C
What practical value did astronomy offer to ancient civilizations? A)It helped them understand our cosmic origins. B)It helped them find uses for ancient structures like Stonehenge. C)It helped them keep track of time and seasons, and it was used by some cultures for navigation. D)It allowed them to predict eclipses with great accuracy.
C
When it is summer in Omaha, it is: A)spring in Australia B)autumn in Australia C)winter in Australia D)summer in Australia
C
Which of the following best describes why we have seasons on Earth? A)The tilt of Earth's axis causes the northern hemisphere to be closer to the Sun than the southern hemisphere in summer, and visa versa in winter. B)The varying speed of Earth in its orbit around the Sun gives us summer when we are moving fastest and winter when we are moving slowest. C)The tilt of Earth's axis causes different portions of the Earth to receive more or less direct sunlight at different times of year. D)Earth's elliptical orbit means we are closer to the Sun and therefore receive more intense sunlight at some times of year than at others.
C
Which of the following is not a characteristic of the inner planets? A)Their orbits are relatively closely spaced. B)They have very few, if any, satellites. C)They all have substantial atmospheres. D)They are relatively smaller than the outer planets. E)They all have solid, rocky surfaces.
C
Which of the following is not an exception to the general patterns of motion in the solar system? A)the large size of Earth's moon B)the extreme axis tilt of Uranus C)the rings of Saturn D)the counterclockwise rotation of Venus
C
You observe a full moon rising at sunset. What will you see at midnight? A)A first quarter moon B)A waning gibbous moon C)A full moon high in the sky D)A third quarter moon
C
Galileo challenged the idea that objects in the heavens were perfect by ________. A)proving Kepler's laws were correct B)inventing the telescope C)showing that heavy objects fall at the same rate as lighter objects D)observing sunspots on the Sun and mountains on the Moon
D
How does Earth's varying distance from the Sun affect our seasons? A)It causes the seasons to be more extreme than they would be if the Earth's distance from theSun were always the same. B)It makes summer warmer in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere. C)It is responsible for the fact that the seasons are opposite in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. D)It doesn'tNEarth's orbital distance plays no significant role in the seasons.
D
If there is going to be a total lunar eclipse tonight, you know that the Moon's phase is: A)new B)waxing crescent C)first OR third quarter D)full
D
Kepler's second law, which states that as a planet moves around its orbit it sweeps out equal areas in equal times, means that A)planets have circular orbits. B)planets that are farther from the Sun move at slower average speeds than nearer planets. C)a planet's period does not depend on the eccentricity of its orbit. D)a planet travels faster when it is nearer to the Sun and slower when it is farther from the Sun. E)the period of a planet does not depend on its mass
D
One technique Polynesians used to navigate the seas described in the article was: A)The use of Chronometers B)Using the magnetic field of the Earth to determine direction C)The use of the Sextant D)Detecting patterns in the waves caused by land on the distant horizon
D
Suppose a comet orbits the Sun on a highly eccentric orbit with an average (semimajor axis)distance of 1 AU. How long does it take to complete each orbit, and how do we know? A)It depends on the eccentricity of the orbit, as described by Kepler's second law. B)It depends on the eccentricity of the orbit, as described by Kepler's first law. C)Each orbit should take about 2 years, because the eccentricity is so large. D)Each orbit takes about 1 year, which we know from Kepler's third law.
D
Suppose you could float in space just a few meters above Saturn's rings. What would you see as you looked down on the rings? A)a solid, shiny surface, looking much like a piece of a DVD but a lot bigger B)dozens of large "moonlets" made of metal and rock, each a few kilometers across C)NothingNup close, the rings would be so completely invisible that you'd have no way toknow they are there. They can be seen only from a distance. D)countless icy particles, ranging in size from dust grains to large boulders
D
Suppose you live in the United States and you see a crescent moon in your evening sky tonight.What will a friend in South America see tonight? A)Your friend won't see the Moon tonight, because it is up only in the morning. B)Your friend will see a gibbous moon. C)Your friend will see a first quarter moon. D)Your friend will also see a crescent moon.
D
The "Big Bang" is the name astronomers give to A)the explosion that occurs when a star dies B)the largest explosion ever observed C)a TV show about nerdy scientists D)the birth of the Universe
D
The ancient Greeks get a lot of attention for their contributions to science because ________. A)they were the first people to realize that Earth is a planet orbiting the Sun B)the books of every other culture were lost in the destruction of the library of Alexandria C)they were the only ancient culture that kept written records of their astronomical observations D)they were the first people known to try to explain nature with models based on reason and mathematics, without resort to the supernatural
D
The controversial book of this famous person, published in 1543 (the year of his death), suggested that Earth and other planets orbit the Sun. A)Ptolemy B)Tycho Brahe C)Galileo D)Copernicus E)Kepler
D
The nebular theory of the formation of the solar system successfully predicts all but one of thefollowing. Which one does the theory not predict? A)the presence of asteroids and comets B)the compositional differences between the terrestrial and jovian planets C)the craters on the Moon D)the equal number of terrestrial and jovian planets (with the exception of Pluto) E)Planets orbit around the Sun in nearly circular orbits in a flattened disk.
D
Using the ideas discussed in your textbook, in what sense are we "star stuff"? A)The overall chemical composition of our bodies is about the same as that of stars. B)Movie stars and other people are all made of the same stuff, so we all have the potential to be famous C)We could not survive without light from our star, the Sun. D)Nearly every atom from which we are made was once inside of a star.
D
What are the main constituents of the jovian planets? A)ammonia and water B)rocky minerals and water, as on Earth C)nitrogen and methane D)hydrogen and helium E)ammonia and methane
D
What conditions are required for a solar eclipse? A)The phase of the Moon must be new, and the Moon's orbital plane must lie in the ecliptic. B)The phase of the Moon can be new or full, and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun. C)The phase of the Moon must be full, and the Moon's orbital plane must lie in the ecliptic. D)The phase of the Moon must be new, and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun. E)The phase of the Moon must be full, and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly alignedwith Earth and the Sun.
D
What do meteorites reveal about the solar system? A)They reveal that meteorites are much older than the comets and planets. B)They reveal that the solar system once contained 10 planets. C)They reveal that the early solar system consisted mostly of hydrogen and helium gas. D)They reveal that the age of the solar system is approximately 4.6 billion years. E)Nothing, because they come from other star systems.
D
What is the celestial sphere? A)The celestial sphere is a model of how the stars are arranged in the sky relative to our Sun, which is in the middle of the sphere. B)It represents a belief in an Earth-centered universe, and hence is no longer considered to have any use. C)The celestial sphere is a model that shows the true locations in space of the Sun and a few thousand of the nearest stars. D)The celestial sphere is a representation of how the entire sky looks as seen from Earth.
D
When Copernicus first created his Sun-centered model of the universe, it did not lead to substantially better predictions of planetary positions than the Ptolemaic model. Why not? A)Copernicus misjudged the distances between the planets. B)Copernicus placed the planets in the wrong order going outward from the Sun. C)Copernicus placed the Sun at the center, but did not realize that the Moon orbits the Earth. D)Copernicus used perfect circles for the orbits of the planets.
D
When traveling north from the United States into Canada, you'll see the North Star (Polaris) getting________. A)dimmer B)lower in the sky C)brighter D)higher in the sky
D
Which of the following is largest? A)1 light-year B)distance to the nearest star (other than our Sun) C)size of Pluto's orbit D)size of a typical galaxy
D
Which of the following is not a major pattern of motion in the solar system? A)Most of the solar system's large moons orbit in their planet's equatorial plane. B)The Sun and most of the planets rotate in the same direction in which the planets orbit theSun. C)All of the planets orbit the Sun in the same direction counterclockwise as viewed from aboveEarth's north pole. D)Nearly all comets orbit the Sun in same direction and roughly the same plane.
D
Which of the following statements about scientific models is true? A)A model tries to represent only one aspect of nature. B)All current models are correct. C)A model tries to represent all aspects of nature. D)A model can be used to explain and predict real phenomena. E)All models that explain nature well are correct.
D
Rank the following 4 items by how long it takes for light to reach us from these objects, from shortest to longest. A)Pluto, Sun, center of Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy B)Sun, Pluto, the Andromeda Galaxy, center of the Milky Way C)Pluto, Sun, the Andromeda Galaxy, center of the Milky Way D)The Andromeda Galaxy, the center of the Milky Way, Pluto, Sun E)Sun, Pluto, center of the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy
E
What kind of material in the solar nebula could remain solid at temperatures as high as 1,500 K, such as existed in the inner regions of the nebula? A)molecules such as methane and ammonia B)silicon-based minerals C)hydrogen compounds D)rocks E)metals
E
Why did the solar nebula heat up as it collapsed? A)Collisions among planetesimals generated friction and heat. B)Radiation from other nearby stars that had formed earlier heated the nebula. C)Nuclear fusion occurring in the core of the protosun produced energy that heated the nebula. D)The shock wave from a nearby supernova heated the gas. E)As the cloud shrank, its gravitational potential energy was converted to thermal energy.
E
According to our present theory of solar system formation, which of the following statements about the growth of terrestrial and jovian planets is not true? A)The jovian planets began from planetesimals made only of ice, while the terrestrial planets began from planetesimals made only of rock and metal. B)Both types of planet begun with planetesimals growing through the process of accretion, but only the jovian planets were able to capture hydrogen and helium gas from the solar nebula. C)The terrestrial planets formed inside the frost line of the solar nebula and the jovian planets formed beyond it. D)Swirling disks of gas, like the solar nebula in miniature, formed around the growing jovianplanets but not around the growing terrestrial planets.
A
How might our solar system be different if the frost line were much farther out? A)Jupiter would not exist B)Jupiter could be located where the Earth is C)Earth would be smaller
A
If we represent the solar system on a scale model that allows us to walk from the Sun to Pluto in a few minutes, then: A)the planets are marble size or smaller and the nearest stars are thousands of miles away B)the planets are microscopic and the stars are millions of miles away C)the planets are marble size or smaller and the nearest stars are tens of miles away D)the planets are the size of basketballs and the nearest stars are a few miles away
A
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 B)some constellations are circumpolar C)on any particular night, we can only see stars that are directly opposite (180 degrees away from) the Sun in the sky D)during some times of year, some constellations drop below the southern horizon
A
In the "Clearing up confusion between correlation and causation" article (#1)), what best describes the relationship between the number of Methodist ministers and the amount of Cuban rum imported into Boston in the late 1800's - early 1900's? A)This is an example of a correlation, but there is no causation B)There is no correlation and no causation in this example C)This is an example of a correlation and a causation.
A
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 B)celestial C)seasonal D)bright
A
The article describes this technique used by ancient Norwegian sailors to travel the open ocean: A)The flight paths of birds B)The use of devices that aligned with the Earth's magnetic field C)The astrolabe D)Ocean maps made of palm twigs and shells
A
The point directly over your head is called ________. A)the zenith B)the North Star C)the north celestial pole D)the meridian
A
We can be sure that variations in Earth's distance from the Sun are NOT the cause of the seasons, because: A)if distance were responsible for the seasons, both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres would have summer at the same time (but they do not). B)if distance were responsible for the seasons, seasonal temperature changes would be much more extreme. C)actually, the variation in the Earth's distance from the Sun IS the primary cause of the seasons D)Earth is always exactly the same distance from the Sun.
A
Which of the following has your "cosmic address" in the correct order? A)You, Earth, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe B)You, Earth, solar system, Local Group, Local Supercluster, Milky Way Galaxy, universe C)You, Earth, solar system, Local Group, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Supercluster, universe D)You, Earth, Local Group, Local Supercluster, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, universe E)You, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, solar system, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe
A
Which of the following is furthest from the Sun? A)a comet in the Oort cloud B)Pluto C)a comet in the Kuiper belt D)Neptune E)an asteroid in the asteroid belt
A
Which of the following is not a characteristic of the outer planets? A)They have very few, if any, satellites. B)They all have rings. C)They all have large quantities of gas. D)They are primarily made of hydrogen and helium. E)Their orbits are separated by relatively large distances.
A
Which of the following is not a general difference between a planet and a star? A)All planets are made of rock and all stars are made of gas. B)Planets are dimmer than stars. C)Planets are smaller than stars. D)Planets orbit stars, while stars orbit the center of the galaxy.
A
Which of the following is not consistent with the major hallmarks of science? A)Science consists of proven theories that are understood to be true explanations of reality. B)Science progresses through the creation and testing of models that explain observation as simply as possible. C)A scientific model must make testable predictions. D)Scientific explanations should be based solely on natural causes.
A
Which of the following is not part of a good scientific theory? A)A scientific theory must explain a wide variety of phenomena observed in the natural world. B)A scientific theory should be based on natural processes and should not invoke the supernatural or divine. C)A scientific theory cannot be accepted until it has been proven true beyond all doubt. D)A scientific theory must make testable predictions that, if found to be incorrect, could lead toits own modification or demise.
A
Which of the following lists the ingredients of the solar nebula from highest to lowest percentage of mass of the nebula? A)Light gases (H, He), hydrogen compounds (H2O, CH4, NH3), rocks, metals B)Hydrogen compounds (H2O, CH4, NH3), light gases (H, He), metals, rocks C)Hydrogen compounds (H2O, CH4, NH3), light gases (H, He), rocks, metals D)Hydrogen compounds (H2O, CH4, NH3), rocks, metals, light gases (H, He) E)Light gases (H, He), hydrogen compounds (H2O, CH4, NH3), metals, rocks
A
Which of the following statements about the Milky Way Galaxy is not true? A)Our solar system is located very close to the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. B)One rotation of the galaxy takes about 200 million years. C)The galaxy is about 100,000 light-years in diameter. D)It contains between 100 billion and 1 trillion stars.
A
Which statements correctly locate the formation of the Earth and the appearance of the first humans on the cosmic calendar, which compresses the 14-billion year history of the universe into one"year," where "now" is exactly midnight, Dec 31? A)Earth forms in early September, life begins in late September, humans appear a few hours before midnight, Dec 31. B)Earth forms in January, life begins in September, and humans appear in October. C)Earth forms in early September, life begins in November, and humans appear on Dec 15. D)Earth forms in January, life begins in April, and humans appear in early December.
A
A television advertisement claiming that a product is light-years ahead of its time does not make sense because ________. A)a light-year is an astronomically large unit, so a product could not possibly be so advanced B)it uses "light-years" to talk about time, but a light-year is a unit of distance C)light-years can only be used to talk about light D)it doesn't specify the number of light-years
B
According to Kepler's third law (p2=a3), how does a planet's mass affect its orbit around the Sun? A)A more massive planet must have a larger semimajor axis. B)A planet's mass has no effect on its orbit around the Sun. C)More massive planets must have more circular orbits. D)More massive planets orbit the Sun at higher average speed.
B
According to our theory of solar system formation, which law best explains why the central regions of the solar nebula got hotter as the nebula shrank in size? A)Newton's third law B)The law of conservation of energy C)The two laws of thermal radiation D)The law of conservation of angular momentum
B
He discovered that the orbits of planets are ellipses. A)Galileo B)Kepler C)Ptolemy D)Tycho Brahe E)Copernicus
B
How do scientists determine the age of the solar system? A)Radiometric dating of the oldest Earth rocks B)Radiometric dating of meteorites C)Radiometric dating of Moon rocks D)Theoretical calculations tell us how long it has taken the planets to evolve to their presentforms.
B
How many planets in the solar system orbit the Sun in the same direction that Earth does? A)half of them B)all of them C)1/3 of them D)one of them
B
Planetary orbits generally are: A)fairly circular but oriented in random directions B)fairly circular and oriented in the same plane C)very eccentric (stretched-out) ellipses and oriented in random directions D) very eccentric (stretched-out) ellipses but oriented in the same plane
B
Suppose we imagine the Sun to be about the size of a grapefruit. Which of the following describes the size and distance of Earth on the same scale? A)Earth is the size of a marble about 25 miles away from the Sun. B)Earth is the size of a point about 15 meters away from the Sun. C)Earth is the size of a golf ball about 15 meters away from the Sun.D)Earth is the size of a point about 1 meter away from the Sun. E)Earth is the size of a golf ball about 1 meter away from the Sun.
B
"Clearing up confusion between correlation and causation" article (#1)): What is meant by "correlation"? A)When one quantity varies randomly with another quantity B)When one quantity can be compared with another quantity on equal footing C) When one quantity either increases or decreases with another quantity
C
According to our present theory of solar system formation, which of the following best explains why the solar nebula ended up with a disk shape as it collapsed? A)The law of conservation of energy. B)It was fairly flat to begin with, and retained this flat shape as it collapsed. C)It flattened as a natural consequence of collisions between particles in the nebula. D)The force of gravity pulled the material downward into a flat disk.
C
Suppose we make a scale model of our solar system, with the Sun the size of a grapefruit. Which of the following best describes what the planets would look like? A)The planets range in size from about the size of a marble to the size of a baseball. They are spread out over a region about the size of a football field. B)The planets are all much smaller than the Sun. Four planets are within about 20 meters of theSun, while the rest planets are spread much farther apart. C)The planets are all much smaller than the Sun. Four planets are located within a few centimeters of the Sun, and four planets are located at distances ranging up to about a meter. D)The planets are all much smaller than the Sun and are spread out evenly over a distanceabout the length of a large classroom.
B
The total number of stars in the observable universe is about ________. A)100 billion B)the same as the number of grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth C)the same as the number of grains of sand in a school sandbox D)the same as the number of atoms that make up the Earth
B
What do we mean by a geocentric model of the universe? A)It is the name given to sphere-shaped models that show all the constellations as they appear in our sky on the celestial sphere. B)A model designed to explain what we see in the sky while having the Earth located in the center of the universe C)A model designed to explain what we see in the sky while having the Earth orbit the Sun D)A model of the Milky Way Galaxy that has our solar system located at its center
B
What is stellar parallax? A)It is the change in the set of constellations that we see at different times of year in the evening sky. B)It is the slight back-and-forth shifting of star positions that occurs as we view the stars from different positions in Earth's orbit of the Sun. C)It describes the fact that stars are actually moving relative to one another, even though to our eyes the stars appear fixed in the constellations D)It is the daily rise and set of the stars.
B
What is the primary basis upon which we divide the ingredients of the solar nebula into four categories (hydrogen/helium; hydrogen compound; rock; metal)? A)The amounts of energy required to ionize various materials. B)The temperatures at which various materials will condense from gaseous form to solid form. C)The locations of various materials in the solar nebula. D)The atomic mass numbers of various materials.
B
When we look at an object that is 1,000 light-years away we see it ________. A)looking just the same as our ancestors would have seen it 1,000 years ago B)as it was 1,000 years ago C)as it is right now, but it appears 1,000 times dimmer D)as it was 1,000 light-years ago
B
Which of the following is not an exception to the general patterns of motion in the solar system? A)the "backward" orbit of Triton around Neptune B)the rings of Saturn C)the extreme axis tilt of Uranus D)the large size of Earth's moon E)the counterclockwise rotation of Venus
B
Which of the following is not one of, nor a direct consequence of, Kepler's Laws? A)More distant planets orbit the Sun at slower speeds. B)The force of attraction between any two objects decreases with the square of the distance between their centers. C)The orbit of each planet about the Sun is an ellipse with the Sun at one focus. D)As a planet moves around its orbit, it sweeps out equal areas in equal times.
B
Which of the following is the origin of almost all the large moons around the jovian planets? A)They are captured asteroids. B)They were formed by condensation and accretion in a disk of gas around the planet. C)They were formed by giant impacts. D)They are captured comets. E)They are captured planets.
B
Which of the following statements about an ellipse is not true? A)The semi major axis of an ellipse is half the length of the longest line that you can draw across an ellipse. B)The focus of an ellipse is always located precisely at the center of the ellipse. C)An ellipse with a large eccentricity looks much more elongated (stretched out) than an ellipse with a small eccentricity .D)A circle is considered to be a special type of ellipse.
B
Which of the following statements about scientific theories is not true? A)A theory can never be proved beyond all doubt; we can only hope to collect more and more evidence that might support it. B)A theory cannot be taken seriously by scientists if it contradicts other theories developed by scientists over the past several hundred years. C)A theory is a model designed to explain a number of observed facts. D)If even a single new fact is discovered that contradicts what we expect according to a particular theory, then the theory must be revised or discarded. E)A theory must make predictions that can be checked by observation or experiment.
B
Which of the following statements about the celestial sphere is not true? A)The Earth is placed at the center of the celestial sphere. B)The "celestial sphere" is another name for our universe. C)When we look in the sky, the stars all appear to be located on the celestial sphere. D)The celestial sphere does not exist physically.
B
According to our basic scenario of solar system formation, why do the jovian planets have numerous large moons? A)Because of their strong gravity, the jovian planets were able to capture numerous asteroids that happened to be passing nearby, and these became the major moons of the jovian planets. B)The many moons of the jovian planets remains one of the unexplained mysteries of the formation of our solar system. C)The large moons of the jovian planets originally formed in the inner solar system and these moons then migrated out to join up with the jovian planets. D)As the growing jovian planets captured gas from the solar nebula, the gas formed swirlingdisks around them, and moons formed from condensation accretion within these disks.
D
According to our theory of solar system formation, what are asteroids and comets? A)Chunks of rock or ice that were expelled from planets by volcanoes B)Chunks of rock or ice that condensed after the planets and moons finished forming C)The shattered remains of collisions between planets D)Leftover planetesimals that never accreted into planets
D
According to our theory of solar system formation, why do all the planets orbit the Sun in the same direction and in nearly the same plane? A)Any planets that once orbited in the opposite direction or a different plane were ejected from the solar system. B)The Sun formed first, and as it grew in size it spread into a disk, rather like the way a ball of dough can be flattened into a pizza by spinning it. C)Luck explains it, as we would expect that most other solar systems would not have all their planets orbiting in such a pattern. D)The laws of conservation of energy and conservation of angular momentum ensure that any rotating, collapsing cloud will end up as a spinning disk. E)The original solar nebula happened to be disk-shaped by chance.
D
Earth is farthest from the Sun in July and closest to the Sun in January. During which NorthernHemisphere season is Earth moving fastest in its orbit? A)Summer B)Fall C)Spring D)Winter
D