intro to astronomy

Rank the galaxies from left to right based on the amount of time it has taken their light to travel to Earth, from the longest time to the shortest time: 800 million light-years, 5 billion light-years, 230 million light years, 70 million light-years, 2 billion light-years, 10 billion light-years

10 billion light-years, 5 billion light-years, 2 billion light-years, 800 million light-years, 230 million light-years, 70 million light-years

Rank the galaxies from left to right based on the age of the universe at the time these galaxies emitted the light we receive from them today, from oldest (closest to today) to youngest (furthest back in time): 800 million light-years, 5 billion light-years, 230 million light years, 70 million light-years, 2 billion light-years, 10 billion light-years

70 million light-years, 230 million light-years, 800 million light-years, 2 billion light-years, 5 billion light-years, 10 billion light-years.

Rank the forms of light from left to right in order of increasing speed. To rank items as equivalent, overlap them: infrared, visible light, X rays, radio waves, gamma rays, ultraviolet

All equivalent

If we imagine the history of the universe compressed into one year, dinosaurs became extinct _________. a. about 3 weeks ago b. about an hour ago c. about 6 months ago d. yesterday morning

d. yesterday morning

Each of the following items states a temperature, but does not tell you whether the temperature is measured on the Fahrenheit, Celsius, or Kelvin scale. Match the items to the appropriate temperature scale: liquid water boils at 100, water boils into gas phase at 373.15, water freezes into ice at 0, a hot summer day might be 100, the coldest possible temperature is 0, ice cream is stored in freezers at 26, a typical room temperature is 24.

Fahrenheit: -ice cream is stored in freezer at 26 -a hot summer day might be 100 Celsius: -water freezes into ice at 0 -a typical room temperature is 24 -liquid water boils at 100 Kelvin: -water boils into gas phase at 373.15 -the coldest possible temperature is 0

The following diagrams show five pairs of asteroids, labeled with their relative masses (M) and distances (d) between them. For example, an asteroid with M=2 has twice the mass of one with M=1 and a distance of d=2 is twice as large as a distance of d=1. Rank each pair from left to right based on the strength of the gravitational force attracting the asteroids to each other, from strongest to weakest: M=1 d=2 M=2, M=2 d=1 M=2, M=1 d=1 M=1, M=1 d=2 M=1, M=1 d=1 M=2

M=2 d=1 M=2, M=1 d=1 M=2, M=1 d=1 M=1, M=1 d=2 M=2, M=1 d=2 M=1

Consider each of the following statements that you might hear in everyday life. Classify each statement as either an observation or an explanation: the overly orbits of planets arose from their formation in a rotating gas cloud, more distant galaxies are moving away from us faster than nearby galaxies, stars can shine brightly for billions of years, the universe is expanding because it began with a big bang, all planets orbit the sun in the same direction and nearly the same plane, the andromeda and milky way galaxies formed in the same way, stars shine with energy generated by nuclear fusion in their cores, the andromeda galaxy is similar in structure to our own milky way

Observations: -the andromeda galaxy is similar in structure to our own milky way -stars can shine brightly for billions of years -more distant galaxies are moving away from us faster than nearby galaxies -all planets orbit the sun in the same direction and nearly the same plane Explanations: -stars shine with energy generated by nuclear fusion in their cores -the universe is expanding because it began with a big bang -the orderly orbits of planets arose from their formation in rotating gas cloud -the andromeda and milky way galaxies formed in the same way

Listed following are various physical situations that describe how light interacts with matter. Match these to the appropriate category of transmission, absorption, reflection or scattering, emission: light comes from a light bulb, white light hits a white piece of paper, red light hits a red sweatshirt, cell phone signals pass through walls, visible light meets clear glass, blue light hits red sweatshirt, light comes from your computer screen, visible light does not pass through a black wall

Transmission: -visible light meets clear glass -cell phone signal pass through walls Absorption: -visible light does not pass through a black wall -blue light hits a red sweatshirt Reflection or scattering: -red light hits a red sweatshirt -white light hits a white piece of paper emission: -light comes from a light bulb -light comes from your computer screen

Process of Science: If any single test of a scientific hypothesis contradicts it, the hypothesis must be revised. (Assume that you've ruled out errors in the testing process; that is, the test result really does contradict the hypothesis.) a. True b. False

a. true

Why do the patterns of the stars in our sky look the same from year to year? a. Because the stars in the constellations are so far away. b. Because the stars in the constellations are not moving. c. Because the stars in the constellations move so slowly --- typically about the speed of a snail --- that their motions are not noticeable. d. Because the stars in the constellations all move at the same speeds and in the same directions, so they don't change their relative positions.

a. Because the stars in the constellations are so far away.

Process of Science: What is Occam's razor? a. The idea that scientists should prefer the simpler of two models that agree equally well with observations. b. The principle that everyone should agree on a theory before it is considered correct. c. The principal that any theory can be verified by others. d. A long, steep cliff on Mercury that may have been produced as the planet contracted as it formed. e. An unusual implement that Professor Occam uses to remove facial hair.

a. The idea that scientists should prefer the simpler of two models that agree equally well with observations.

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 are all much smaller than the Sun. Four planets are within about 20 meters of the Sun, while the rest planets are spread much farther apart. b. 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. c. 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. d. The planets are all much smaller than the Sun and are spread out evenly over a distance about the length of a large classroom.

a. The planets are all much smaller than the Sun. Four planets are within about 20 meters of the Sun, while the rest planets are spread much farther apart.

The number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy is approximately _________. a. a few hundred billion b. a few hundred thousand c. a few hundred d. a few hundred million

a. a few hundred billion

In science, a broad idea that has been repeatedly verified so as to give scientists great confidence that it represents reality is called _________. a. a paradigm b. a Ptolemaic model c. a theory d. a hypothesis

a. a theory

A light-year is _________. a. about 10 trillion kilometers b. about 300,000 kilometers per second c. the time it takes light to reach the nearest star d. the time it takes light to travel around the Sun

a. about 10 trillion kilometers

When we look at an object that is 1,000 light-years away we see it _________. a. as it was 1,000 years ago b. looking just the same as our ancestors would have seen it 1,000 years ago c. as it was 1,000 light-years ago d. as it is right now, but it appears 1,000 times dimmer

a. as it was 1,000 years ago

Suppose that someone in the Andromeda galaxy had a super-telescope through which they were looking at Earth right now. They would see Earth ____. a. as it was about 2 1/2 million years ago b. as it was about 100,000 years ago c. as it is right now d. as it will be about 2 1/2 million years from now

a. as it was about 2 1/2 million years ago

What do we mean when we say that the universe is expanding? a. Average distances between galaxies are increasing with time. b. Everything in the universe is gradually growing in size. c. Within galaxies, average distances between star systems are increasing with time. d. The statement is not meant to be literal; rather, it means that our knowledge of the universe is growing.

a. average distances between galaxies are increasing with time

Astronomers infer that the universe is expanding because distant galaxies all appear to _________. a. be moving away from us, with more distant ones moving faster b. be made mostly of dark matter c. rotate rapidly d. be growing in size

a. be moving away from us, with more distant ones moving faster

Which of the following procedures would allow you to make a spectrum of the Sun similar to the one shown, though with less detail? a. Pass a narrow beam of sunlight through a prism. b. Take a photograph of the Sun and then use image-processing software to change the Sun's shape into a long, thin strip. c. Photograph the Sun through a powerful telescope. d. Compare the relative amounts of light that the Sun emits as infrared, visible light, and ultraviolet light.

a. pass a narrow beam of sunlight through a prism

The term observable universe refers to _________. a. that portion of the universe that we can see in principle, given the current age of the universe b. the portion of the universe that is not hidden from view by, for example, being below the horizon c. that portion of the universe that we have so far photographed through telescopes d. the portion of the universe that can be seen by the naked eye

a. that portion of the universe that we can see in principle, given the current age of the universe

Consider Earth and the Moon. As you should now realize, the gravitational force that Earth exerts on the Moon is equal and opposite to that which the Moon exerts on Earth. Therefore, according to Newton's second law of motion __________. a. the Moon has a larger acceleration than Earth, because it has a smaller mass b. Earth has a larger acceleration than the Moon, because it has a larger mass c. the Moon and Earth both have equal accelerations, because the forces are equal

a. the moon has a larger acceleration than earth, because it has a smaller mass

Our solar system consists of _________. a. the sun and all objects that orbit it b. the sun and the planets, and nothing else c. a few hundred billion stars, bound together by gravity d. the sun and several nearby stars, as well as the planets and other objects that orbit these stars

a. the sun and all objects that orbit it

Astronomy and astrology were often practiced together in ancient cultures, and astrology played an important role in the historical development of astronomy. a. True b. False

a. true

It is possible for science as a whole to be objective despite the fact that all individual scientists have personal biases and beliefs. a. True b. False

a. true

Nonscientific practices that make no claims about how the natural world works do not conflict with science. a. True b. False

a. true

Scientific theories can never be proved true beyond all doubt. a. True b. False

a. true

When did humans learn that the Earth is not the center of the universe? a. Within the past 500 years b. About 1,000 years ago. c. We haven't; there is still considerable scientific debate about whether Earth is the center of the universe. d. About 2,500 years ago

a. within the past 500 years

The following five diagrams show pairs of astronomical objects that are all separated by the same distance d. Assume the asteroids are all identical and relatively small, just a few kilometers across. Considering only the two objects shown in each pair, rank the strength, from strongest to weakest, of the gravitational force acting on the asteroid on the LEFT: asteroid to moon, asteroid to sun, asteroid to hydrogen atom, asteroid to asteroid, asteroid to earth

asteroid to sun, asteroid to earth, asteroid to moon, asteroid to asteroid, asteroid to hydrogen atom

The following five diagrams show pairs of astronomical objects that are all separated by the same distance d. Assume the asteroids are all identical and relatively small, just a few kilometers across. Considering only the two objects shown in each pair, rank the strength, from strongest to weakest, of the gravitational force acting on the asteroid on the RIGHT: asteroid to moon, asteroid to sun, asteroid to hydrogen atom, asteroid to asteroid, asteroid to earth

asteroid to sun, asteroid to earth, asteroid to moon, asteroid to asteroid, asteroid to hydrogen atom

The following five diagrams show pairs of astronomical objects that are all separated by the same distance d. Assume the asteroids are all identical and relatively small, just a few kilometers across.his time, rank the pairs from left to right based on the size of the acceleration the asteroid on the left would have due to the gravitational force exerted on it by the object on the right, from largest to smallest: asteroid to moon, asteroid to sun, asteroid to hydrogen atom, asteroid to asteroid, asteroid to earth

asteroid to sun, asteroid to earth, asteroid to moon, asteroid to asteroid, asteroid to hydrogen atom

Process of Science: I am doing science when I already know the answer to my scientific question and I am searching for evidence in the natural world strictly to support what I know. a. True b. False

b. False

What is meant by a scientific paradigm? a. a historical theory that has been proved inaccurate b. a generally well-established scientific theory or set of theories c. a pseudoscientific idea d. a conundrum or unexplained set of facts e. a radical change in scientific thought

b. a generally well-established scientific theory or set of theories

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

b. a theory is essentially an educated guess

According to current scientific estimates, when did the Big Bang occur? a. about 20 billion years ago b. about 14 billion years ago c. about 10 billion years ago d. about 4 1/2 billion years ago e. about 65 million years ago

b. about 14 billion years ago

Consider a raisin cake expanding uniformly in an oven. Viewed from one of the raisins, you would see _____. a. all raisins, including your own, growing in size as the cake expands b. all other raisins moving away from you, with more distant raisins moving faster c. all other raisins moving away from you, with more distant raisins moving slower d. all other raisins moving away from you at the same speed

b. all other raisins moving away from you, with more distant raisins moving faster

Scientific thinking developed only in the past few decades. a. True b. False

b. false

If you want to make a rocket turn left, you need to: a. Fire an engine that shoots out gas to the left. b. Fire an engine that shoots out gas to the right. c. Spin the rocket clockwise.

b. fire an engine that shoots out gas to the right

As an interstellar gas cloud shrinks in size, its gravitational potential energy: a. stays the same at all times. b. gradually transforms into other forms of energy. c. gradually grows larger.

b. gradually transforms into other forms of energy

When a spinning ice skater pulls in his arms, he spins faster because _________. a. there is less friction with the ice b. his angular momentum must be conserved, so reducing his radius must increase his speed of rotation c. there is less friction with the air d. there exists an unbalanced reaction force

b. his angular momentum must be conserved, so reducing his radius must increase his speed of rotation

Using the ideas discussed in your textbook, in what sense are we "star stuff"? a. We could not survive without light from our star, the Sun. b. Nearly every atom from which we are made was once inside of a star. c. The overall chemical composition of our bodies is about the same as that of stars. d. Movie stars and other people are all made of the same stuff, so we all have the potential to be famous.

b. nearly every atom from which we are made was once inside of a star

How long does it take the Earth to complete one orbit around the Sun? a. One month b. One year c. One week d. One day e. The time it takes Earth to orbit the Sun changes significantly from one orbit to the next.

b. one year

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

b. science advances only though the scientific method

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 5 meters b. small enough to fit within your hand c. about 1 meter d. about 30 meters

b. small enough to fit within your hand

An astronomical unit (AU) is _________. a. the current distance between Earth and the Sun b. the average distance between Earth and the Sun c. any very large unit, such as a light-year d. the average distance between any planet and the Sun

b. the average distance between Earth and the Sun

Based on observations of the universal expansion, the age of the universe is about _________. a. 14,000 years b. 14 million years c. 14 billion years d. 14 trillion years

c. 14 billion years

How do the speeds at which we are moving with Earth's rotation and orbit compare to the speeds of more familiar objects? a. Earth's rotation carries most people around the axis at about the speed at which the Space Shuttle orbits Earth, and Earth's orbit carries us around the Sun at nearly the speed of light. b. Earth's rotation carries most people around the axis at about the speed of a commercial jet, and Earth's orbit carries us around the Sun at about the speed of a military jet. c. Earth's rotation carries most people around the axis faster than a commercial jet travels, and Earth's orbit carries us around the Sun faster than the Space Shuttle orbits Earth. d. Earth's rotation carries most people around the axis at about the speed of a car on the freeway, and Earth's orbit carries us around the Sun at about the speed of a commercial jet.

c. Earth's rotation carries most people around the axis faster than a commercial jet travels, and Earth's orbit carries us around the Sun faster than the Space Shuttle orbits Earth.

Why is Newton's version of Kepler's third law so useful to astronomers? a. It tells us that more-distant planets orbit the Sun more slowly. b. It explains why objects spin faster when they shrink in size. c. It can be used to determine the masses of many distant objects. d. It allows us to calculate distances to distant objects.

c. It can be used to determine the masses of many distant objects

Process of Science: Assume we have data indicating a strong positive correlation between acupuncture treatments and recovery of patients from, say, cocaine addiction. However, let's also assume that every hypothesis we have for a mechanism of action (i.e., how acupuncture could work to help cure addiction) can be shown to be false. The patients, however, all claim to know that the acupuncture is what cured them. Which of the following conclusions are supported by our data? Could acupuncture be responsible for the patients' recovery? a. Yes. If the patients got better, then the acupuncture must be effective. b. No. If there is no plausible mechanism of action, then clearly acupuncture cannot be responsible for their healing. c. Yes. Just because we don't understand the mechanism doesn't mean the process does not occur. d. No. Acupuncture is not accepted by most medical doctors, therefore it isn't effective.

c. Yes. Just because we don't understand the mechanism doesn't mean the process does not occur.

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 50 football fields c. About the distance across the United States d. About the distance across the state of Delaware

c. about the distance across the united states

Which of the following is not a general difference between a planet and a star? a. planets orbit star, while stars orbit the center of the galaxy b. planets are smaller than stars c. all planets are made of rock and all stars are made of gas d. planets are dimmer than stars

c. all planets are made of rock and all stars are made of gas

According to the universal law of gravitation, if you triple the distance between two objects, then the gravitational force between them _________. a.increases by a factor of 3 b. increases by a factor of 9 c. decreases by a factor of 9 d. decreases by a factor of 3

c. decreases by a factor of 9

On the cosmic calendar, which compresses the history of the universe into a single year, about when did life arise on Earth? a. in late January b. in mid-August c. in September d. in mid-December

c. in September

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

c. incomplete

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 doesn't specify the number of light-years c. it uses "light-years" to talk about time, but a light-year is a unit of distance d. light-years can only be used to talk about light

c. it uses "light-years" to talk about time, but a light-year is a unit of distance

Could we see a galaxy that is 20 billion light-years away? (Assume that we mean a "lookback time" of 20 billion years.) a. No, because a galaxy could not possibly be that far away. b. Yes, if we had a big enough telescope. c. No, because it would be beyond the bounds of our observable universe. d. Yes, we have already detected galaxies at that distance.

c. no, because it would be beyond the bounds of our observable universe

Where is our solar system located within the Milky Way Galaxy? a. In the halo of the galaxy b. Very near the center of the galaxy c. Roughly halfway between the center and the edge of the visible disk of the galaxy d. At the far edge of the galaxy's visible disk

c. roughly halfway between the center and the edge of the visible disk of he galaxy

What does temperature measure? a. the total potential energy of particles in a substance b. the total amount of heat in a substance c. the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance d. the average mass of particles in a substance

c. the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance

What do astronomers mean by the Big Bang? a. A gigantic explosion that blew all the galaxies in the universe to smithereens b. The event that marked the birth of our solar system c. The event that marked the beginning of the expansion of the universe d. The explosion of a massive star at the end of its life

c. the event that marked the beginning o the expansion of universe

The total number of stars in the observable universe is about _________. a. 100 billion b. the same as the number of atoms that make up the Earth c. the same as the number of grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth d. the same as the number of grains of sand in a school sandbox

c. the same as the number of grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth

Which of the following best describes what we mean by the universe? a. A vast collection of stars that number as many as the grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth b. All the galaxies in all the superclusters c. The sum total of all matter and energy d. The universe is another name for our Milky Way Galaxy.

c. the sum total of all matter and energy

Which of the following has your "cosmic address" in the correct order? a. You, Earth, solar system, Local Group, Local Supercluster, Milky Way Galaxy, universe b. You, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, solar system, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe c. You, Earth, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe d. You, Earth, solar system, Local Group, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Supercluster, universe e. You, Earth, Local Group, Local Supercluster, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, universe

c. you, earth, solar system, milky way galaxy, local group, local supercluster, universe

an apple contains ______ energy that your body can convert into other forms energy.

chemical potential

Which statement about motion in the universe is not true? a. Except for a few nearby galaxies, all other galaxies are moving away from us. b. Some stars in the Milky Way Galaxy are moving toward us and others are moving away from us. c. Your speed of rotation around Earth's axis is faster if you live near the equator than if you live near the North Pole. d. The mysterious dark matter is the fastest-moving material in the universe

d. The mysterious dark matter is the fastest-moving material in the universe

The Andromeda Galaxy is fairly visible to the naked eye. When you look at the Andromeda Galaxy, the retina of your eye is absorbing light that has traveled through space for ____ to reach you. a. about 100,000 years b. a few minutes c. about 250 year d. about 2 1/2 million years

d. about 2 1/2 million years

A typical galaxy is a _________. a. system consisting of one or few stars orbited by planets, moons, and smaller objects b. nearby object orbiting a planet c. large, glowing ball of gas powered by nuclear energy d. collection of few hundred million to trillion or more stars, bound together by gravity e. relatively small, icy object orbiting a star

d. collection of few hundred million to trillion or more stars, bound together by gravity

Which of the following lies in the ecliptic plane? a. a line connecting Earth and Polaris b. Earth's equator c. a line connecting Earth's north and south poles d. Earth's orbital path around the sun

d. earth's orbital path around the sun

How are galaxies important to our existence? a. Deep in their centers, galaxies created the elements from which we are made. b. Without galaxies, the universe could not be expanding. c. Without galaxies, there could not have been a Big Bang. d. Galaxies recycle material from one generation of stars to the next, and without this recycling we could not exist.

d. galaxies recycle material from one generation of stars to the next, and without this recycling we could not exist

On the cosmic calendar, which compresses the history of the universe into a single year, about when did Earth form? a. very early in January b. in mid-February c. in June d. in early September e. in mid-December

d. in early September

Relative to the age of the universe, how old is our solar system? a. It is about 1% as old as the universe. b. It is between about 5% and 10% as old as the universe. c. It is nearly the same age as the universe. d. It is about one-third the age of the universe.

d. it is about one-third the age of the universe

If you could count stars at a rate of about one per second, how long would it take to count all the stars in the Milky Way Galaxy? a. Several weeks b. Several days c. Several years d. Several thousand years

d. several thousand years

What is the ecliptic plane? a. The plane of Earth's equator b. The plane of the Milky Way Galaxy c. The plane of the Sun's equator d. The plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun

d. the plane of earth's orbit around the sun

In January, Earth's rotation axis points in the direction of the star Polaris. Where does it point in July? a. toward the star sirius b. toward a star 47 degree away from polaris c. toward a star 23 1/2 degrees away from polaris d. toward the star polaris

d. toward the star polaris

Suppose we look at two distant galaxies: Galaxy 1 is twice as far away as Galaxy 2. In that case _________. a. Galaxy 1 must be twice as big as Galaxy 2 b. we are seeing Galaxy 1 as it looked at a later time in the history of the universe than Galaxy 2 c. Galaxy 2 must be twice as old as Galaxy 1 d. we are seeing Galaxy 1 as it looked at an earlier time in the history of the universe than Galaxy 2

d. we are seeing galaxy 1 as it looked at an earlier time in history of the universe than galaxy 2

What is meant by a hypothesis? a. a historical theory that has been proved inaccurate b. a natural phenomenon that requires explanation c. a tentative understanding of a natural phenomenon d. a pseudoscientific idea e. an explanation for a phenomenon that makes a prediction

e. an explanation for a phenomenon that makes a prediction

On the cosmic calendar, which compresses the history of the universe into a single year, about when did early humans first walk on Earth? a. in June b. in September c. in mid-December d. on December 30 e. just a few hours before midnight on December 31

e. just a few hours before midnight on December 31

In the illustration of the solar spectrum, the upper left portion of the spectrum shows the __________ visible light. a. highest speed b. brightest c. lowest speed d. highest frequency e. lowest frequency

e. lowest frequency

Recall that a scientific claim is falsifiable if it could in principle be shown to be false by observations or experiments, even if those observations or experiments have not yet been performed. Classify each claim according to whether or not it is falsifiable: the chemical content of the universe is mostly hydrogen and helium, the laws of nature are magnificent and beautiful, we are all playthings in a computer program created by advanced aliens, the sun is at the center of the solar system, the observable universe contains approximately 100 billion galaxies, the universe was created by god, earth is at the center of the solar system

falsifiable (could be proven false): -the chemical content of the universe is mostly hydrogen and helium -the observable universe contains approximately 100 billion galaxies -earth is at the center of the solar system -the sun is at the center of the solar system not falsifiable (could not be proven false): - we are all playthings in a computer program created by advanced aliens -the laws of nature are magnificent and beautiful -the universe was created by god

We divide the electromagnetic spectrum into six major categories of light, listed below. Rank these forms of light from left to right in order of increasing wavelength. To rank items as equivalent, overlap them: infrared, visible light, X rays, radio waves, gamma rays, ultraviolet

gamma rays, X rays, ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, radio waves

an asteroid that is moving farther from the sun is gaining ______ energy

gravitational potential

rapidly moving comets have more ____ energy than slowly moving ones.

kinetic

the milky way and andromeda galaxies are among a few dozen galaxies that make up our _____ .

local group

nuclear fusion in stars converts some of the ___-energy of hydrogen nuclei into light and heat

mass

our entire solar system orbits around the center of the _____ about once every 230 million years

milky way galaxy

you are one year older each time earth ___ about the sun

orbits

the light from polaris travels through space in the form of ____ energy

radiative

Rank the forms of light from left to right in order of increasing energy. To rank items as equivalent, overlap them: infrared, visible light, X rays, radio waves, gamma rays, ultraviolet

radio waves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X rays, gamma rays

Rank the forms of light from left to right in order of increasing frequency. To rank items as equivalent, overlap them: infrared, visible light, X rays, radio waves, gamma rays, ultraviolet

radio waves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X rays, gamma rays

the sun appears to rise and set in our sky cause earth ____ once each day.

rotates

Some of the objects listed following are generally considered to be single (individual) astronomical objects; others are thought of as collections of many individual astronomical objects. Match these to the appropriate category: solar system, star, supercluster, milky way galaxy, comet, galaxy, planet

single astronomical objects: -planet, star, comet collections of astronomical object: -milky way galaxy, solar system, galaxy, supercluster

our ____ is moving toward the star vega at about 70,000 km/hr

solar system

Rank the objects based on their distance from Earth, from the farthest to nearest: pluto, star on far side of andromeda galaxy, alpha Centauri, star on far side of milky way galaxy, orion nebula, the star on the far side of andromeda galaxy, the sun, star on near side of andromeda galaxy

star on far side of andromeda galaxy, star on near side of andromeda galaxy, star on far side of milky way galaxy, star near center of milky way galaxy, orion nebula, alpha Centauri, pluto, the sun

Rank the object based on the amount of time it would take a burst of light from each to reach the earth from longest time to shorts time: pluto, star on far side of andromeda galaxy, alpha centauri, star on far side of milky way galaxy, orion nebula, the star on far side of andromeda galaxy, the sun, star on near side of andromeda galaxy

star on far side of andromeda galaxy, star on near side of andromeda galaxy, star on far side of milky way galaxy, star on near side of milky way galaxy, orion nebula, alpha centauri, pluto, the sun

rank the objects from left to right based on how much they have aged since they emitted the light we see today, from greatest to least: pluto, star on far side of andromeda galaxy, alpha centauri, star on far side of milky way galaxy, orion nebula, the star on far side of andromeda galaxy, the sun, star on near side of andromeda galaxy

star on far side of andromeda galaxy, star on near side of andromeda galaxy, star on far side of milky way galaxy, star on near side of milky way galaxy, orion nebula, alpha centauri, pluto, the sun

Consider the indicated events in the history of the universe that have helped make human life possible. Rank the events based on when they occurred, from longest ago to most recent. To rank items as equivalent, overlap them. Note: If two events occurred within seconds of each other, rank them as equivalent: dinosaurs go extinct, nuclear fusion begins in the sun, the universe begins to expand, earliest humans, the big bang, earliest life on earth, elements such as carbon and oxygen first exist

the big bang & the universe begins to expand, elements such as carbon and oxygen first exist, nuclear fusion begins in the sun, earliest life on earth, dinosaurs go extinct, earliest humans

rank the following items that describes distances from longest distance (left) to shortest distance (right): one light-year, the distance from the Milky way galaxy to the andromeda galaxy, the distance across our solar system (to neptune), the average distance from Earth to the Sun, the distance from the sun to the center of the milky way galaxy, one astronomical unit (AU), the distance from Earth to Alpha Centauri

the distance from the milky way galaxy to the andromeda galaxy, the distance from the sun to the center of the milky way galaxy, the distance from earth to alpha centauri, one light-year, the distance across our solar system (to Neptune), one astronomical unit (AU) & the average distance from Earth to the Sun.

Suppose we made a scale model of our Milky Way Galaxy in which the disk of the galaxy is the size of a football field. Which (if any) diagram below represents the Sun on the same scale?

the sun on this scale would be microscopic and too small to see on the screen

rank the following items according to their size (diameter) from left to right, from largest to smallest: the Milky Way, the local supercluster, the Sun, Jupiter, the Local Group, Earth, our solar system, and the universe.

the universe, the local supercluster, the local group, the milky way, our solar system, the sun, jupiter, earth.

due to its much higher density, water heated to 80 degrees (Celsius) contains more ____ energy than air at the same temperature

thermal

on average, galaxies are getting farther apart with time, which is why we say our ____ is expanding

universe