Astronomy 263

Although asteroids are small individually, when combined they make up about a quarter of all the mass in the Solar System, excluding the Sun. True/False

False

Approximately 10 percent of all life on Earth has been in the form of microorganisms. True/False

False

Astronomers believe that Venus initially formed with the thick atmosphere, primarily made of carbon dioxide, which it currently has. True/False

False

Astronomers usually study distant galaxies by looking at them directly through the eyepiece of a telescope. True/False

False

Because of the Moon's tidal effect on the oceans, the Moon's orbital distance is shrinking and eventually the Moon will collide with the Earth. True/False

False

Cooler objects radiate more of their total light at shorter wavelengths than hotter objects. True/False

False

Eruptions of water-powered geysers have been seen on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. True/False

False

Even though they move at faster average speeds, the outer planets in the Solar System have longer periods than the inner planets. True/False

False

Extremophiles exist on Earth in both extremely cold and hot environments, but only in places where sunlight allows photosynthesis to occur. True/False

False

For an observer in the Northern Hemisphere, as he or she looks north, stars travel in a clockwise direction around the north celestial pole over the course of the night. True/False

False

Hundreds of extrasolar planets have been detected by direct imaging of the planets. True/False

False

If a star rises due east on the horizon, it will set due west on the horizon six hours later. True/False

False

In our Sun, hydrostatic equilibrium exists only in the core, where energy production via fusion can balance gravity. True/False

False

In terms of the surfaces of moons, brighter surfaces usually indicate older surfaces. True/False

False

In the radiative zone inside the Sun, photons are transported from the core to the convective zone in a matter of seconds. True/False

False

Inside a solar nebula, as smaller particles collide and stick together, forming larger particles, their self-gravity prevents them from breaking apart, regardless of the strength of the collision. True/False

False

Jupiter is approximately 20 times more massive than the Earth. True/False

False

Mass and weight are different names for the same physical property of matter. True/False

False

Most asteroids are found in orbit around the Sun between the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn. True/False

False

Mutations always lead to improvements in an organism's ability to survive and reproduce. True/False

False

Nicolaus Copernicus was the first to propose that Earth revolved around the Sun. True/False

False

Nuclei of atoms are held together by gravity. True/False

False

Ocean tides on Earth are caused primarily by the gravitational pull of the Sun. True/False

False

On Mars, water ice is present primarily at its polar ice caps. True/False

False

Once two objects are far enough away from each other, they no longer exert any gravitational attraction on each other. True/False

False

Our Solar System is the only planetary system in our galaxy. True/False

False

Our Sun is one of the most massive and luminous stars in the Milky Way. True/False

False

Permanent magnetism in the Earth's solid iron core is the source of Earth's magnetic field. True/False

False

Pluto is the most massive member of the Kuiper Belt. True/False

False

The atmosphere of Mars is mostly composed of carbon dioxide; therefore the greenhouse effect makes the average temperature 35 degrees warmer than it would be without its atmosphere. True/False

False

The fact that we always see the same side of the Moon indicates that the Moon does not rotate about an axis. True/False

False

The fraction of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere has always remained at about the same as it is today. True/False

False

The giant planets are made primarily of water and carbon dioxide. True/False

False

The highest spatial resolution images that we have of many planets' surfaces were obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. True/False

False

The interior of the Earth is hot mainly because of the pressure induced by the weight of the material above it. True/False

False

The only acceleration you experience on a merry-go-round is when it starts or stops. True/False

False

The presence of shepherd moons keeps the giant planets' ring systems completely stable and the rings will last forever. True/False

False

The seasons on Earth are caused by the change in distance between the Sun and Earth. True/False

False

The temperature differences between night and day on the Moon and Mercury are very small because they have so little atmosphere. True/False

False

The temperature gradient in the accretion disk surrounding a protostar is due in part to the fact that material closer to the protostar has converted less of its kinetic energy into thermal energy compared to materials farther away. True/False

False

Uranus and Neptune are less massive than Jupiter and Saturn, probably because they formed earlier than Jupiter or Saturn. True/False

False

Volcanoes on Earth typically occur in the middle of oceans where two tectonic plates are spreading apart. True/False

False

Your average body temperature is approximately 310 K, thus most of the light you radiate is at ultraviolet wavelengths. True/False

False

Each halogen atom, such as chlorine, fluorine, and bromine, in the Earth's atmosphere catalyzes the destruction of ozone for a long time ranging from decades to centuries. True/False

True

Earth's magnetic axis and its spin axis are not aligned. True/False

True

Hans Lippershey invented the telescope in the early 1600s. True/False

True

If an object is moving toward you, the light you see from it will be blueshifted. True/False

True

If the carbon dioxide in Earth's rocks were suddenly released into its atmosphere, Earth could possibly undergo a runaway greenhouse effect. True/False

True

In a sunspot, the umbra is cooler than the penumbra. True/False

True

In protoplanetary environments, the plane of an accretion disk is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the interstellar cloud out of which it forms. True/False

True

In the heliocentric system, retrograde motion is not an actual motion of the planet but appears to occur because of the Earth's movement. True/False

True

Io is one of the most geologically active moons in the Solar System. True/False

True

Jupiter radiates more energy than it receives from the Sun, mostly because it is still contracting under its own gravity. True/False

True

Jupiter's mass is more than twice the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. True/False

True

Jupiter's strong aurorae result from particles ejected by Io's volcanoes. True/False

True

Kepler's third law written as P^2 = A^3 holds true mathematically for our Solar System only if the period is expressed in years and the semimajor axis is expressed in AU. True/False

True

Lakes of methane, ethane, and other hydrocarbons can be found on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. True/False

True

Locations along the equator are the only place on Earth where you can see the entire celestial sphere (during the day or night) over the course of 24 hours. True/False

True

Mars has many large shield volcanoes because it does not have plate tectonics. True/False

True

Meteorites are more likely to come from asteroids than comets. True/False

True

Moons that wander inside of a planet's Roche limit can be torn apart due to tidal forces. True/False

True

On the giant planets, the atmospheric vortices that occur almost always lie between oppositely directed zonal winds. True/False

True

One consequence of the principle of universality is that gravity works the same here on Earth as it does on the planet Jupiter. True/False

True

Planets like Earth are found closer to the Sun than planets like Jupiter. True/False

True

Planets with circular orbits travel at the same speed at all points in their orbits, whereas planets with elliptical orbits change their speeds at different points in their orbits. True/False

True

Pluto is composed primarily of rock. True/False

True

Point sources look brighter when viewed through a telescope. True/False

True

Primary waves are seismic longitudinal waves whose paths are deflected when they travel through the Earth's liquid core. True/False

True

Regular moons orbit in the same direction as their parent planets rotate. True/False

True

Some asteroids have moons just like planets do. True/False

True

The center of Earth has approximately the same temperature as the surface of the Sun. True/False

True

The emission lines of a given atom occur at the exact same energies as that atom's absorption lines. True/False

True

The fact that the surface of the Sun rings like a bell lets us understand its interior better. True/False

True

The habitable zone for a 1M star ranges from 0.7 to 1.4 AU from the star. True/False

True

The image quality of most optical telescopes is limited by atmospheric refraction experienced by light as it passes through the Earth's atmosphere. True/False

True

The luminosity of an object is independent of its distance from you. True/False

True

The maria, the dark regions of the Moon's surface, are approximately 1 billion years younger than the rest of its surface. True/False

True

The maximum mass of a planet is approximately 0.08 times the mass of the Sun. True/False

True

The oceans under Europa's icy crust could be very deep and could contain more water than all the oceans on the Earth. True/False

True

The oldest rocks on the Earth are approximately 4 billion years old. True/False

True

The solar magnetic field switches polarity every 11 years. True/False

True

The temperature of the corona is much hotter than any other layer in the solar atmosphere. True/False

True

Venus's atmospheric clouds are so thick that the surface of the planet is not seen when observing it in visible light. True/False

True

When in the New Moon phase, the moon will be visible in the eastern sky at sunrise. True/False

True

Winds are generated on Earth primarily because the Sun unevenly heats our rotating planet. True/False

True

Telescopes and satellites such as COBE, WMAP, and Planck are designed to detect microwave radiation emitted by: a. black holes b. the Big Bang c. stars d. galaxies e. planets

b. the Big Bang

The first astronomical radio source ever observed was: a. Jupiter b. the galactic center, in the constellation Sagittarius c. the Andromeda Galaxy d. the Earth e. thunderstorms

b. the galactic center, in the constellation Sagittarius

Deep in the interiors of the giant planets, water is still a liquid, even though the temperatures are tens of thousands of degrees above the boiling point of water. Water can exist in liquid form here because: a. the density inside the giant planets is so high. b. the pressure inside the giant planets is so high. c. the outer Solar System is so cold. d. space has very low pressure.

b. the pressure inside the giant planets is so high.

Astronauts orbiting Earth in the space shuttle feel weightless in space because: a. the gravitational pull of the Moon counteracts the Earth's gravitational pull b. they are in constant free fall around the Earth c. they are farther away from the Earth d. they are in space where there is no gravity e. they eat less food while in orbit

b. they are in constant free fall around the Earth

The Moon always keeps the same face toward Earth because of: a. tidal forces from Earth b. tidal locking c. tidal forces from the Sun d. all sides of the moon face Earth at one time or another e. tidal forces from the Earth and Sun

b. tidal locking

NASA's Kuiper Airborne Observatory and SOFIA are two examples of telescopes placed in high-flying aircraft. Why would astronomers put telescopes in airplanes? a. to be able to observe one object for more than 24 hours without stopping. b. to get the telescopes above the majority of the water vapor in the earth's atmosphere c. to get the telescopes closer to the stars d. to get the telescopes away from the light-pollution of cities e. to allow the telescopes to observe the full spectrum of light

b. to get the telescopes above the majority of the water vapor in the earth's atmosphere

All weather and wind on Earth are a result of convection in the: a. thermosphere b. troposphere c. stratosphere d. ionosphere e. mesosphere

b. troposphere

Earth's atmosphere is much different in composition than Venus's atmosphere because: a. Earth has had fewer impacts. b. water is a liquid on the surface of Earth. c. the two planets secondary atmospheres formed differently. d. Earth retained more of its primary atmosphere.

b. water is a liquid on the surface of Earth.

Earth is closest to the Sun when the Northern Hemisphere experiences: a. fall b. winter c. summer d. spring

b. winter

The Earth's rotational axis precesses in space and completes one revolution every: a. 200 years b. 2,000 years c. 4,800 years d. 26,000 years e. 128,000 years

d. 26,000 years

What wavelengths of light can the human eye see? a. 3.8 nm to 7.5 nm b. 380 cm to 750 cm c. 3.8 mm to 7.5 mm d. 380 nm to 750 nm e. 3.8 m to 7.5 m

d. 380 nm to 750 nm

Because of tidal forces, for every _________ time(s) it rotates on its axis, Mercury revolves around the Sun _________ time(s). a. 10; 1 b. 1; 1 c. 20; 1 d. 3; 2 e. 2; 3

d. 3; 2

There are _________ constellations in the entire sky. a. 12 b. 13 c. 88 d. hundreds of e. thousands of

c. 88

From where does Titan's thick, nitrogen-rich atmosphere likely arise? a. deposited by ongoing cometary impacts over the age of the Solar System b. emitted by frequent volcanic eruptions c. photodissociation of methane and ammonia in its atmosphere d. photosynthesis of algae in oceans that lie beneath its icy surface e. released from underground reservoirs from early impacts.

BOTH C & A ARE CORRECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! c. photodissociation of methane and ammonia in its atmosphere......................... a. deposited by ongoing cometary impacts over the age of the Solar System

All meteorites are remnants of planetesimals that never coalesced to form a planet. True/False

False

A light-year is a unit commonly used in astronomy as a measure of time. True/False

False

A person who lives at the equator will see the Sun directly overhead at noon every day of the year. True/False

False

A radio photon travels slower than a gamma ray photon. True/False

False

Constellations are arbitrary groupings of stars in the sky. True/False

True

Current technology is sensitive enough to detect some extrasolar planets by a dip in brightness of the parent star as the planets pass between us and it. True/False

True

A planet travels fastest in its orbit when it is closest to the Sun. True/False

True

According to the theory of evolution, chemical reactions resulting in the mutation of a molecule are a natural and inevitable occurrence. True/False

True

All objects on Earth, regardless of the size of their mass, fall with the same acceleration. True/False

True

All planets orbit the Sun in the same direction. True/False

True

All the giant planets, not just Jupiter, have atmospheric bands and storms. True/False

True

All the terrestrial planets show evidence of disruptions due to tectonics occurring now or in the past. True/False

True

Astronomers can use the speed and direction of a cometary meteor's flight to identify its parent comet. True/False

True

At the center of the Sun, the temperature is roughly 15 million K. True/False

True

Aurorae are produced only near the northern and southern magnetic poles of a planet because charged particles arriving in the solar wind cannot cross the magnetic field lines. True/False

True

Cometary nuclei provide evidence that the ingredients necessary for the creation of life were present in the early solar nebula. True/False

True

Compared to the dark-colored regions of the surface of the Moon, the light-colored regions are approximately: a. 1 billion years older b. 1 million years younger c. 1 billion years younger d. 1 million years older e. a few thousand years younger

a. 1 billion years older

If you obtained a sample of rock from Venus and determined the abundances of uranium (238U) and lead (207Pb) in it, and found that for every one uranium atom there were three lead atoms, then what would the age of this rock be? Note that this form of uranium decays to this form of lead with a half-life of 700 million years. For simplicity, you can assume that there was no lead in the rock when it originally formed. a. 1.4 billion years b. 10.5 billion years c. 4.0 million years d. 2.8 billion years e. 3.6 billion years

a. 1.4 billion years

The Sun's magnetic field reverses direction every: a. 11 years b. 12 months c. 27 days d. 24 hours e. 22 years

a. 11 years

The dwarf planet Eris has a moon called Dysomia, which is much smaller in mass than Eris. If Dysomia has an orbital period of 16 days and orbits Eris at a distance of 40,000 km, then what is the mass of Eris? a. 2 ´ 1022 kg b. 2 ´ 1028 kg c. 2 ´ 1013 kg d. 2 ´ 1032 kg e. 2 ´ 1035 kg

a. 2 ´ 1022 kg

If a 100-kg astronaut pushes on a 5,000-kg satellite and the satellite experiences an acceleration of 0.1 m/s^2, what is the acceleration experienced by the astronaut in the opposite direction? a. 5 m/s2 b. 50 m/s2 c. 0.1 m/s2 d. 10 m/s2 e. 1000 m/s2

a. 5 m/s2

Why have astronomers using the radial velocity method found more Jupiter-sized planets at a distance of 1 AU around other stars than Earth-sized planets? a. A Jupiter-sized planet exerts a larger gravitational force on the star than an Earth-sized planet, and the Doppler shift of the star is larger. b. A Jupiter-sized planet occults a larger area than an Earth-sized planet. c. Actually, the planets found at these distances have all been Earth sized. d. Earth-sized planets are much rarer than Jupiter-sized planets. e. A Jupiter-sized planet shines brighter than an Earth-sized planet.

a. A Jupiter-sized planet exerts a larger gravitational force on the star than an Earth-sized planet, and the Doppler shift of the star is larger.

The figure below shows data from Doppler effect studies of three different stars: A, B, and C. Assume that all the stars are similar in mass to the Sun. Which star has the planet with the smallest semimajor axis? https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5883765-dt-content-rid-19969080_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch07_mc39.png a. A has the smallest. b. B has the smallest. c. C has the smallest. d. A, B, and C are all the same distance from their stars. e. It is impossible to determine from the data given.

a. A has the smallest.

Which of the following moons is geologically dead? a. Callisto b. Io c. Enceladus d. Europa e. Titan

a. Callisto

How does the speed of light traveling through a medium (such as air or glass) compare to the speed of light in a vacuum? a. It is always less than the speed of light in a vacuum. b. Light can't travel through a medium, it only can go through a vacuum. c. Sometimes it is greater than the speed of light in a vacuum, and sometimes it is less, depending on the medium. d. It is always greater than the speed of light in a vacuum. e. It is the same as the speed of light in a vacuum.

a. It is always less than the speed of light in a vacuum.

Why was a comet impact 65 million years ago a chance happening that benefited the evolution of humans? a. Mammals got an evolutionary boost. b. It brought human DNA to Earth. c. It deposited a significant amount of nitrogen into the Earth's atmosphere. d. It led to an increase in global UV radiation, which killed off most of the forests and jungles. e. Plant life began to decline.

a. Mammals got an evolutionary boost.

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5820305-dt-content-rid-19067649_1/xid-19067649_1 Which equation represents the relationship of the planet's period to its semimajor axis in data shown in the figure below? a. P2 = A3 b. P2 = A2 c. P = A3 d. P3 = A2 e. P = A

a. P2 = A3

If the distance between the Earth and Sun were cut in half, the gravitational force between these two objects would: a. increase by 4 b. decrease by 4 c. decrease by 8 d. decrease by 2 e. increase by 2

a. increase by 4

Which of the following is the biggest disadvantage of putting a telescope in space? a. Space telescopes are much more expensive than similar ground-based telescopes. b. Astronomers have to wait until the telescopes come back to Earth to get their images. c. Space telescopes don't last long before they fall back down to Earth. d. Astronomers don't have as much control in choosing what to observe. e. Space telescopes can only observe in certain parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.

a. Space telescopes are much more expensive than similar ground-based telescopes.

You observe a red star and a blue star and are able to determine that they are the same size. Which star is hotter, and which star is more luminous? a. The blue star is hotter and more luminous. b. They have the same luminosities and temperatures. c. The blue star is hotter, and the red star is more luminous. d. The red star is hotter, and the blue star is more luminous. e. The red star is hotter and more luminous.

a. The blue star is hotter and more luminous.

Why do some stars in the sky appear blue, while other stars appear red? a. The blue stars are hotter on their surfaces than the red stars. b. The red stars are hotter on their surfaces than the blue stars. c. The blue stars are moving away from us faster than the red stars. d. The blue stars are closer to us than the red stars. e. The red stars are closer to us than the blue stars.

a. The blue stars are hotter on their surfaces than the red stars.

When the Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft were launched into space in the 1970s, they were outfitted with messages describing where they came from. Why is it fairly unlikely that an alien civilization will use them to find us? a. The extremely large distances between stars means it will take a very long time before they reach another solar system. b. They will probably rust and fall apart as they get older. c. They will likely run into Kuiper Belt objects before they leave the Solar System. d. They will burn up as the Sun's gravity pulls them in. e. They are moving so fast through space that they would be very difficult to catch.

a. The extremely large distances between stars means it will take a very long time before they reach another solar system.

Venus and Earth probably formed with similar amounts of carbon dioxide in their secondary atmospheres. Which of the following is TRUE? a. The majority of Earth's carbon is now bound up in rock while Venus's remains in its atmosphere. b. Earth and Venus still have equal amounts of carbon dioxide in their atmospheres. c. The majority of Earth's carbon dioxide escaped into space because of its hotter temperature, while Venus's carbon dioxide remains gravitationally bound to Venus. d. The majority of Earth's carbon was absorbed by plants during photosynthesis. e. Earth lost more of its secondary atmosphere because it was bombarded by more planetesimals than Venus.

a. The majority of Earth's carbon is now bound up in rock while Venus's remains in its atmosphere.

When astronomers began searching for extrasolar planets, they were surprised to discover Jupiter-sized planets much closer than 1 AU from their parent stars. Why is this surprising? a. These planets must have formed at larger radii where temperatures were cooler and then migrated inward. b. These planets must be the remnants of failed stars. c. Earth-like planets must be rarer than Jupiter-sized planets in other solar systems. d. Jupiter-sized, rocky planets were thought to be uncommon in other solar systems. e. It is different than in our Solar System.

a. These planets must have formed at larger radii where temperatures were cooler and then migrated inward.

_________ has the most extreme seasons of any planet in the Solar System. a. Uranus b. Neptune c. Earth d. Jupiter e. Saturn

a. Uranus

Carbon forms the backbone of our DNA primarily because: a. a carbon atom can bond with up to four atoms at a time b. it reacts easily with oxygen c. it can form multiple types of crystal structures d. it remains solid even at high temperatures e. it is the most abundant element in the universe after hydrogen and helium

a. a carbon atom can bond with up to four atoms at a time

The most straightforward way to determine the mass of an asteroid is if it has: a. a moon b. an orbit that lies between the Earth and Mars c. a rocky composition d. a magnetic field e. carbonaceous chondrites

a. a moon

The nuclei of a comet is mostly: a. a porous mix of ice and dust b. liquid water c. frozen carbon dioxide d. solid ice e. solid rock

a. a porous mix of ice and dust

The feature on Mars shown in the figure below is _________ named _________. https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5900222-dt-content-rid-20303796_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch08_mc53.png a. a volcano; Olympus Mons b. an impact crater; Meteor Crater c. a mountain; Mount Neil Armstrong d. a canyon ; Valles Marineris e. a canyon: Caloris Basin

a. a volcano; Olympus Mons

If you observe a star, you will see: a. an absorption spectrum b. a rainbow spectrum c. a dark spectrum d. an emission spectrum e. a continuous spectrum

a. an absorption spectrum

Which formula denotes how the speed of light c is related to its wavelength λ and frequency f? a. c = lf b. c = 1/lf c. c= l/f d. There is no relationship between wavelength and frequency. e. c = f/l

a. c = lf

Saying that something is quantized means that it: a. can only have discrete quantities b. is smaller than an atom c. is a particle d. is a wave e. travels at the speed of light

a. can only have discrete quantities

Continental drift occurs at a typical rate of a few: a. cm/year b. mm/year c. km/year d. m/year e. nm/year

a. cm/year

If we wanted to increase the Hubble Space Telescope's altitude above the Earth and keep it in a stable orbit, we also would need to: a. decrease its orbital speed b. increase its orbital speed c. decrease its weight d. increase its weight e. increase its mass

a. decrease its orbital speed

The dynamo theory says that a planet will have a strong magnetic field if it has: a. fast rotation and a liquid core b. fast rotation and a gaseous core c. fast rotation and a solid core d. slow rotation and a liquid core e. slow rotation and a solid core

a. fast rotation and a liquid core

The net effect of the proton-proton chain is that four hydrogen nuclei are converted to one helium nucleus and _________ are released. a. gamma ray photons, positrons, and neutrinos b. X-ray photons, electrons, and neutrinos c. infrared photons and positrons d. visible wavelength photons e. ultraviolet photons and neutrinos

a. gamma ray photons, positrons, and neutrinos

When you push your palms together and rub them back and forth, you are demonstrating one way of converting _________ energy into _________ energy. a. kinetic; thermal b. thermal; kinetic c. kinetic; potential d. potential; thermal e. potential; total

a. kinetic; thermal

The spectroscopic radial velocity method preferentially detects: a. large planets close to the central star. b. small planets close to the central star. c. large planets far from the central star. d. small planets far from the central star. e. none of the above, the method detects all of these equally well.

a. large planets close to the central star.

For a person who lives at a latitude of +40°, when is the Sun directly overhead at noon? a. never b. always c. only on the winter solstice d. only on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes e. only on the summer solstice

a. never

Neptune and Uranus probably took longer to form than Jupiter and Saturn, because the solar nebula was _________ at the radius of Neptune and Uranus. a. not as dense b. colder c. hotter d. rotating faster e. composed of rockier planetesimals

a. not as dense

Remnants of volcanic activity on the asteroid Vesta indicate that members of the asteroid belt: a. occasionally grow large enough to become differentiated and geologically active b. have all undergone significant chemical evolution since formation c. used to be volcanic moons orbiting other planets d. were once part of a single protoplanet that was shattered by collisions e. were once a part of a young Mars

a. occasionally grow large enough to become differentiated and geologically active

The fact that the speed of light is constant as it travels through a vacuum means that: a. photons with longer wavelengths have lower frequencies b. radio wave photons have shorter wavelengths than gamma ray photons c. X-rays can be transmitted through the atmosphere around the world d. ultraviolet photons have less energy than visible photons e. all of the above are true

a. photons with longer wavelengths have lower frequencies

Hydrostatic equilibrium is a balance between: a. pressure and gravity b. centrifugal force and gravity c. heat and centrifugal force d. radiation and heat e. core temperature and surface temperature

a. pressure and gravity

Each giant planet has a core made of _________ that is five to 10 times the mass of the Earth. a. rocky material b. water c. methane d. hydrocarbons e. hydrogen

a. rocky material

The moon keeps the same hemisphere facing the Earth because the _________ is equal to the _________. a. rotational period of the Moon; orbital period of the Moon around the Earth b. orbital period of the Moon around the Earth; rotational period of the Earth c. orbital period of the Earth; orbital period of the Moon around the Earth d. rotational period of the Earth; orbital period of the Earth e. rotational period of the Earth; orbital period of the Moon around the Earth

a. rotational period of the Moon; orbital period of the Moon around the Earth

Present-day erosion on the surface of the Moon is primarily caused by: a. solar radiation b. tectonic shifts c. flowing water d. dust storms e. wind

a. solar radiation

What would you observe in order to accurately measure the rotational period of a giant planet? a. synchrotron emission b. clouds in the atmosphere c. bands of storms on the equator d. stellar occultations e. the orbit of its moons

a. synchrotron emission

The Moon's sidereal period is 2.2 days shorter than the period during which the Moon's phases change because: a. the Earth moves significantly in its orbit around the Sun during that time b. the Moon's orbital speed varies c. the Moon always keeps the same side turned toward the Earth d. the Moon's orbit is tilted with respect to the Earth's rotational axis e. the Earth must rotate so an observer can see the Moon

a. the Earth moves significantly in its orbit around the Sun during that time

Solar and lunar eclipses are rare because: a. the Moon's orbital plane is tipped by 5.2° relative to the Earth's orbital plane b. the Moon's orbital plane is tipped by 5.2° relative to the plane defined by the Earth's equator c. the Moon's orbital plane is tipped by 23.5° relative to the Earth's orbital plane d. the Moon's orbital plane is tipped by 23.5° relative to the plane defined by the Earth's equator e. the Moon's orbital plane is tipped by 5.2° relative to the galactic plane

a. the Moon's orbital plane is tipped by 5.2° relative to the Earth's orbital plane

Suppose we discover a comet whose orbit was very highly eccentric, retrograde, had a very large tilt with respect to the ecliptic plane, and a period of 2,000 years. Where is the most likely place of origin for this comet? a. the Oort Cloud b. the Kuiper Belt c. the Jovian family d. the asteroid belt e. outside the Solar System

a. the Oort Cloud

What keeps the gas in the Sun's corona from flying away from the Sun? a. the Sun's magnetic field b. sunspots c. gravity d. strong nuclear force e. the solar wind

a. the Sun's magnetic field

What defines the location of the equator on Earth? a. the axis around which Earth rotates b. where the ground is the warmest c. the tilt of Earth's rotational axis relative to its orbit around the Sun d. the orbit of Earth around the Sun e. all of the above

a. the axis around which Earth rotates

Which of these observations would allow you to measure the mass of a planet? a. the orbit of one of that planet's moons b. the planet's rotational period c. the planet's distance from the Sun d. the planet's orbital period e. the planet's temperature

a. the orbit of one of that planet's moons

The surface of the Sun appears sharp when we look at it in visible light because: a. the photosphere is thin compared to the other layers in the Sun b. the Sun has a distinct surface c. the photosphere is much less dense than the convection zone d. the photosphere is cooler than the layers below it e. the photosphere is transparent to radiation

a. the photosphere is thin compared to the other layers in the Sun

Which of the following layers of the Sun makes up the majority of its interior? a. the radiative zone b. the convective zone c. the photosphere d. the core e. the chromosphere

a. the radiative zone

Which of the following moons do scientists believe most closely represents the primordial Earth, although at a much lower temperature? a. Callisto b. Titan c. Io d. Europa e. Ganymede

b. Titan

Studies of the amount of cratering at different locations on the Moon indicate that: a. the rate of cratering in the Solar System has changed dramatically over time b. that cratering is no longer occurring in the Solar System c. the Moon has never been geologically active at any point in its history d. most of the heavy cratering in the Solar System occurred before Earth formed e. the younger lunar surfaces are hundreds of billions of years younger than the oldest surfaces

a. the rate of cratering in the Solar System has changed dramatically over time

Which of the following factors does not directly influence the temperature of a planet? a. the size of the planet b. the albedo of the planet c. the distance from the planet to the Sun d. the luminosity of the Sun

a. the size of the planet

Despite the high temperatures deep in the interior of giant planets, their cores remain liquid because: a. they are under very high pressures b. gravitational potential energy is being converted into thermal energy in the cores c. their rotations are rapid compared to those of the terrestrial planets d. they are composed of heavy materials like rock and water e. the giant planets have strong magnetic fields

a. they are under very high pressures

Which of the following properties of an astronaut changes when he or she is standing on the Moon, relative to when the astronaut is standing on Earth? a. weight b. mass c. inertia d. all of the above e. Nothing changes.

a. weight

When is the Sun most luminous? a. when there are a maximum number of sunspots b. the Sun's luminosity changes, but it has no relation to the number of sunspots c. when there are a average number of sunspots d. where there a minimum number of sunspots e. the Sun's luminosity does not change

a. when there are a maximum number of sunspots

Identify the object in the picture below. https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-6263464-dt-content-rid-22150888_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch12_mc52%282%29.png a. zodiacal dust b. an active comet c. a meteor shower d. an asteroid e. a meteorite

a. zodiacal dust

A recent estimate finds that approximately 800 meteorites with mass greater than 0.1 kg strike the surface of the Earth each day. If a house covers an area of roughly 100 m2, then what is the probability that your house will be struck by a meteorite in your 100-year lifetime? Note that the radius of the Earth is 6,400 km. a. 1 in 8 ´ 108 b. 1 in 2 ´ 105 c. 1 in 4 ´ 106 d. 1 in 6 ´ 107 e. 1 in 1 ´ 104

b. 1 in 2 ´ 105

The nucleus of the typical comet is approximately _________ in size. a. 100 m b. 10 km c. 1 cm d. 1,000 km e. 10 m

b. 10 km

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5831161-dt-content-rid-19216332_1/xid-19216332_1 What is the slope of the line in the figure shown below? a. 6 km/hr b. 10 km/hr c. 1 km/hr d. 60 km/hr e. 0.1 km/hr f. 10

b. 10 km/hr

Consider a small parcel of gas in the cloud out of which the Sun formed that was initially located in the accretion disk at a distance of 10 AU from the Sun and rotating around it with a speed of 10 km/s. If this parcel of gas eventually found its way to a distance of 1 AU from the Sun without changing its orbital angular momentum, then what would be its new rotation speed? a. 0.1 km/s b. 100 km/s c. 1,000 km/s d. 0.001 km/s e. 10 km/s

b. 100 km/s

What is the angular diameter of Neptune if its diameter is 50,000 km and its distance is 30 AU? a. 10 arcseconds b. 2 arcseconds c. 30 arcseconds d. 20 arcseconds e. 45 arcseconds

b. 2 arcseconds

A red photon has a wavelength of 650 nm. An ultraviolet photon has a wavelength of 250 nm. The energy of an ultraviolet photon is _________ the energy of a red photon. a. 2.6 times smaller than b. 2.6 times larger than c. 6.8 times larger than d. the same as e. 6.8 times smaller than

b. 2.6 times larger than

The North American plate and the Pacific plate are sliding past one another at a rate of approximately 3 cm/year. San Francisco, which is located on the edge of the North American plate, is sliding southward toward Los Angles, which is located on the Pacific Plate. If they are currently separated by a distance of 600 km, how many years will it take for the two cities to meet? a. 300,000 years b. 20 million years c. 600 years d. 3 million years e. 20,000 years

b. 20 million years

In a system with three gravitating bodies, there are _________ stable locations called _________ points for the third object to orbit in lockstep with the two more massive objects. a. 4; Roche b. 2; Lagrange c. 5; Lagrange d. 3; tidal e. 2; tidal

b. 2; Lagrange

The speed of light in a vacuum is: a. 300,000,000 mph b. 300,000 km/s c. infinite d. 300,000 mph e. 300,000 m/s

b. 300,000 km/s

If we model the history of the universe as a single day, at what time would the first primitive forms of single-celled microorganisms appear on Earth? a. 5:00 A.M. b. 5:20 P.M. c. 12:00 noon d. 9:00 A.M. e. 3:00 P.M.

b. 5:20 P.M.

Which of these pictures is an example of erosion occurring on Earth? https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5900140-dt-content-rid-20303722_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch08_mc01%281%29.png a. B b. D c. A d. C

b. D

The smallest number of craters per square meter are found on the surface of: a. Mars b. Earth c. Venus d. Mercury

b. Earth

What does it mean to say that an object is in thermal equilibrium? a. It is radiating more energy than it is absorbing. b. It is absorbing the same amount of energy that it is radiating. c. It isn't absorbing any energy. d. It isn't radiating any energy. e. It is absorbing more energy than it is radiating.

b. It is absorbing the same amount of energy that it is radiating.

Why did the presence of cyanobacteria on Earth in the past allow humans to exist? a. It was the first life form based on DNA. b. It oxygenated the atmosphere. c. It was the first form of life. d. It increased the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, causing the greenhouse effect. e. It fertilized the soil to let plants grow.

b. It oxygenated the atmosphere.

The largest volcanic mountains in the Solar System are found on: a. Mercury b. Mars c. Venus d. Earth e. the Moon

b. Mars

The only planet(s) without a moon is (are): a. Mercury b. Mercury and Venus c. Venus d. Mars e. Mercury, Venus, and Mars

b. Mercury and Venus

If you have a stuffy nose, a fever, chills, and body aches and a doctor treats you for the flu rather than four separate diseases that account for each of your symptoms, this is an application of: a. Copernican principle b. Occam's razor c. Newton's hypothesis d. Aristotle's test e. Einstein's relativity

b. Occam's razor

_________ in our atmosphere is a direct consequence of the emergence of life. a. Helium b. Oxygen c. Carbon dioxide d. Water vapor e. Nitrogen

b. Oxygen

When the geocentric model of the solar system did not match the observed positions of the planets: a. Copernicus proposed the heliocentric mode b. Ptolemy added epicycles to the geocentric model to match the observed data c. Galileo argued that the Sun revolved around the Earth d. Tycho Brahe made measurements of higher accuracy and showed the geocentric model was correct e. Kepler was inspired to create the theory of gravity

b. Ptolemy added epicycles to the geocentric model to match the observed data

An asteroid with an albedo of 0.1 and a comet with an albedo of 0.6 are orbiting at roughly the same distance from the Sun. How do their temperatures compare? a. They both have the same temperature. b. The asteroid is hotter than the comet. c. You must know their compositions to compare their temperatures. d. The comet is hotter than the asteroid. e. You must know their sizes to compare their temperatures.

b. The asteroid is hotter than the comet.

Consider the figure shown below. At which point in time does the collapsing cloud have the greatest angular momentum? https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5883757-dt-content-rid-19969051_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch07_mc11.png a. 1 and 2, because the protostar has not yet formed. b. The cloud has the same angular momentum at each point in time. c. 2 d. 1 e. 3

b. The cloud has the same angular momentum at each point in time.

Why do the outer giant planets have massive gaseous atmospheres of hydrogen and helium while the inner planets do not? a. The inner planets were too close to the Sun, and the solar wind blew away their original gaseous atmospheres. b. The outer planets grew massive quickly enough to gravitationally hold on to these gases before the solar wind dispersed the accretion disk. c. Temperatures were too high in the region of the Solar System that contains the inner planets. d. Frequent early collisions by comets with the inner planets caused most of their original atmospheres to dissipate. e. These gases were more abundant in the outer regions of the accretion disk where the outer planets formed.

b. The outer planets grew massive quickly enough to gravitationally hold on to these gases before the solar wind dispersed the accretion disk.

Why could life not have existed on land any earlier than 475 million years ago? a. There was no land because Earth was covered in water. b. There was too little oxygen in the atmosphere. c. Earth was covered in erupting volcanoes. d. There was too little sunlight. e. The temperature was too high.

b. There was too little oxygen in the atmosphere.

Which method can be used to determine the radius of an extrasolar planet? a. Doppler shift can be used. b. Transit can be used. c. Microlensing can be used. d. Direct imaging can be used. e. None of these methods are able to do this.

b. Transit can be used.

On which of these planets is the atmospheric greenhouse effect strongest? a. Mercury b. Venus c. Earth d. Mars

b. Venus

How do particles from the moon Enceladus wind up in Saturn's E ring? a. Cosmic rays bombard the surface rock on Enceladus and expel them into space. b. Water geysers erupt from the surface and expel them into space. c. A collision with a co-orbiting moon knocked rocky debris into orbit around Saturn. d. Strong winds from Saturn blow material off of Enceladus's surface. e. Volcanoes erupt and expel silicates into space.

b. Water geysers erupt from the surface and expel them into space.

Have astronomers detected any Earth-sized planets around normal stars yet? a. Yes, although the ones detected lie much closer to their stars than we do to ours. b. Yes, the Kepler spacecraft is just starting to find them. c. No, we do not have the technology to detect such low-mass planets yet. d. Yes, although the ones detected lie much farther from their stars than we do from ours. e. No; although we have the technology to detect low-mass planets, we haven't found any others yet.

b. Yes, the Kepler spacecraft is just starting to find them.

The mass of all of Saturn's bright rings is comparable to the mass of: a. Venus b. a small icy moon c. Mars d. a small comet e. the Earth's Moon

b. a small icy moon

The force of gravity between Saturn and the Sun is _________ the force of gravity between the Earth and the Sun. For reference, Saturn is approximately 100 times more massive than Earth, and the semimajor axis of Saturn's orbit is 10 AU. a. 10 times smaller than b. approximately equal to c. 1,000 times larger than d. 100 times larger than e. 1,000 times smaller than

b. approximately equal to

The Kelvin temperature scale is used in astronomy because: a. hydrogen freezes at 0 K b. at 0 K an object has absolutely zero energy c. water boils at 100 K d. water freezes at 0 K e. the highest temperature possible is 1000 K

b. at 0 K an object has absolutely zero energy

Consider a star that is more massive and hotter than the Sun. For such a star, the habitable zone would: a. not exist at any radii b. be located outside 1AU c. be located inside 1 AU d. exist at every radii

b. be located outside 1AU

Jupiter emits a large amount of radio emission because: a. violent storms in its atmosphere produce a lot of lightening b. charged particles blasted off of Io's surface move through Jupiter's magnetic field c. Jupiter's core has a very high temperature and pressure d. Jupiter's thick inner shell of metallic hydrogen is electrically conductive e. Jupiter is so cold that its blackbody radiation peaks at radio wavelengths

b. charged particles blasted off of Io's surface move through Jupiter's magnetic field

Which group of meteorites represents the conditions in the earliest stages of the formation of the Solar System? a. iron meteorites b. chondrites c. icy meteorites d. stony-iron meteorites e. achondrites

b. chondrites

In the early universe, when the Solar System had yet to be cleared of the debris out of which it formed, which type of object would have been most likely to deposit water onto Earth's surface? a. asteroids b. comets c. a Mars-sized protoplanet d. none, because water is not a major component of any of the objects above e. a rogue moon

b. comets

If you hold on to one end of a metal spoon while placing the other end in a pot of boiling water, you will burn your hand. This is an example of energy being transported by: a. radiation and conduction b. conduction c. convection d. convection and radiation e. radiation

b. conduction

When you turn on the heater in a car, the passengers in the front seat warm up first, then eventually the warm air gets to the passengers in the back seat. This is an example of energy being transported by: a. radiation b. convection c. radiation and conduction d. convection and conduction e. conduction

b. convection

If crater A is inside crater B, we know that: a. crater A was formed before crater B. b. crater B was formed before crater A. c. both craters were formed at about the same time. d. crater A formed crater B. e. crater B formed crater A.

b. crater B was formed before crater A.

Differentiation refers to materials that are separate based on their: a. heat capacity b. density c. weight d. volume e. mass

b. density

When the Earth catches up to a slower moving outer planet and passes it like a faster runner overtaking a slower runner in an outside lane, the planet: a. decreases in brightness as it passes through the Earth's shadow b. exhibits retrograde motion c. slows down because it feels the Earth's gravitational pull d. moves into a more elliptical orbit e. exhibits prograde motion

b. exhibits retrograde motion

The scientific method is a process by which scientists: a. show all theories to be wrong b. gain confidence in theories by failing to prove them wrong c. survey what the majority of people think about a theory d. test the ideas of Aristotle e. prove theories to be known facts

b. gain confidence in theories by failing to prove them wrong

What type of waves have NOT yet been directly detected by astronomers? a. gamma-ray waves b. gravitational waves c. sound waves d. X-ray waves e. pressure waves

b. gravitational waves

Which one of the following is NOT one of the six chemical elements commonly found in living organisms? a. phosphorus b. helium c. hydrogen d. nitrogen e. oxygen

b. helium

Which of the following are NOT sites of frequent volcanic and earthquake activity on Earth? a. local hot spots b. inactive faults c. subduction zones d. spreading centers e. transform faults

b. inactive faults

Differentiation, in the context of planets, means: a. comparing a planet to others to better understand its features. b. that different parts of the planet have different compositions. c. that different planets have different compositions. d. calculating the slope of the trajectory.

b. that different parts of the planet have different compositions.

If future exploration of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn discovered primitive life forms, it would ___________ our prospects of finding an advanced civilization somewhere else in the Milky Way because ___________. a. decrease; it would show that primitive life forms are far more common than advanced ones b. increase; it shows that life can exist in environments which are very different from those found on Earth c. decrease; it would show that primitive life forms outside the Earth cannot evolve into more complex species d. increase; it would show that life can survive travel through space after leaving the Earth e. not affect; primitive life forms have nothing to do with the existence of advanced civilizations

b. increase; it shows that life can exist in environments which are very different from those found on Earth

Band systems on Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are most prominent when viewed in which wavelength regime? a. X-ray b. infrared c. visible d. microwave e. ultraviolet

b. infrared

Mercury has (essentially) no atmosphere because: a. it s closer to the Sun, so its temperature is higher. b. it s small. c. solar UV radiation breaks up molecules. d. all of the above

b. it s small.

The magnetic field of the Sun is continuously produced and deformed by: a. changes in the rate of nuclear fusion in the core b. its differential rotation c. This is a trick question. The solar magnetic field is primordial. d. the solar wind e. a liquid conducting layer in the interior

b. its differential rotation

The lithosphere of a planet is: a. its frozen surface b. its solid surface c. the molten layer under the crust d. the upper layer of its atmosphere e. the layer of the atmosphere in which clouds form

b. its solid surface

Which is NOT a reason for the large size of volcanoes on Mars as compared to Earth's smaller volcanoes? a. absence of plate tectonics b. lack of atmosphere; therefore no erosion c. less gravity than other terrestrial planets d. many repeated eruptions e. All of these are reasons.

b. lack of atmosphere; therefore no erosion

Sunspots appear dark because they have _________ than the surrounding gas. a. higher densities b. lower temperatures c. lower densities d. higher temperatures e. higher pressures

b. lower temperatures

Currently the surface of the dwarf planet Eris is covered with _________, which makes it have the highest albedo of any object in the Solar System. a. nitrogen ice b. methane ice c. carbon dioxide ice d. sulfur dioxide ice e. water ice

b. methane ice

As a blackbody becomes hotter, it also becomes _________ and _________. a. more luminous; stays the same color b. more luminous; bluer c. less luminous; bluer d. more luminous; redder e. less luminous; redder

b. more luminous; bluer

Conservation of angular momentum slows a cloud's collapse: a. to a complete stop b. mostly along directions perpendicular to the cloud's axis of rotation c. mostly at the poles that lie along the cloud's axis of rotation d. only when the cloud is not rotating initially e. equally in all directions

b. mostly along directions perpendicular to the cloud's axis of rotation

During which lunar phase do solar eclipses occur? a. third quarter b. new c. first quarter d. full

b. new

During which lunar phase do solar eclipses occur? a. third quarter b. new c. full d. first quarter

b. new

Rings of giant planets are very thin compared to their diameters mainly because: a. shepherd moons force them to be extremely thin b. of collisions between ring particles c. moons that tidally disrupt have small diameters d. the planets have large tidal forces e. energy is conserved when a moon tidally disrupts

b. of collisions between ring particles

The energy that fuels the Sun is generated: a. in its core, on the surface, and in the solar wind b. only in its core c. only on its surface d. only in the solar wind e. both in its core and on its surface

b. only in its core

Detecting a planet around another star using the transit method is difficult because the: a. star must be very dim b. planet must pass directly in front of the star c. planet's orbital period is usually longer than 1 month d. star must be moving with respect to us e. planet must have a rocky composition

b. planet must pass directly in front of the star

Retrograde motion is seen when ____________ due to the Earth's motion. a. stars change their position in the sky with respect to background stars b. planets change the direction in which they wander across the night sky c. planets rise in the west and set in the east d. planets orbit the Sun in the opposite direction e. stars rise in the west and set in the east

b. planets change the direction in which they wander across the night sky

In the Southern hemisphere, hurricanes _________ compared to hurricanes in the Northern hemisphere due to the Coriolis effect. a. move from east to west b. rotate in the opposite direction c. cause more damage d. rotate in the same direction e. have larger wind speeds

b. rotate in the opposite direction

Oblateness is a property of a planet s __________; obliquity is a property of a planet s __________. a. orbit; shape b. shape; orbit c. orbit; weather d. weather; orbit

b. shape; orbit

Compare two blackbody objects, one at 200 K and one at 400 K. How much larger is the flux from the 400 K object, compared to the flux from the 200 K object? a. two times larger b. sixteen times larger c. four times larger d. They have the same flux. e. eight times larger

b. sixteen times larger

On which day of the year does the Sun reach its northernmost point in the sky? a. autumnal equinox b. summer solstice c. vernal equinox d. The sun always reaches the same altitude. e. winter solstice

b. summer solstice

If your body were not in hydrostatic equilibrium with the air, it would: a. act as if it were in water, rising or falling depending on the pressure. b. swell or contract until equilibrium was reached. c. accumulate or lose mass until it was back in equilibrium. d. loose or gain water.

b. swell or contract until equilibrium was reached.

Which group of asteroids regularly crosses Earth's orbit and thus might possibly collide with our planet? a. the Amors b. the Atens c. the Kuiper Belt objects d. the Trojans e. all of the above

b. the Atens

You could fit roughly _________ Jupiters across the diameter of the Sun and roughly _________ Earths across Jupiter's diameter. a. 10; 100 b. 100; 100 c. 10; 10 d. 1,000; 1,000 e. 100; 10

c. 10; 10

If you obtained a sample of a meteorite and determined the abundances of uranium (238U) and lead (207Pb) in it, and found that for every 1 uranium atom there were 15 lead atoms, then what would the age of this rock be? Note that this form of uranium decays to this form of lead with a half-life of 700 million years. For simplicity, you can assume that there was no lead in the rock when it originally formed. a. 10.5 billion years b. 4.0 billion years c. 2.8 billion years d. 1.4 billion years e. 3.6 billion years

c. 2.8 billion years

Earth has roughly _________ times more atmospheric pressure than Mars and _________ times less than Venus. a. 1,000; 200 b. 10; 10 c. 200; 100 d. 2,000; 2 e. 2; 10

c. 200; 100

At what temperature does water freeze? a. 373 K b. 100 K c. 273 K d. 0 K e. 32 K

c. 273 K

The speed of light is approximately: a. 3,000 km/s b. 30,000 km/s c. 300,000 km/s d. 3 million km/s e. 3 billion km/s

c. 300,000 km/s

The greenhouse effect raises Earth's surface temperature by roughly: a. 3.5 K b. 350 K c. 35 K d. 0.35 K e. 0 K

c. 35 K

What is the age of our Solar System? a. 4.6 million years b. 13.7 trillion years c. 4.6 billion years d. 13.7 billion years e. 13.7 million years

c. 4.6 billion years

Jupiter has an orbital period of 12 years. What is its average distance from the Sun? a. 25 AU b. 2 AU c. 5 AU d. 10 AU e. 144 AU

c. 5 AU

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5831161-dt-content-rid-19216367_1/xid-19216367_1 According to the scales in the figure, about how many times stronger is gravity on Earth than on the Moon? a. 20 b. They are the same. c. 6 d. 2 e. 3

c. 6

Using the Doppler effect data shown in this figure, determine the approximate orbital period of the extrasolar planet. https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5883765-dt-content-rid-19969078_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch07_mc36%281%29.png a. 12 years b. 1 year c. 6 years d. 3 years e. 8 years

c. 6 years

The best wavelength to use to observe a solar prominence is: a. 21 cm, microwave emission b. 550 nm, green visible light c. 656 nm, a red hydrogen emission line d. 0.02 nm, X-ray emission e. 16 mm, an ultraviolet emission line

c. 656 nm, a red hydrogen emission line

If you start from rest and accelerate at 15 mph/s for 5 seconds, how fast will you be traveling at the end? a. 20 mph b. 3 mph c. 75 mph d. 12 mph e. 45 mph

c. 75 mph

The figure below shows data from the transit study of a star in which three different planets repeatedly transit in front of the star (A, B, and C). Which dips are caused by the transit of the planet with the smallest radius? https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5883765-dt-content-rid-19969085_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch07_mc43%281%29.png a. B b. impossible to tell from this data c. A d. C e. A, B, and C

c. A

Which of the following is FALSE? a. Scientific observations are used to test a hypothesis. b. A scientific theory may eventually be proven wrong when scientists acquire new data. c. A scientific theory is an undisputed fact. d. A hypothesis must always have one or more testable predictions. e. If continual testing of a hypothesis shows it to be valid, it may become an accepted theory.

c. A scientific theory is an undisputed fact.

Which of these pictures illustrates an example of plate tectonics occurring on Earth? https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5900140-dt-content-rid-20303716_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch08_mc01.png a. D b. A c. B d. C

c. B

In the figure above, which of the dips in the brightness of the star are caused by the transit of the planet with the largest orbital period? https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5883765-dt-content-rid-19969081_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch07_mc43.png a. A and B b. A c. C d. B and C e. B

c. C

Why does the dust tail separate from the ion tail? a. Dust cannot sublimate as ice can, so it cannot form a tail as easily. b. The dust is not ionized, so it is not affected by the solar wind. c. Dust particles are more massive than ions, so their accelerations are less. d. The dust tail has the opposite charge as the ion tail. e. The dust tail forms on the leading side of the nucleus, whereas the gas tail forms on the opposite side.

c. Dust particles are more massive than ions, so their accelerations are less.

Which of the following moons is thought to have a vast ocean of water beneath its frozen surface? a. Callisto b. Triton c. Europa d. Io e. Ganymede

c. Europa

Which object has turned itself inside out numerous times, leading to a situation where lighter elements have escaped, sulfur compounds compose the crust, and primarily heavier elements make up its core? a. Titan b. Mercury c. Io d. Callisto e. Pluto

c. Io

What makes carbon dioxide a highly effective greenhouse gas? a. It easily reacts chemically with rock. b. It easily absorbs visible light. c. It easily absorbs infrared radiation. d. It easily absorbs UV radiation. e. It easily photodissociates in the upper atmosphere.

c. It easily absorbs infrared radiation.

If the radius of an object s orbit is halved, what must happen to the speed so that angular momentum is conserved? a. It must be halved. b. It must stay the same. c. It must be doubled. d. It must be squared.

c. It must be doubled.

Which of these planets has a composition that is most like the Sun? a. Uranus b. Earth c. Jupiter d. Neptune e. Saturn

c. Jupiter

The radiation belts around Jupiter are much stronger than those found around the Earth because: a. Jupiter is colder than the Earth. b. Jupiter rotates faster than the Earth. c. Jupiter has a stronger magnetic field than the Earth. d. Jupiter is farther from the Sun than the Earth. e. Jupiter has larger storms than the Earth.

c. Jupiter has a stronger magnetic field than the Earth.

The fact that Jupiter's radius is contracting at a rate of 1 mm/year results in: a. Jupiter's shape being less oblate b. Jupiter's rotation rate slowing down with time c. Jupiter radiating more heat than it receives from the Sun d. differential convection that powers Jupiter's Great Red Spot e. Jupiter's orbit around the Sun getting smaller

c. Jupiter radiating more heat than it receives from the Sun

Why would a satellite orbiting close to Jupiter have a very hard time detecting solar wind particles? a. The satellite would be moving too fast in its orbit to catch any of them. b. Jupiter's strong gravity pulls them into the planet. c. Jupiter's magnetosphere deflects them. d. Jupiter is too far away from the Sun to get any solar wind. e. The Great Red Spot pushes them away from Jupiter.

c. Jupiter's magnetosphere deflects them.

Which terrestrial object shows the least evidence of recent volcanic activity? a. Earth b. the Moon c. Mercury d. Venus e. Mars

c. Mercury

Which of the following is FALSE? a. Most of the exoplanets detected to date have masses that are between 2 and 10 MEarth. b. Some exoplanets have been found in the habitable zone around their stars. c. No images of exoplanets have been obtained because they are too far away. d. Using the transit technique, the Kepler satellite has detected rocky planets. e. The masses of exoplanets can be determined using the radial velocity technique.

c. No images of exoplanets have been obtained because they are too far away.

Which of the following processes did NOT contribute gas to Earth's secondary atmosphere? a. Volcanism b. Accretion c. Oxidation d. Comet impacts e. All of the above contributed gasses to Earth's secondary atmosphere.

c. Oxidation

Consider an external solar system in which there are three terrestrial planets. All are located far from other objects so tidal forces aren't significant. If planet A has a radius of 1 Earth radius, and planet B has a radius of 2 Earth radii, and planet C has a radius of 3 Earth radii, which planet has the highest chance of having at least a partially liquid core and a detectable magnetic field? a. Planet A b. Planet B c. Planet C d. They all have the same likelihood of having a liquid core. e. None of these planets should have a liquid core, because they all should have completely solidified.

c. Planet C

How do the wavelength and frequency of red light compare to the wavelength and frequency of blue light? a. Red light has a shorter wavelength and higher frequency than blue light. b. Red light has a shorter wavelength and lower frequency than blue light. c. Red light has a longer wavelength and lower frequency than blue light. d. Red light has a longer wavelength and higher frequency than blue light.

c. Red light has a longer wavelength and lower frequency than blue light.

Star A and star B appear equally bright in the sky. Star A is twice as far away from Earth as star B. How do the luminosities of stars A and B compare? a. Star B is twice as luminous as star A. b. Star A is twice as luminous as star B. c. Star A is four times as luminous as star B. d. Star B is four times as luminous as star A. e. Stars A and B have the same luminosity.

c. Star A is four times as luminous as star B.

Star C and star D have the same luminosity. Star C is twice as far away from Earth as star D. How do the brightnesses of stars C and D compare? a. Star D appears twice as bright as star C. b. Stars C and D appear equally bright. c. Star D appears four times as bright as star C. d. Star C appears four times as bright as star D. e. Star C appears twice as bright as star D.

c. Star D appears four times as bright as star C.

The Moon has a diameter that is approximately one-fourth that of Earth. If these objects' interiors are heated by radioactive decays, and the total amount of energy in decays is proportional to the object's volume, then how does the amount of heat the Moon has compare to that of Earth? a. The Moon's heating rate is 1/2 = 0.5 times that of Earth's. b. The heating rates are about the same. c. The Moon has 1/64th = 0.016 times that of Earth's. d. The Moon's heating rate is 8 times that of the Earth's. e. The Moon's heating rate is 4 times that of the Earth's.

c. The Moon has 1/64th = 0.016 times that of Earth's.

If a collapsing interstellar cloud formed only a protostar without an accretion disk around it, what would happen? a. Only terrestrial planets would form around the protostar. b. Only giant planets would form around the protostar. c. The forming protostar would be rotating too fast to hold itself together. d. More planets would form around the protostar. e. The forming protostar would be significantly less massive than it would have been otherwise.

c. The forming protostar would be rotating too fast to hold itself together.

Assume that you discovered a new planet in the Solar System. To study it, you measured the orbital period and semimajor axis of one of its moons and deduced that the planet's mass was 4 ´ 1025 kg (7 MEarth), then you observed the planet occult a background star and deduced that its radius is 12,000 km (2 REarth). What is this planet's average density? Is this planet's chemical composition more similar to a rocky terrestrial planet or a giant planet? For comparison, the density of iron, rock, and water are approximately 9,000 kg/m3, 3,000 kg/m3, and 1,000 kg/m3, respectively. a. The planet's average density is 5,500 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of giant planets. b. The planet's average density is 1,200 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of giant planets. c. The planet's average density is 5,500 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of terrestrial planets. d. The planet's average density is 3,100 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of terrestrial planets. e. The planet's average density is 1,200 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of terrestrial planets.

c. The planet's average density is 5,500 kg/m3, and its composition is similar to that of terrestrial planets.

If water vapor were released from Venus's surface due to tectonic activity into its upper atmosphere, what would most likely happen to it? a. The water vapor would relieve the greenhouse effect and decrease Venus's surface temperature. b. Water droplets would condense into rain and form lakes on Venus's surface. c. UV light would break apart the water molecules, and the hydrogen would be lost into space. d. The water vapor would chemically react with carbon dioxide and form acid rain. e. It would rise into the atmosphere and form hurricane-like storms.

c. UV light would break apart the water molecules, and the hydrogen would be lost into space.

Venus's surface temperature is fairly uniform from the equator to the poles because: a. Venus is covered by a thick cloud layer that absorbs most of the sunlight that falls on it b. the carbon dioxide in Venus's atmosphere efficiently emits infrared radiation c. Venus rotates slowly so Coriolis forces do not disrupt Hadley circulation d. Venus's orbit is nearly perfectly circular e. Venus rotates very rapidly, which causes strong zonal winds

c. Venus rotates slowly so Coriolis forces do not disrupt Hadley circulation

If the Earth's axis were tilted by 5°, instead of its actual tilt, how would the seasons be different than they are currently? a. The seasons would remain the same. b. Summers would be warmer. c. Winters would be warmer. d. Summers would last longer. e. Winters would last longer.

c. Winters would be warmer.

How much material in an accretion disk goes into forming the planets, moons, and smaller objects? a. none; these objects were not formed in the accretion disk b. roughly half of it c. a small amount of it d. most of it

c. a small amount of it

Which of these objects would emit an absorption spectrum? a. an isolated hot gas cloud b. a fluorescent light bulb c. a thin, cool gas cloud that lies in front of a hotter blackbody d. a hot, solid object e. an incandescent light bulb

c. a thin, cool gas cloud that lies in front of a hotter blackbody

If you wanted to search for faint rings around a giant planet by sending a spacecraft on a flyby, it would be best to make your observations: a. during the closest flyby b. as the spacecraft approached the planet c. after the spacecraft passed the planet d. while orbiting the planet e. while orbiting one of its moons

c. after the spacecraft passed the planet

The Maunder Minimum was a 60-year period when: a. very few dust storms occurred on Mars b. debris thrown up in a comet collision blanketed the Sun c. almost no sunspots occurred on the Sun d. the Voyager 2 spacecraft traversed the heliopause e. very few volcanic eruptions occurred on Mars

c. almost no sunspots occurred on the Sun

Identify the object in the picture below. https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-6263464-dt-content-rid-22150891_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch12_mc21.png a. an asteroid b. a meteor shower c. an active comet d. zodiacal dust e. a meteorite

c. an active comet

If you observe an isolated hot cloud of gas, you will see: a. a continuous spectrum b. a dark spectrum c. an emission spectrum d. an absorption spectrum e. a rainbow spectrum

c. an emission spectrum

When you see a pattern in nature, it is usually evidence of: a. a theory being displayed b. quantum mechanics in action c. an underlying physical law d. a breakdown of random clustering e. A decrease in entropy

c. an underlying physical law

Large regular moons probably formed: a. after a collision between a planet and a large asteroid fractured off a piece of the planet b. after a planet got kicked out of its orbit and was gravitationally captured by another planet c. at the same time as their planets and grew by accretion d. after the period of heavy bombardment in the early Solar System e. when passing asteroids were captured by the gravitational field of their planet

c. at the same time as their planets and grew by accretion

Astronomers believe that the "hot Jupiters" found orbiting other stars must have migrated inward over time: a. by losing their gas due to evaporation b. after colliding with another planet c. by losing orbital angular momentum d. by slowly accreting large amounts of gas and increasing their gravitational pull e. after a close encounter between their star and another star

c. by losing orbital angular momentum

The main greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of the terrestrial planets are: a. methane and ammonia b. hydrogen and helium c. carbon dioxide and water vapor d. oxygen and nitrogen e. methane and ozone

c. carbon dioxide and water vapor

Through what process do some living organisms find energy to survive deep under the ocean? a. electrolysis b. magnetosynthesis c. chemosynthesis d. plasmosynthesis e. photosynthesis

c. chemosynthesis

Eris, Ceres, and Haumea are examples of: a. meteor showers b. meteoroids c. dwarf planets d. asteroids e. comets

c. dwarf planets

Complex microorganisms that have complex DNA enclosed in a cell nucleus are called: a. bacteria b. prokaryotes c. eukaryotes d. algae e. fungi

c. eukaryotes

Most comets originate: a. near Earth and Venus in the early Solar System b. between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter c. far from the planets, many thousands of AU from the Sun d. from the region between the orbits of Jupiter and Neptune e. between the Sun and Mercury

c. far from the planets, many thousands of AU from the Sun

If tonight the Moon is in the waxing gibbous phase, in three days the Moon will most likely be in the: a. first-quarter phase b. waxing crescent phase c. full phase d. third-quarter phase e. new phase

c. full phase

Which of the following lists different types of electromagnetic radiation in order from the smallest wavelength to the largest wavelength? a. radio waves, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-rays b. radio waves, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, gamma rays c. gamma rays, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, radio waves d. gamma rays, X-rays, infrared, visible, ultraviolet e. X-rays, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, radio waves

c. gamma rays, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, radio waves

What could have caused the planets to migrate through the Solar System? a. differentiation of their interiors b. interaction with the solar wind c. gravitational pull from other planets d. gravitational pull from the Sun e. accreting gas from the solar nebula

c. gravitational pull from other planets

We can determine how the density changes with radius in the Sun using: a. high-energy (gamma ray) observations b. radar observations c. helioseismology d. infrared observations e. neutrino detections

c. helioseismology

The one orbital characteristic both short- and long-period comets share is: a. mostly prograde orbits b. mostly retrograde orbits c. highly eccentric orbits d. orbits with completely random tilts e. orbital periods longer than any planet

c. highly eccentric orbits

Of what are Saturn's brightest rings primarily made? a. a thin, solid surface of rock and ice b. an orbiting cloud of high-density gas c. hundreds to thousands of smaller ringlets d. a very diffuse collection of dust e. house-sized rocks

c. hundreds to thousands of smaller ringlets

The Kepler Mission telescope observes primarily in visible light. This telescope is located in space because: a. visible light does not make it through Earth s atmosphere. b. it is closer to the targets it is observing. c. it is above atmospheric distortion. d. it is safe from weather-related disasters.

c. it is above atmospheric distortion.

Jupiter's rings are made of material from: a. only Io b. its outermost moons c. its innermost moons d. its upper atmosphere e. only its retrograde moons

c. its innermost moons

The observation that the Moon's average density is similar to the density of the Earth's _________ supports the collision theory of the Moon's origin. a. average density b. core c. mantle d. oceans e. atmosphere

c. mantle

Uranus and Neptune are bluish green in color because they contain large amounts of: a. oxygen b. water vapor c. methane d. hydrocarbons e. ammonia

c. methane

Galileo's telescopic observations of _________ led him to conclude that the heliocentric model of the Solar System was correct. a. phases of the Moon b. motion of Venus c. moons of Jupiter and phases of Venus d. motion of Jupiter and Saturn e. epicycles of Mars

c. moons of Jupiter and phases of Venus

Ring material: a. has always orbited the giant planets b. is made primarily of fine dust c. must constantly be renewed d. reflects more than 75 percent of the light that falls on them e. is made primarily of kilometer-sized rocks

c. must constantly be renewed

Which of the following cannot be directly detected using a telescope? a. X-rays b. visible light c. neutrinos d. ultraviolet light e. infrared light

c. neutrinos

If the Sun is located at one focus of Earth's elliptical orbit, what is at the other focus? a. the Moon b. another planet c. nothing d. Earth e. Jupiter

c. nothing

The Moon probably formed: a. when the Earth's gravity captured a planetesimal b. when a piece of Earth broke off and entered orbit c. out of a collision between the Earth and a Mars-sized object d. when planetesimals collided to form a more massive object e. when the accretion disk around the Earth fragmented

c. out of a collision between the Earth and a Mars-sized object

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5834614-dt-content-rid-19281175_1/xid-19281175_1 Neap tides occur when the lunar and solar tides _________, resulting in _________ tides. a. completely cancel out; no b. add; below average c. partially cancel out; below average d. add; above average e. partially cancel out; above average

c. partially cancel out; below average

Some restaurants place food under infrared heat lamps so that it stays warm after it has been cooked. This is an example of energy being transported by: a. convection and conduction b. radiation and conduction c. radiation d. conduction e. convection

c. radiation

Of the following methods, the age of the Solar System can be determined most accurately by: a. measurement of the magnetic field variations in rocks under the Earth's oceans b. carbon dating of rocks from mountains on the Earth c. radioactive dating of rocks retrieved from the Moon d. measuring the number of craters per square meter on Mercury e. measuring the rate of energy production in the Sun

c. radioactive dating of rocks retrieved from the Moon

From the data shown in this figure, which property of an extrasolar planet CANNOT be determined? https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5883765-dt-content-rid-19969077_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch07_mc36.png a. orbital period b. orbital distance c. radius d. mass e. All of the properties above can be determined.

c. radius

Asteroids are primarily composed of: a. iron b. ice and dust c. rock d. hydrogen and helium e. methane

c. rock

Two rocks (call them S and T) are a distance of 50 km from one another. Rock S has 20 times the mass of rock T. Considering only their mutual gravitational force, which rock will accelerate faster in response to gravity? a. not enough information available to answer b. Both rocks will have the same acceleration. c. rock T d. rock S

c. rock T

The Moon undergoes synchronous rotation, and as a consequence the: a. rotational period of the Moon equals the orbital period of the Earth around the Sun b. Moon does not rotate as it orbits the Earth c. rotational period of the Moon equals the orbital period of the Moon around the Earth d. orbital period of the Moon around the Earth equals the rotational period of the Earth e. rotational period of the Moon equals the rotational period of the Earth

c. rotational period of the Moon equals the orbital period of the Moon around the Earth

Spacecraft are the most effective way to study planets in our Solar System because: a. planets move too fast across the sky for us to image them well from Earth. b. planets cannot be imaged from Earth. c. spacecraft can collect more information than is available just from images. d. space missions are easier than long observing campaigns.

c. spacecraft can collect more information than is available just from images.

According to the conservation of angular momentum, if an ice skater starts spinning with her arms out wide, then slowly pulls them close to her body, this will cause her to: a. spin slower b. maintain a constant rate of spin c. spin faster d. fall down

c. spin faster

All of the following ring structures are known to be created by shepherd moons EXCEPT: a. knots and kinks b. ring gaps c. spokes d. braided rings e. scalloped edges

c. spokes

Newton's first law states that objects in motion: a. experience an unbalanced force b. must be subject to zero friction c. stay in motion d. experience a nonzero acceleration e. eventually come to rest

c. stay in motion

Meteor showers appear as if they are coming from one particular place in the sky because: a. that is the direction in which the comet is moving away from us b. that is the direction Earth just passed c. that is the direction toward which Earth is traveling d. that is the direction in which the comet is coming toward us e. that is the location in the sky from which the meteors originate

c. that is the direction toward which Earth is traveling

If the Moon had active volcanoes: a. life could not exist on Earth b. the Moon would have a thick hydrogen atmosphere c. the Earth might have a ring d. the Moon's surface would have more craters than it currently does e. the Moon would have different phases than we see today

c. the Earth might have a ring

Leap years occur because: a. a calendar month is not the same as a lunar month b. the Earth speeds up in its orbit when it comes closest to the Sun c. the Earth's orbital period is 365.24 days d. the Earth's orbital period around the Sun is decreasing e. the Gregorian calendar contains only 11 months

c. the Earth's orbital period is 365.24 days

The amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere has been increasing over the last 50 years because of: a. global warming b. increased energy output from the Sun c. the burning of fossil fuels d. increased magnetic activity in the Sun e. the growth of the ozone hole

c. the burning of fossil fuels

Particle accelerators that smash atoms or particles together at high speeds, such as the LHC, are important tools used for simulating conditions in: a. red giants b. planetary nebula c. the early universe d. brown dwarf stars e. the solar wind

c. the early universe

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5720946-dt-content-rid-18710667_1/xid-18710667_1 The figure below measures distances in the amount of time it takes light to travel. If the circumference of Earth is a snap of your fingers (1/7 sec), the diameter of the Solar System is approximately equal to: a. the length of a quick lunch b. the time to turn a page in a book c. the length of the work day d. the time you spent in high school e. a human lifetime

c. the length of the work day

Scientists know the history of Earth s magnetic field because: a. the magnetic field hasn t changed since the formation of Earth. b. they see how it s changing today, and project backward in time. c. the magnetic field becomes frozen into rocks, and plate tectonics spreads those rocks out. d. they compare the magnetic fields on other planets to Earth's. e. there are written documents of magnetic field measurements since the beginning of Earth.

c. the magnetic field becomes frozen into rocks, and plate tectonics spreads those rocks out.

Heating from _________ causes the top of the Earth's stratosphere to be warmer than the bottom. a. higher-energy particles in the solar wind b. charged particles trapped by magnetic fields c. the ozone layer absorbing UV light d. convection e. the greenhouse effect

c. the ozone layer absorbing UV light

If you go out at exactly 9 P.M. each evening over the course of one month, the position of a given star will move westward by tens of degrees. What causes this motion? a. the speed of the star through space b. the revolution of the Moon around the Earth c. the revolution of the Earth around the Sun d. the revolution of the Sun around the Earth e. the Earth's rotation on its axis

c. the revolution of the Earth around the Sun

Which of the following factors does NOT directly influence the temperature of a planet? a. the atmosphere of the planet b. the luminosity of the Sun c. the size of the planet d. the albedo of the planet e. the distance of the planet from the Sun

c. the size of the planet

A black car left in the sunlight becomes hotter than a white car left in the sunlight under the same conditions because: a. the atoms in the black car are smaller than the atoms in the white car b. the black car absorbs only blue photons and reflects red photons, whereas the white car absorbs only red photons and reflects blue photons c. the white car reflects more sunlight than the black car d. the white car absorbs more sunlight than the black car

c. the white car reflects more sunlight than the black car

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5798658-dt-content-rid-18896511_1/xid-18896511_1 Based on this figure, a superior planet at opposition: a. would rise at noon and set at midnight b. would rise at midnight and set at noon c. would rise at sunset and set at sunrise d. would rise at sunrise and set at sunrise e. would rise at 8 and set at 8

c. would rise at sunset and set at sunrise

The meridian is defined as an imaginary circle on the sky on which lie the: a. celestial equator and summer solstice b. celestial equator and vernal equinox c. zenith and the north and south celestial poles d. zenith and east and west directions e. north and south celestial poles

c. zenith and the north and south celestial poles

According to the figure, about how long ago did oxygen reach its current abundance in Earth's atmosphere? https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5924985-dt-content-rid-20793319_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch09_mc29.png a. 1 billion years ago b. 0.1 billion years ago c. 3 billion years ago d. 0.25 billion years ago e. 0.5 billion years ago

d. 0.25 billion years ago

You find a moon orbiting a planet. The moon has a period of 10 days, and the average distance between the moon and planet is 106 km. What is the planet's mass? Note that the mass of Jupiter is 1.9 x 10^27 kg. a. 0.1 MJupiter b. 4 MJupiter c. 1 MJupiter d. 0.4 MJupiter e. 10 MJupiter

d. 0.4 MJupiter

If an average hydrogen atom in Earth's atmosphere has a velocity of 2.5 km/s, what would be the average velocity of an oxygen molecule in the Earth's atmosphere? Note that the atomic mass of an oxygen atom is 16 times that of a hydrogen atom. a. 0.25 km/s b. 0.16 km/s c. 2.5 km/s d. 0.62 km/s e. 0.44 km/s

d. 0.62 km/s

A circle has an eccentricity of _________ and a straight line has an eccentricity of _________. a. 1; 1 b. infinity; 0 c. 1; 0 d. 0; 1 e. 0; infinity

d. 0; 1

If the Himalaya mountain range is presently 8,000 meters in height and is rising at a rate of 0.5 meters per century because of the convergence of two continental plates, how long did it take to create this mountain range? a. 1.6 billion years b. 160 million years c. 1,600 years d. 1.6 million years e. 160,000 years

d. 1.6 million years

If a radioactive element has a half-life of 10,000 years, what fraction of it is left in a rock after 40,000 years? a. 1/32 b. 1/2 c. 1/8 d. 1/16 e. 1/4

d. 1/16

Suppose you have a block of a material in which half the atoms decay in 2 minutes. After 6 minutes, what fraction of the original material remains? a. 1/2 b. 1/4 c. 1/6 d. 1/8 e. 1/16

d. 1/8

If we model the history of the universe as a single day, at what time would the first Homo sapiens appear? a. 11:35:00 P.M. b. 6:00 P.M. c. 10:00 P.M. d. 11:59:58.5 P.M. e. 11:59:20 P.M.

d. 11:59:58.5 P.M.

Saturn's rings disappear from sight every: a. 8 years b. 25 years c. 40 years d. 15 years e. 6 months

d. 15 years

If you apply a force of 10 N to a grocery cart and get an acceleration of 0.5 m/s^2, then the mass of the grocery cart is: a. 5 kg b. 0.05 kg c. 0.20 kg d. 20 kg e. 50 kg

d. 20 kg

Approximately _________ years ago, _________ began producing oxygen in enough amounts to be a significant fraction in the Earth's atmosphere. a. 100 million; trees and plants b. 2.5 billion; bacteria and algae c. 2,000; animals and humans d. 250 million; bacteria and algae e. 1 billion; trees and plants

d. 250 million; bacteria and algae

Which of the three lunar surfaces shown in this figure is the youngest? https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5900140-dt-content-rid-20303718_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch08_mc15.png a. It is impossible to tell without radioactive dating. b. A and C are probably about the same age and are younger than B. c. A d. B e. C

d. B

Two porcelain vases (call them V and W) are released at the same time from the same height and start from rest. Vase V has 20 times the mass of vase W. Which vase will fall faster if the only forces involved are each vase's mutual gravitational attraction with Earth? a. Vase V b. not enough information is available to answer c. Vase W d. Both vases will fall at the same rate.

d. Both vases will fall at the same rate.

Which layer in the figure above represents the Earth's liquid core? https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5900198-dt-content-rid-20303763_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch08_mc26.png a. D b. A c. B d. C

d. C

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5820305-dt-content-rid-19067650_1/xid-19067650_1 In this figure, a planet orbits the Sun. During which of the three sections (A, B, or C) will the planet have the lowest average velocity? a. The average velocity is the same for sections A, B, and C. b. B c. The information given is insufficient to answer this question. d. C e. A

d. C

Imagine that you observed the Sun and measured the brightness of the face of the Sun at the locations marked in this image: https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-6275341-dt-content-rid-22360837_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch14_mc32.png At which of these locations would you measure the lowest brightness? a. C b. B c. They would all have the same brightness. d. D e. A

d. D

Based on the number of impact craters observed per square meter on their surface, place these terrestrial planets in order of youngest to oldest surface: a. Venus, Mercury, Earth b. Venus, Earth, Mercury c. Mercury, Venus, Earth d. Earth, Venus, Mercury e. Earth, Mercury, Venus

d. Earth, Venus, Mercury

Which of the statements below are TRUE about the Roche limit of a giant planet? a. Because they have no solid surfaces, giant planets do not have a Roche limit. b. It is the farthest from the planet that moons normally are found. c. It is about equal to the radius of the planet. d. It is the closest to the planet that moons normally are found. e. It is the closest to the planet that rings will be found.

d. It is the closest to the planet that moons normally are found.

Which property of a moon might lead you to believe it was a captured asteroid? a. It is roughly the size of Earth's moon. b. Its orbital axis is tilted by 5° compared to the planet's rotational axis. c. It is tidally locked. d. It rotates in the opposite direction than its planet rotates. e. Its surface is very smooth and lacks craters.

d. It rotates in the opposite direction than its planet rotates.

How does the thickness of Saturn's bright ring system compare to its diameter? a. It's about 100,000 times thinner. b. It's about 10 times thinner. c. It's about 10,000 times thinner. d. It's about 10 million times thinner. e. It's about 1,000 times thinner.

d. It's about 10 million times thinner.

An observer located outside our Solar System, who monitors the velocity of our Sun over time, will find that its velocity varies by ±12 m/s over a period of 12 years, because of: a. Earth's gravitational pull b. variations in its brightness c. convection on the Sun's surface d. Jupiter's gravitational pull e. the sunspot cycle

d. Jupiter's gravitational pull

In 1974, astronomers sent a message toward globular cluster M13. If life exists there, and it returns our signal, we won't receive it for at least another 44,000 years. Why? a. It will take that long for the space probe carrying our signal to reach the life forms there. b. Based on the age of the stars in M13, we anticipate it would take that long for a civilization to evolve enough to interpret and respond to our signal. c. It will take that long before our Solar System and M13 are properly aligned again. d. M13 is far enough away that even light takes a very long time to reach it. e. The universe will have expanded substantially after M13 receives our message, therefore taking much longer for their response to make it back to Earth.

d. M13 is far enough away that even light takes a very long time to reach it.

We have direct evidence for the current existence of water on the surface of which terrestrial object? a. Callisto b. Venus c. Mercury d. Mars e. Ganymede

d. Mars

Most asteroids are located between the orbits of: a. Neptune and Pluto b. Jupiter and Saturn c. the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud d. Mars and Jupiter e. Earth and Mars

d. Mars and Jupiter

Mars, Venus, and Earth are much less heavily cratered than Mercury and the Moon. This is explained by the fact that: a. Mars, Venus, and Earth have thicker atmospheres b. Mars, Venus, and Earth are much larger in size than Mercury and the Moon c. the rate of cratering in the early Solar System was strongly dependent on location d. Mars, Venus, and Earth were geologically active for a longer period of time than Mercury and the Moon e. Earth and Venus were shielded from impacts by the Moon, and Mars was protected by the asteroid belt

d. Mars, Venus, and Earth were geologically active for a longer period of time than Mercury and the Moon

If you have two moons that have the same radius, but Moon A is denser and has 2 times the mass of Moon B, how do their escape velocities compare? a. Moon A has an escape velocity that is 2 times smaller than Moon B. b. Because gravity affects all masses the same, the escape velocities are the same. c. Moon A has an escape velocity that is 1.4 times smaller than Moon B. d. Moon A has an escape velocity that is 1.4 times larger than Moon B. e. Moon A has an escape velocity that is 2 times larger than Moon B.

d. Moon A has an escape velocity that is 1.4 times larger than Moon B.

Which of the giant planets was predicted to exist mathematically before it was ever seen through a telescope? a. Saturn b. Jupiter c. Uranus d. Neptune

d. Neptune

Which of following is FALSE? a. Pluto was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930. b. Pluto's orbit sometimes brings it closer to the Sun than Neptune. c. Pluto has a thin atmosphere. d. Pluto has a mass that is 10 times less than the Earth's mass. e. Pluto has five moons.

d. Pluto has a mass that is 10 times less than the Earth's mass.

If you could find a large enough ocean, which one of these planets would float in it? a. Uranus b. Neptune c. Mars d. Saturn e. Earth

d. Saturn

Why do the terrestrial planets have a much higher fraction of their mass in heavy chemical elements (as opposed to lighter chemical elements) than the giant planets? a. Terrestrial planets formed much earlier than giant planets before the hydrogen and helium had a chance to cool and condense onto them. b. The heavier elements in the forming solar nebula sank to the center of the Solar System, thus the inner terrestrial planets formed mostly from heavy chemical elements. c. Terrestrial planets are colder and thus more massive chemical elements condensed on then than the giant planets. d. Terrestrial planets are low in mass and high in temperature, thus their lighter chemical elements eventually escaped to the outer reaches of the Solar System. e. The giant planets were more massive than terrestrial planets, and the giant planets preferentially pulled the lighter elements from the inner to the outer Solar System.

d. Terrestrial planets are low in mass and high in temperature, thus their lighter chemical elements eventually escaped to the outer reaches of the Solar System.

Examine the figure below that shows the continental plates of the Earth and the locations of volcanoes and earthquakes. Which statement is FALSE? https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5900198-dt-content-rid-20303764_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch08_mc44.png a. The Earth's crust is broken up into 13 separate continental plates. b. Earthquakes happen where two plates come together and when they spread apart. c. Southern California in the United States and Baja in Mexico are sliding northeastward relative to the rest of the North American Plate. d. The Atlantic Ocean is getting smaller with time. e. Volcanoes occur more often where two plates are coming together rather than spreading apart.

d. The Atlantic Ocean is getting smaller with time.

What do astronomers mean when they say that the Sun makes energy by hydrogen burning? a. The Sun is accumulating hydrogen from the solar wind and releasing energy. b. The Sun is combusting hydrogen in a fire and releasing energy. c. The Sun is made of mostly hydrogen at very high temperature. d. The Sun is fusing hydrogen into helium and releasing energy. e. The Sun is fusing hydrogen into uranium and releasing energy.

d. The Sun is fusing hydrogen into helium and releasing energy.

Why do some stars in the sky appear blue, while other stars appear red? a. The blue stars are closer to us than the red stars. b. The red stars are hotter on their surfaces than the blue stars. c. The blue stars are moving away from us faster than the red stars. d. The blue stars are hotter on their surfaces than the red stars. e. The red stars are closer to us than the blue stars.

d. The blue stars are hotter on their surfaces than the red stars.

Which is NOT a reason that we suspect Mars once had liquid water on its surface? a. Mapping satellites have detected dry river beds. b. Rovers have detected minerals that must have formed in the presence of liquid water. c. Mapping satellites have detected outflow channels coming from impact craters. d. The observed presence of water ice in Mars's polar icecaps. e. All of the above are reasons.

d. The observed presence of water ice in Mars's polar icecaps.

Which is NOT a reason that we suspect that the extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by a large impact by a large object? a. An impact crater has been found near Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. b. Soot is found in the material in the K-T boundary, which probably came from fires caused by the impact. c. Many dinosaur fossils are found below the K-T boundary, but none above it. d. The remaining meteorite has been identified on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. e. The material in the K-T boundary is rich in iridium.

d. The remaining meteorite has been identified on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.

Given the thickness and chemical composition of Venus's atmosphere, by how much may you expect its average surface temperature to change between day and night? a. by tens of K (like Earth) b. The answer depends on where Venus is in its orbit around the Sun. c. by hundreds of K (like Mercury) d. There should be almost no change in temperature.

d. There should be almost no change in temperature.

While most meteorites have ages around 4.5 billion years, a small subset have ages around 1.3 billion years. What caused the substantial difference in age between these two populations of meteorites? a. These meteorites just happened to form later than most meteorites. b. Not all meteorites hit the Earth in the early Solar System. We should expect to find younger meteorites as more meteors pass through the atmosphere. c. The younger ones are the result of comets repeatedly passing close to the Sun, melting their surfaces and making them appear younger. d. These meteorites were thrown into space after an impact with Mars and afterward some happened to collide with Earth. e. The younger meteorites were created when a protoplanet collided with Earth, creating the Moon. The leftover fragments became meteorites.

d. These meteorites were thrown into space after an impact with Mars and afterward some happened to collide with Earth.

How is the atmosphere of Saturn similar to the atmosphere of Earth? a. They both have a seamless transition between gas and liquid. b. They are both made of mostly hydrogen and helium. c. They both create magnetic fields. d. They both have jet streams and periods of stormy and calm weather. e. They both rotate in less than 11 hours.

d. They both have jet streams and periods of stormy and calm weather.

What leads astronomers to believe that many large moons associated with the giant planets have compositions that are roughly half water? a. Spectroscopic analysis indicates the presence of large bodies of water. b. Space probes have drilled into the surfaces of many of the moons and detected water. c. Astronomers have observed the gravitational effects of tides on those moons. d. They have average densities midway between water and rock. e. Rocks and other features that form only in the presence of water have been observed.

d. They have average densities midway between water and rock.

Each season on Uranus lasts approximate 21 Earth years because: a. Hadley circulation is ineffective in transferring heat in Uranus' atmosphere b. Uranus rotates very slowly c. Uranus has many strong storms d. Uranus takes a very long time to orbit around the Sun e. Uranus's rotational axis is tipped by 45 degrees relative to it orbital axis

d. Uranus takes a very long time to orbit around the Sun

Based on the photo shown below, this moon: https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-6235555-dt-content-rid-21858336_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch11_mc12.png a. was geologically active in the past but is no longer active b. is possibly geologically active c. is geologically dead d. is geologically active e. More information is needed before any conclusion can be made.

d. is geologically active

When learning about light, we predicted that Venus should have a temperature of 250 K based on its albedo and distance from the Sun. Why is Venus's observed average surface temperature equal to 740 K, which is hot enough to melt lead? a. Venus has a highly eccentric orbit and is sometimes much closer to the Sun than other times. b. Venus has many active volcanoes that release heat into its atmosphere. c. Venus has a very thin atmosphere, and more sunlight falls onto its surface. d. Venus has a strong greenhouse effect. e. Venus has slow, retrograde rotation, and its seasons are very long.

d. Venus has a strong greenhouse effect.

Which object would have the LOWEST impact on our planet if it were to strike Earth? a. a 5-kg asteroid traveling at 10 km/s b. a 1-kg asteroid traveling at 30 km/s c. a 1,000-kg Mini Cooper car traveling at 100 miles/hr, which is 0.05 km/s d. a 3,000-kg truck traveling at 35 miles/hr, which is 0.02 km/s e. a 100-kg comet traveling at 10 km/s

d. a 3,000-kg truck traveling at 35 miles/hr, which is 0.02 km/s

Whether or not a planet is composed mostly of rock or gas is set by: a. its mass b. its temperature c. its distance from the star when it formed d. a combination of all three of the above

d. a combination of all three of the above

When an electron moves from a higher energy level in an atom to a lower energy level: a. a photon is absorbed b. the electron loses mass c. a continuous spectrum is emitted d. a photon is emitted e. the atom is ionized

d. a photon is emitted

Earth's magnetosphere: a. shields us from the solar wind. b. is essential to the formation of auroras. c. extends far beyond Earth's atmosphere. d. all of the above

d. all of the above

Imagine a giant planet, very similar to Jupiter, that was ejected from its solar system at formation. (Such objects exist and are probably numerous, although their total number is still uncertain.) This planet would almost certainly still have: a. a magnetosphere. b. its original composition. c. thermal energy. d. all of the above.

d. all of the above.

The nitrogen in the Earth's atmosphere primarily came from: a. its primary atmosphere b. rock delivered by asteroid impacts c. oxidation of silicate rich minerals d. ammonia delivered by comet impacts e. photosynthesis done by algae and plants

d. ammonia delivered by comet impacts

Which of the following types of Solar System debris were NOT discovered until the age of telescopes? a. comets b. meteoroids c. zodiacal dust d. asteroids e. all of the above

d. asteroids

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5798658-dt-content-rid-18896518_1/xid-18896518_1 Based on the figure below, an inferior planet would be farthest from the Sun and therefore most easily visible at: a. inferior conjunction b. greatest western elongation c. greatest eastern elongation d. at either greatest eastern or western elongation e. superior conjunction

d. at either greatest eastern or western elongation

Our universe is approximately 13.7 _________ years old. a. hundred b. thousand c. million d. billion e. trillion

d. billion

Earth's sky is blue because: a. the Sun radiates more blue light than other wavelengths b. molecules that make up the Earth's atmosphere radiate preferentially at blue wavelengths c. red light from the sun is more readily scattered by molecules in the atmosphere than blue light d. blue light from the sun is more readily scattered by molecules in the atmosphere than red light e. of reflected light from the oceans

d. blue light from the sun is more readily scattered by molecules in the atmosphere than red light

Plate tectonics is NOT responsible for: a. volcanoes b. ocean trenches c. continental drift d. canyons e. mountain ranges

d. canyons

No matter where you are on Earth, stars appear to rotate about a point called the: a. meridian b. equinox c. zenith d. celestial pole e. nadir

d. celestial pole

Which of the layers of the Sun is located the furthest from the center of the Sun? a. chromosphere b. convective zone c. photosphere d. corona e. radiative zone

d. corona

Suppose you are suddenly transported to a planet with 1/4 the mass of Earth but the same radius as the Earth. Your weight would _________ by a factor of _________. a. decrease; 16 b. increase; 2 c. increase; 4 d. decrease; 4 e. increase; 16

d. decrease; 4

The apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of a year is called the: a. prime meridian b. circumpolar plane c. eclipse d. ecliptic e. celestial equator

d. ecliptic

When the Sun, the Earth, and a planet all lie along a straight line, the planet is at: a. conjunction b. opposition c. quadrature d. either opposition or conjunction e. greatest elongation

d. either opposition or conjunction

Auroras are caused by: a. the magnetosphere of Earth touching its atmosphere b. a product of the atmospheric greenhouse effect c. the ozone layer being destroyed by UV light d. gases fluorescing in the atmosphere due to collisions with solar wind particles e. scattering of sunlight from particles in the Earth's stratosphere

d. gases fluorescing in the atmosphere due to collisions with solar wind particles

Ring particles range in size from tiny grains to: a. city-sized chunks b. fingernail-sized pebbles c. tennis ball-sized rocks d. house-sized boulders e. basketball-sized boulders

d. house-sized boulders

Jupiter and Saturn are composed primarily of: a. ammonia b. water c. helium d. hydrogen e. carbon

d. hydrogen

Suppose you are suddenly transported to a planet that had 1/4 the radius of Earth but the same mass as the Earth. Your weight would _________ by a factor of _________. a. decrease; 16 b. increase; 4 c. decrease; 4 d. increase; 16 e. decrease; 8

d. increase; 16

As you move from the top atmospheric layer toward the center of a gas planet, the temperature _________ and the pressure _________. a. decreases; increases b. decreases; decreases c. increases; decreases d. increases; increases e. increases; stays the same

d. increases; increases

Water vapor in Earth's atmosphere primarily easily absorbs which type of photons? a. radio b. ultraviolet c. X-ray d. infrared e. visible

d. infrared

Based on the photo shown below, this moon: https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-6235555-dt-content-rid-21858337_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch11_mc21%281%29.png a. More information is needed before any conclusion can be made. b. was geologically active in the past but is no longer active today c. is certainly geologically active d. is possibly geologically active e. is geologically dead

d. is possibly geologically active

The Sun's chromosphere appears red because: a. as the Sun rotates, the chromosphere appears to move away from us radially b. it has a higher concentration of heavy metals c. it is made of mostly helium d. its spectrum is dominated by Ha emission e. it is hotter than the photosphere

d. its spectrum is dominated by Ha emission

The density of particles in a planet's rings can be measured using: a. the Doppler shift b. infrared light c. their proper motions d. light from background stars e. shadows cast by nearby moons

d. light from background stars

Cryovolcanism occurs when: a. an icy moon has volcanoes emitting molten lava from deep underground b. volcanoes erupt underwater c. a comet hits an object and causes volcanic eruptions d. low-temperature liquids explode through the surface because of increasing pressure underground e. molten lava freezes when it reaches the surface because of extremely low temperatures

d. low-temperature liquids explode through the surface because of increasing pressure underground

The force of gravity that an object has is directly proportional to its: a. density b. inertia c. distance d. mass e. size

d. mass

The rovers named Spirit and Opportunity that recently explored the surface of Mars discovered: a. tiny streams of flowing water too small to be detected by orbiting satellites b. dust storms that rapidly erode the surfaces of most geological formations c. the presence of methane that arises from biological life d. minerals that must have formed in an environment rich in liquid water e. the northern polar ice cap is made primarily of frozen water ice

d. minerals that must have formed in an environment rich in liquid water

Antarctica is the best hunting ground for meteorites for all of the following reasons EXCEPT: a. meteorites are protected from weathering and contamination there b. the ground is covered with ice c. few native rocks are found on the glaciers d. more meteorites fall there than on other locations on Earth e. by searching at different depths in the ice you can determine the history of impacts over time

d. more meteorites fall there than on other locations on Earth

High-speed computers have become one of an astronomer's most important tools. Which of the following does NOT require the use of a high-speed computer? a. correcting for atmospheric distortion b. analyzing images taken with very large CCDs c. studying the evolution of astronomical objects or systems over time d. moving a telescope from object to object e. generating and testing theoretical models

d. moving a telescope from object to object

You observe the spectrum of two stars. A section of these spectra are shown below. The spectra are different because star A is: https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5846976-dt-content-rid-19458861_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch05_mc32.png a. cooler than star B b. farther away from us than star B c. larger than star B d. moving toward us faster than star B e. made of different elements than star B

d. moving toward us faster than star B

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5834614-dt-content-rid-19281168_1/xid-19281168_1 According to this figure, spring tides occur at which phases of the Moon? a. first and third quarter b. third quarter c. new d. new and full e. full

d. new and full

The mass of all the known asteroids combined is approximately equal to: a. twice the mass of Mars b. three times the mass of Earth c. the mass of Mars d. one-third the mass of the Moon e. half the mass of Earth

d. one-third the mass of the Moon

Einstein showed that the _________ could be explained if photons carried quantized amounts of energy. a. theory of special relativity b. Heisenberg uncertainty principle c. Bohr model of the atom d. photoelectric effect e. warping of space and time

d. photoelectric effect

Based on the age of the light- and dark-colored regions of the Moon and the number of craters observed in these regions, we know that impacts in the inner Solar System: a. were very rare in the last 4.6 billion years b. never occur anymore c. rapidly decreased approximately 1 billion years ago d. rapidly decreased approximately 3 billion years ago e. occurred at approximately a constant rate throughout most of the age of the Solar System

d. rapidly decreased approximately 3 billion years ago

The image below taken at visible wavelengths shows a section of the Sun with sunspots visible. https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-6275341-dt-content-rid-22360871_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch14_mc42.png Which of the labeled regions is the lowest temperature? a. There is not enough information to determine their relative temperatures. b. region B c. region A d. region C e. They are all the same temperature.

d. region C

During which season (in the Northern Hemisphere) could you see the Sun rising from the furthest north? a. fall b. spring c. The Sun always rises directly in the east. d. summer e. winter

d. summer

When a boat moves through the water, the waves in front of the boat bunch up, while the waves behind the boat spread out. This is an example of: a. the Bohr model. b. the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. c. emission and absorption. d. the Doppler effect.

d. the Doppler effect.

Ultraviolet radiation is hard to observe primarily because: a. the Earth emits too much ultraviolet background light b. no space-based telescopes operate at ultraviolet wavelengths c. very few objects emit at ultraviolet wavelengths d. the Earth's atmosphere easily absorbs it e. only the lowest mass stars emit ultraviolet light

d. the Earth's atmosphere easily absorbs it

We experience seasons because: a. the Earth is closer to the Sun in summer and farther from the Sun in the winter b. one hemisphere of Earth is closer to the Sun than the other hemisphere during the summer c. the length of the day is longer in the summer and shorter in the winter d. the Earth's equator is tilted relative to the plane of the solar system e. the Earth moves with a slower speed in its orbit during summer and faster during winter

d. the Earth's equator is tilted relative to the plane of the solar system

Which of the following contributes most to the large difference in the average daytime and nighttime temperatures on the Moon? a. the lack of CO2 in its atmosphere b. the lack of a magnetosphere c. the lack of geologic activity d. the lack of an atmosphere e. its slow rotation rate

d. the lack of an atmosphere

The shape of the Earth's magnetosphere is modified by: a. the Moon's tidal force b. asymmetries in the shape of Earth's core c. Earth's own gravity d. the solar wind e. Earth's elliptical orbit

d. the solar wind

If you measured the orbital period of the Moon and the distance between the Earth and the Moon then you could calculate: a. the radius of the Moon b. the mass of the Moon c. the radius of the Earth d. the sum of the masses of the Earth and the Moon e. the average distance between the Earth and Sun

d. the sum of the masses of the Earth and the Moon

What measurement tells us that the interiors of Uranus and Neptune are made of mostly water? a. their mass b. their distance from the sun c. their temperatures d. their average densities e. their colors

d. their average densities

The interior zones of the Sun are distinguished by: a. jumps in density between zones b. their temperature profiles c. pressure differences inside each zone d. their modes of energy transport e. all of the above

d. their modes of energy transport

Earth-sized planets have been found using the _________ method(s). a. transit b. microlensing c. Doppler shift d. transit and Doppler shift e. direct imaging

d. transit and Doppler shift

Approximately how often do lunar eclipses occur? a. twice every year b. once every 11 years c. three times every year d. twice every 11 months e. once per month

d. twice every 11 months

The figure (a) below defines the layers of Earth's atmosphere using the temperature variation. Based on figure (b) below, the atmosphere of Venus has thus _________ distinct layer(s). https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5925012-dt-content-rid-20793760_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch09_mc40.png a. five b. one c. three d. two e. four

d. two

The darkest part of a sunspot is called the: a. granule b. magnetic field c. penumbra d. umbra e. photosphere

d. umbra

Runaway convection in the Earth's atmosphere can lead to: a. aurorae b. snow c. destruction of ozone d. violent storms e. acid rain

d. violent storms

If a person on Earth currently views the Moon in a waxing crescent phase, in what phase would the Earth appear to a person on the Moon? a. waning crescent b. waxing gibbous c. new d. waning gibbous e. waxing crescent

d. waning gibbous

The color of visible light is determined by its: a. size b. mass c. speed d. wavelength e. distance from you

d. wavelength

Suppose you attach a weight to one end of a spring and then hold the other end of the spring and spin it above your head. The faster you spin the spring, the farther away the weight will move from your hand. This example illustrates: a. why the poles rotate faster than the equator on Uranus b. why the giant planets are farther from the Sun than the terrestrial planets c. why winds blow in an easterly direction on Neptune d. why Saturn is the most oblate of the giant planets e. why the Great Red Spot exhibits anticyclonic motion

d. why Saturn is the most oblate of the giant planets

If the flux of sunlight on a planet suggested its temperature should be 200 K, but its actual temperature was 220 K, then how much more energy does this planet emit relative to the energy it receives from its parent star? a. 2.1 times more energy b. 5.3 times more energy c. 2.9 times more energy d. 1.1 times more energy e. 1.5 times more energy

e. 1.5 times more energy

Approximately how long does it take the photons released in nuclear reactions in the core of the Sun to exit the photosphere? a. 16 hours b. 8 minutes c. 1,000 years d. 4.6 billion years e. 100,000 years

e. 100,000 years

If the Sun converts 5x1011 kg of H to He per second and 10 percent of the Sun's total mass is available for nuclear burning, how long might we expect the Sun to live? a. 10^12 years b. 10^4 years c. 10^14 years d. 10^8 years e. 10^10 years

e. 10^10 years

What is your acceleration if you go from 0 to 60 mph in 4 seconds? a. 240 mph/s b. 30 mph/s c. 60 mph/s d. 8.5 mph/s e. 15 mph/s

e. 15 mph/s

Lunar tides are approximately _________ solar tides. a. the same strength as b. 200 times weaker than c. 200 times stronger than d. 2 times weaker than e. 2 times stronger than

e. 2 times stronger than

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5820305-dt-content-rid-19067651_1/xid-19067651_1 You are excited to try out your new telescope on the night sky. You find a moon orbiting a planet and you measure the distance between the moon and the planet once a night over the course of a few weeks. Its behavior is shown in the figure below where the time shown is the time since your first observation. What is this moon's orbital period? a. 18 days b. 11 days c. 6 days d. 20 days e. 22 days

e. 22 days

Assume you want to deduce the radius of a planet in our Solar System as it occults a background star when the relative velocity between the planet and the Earth is 30 km/s. If the star crosses through the middle of the planet and disappears for a total of 26 minutes, what is the planet's radius? a. 31,000 km b. 15,000 km c. 3,000 km d. 5,000 km e. 23,000 km

e. 23,000 km

In 2008, the Cassini spacecraft made a flyby of Enceladus, one of the icy moons of Saturn. If the spacecraft's high resolution camera had an angular resolution of 3 arcsec, and it flew at an altitude of 23 km above Enceladus's surface, how large an object could be resolved on the surface? a. 5 cm b. 30 km c. 50 m d. 3 m e. 30 cm

e. 30 cm

The dwarf planet named Eris orbits the Sun with a semimajor axis of 68 AU. Using Kepler's third law, Eris's orbital period is: a. 72 years b. 26 years c. 240 years d. 130 years e. 560 years

e. 560 years

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5834614-dt-content-rid-19281165_1/xid-19281165_1 According to the figure above, the approximate amount of time between a high tide and a low tide at a given location is: a. 12 hours b. 3 hours c. 8 hours d. 24 hours e. 6 hours

e. 6 hours

The Hubble Space Telescope orbits at an altitude of 600 km above the Earth's surface. Assuming it is in a stable circular orbit, what is its velocity? For reference, the Earth's radius is 6,400 km and Earth's mass is 6 x 10^24 kg. a. 240,000 m/s b. You also must know the mass of the Hubble Space Telescope to determine its speed. c. 64,000 m/s d. 51,000 m/s e. 7,500 m/s

e. 7,500 m/s

What is the reason Mercury has so little gas in its atmosphere? a. Its mass is small. b. It has a high temperature. c. It is close to the Sun. d. Its escape velocity is low. e. All of the above are reasons.

e. All of the above are reasons.

Because of the tidal force between the Earth and Moon: a. the Earth's rotation rate is decreasing b. the Moon's distance from Earth is increasing c. the Moon's orbital period is increasing d. the Moon's rotational period is increasing e. All of the above are true.

e. All of the above are true.

Which of the following can be a result of an increase in solar activity? a. The altitudes of orbiting satellites decrease. b. Airplanes have trouble navigating. c. Stronger auroras are seen. d. Power grids can be damaged e. All of the above can be caused by increased solar activity.

e. All of the above can be caused by increased solar activity.

What will eventually happen to the Earth when radioactive decays in its interior cease? a. The Earth's core will solidify. b. Continental drift will cease. c. Earthquakes will cease. d. The strength of the Earth's magnetic field will decrease. e. All of the above will happen.

e. All of the above will happen.

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5720946-dt-content-rid-18710677_1/xid-18710677_1 Assume you are observing the night sky from a typical city in the United States with a latitude of +40°. Using the figure below, which constellation of the zodiac would be nearest to the meridian at midnight in mid-September? a. Leo b. Scorpius c. Taurus d. Pisces e. Aquarius

e. Aquarius

Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. The surface of Venus is relatively young with an estimated age of less than 1 billion years. b. Mercury has many fractures and faults on its surface that probably arose when it cooled very rapidly and shrank. c. The Moon probably was formed by a collision between a Mars-sized body and the Earth. d. Approximately 65 million years ago, a 10-km wide asteroid struck Earth and wiped out more than 50 percent of all living species. e. During summer in the northern hemisphere of Mars, the polar ice cap melts and liquid water flows outward from it in rivers.

e. During summer in the northern hemisphere of Mars, the polar ice cap melts and liquid water flows outward from it in rivers.

Which of the following curves best matches the shape of a graph of the density of material inside the Sun (in thousands of kg/m3) as you move further away from the center? https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-6275316-dt-content-rid-22360822_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch14_mc05.png a. A b. B c. C d. D e. E

e. E

Which molecule moves with the fastest average speed while being bound in the Earth's atmosphere in thermal equilibrium? a. Oxygen (atomic mass = 32) b. Nitrogen (atomic mass = 28) c. Carbon dioxide, CO2 (atomic mass = 44) d. Water, H2O (atomic mass = 18) e. Hydrogen, H2 (atomic mass = 2)

e. Hydrogen, H2 (atomic mass = 2)

The fact that Jupiter's radius is contracting at a rate of 1 mm per year results in: a. Jupiter's rotation rate slowing down with time b. Jupiter's shape being noticeably oblate c. Jupiter having a strong magnetic field d. Jupiter moving slightly farther from the Sun with time e. Jupiter radiating more heat than it receives from the Sun

e. Jupiter radiating more heat than it receives from the Sun

Which of the following are superior planets? a. Earth and Venus b. Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn c. Mars d. Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn e. Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn

e. Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn

If you are lucky enough to see a total solar eclipse, you must be standing in the: a. Moon's penumbra b. Earth's umbra c. Earth's penumbra d. Sun's umbra e. Moon's umbra

e. Moon's umbra

_________ was the first person to introduce a mathematical heliocentric model of the Solar System from which working predictions could be made of planets' positions. a. Isaac Newton b. Johannes Kepler c. Tycho Brahe d. Galileo Galilei e. Nicolaus Copernicus

e. Nicolaus Copernicus

In which of the following locations has life NOT been found on Earth? a. near deep-oceans hydrothermal vents b. in extremely dry deserts c. in Arctic ice d. in hot sulfur springs e. None of the above. Life has been found in all of these locations.

e. None of the above. Life has been found in all of these locations.

Kepler's third law for our Solar System is a relation between the period P and the semimajor axis A of a planet's orbit. It can be expressed mathematically as: a. P = A2 b. P3 = A2 c. P = A d. P2 = A2 e. P2 = A3

e. P2 = A3

Based on what we know about the evolution of life on Earth, which of the planets below would be most likely to contain an advanced civilization? https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-6290651-dt-content-rid-22630112_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch24_mc32.png a. Planet A b. Planet E c. Planet B d. Planet D e. Planet C

e. Planet C

Which of the following is FALSE? a. Planetary rings can be made when a moon is torn apart by tidal forces. b. The sizes of planetary ring material ranges from tiny grains to house-sized boulders. c. The material in planetary rings orbit the planet while obeying Kepler's third law. d. Some rings around giant planets are made from particles that are ejected by its moons. e. Planetary rings around the giant planets usually remain for tens of billions of years.

e. Planetary rings around the giant planets usually remain for tens of billions of years.

Which of the following Solar System objects is NOT a good candidate for future searches for life? a. Jupiter's moon Europa, because it appears to have liquid water under its frozen surface b. Saturn's moon Enceladus, because its cryovolcanoes indicate that it has liquid water under the surface c. Saturn's moon Titan, because it has an atmosphere containing many organic molecules d. Mars, because it once had liquid water on the surface e. Pluto, because a large portion of it is made of water ice

e. Pluto, because a large portion of it is made of water ice

In the absence of air friction, a 0.001-kg piece of paper and a 0.1-kg notebook are dropped from the same height and allowed to fall to the ground. How do their accelerations compare? a. The paper's acceleration is 100 times faster than the notebook's acceleration. b. The notebook's acceleration is 100 times faster than the paper's acceleration. c. The notebook's acceleration is 1,000 times faster than the paper's acceleration. d. The paper's acceleration is 1,000 times faster than the notebook's acceleration. e. The accelerations are the same.

e. The accelerations are the same.

A spaceship is traveling toward Earth while giving off a constant radio signal with a wavelength of 1 meter. What will the signal look like to people on Earth? a. a signal with a wavelength more than 1 m b. a signal moving faster than the speed of light c. a signal with a wavelength of 1 m, moving the normal speed of light d. a signal moving slower than the speed of light e. a signal with a wavelength less than 1 m

e. a signal with a wavelength less than 1 m

If we measure the spectrum of radiation coming from different clouds in Jupiter's atmosphere, and we find that a cloud that appears white in visible light emits the largest number of photons at a wavelength of 3 ´ 10-5 m, while a cloud that appears brown in visible light emits the largest number of photons at a wavelength of 1.9 ´ 10-5 m, how do the temperatures of the clouds compare? a. The brown cloud is 3 times hotter than the white cloud. b. The white cloud is 3 times hotter than the brown cloud. c. The white cloud is 1.6 times hotter than the brown cloud. d. Both clouds are the same temperature. e. The brown cloud is 1.6 times hotter than the white cloud.

e. The brown cloud is 1.6 times hotter than the white cloud.

Consider a meteoroid with a diameter of 10 cm and a mass of 2 kg that hits the Earth head-on while traveling at a speed of 25,000 m/s. How many times larger or smaller is the meteoroid's kinetic energy compared to that of a typical train whose mass is 2 ´ 106 kg and speed is 25 m/s? a. The meteoroid's kinetic energy is 106 times greater than that of the train. b. The meteoroid's kinetic energy is 109 times greater than that of the train. c. The meteoroid's kinetic energy is 1,000 times less than that of the train. d. The meteoroid's kinetic energy is 1,000 times greater than that of the train. e. The meteoroid's kinetic energy is equal to that of the train.

e. The meteoroid's kinetic energy is equal to that of the train.

Which of the following is FALSE? a. The Kepler mission has begun to find terrestrial planets similar in size to Earth. b. A star can brighten significantly due to gravitational lensing when a planet that orbits it passes directly in front of the star. c. Some planetary systems have been found that contain multiple planets. d. Hundreds of extrasolar planets have been discovered to date from radial velocity surveys. e. The most common types of extrasolar planets found to date have masses 10 times the mass of Jupiter and lie within 5 AU from their parent star.

e. The most common types of extrasolar planets found to date have masses 10 times the mass of Jupiter and lie within 5 AU from their parent star.

Which one of the statements below about a planet's Roche limit is FALSE? a. The Roche limit is where tidal forces from an orbiting object are equal to its internal self-gravity. b. The Roche limit is about 2.5 times the radius of gaseous planets. c. Orbiting objects beyond the Roche limit from the planet do not get ripped apart by tidal forces. d. Objects orbiting closer to a planet than the Roche limit are likely to be ripped apart by tidal forces. e. The ring systems around giant planets are located beyond the Roche limit.

e. The ring systems around giant planets are located beyond the Roche limit.

Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. Darker regions of the Moon's surface have less craters and are approximately 1 billion years younger than the lighter regions. b. Impact craters on the Earth are erased over time because of erosion due to water and the recycling of its crust. c. Geological features and the chemical composition of some rocks on Mars suggest liquid water flowed on the surface in the past, but not at the present time. d. Volcanoes on Mars are larger, on average, than the Earth's volcanoes because Mars does not have moving continental plates. e. The surface of Venus has very few craters primarily because asteroids burn up in its thick atmosphere.

e. The surface of Venus has very few craters primarily because asteroids burn up in its thick atmosphere.

Why aren't all clouds on Jupiter white, like on Earth? a. The Sun is not as bright when viewed from Jupiter compared to what it looks like from Earth. b. Jupiter's clouds are made of carbon dioxide. c. Jupiter's clouds are made of methane. d. For the same reason that we see colors in rainbows on Earth. e. There are chemical impurities in the ice crystals in Jupiter's clouds.

e. There are chemical impurities in the ice crystals in Jupiter's clouds.

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of regular moons? a. They formed in an accretion disk around their parent planet. b. They have orbits that lie nearly in the planets' equatorial plane. c. They revolve around their planets in the same direction as the planets rotate. d. They are usually tidally locked to their parent planets. e. They are much smaller than all of the known planets.

e. They are much smaller than all of the known planets.

Which of the following is NOT considered evidence of cataclysmic impacts in the history of our Solar System? a. Mercury, Earth's Moon, and many other small bodies are covered with many impact craters. b. Uranus is "tipped over" so that it rotates on its side. c. Mimas has a crater whose diameter is roughly one-third of the Moon's size. d. Mercury has crust that has buckled on the opposite side of an impact crater. e. Valles Marineris on Mars is a huge scar, many times deeper than the Grand Canyon, which spans one-fourth the circumference of the planet.

e. Valles Marineris on Mars is a huge scar, many times deeper than the Grand Canyon, which spans one-fourth the circumference of the planet.

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5846532-dt-content-rid-19454657_1/xid-19454657_1 Use the figure below to answer the following question: Which of these statements about the amplitude and wavelength of the two waves shown is correct? a. Wave A has a larger amplitude, and Wave B has a larger wavelength. b. Wave A and B have the same amplitude and wavelength. c. Wave A has a larger amplitude and a larger wavelength. d. Wave B has a larger amplitude and a larger wavelength. e. Wave B has a larger amplitude, and Wave A has a larger wavelength.

e. Wave B has a larger amplitude, and Wave A has a larger wavelength.

Which object would have the LARGEST impact if it were to strike the Earth? a. a 1-m diameter comet moving at 100 m/s b. a 1-m diameter comet moving at 50 m/s c. a 10-m diameter comet moving at 10 m/s d. a 10-m diameter asteroid moving at 10 m/s e. a 1-m diameter asteroid moving at 100 m/s

e. a 1-m diameter asteroid moving at 100 m/s

The large feature spanning the surface of Mars in the figure above is _________ and probably was created by _________. https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5900222-dt-content-rid-20303792_1/courses/wl_38588.201610/ch08_mc50.png a. a dry riverbed; flowing water b. a highway; an extinct civilization c. an impact crater; an asteroid or comet d. a canyon; flowing water e. a canyon; a rapid cooling of the crust

e. a canyon; a rapid cooling of the crust

Which of the following photons carry the smallest amount of energy? a. an ultraviolet photon, whose wavelength is 300 nm b. a red photon in the visible spectrum, whose wavelength is 700 nm c. a blue photon of the visible spectrum, whose wavelength is 450 nm d. an infrared photon, whose wavelength is 10-5 m e. a microwave photon, whose wavelength is 10-2 m

e. a microwave photon, whose wavelength is 10-2 m

Consider four spheres of equal mass and size. Which has the most potential energy? a. a sphere that fell from the top shelf to the floor b. a sphere sitting at rest on the floor at the base of the bookshelf c. a sphere on the middle shelf of a bookshelf d. a sphere rolling on the floor at the base of the bookshelf e. a sphere on the top shelf of a bookshelf

e. a sphere on the top shelf of a bookshelf

Landers, rovers, and/or atmospheric probes have visited which object(s) listed below in an effort to gain new information about our Solar System? a. Jupiter b. Titan, Saturn's moon c. Mars d. Eros, an asteroid e. all of the above

e. all of the above

Remote sensing instruments have been used to: a. map surfaces hidden beneath thick atmospheres b. measure the composition of atmospheres c. identify geological features d. watch weather patterns develop e. all of the above

e. all of the above

Samples of which celestial object(s) have been brought back to Earth to be studied in detail? a. a comet b. the solar wind c. an asteroid d. the Moon e. all of the above

e. all of the above

The field of astrobiology uses our knowledge of ___________ to study life in the universe. a. biology b. chemistry c. physics d. astronomy e. all of the above

e. all of the above

Tidal forces can affect: a. moons b. galaxies c. planets d. satellites e. all of the above

e. all of the above

Which is an important element in the composition of your body that was produced by nuclear fusion inside a star or an explosion of a star? a. iron b. calcium c. oxygen d. carbon e. all of the above

e. all of the above

Which of the following are created by solar magnetic activity? a. sunspots b. prominences c. coronal mass ejections d. solar flares e. all of the above

e. all of the above

Which of the following can be used as an indicator of the age of a moon's surface? a. color of the surface b. crater density c. volcanic activity d. radioactive dating e. all of the above

e. all of the above

Humans cannot survive on the surface of Mars for long periods of time because: a. there is not enough oxygen in the atmosphere b. the range in temperature between day and night is too large c. the flux of ultraviolet radiation reaching the surface is too high d. the atmospheric pressure would be too low e. all of the above are valid reasons

e. all of the above are valid reasons

Extrasolar planets have been detected by: a. the spectroscopic radial velocity method. b. the transit method. c. microlensing. d. direct imaging. e. all of the above. f. a, b and c.

e. all of the above.

In November 2005, the Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa brought back sample from which type of object for the first time? a. terrestrial planet b. comet c. moon d. gas giant planet e. asteroid

e. asteroid

To survive passage through the Earth's atmosphere without burning or breaking up before it hits the ground, an asteroid must be: a. at least 1 meter in size b. at least 1 kilometer in size c. at least 10 meters in size d. at least 1,000 kilometers in size e. at least 100 meters in size

e. at least 100 meters in size

__________ waves are compressional, while __________ waves oscillate perpendicular to their line of travel. a. longitudinal; transverse b. transverse; longitudinal c. P waves; S waves d. S waves; P waves e. both a and c f. both b and d

e. both a and c

If the frequency of a beam of light were to increase, its period would _________ and its wavelength would _________? a. decrease; increase b. increase; decrease c. increase; increase d. stay the same; stay the same e. decrease; decrease

e. decrease; decrease

When solar activity is very high, the Earth's atmosphere will: a. repel charged particles b. block out sunlight c. remain approximately the same d. contract e. expand

e. expand

When a comet comes close to the Sun, its volatile ice sublimates and transforms directly from the solid to _________ phase. a. ionized b. crystalline c. energized d. liquid e. gas

e. gas

In the Earth's crust, lower density igneous rock such as _________ make up the continents, and higher density volcanic rock such as _________ make up the ocean floor. a. marble; basalt b. limestone; sandstone c. granite; iron-rich silicates d. limestone; granite e. granite; basalt

e. granite; basalt

Uranus and Neptune do not have bands as distinct as those on Jupiter and Saturn, because Uranus and Neptune: a. are much closer to the Sun and much colder b. rotate 10 times slower c. are composed entirely of hydrogen and helium and lack more complex molecules d. have larger masses e. have wind speeds that vary more smoothly from the equator to the poles

e. have wind speeds that vary more smoothly from the equator to the poles

Which of the following is NOT a factor that helps explain Earth's lack of craters compared to the Moon? a. wind erosion b. active tectonics and volcanism c. liquid water on surface d. larger atmosphere e. higher density interior

e. higher density interior

The primary atmospheres of the planets are made mostly of: a. carbon and oxygen b. nitrogen and argon c. iron and nickel d. oxygen and nitrogen e. hydrogen and helium

e. hydrogen and helium

A _________ becomes a _________ when repeated testing of its predictions does not disprove it. a. law; theory b. hypothesis; scientific method c. theory; scientific revolution d. phenomenon; theory e. hypothesis; theory

e. hypothesis; theory

In regard to the phase of the Moon, the term waxing means: a. decreasing in brightness b. becoming smaller c. less than half-illuminated d. more than half-illuminated e. increasing in brightness

e. increasing in brightness

The natural tendency of an object to resist changes in motion is called: a. mass b. velocity c. weight d. acceleration e. inertia

e. inertia

Earth releases the energy it receives from the Sun by emitting _________ radiation. a. microwave b. ultraviolet c. visible d. radio e. infrared

e. infrared

The fact that Earth's interior is differentiated suggests that: a. it has both a liquid and solid core b. it formed first from denser material and then afterward accreted lighter material c. only the crust is solid; the rest of Earth's interior is liquid d. it formed first from lighter material, then afterward accreted heavier material e. it was entirely liquid at some point in the past

e. it was entirely liquid at some point in the past

Io has the most volcanic activity in the Solar System because: a. it is continually being bombarded with material in Saturn's E ring b. the ice on the surface creates a large pressure on the water below c. it is one of the largest moons and its interior is heated by radioactive decays d. of gravitational friction caused by the moon Enceladus e. its interior is tidally heated as it orbits around Jupiter

e. its interior is tidally heated as it orbits around Jupiter

Of the giant planets, only Jupiter and Saturn have thick inner layers of: a. solid rock b. water c. liquid methane d. liquid rock e. metallic hydrogen

e. metallic hydrogen

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5720946-dt-content-rid-18710680_1/xid-18710680_1 A friend takes a time-lapse picture of the sky, as shown below. What direction must your friend have been facing when the picture was taken? a. west b. east c. south d. directly overhead e. north

e. north

When two atomic nuclei come together to form a new species of atom, this is called: a. nuclear fission b. nuclear recombination c. ionization d. nuclear splitting e. nuclear fusion

e. nuclear fusion

If the star Polaris has an altitude of 35°, then we know that: a. our latitude is +55° b. our longitude is +35° c. our longitude is +55° d. our longitude is -35° e. our latitude is +35°

e. our latitude is +35°

Suppose an earthquake occurs on an imaginary planet. Scientists on the other side of the planet detect primary waves but not secondary waves after the quake occurs. This suggests that: a. the planet's interior consists entirely of rocky materials b. The planet's mantle is liquid c. all of the planet's interior is solid d. the planet has an iron core e. part of the planet's interior is liquid

e. part of the planet's interior is liquid

The time it takes a planet to complete one full orbital revolution is commonly known as its: a. velocity b. frequency c. orbital domain d. eccentricity e. period

e. period

Kepler's third law is a relationship between an orbiting object's: a. semimajor axis and velocity b. velocity and period c. gravitational force and mass d. acceleration and mass e. period and semimajor axis

e. period and semimajor axis

The solar neutrino problem was solved by: a. adjusting the rate of hydrogen burning in solar models b. improving detector efficiencies so more neutrinos were observed c. correctly measuring the density of the Sun's interior d. lowering the percentage of helium in models of solar composition e. postulating that neutrinos had mass and oscillated between three different types

e. postulating that neutrinos had mass and oscillated between three different types

The Doppler shift can be used to determine the _________ of an object. a. energy b. three-dimensional velocity c. color d. temperature e. radial velocity

e. radial velocity

The average distance between a planet and the Sun is given by the _________ of its elliptical orbit. a. eccentricity b. distance between the foci c. semiminor axis d. radius e. semimajor axis

e. semimajor axis

Most asteroids are: a. large (30-100 km) b. very small (< 1 km) c. very large (> 100 km) d. medium (10-30 km) e. small (1-10 km)

e. small (1-10 km)

When frozen water on the surface of Mars heats up during summer time, the water: a. melts and forms liquid pools on the surface b. remains frozen because the temperature remains below the freezing point c. melts and creates flowing rivers that erode the landscape d. boils off the surface and escapes into outer space e. sublimates and goes directly into the gaseous phase

e. sublimates and goes directly into the gaseous phase

The time it takes for a planet to come back to the same position relative to the Sun is called its _________ period. a. geocentric b. sidereal c. heliocentric d. prograde e. synodic

e. synodic

A large meteor shower will often occur once a year because: a. Jupiter routinely disturbs the orbits of asteroids in the Jovian belt b. the Earth's orbit passes through the Apollo asteroid belt c. Earth typically has one large volcanic eruption every year d. the Sun goes through a yearly solar cycle e. the Earth passes through the debris left behind by a specific comet

e. the Earth passes through the debris left behind by a specific comet

A partial lunar eclipse occurs when: a. the Moon shadows part of the Sun b. the Earth passes through part of the Moon's shadow c. the Sun appears to go behind the Moon d. the Moon passes through part of the Sun's shadow e. the Moon passes through part of the Earth's shadow

e. the Moon passes through part of the Earth's shadow

The detection of solar neutrinos confirms that: a. energy transport by radiation occurs throughout much of the solar interior b. convection churns the base of the solar atmosphere c. sunspots are cooler than the rest of the photosphere d. magnetic fields are responsible for surface activity on the Sun e. the Sun's core is powered by proton-proton fusion

e. the Sun's core is powered by proton-proton fusion

Hurricanes are powered by: a. electrical conductivity of water b. the greenhouse effect c. the Coriolis effect d. Hadley circulation e. the heat of vaporization of water

e. the heat of vaporization of water

Flows of material surrounding Martian craters suggest: a. a very thin crust b. active plate tectonics at the time of impact c. the presence of ice d. volcanism in its interior e. the presence of water in surface rocks

e. the presence of water in surface rocks

The cosmological principle states that: a. physical laws change from place to place in the universe b. the universe is in a "steady state" c. a unique center of the universe exists d. the universe is expanding in all directions at the same rate e. the universe looks the same everywhere and in all directions as long as you look on large enough spatial scales

e. the universe looks the same everywhere and in all directions as long as you look on large enough spatial scales

In 1952, chemists Harold Urey and Stanley Miller mixed ammonia, methane, and hydrogen; in a closed container; zapped it with electrical sparks and found that: a. they could not induce any amino acids to form b. they created life in a test tube c. they could induce cold fusion to occur d. single-celled microorganisms had been spontaneously created e. they had created many of the amino acids contained in DNA

e. they had created many of the amino acids contained in DNA

Which of the following is NOT a reason to put a telescope in space? a. to avoid light pollution on Earth b. to avoid atmospheric distortion c. to avoid weather on Earth d. to observe at wavelengths blocked by the Earth's atmosphere e. to get closer to the stars

e. to get closer to the stars

Without the ozone layer, life on Earth would be in danger from increased levels of _________ radiation. a. X-ray b. infrared c. microwave d. gamma ray e. ultraviolet

e. ultraviolet

Pluto has a density that is roughly equal to two times that of: a. a feather b. lead c. air d. a rock e. water

e. water

The compositions of Uranus and Neptune differ primarily from that of Jupiter and Saturn in that the outer two planets contain more: a. hydrogen b. carbon dioxide c. helium d. iron e. water

e. water

Of what are Saturn's ring primarily made? a. nitrogen b. dark organic material c. methane d. dark silicate material e. water ice

e. water ice

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5720946-dt-content-rid-18710681_1/xid-18710681_1 A friend takes a time-lapse picture of the sky, as shown below. What direction must your friend have been facing when the picture was taken? a. south b. directly overhead c. north d. east e. west

e. west

The direction directly overhead of an observer defines his or her: a. circumpolar plane b. meridian c. celestial pole d. nadir e. zenith

e. zenith

Which of the giant planets do/does NOT have rings? a. Jupiter. b. Uranus. c. Saturn. d. Neptune. e. Uranus and Neptune. f. Only Saturn has rings. g. All of the giant planets have rings.

g. All of the giant planets have rings.