Astronomy Midterm 1

Which lists the jovian planets in order of increasing distance from the Sun? Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Pluto Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Would transition A represent emission or absorption of light? How would the wavelength of the emitted or absorbed photon compare to that of the photon involved in transition C? Explain.

Transition A represents an electron falling from level 3 to level 1, emitting 12.1 eV of energy in the process. This is less wavelength than in transition C.

Which transition could represent an atom that absorbs a photon with 10.2 eVof energy?

Transition B could represent an electron that gains 10.2 eV of energy because it jumps up from 0 eV to 10.2 eV.

A car is accelerating when it is going around a circular track at a steady 100 miles per hour. traveling on a straight uphill road at 30 miles per hour. traveling on a straight, flat road at 50 miles per hour.

going around a circular track at a steady 100 miles per hour.

Two stars that are in the same constellation: must both be part of the same cluster of stars in space. must both have been discovered at about the same time. may actually be very far away from each other.

may actually be very far away from each other.

If the United States obtained all its energy from oil, how much oil would be needed each year? Express your answer using two significant figures.

8.3×1012 liters

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

A theory is essentially an educated guess.

Which of the following correctly lists our "cosmic address" from small to large? Earth, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe; Earth, solar system, Local Group, Local Supercluster, Milky Way Galaxy, universe; Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, solar system, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe.

Earth, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe;

Compare the energy of a 1-megaton hydrogen bomb to the energy released by a major earthquake. Express your answer using one significant figure.

EearthquakeEbomb = 5

Compare the Sun's annual energy output to the energy released by a supernova. EsupernovaESun∼109 EsupernovaESun∼1011 EsupernovaESun∼1013 EsupernovaESun∼1015

EsupernovaESun∼1011

The asteroid belt lies between the orbits of Earth and Mars. Mars and Jupiter. Jupiter and Saturn.

Mars and Jupiter.

Why does Neptune appear blue and Jupiter red? Neptune is hotter, which gives bluer thermal emission. Methane in Neptune's atmosphere absorbs red light. Neptune's air molecules scatter blue light, much as Earth's atmosphere does.

Methane in Neptune's atmosphere absorbs red light.

The fact that nearly all galaxies are moving away from us, with more distant ones moving faster, helped us to conclude that: The universe is expanding. Galaxies repel each other like magnets. Our galaxy lies near the center of the universe.

The universe is expanding.

Which transition could represent an atom that emits a photon with 10.2 eV of energy?

Transition C represents the electron that loses 10.2 eV of energy because the electron is jumping down.

Which transition, as shown, is not possible?

Transition D is not possible because electrons can jump only from one allowed energy level to another, not to energies in between

How big an object causes a typical shooting star? a grain of sand or a small pebble a boulder an object the size of a car

a grain of sand or a small pebble

The set of spectral lines that we see in a star's spectrum depends on the star's: interior temperature. chemical composition. rotation rate.

chemical composition.

Which lists the major steps of solar system formation in the correct order? accretion, condensation, collapse collapse, condensation, accretion collapse, accretion, condensation

collapse, condensation, accretion

To make a rocket turn left, you need to: spin the rocket clockwise. fire an engine that shoots out gas to the right. fire an engine that shoots out gas to the left.

fire an engine that shoots out gas to the right.

The gravitational potential energy of a contracting interstellar cloud gradually transforms into other forms of energy. stays the same at all times. gradually grows larger.

gradually transforms into other forms of energy.

Compared to red light, blue light has higher frequency and lower energy and shorter wavelength. higher energy and longer wavelength. higher energy and shorter wavelength.

higher energy and shorter wavelength.

The composition of the solar nebula was 98% rock and metal. hydrogen compounds. hydrogen and helium.

hydrogen and helium.

When we say that a planet has a highly eccentric orbit, we mean that: it is spiraling in toward the Sun. its orbit is an ellipse with the Sun at one focus. in some parts of its orbit it is much closer to the Sun than in other parts.

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

Compared to their values on Earth, on another planet your weight would be the same but your mass would be different. mass and weight would both be the same. mass would be the same but your weight would be different.

mass would be the same but your weight would be different.

If Earth were twice as far from the Sun, the force of gravity attracting Earth to the Sun would be one-third as strong. one-quarter as strong. half as strong. twice as strong.

one-quarter as strong.

Some jovian planets give off more energy than they receive because of fusion in their cores. tidal heating. ongoing contraction or differentiation.

ongoing contraction or differentiation.

A spectral line that appears at a wavelength of 321 nm in the laboratory appears at a wavelength of 328 nm in the spectrum of a distant object. We say that the object's spectrum is: redshifted. blueshifted. skewed.

redshifted.

In winter, Earth's axis points toward the star Polaris. In spring: the axis also points toward Polaris. the axis points toward Vega. the axis points toward the Sun.

the axis also points toward Polaris.

The star Betelgeuse is about 600 light-years away. If it explodes tonight, we'll know because debris from the explosion will rain down on us from space. we'll know it immediately because it will be brighter than the full Moon in the sky. we won't know about it until 600 years from now. none of the above.

we won't know about it until 600 years from now.