Physical Science Chapter 17/18
______________ is the largest known asteroid. a. Pluto b. Mars c. Ceres d. Vesta e. Mercury
Ceres
Which of the following is part of the Sun's structure? a. Globular cluster b. Accretion disk c. Singularity d. Corona
Corona
Which of the following is thought to be a black hole? a. Gleise 229B b. Sirius B c. Orion Nebula d. Cygnus X-1
Cygnus X-1
Which of the following is not a general feature of the Moon's surface? a. Dry ocean plains b. Multiring basins c. Secondary craters d. None of these; that is, all these features are present
Dry ocean plains
Tides occur later each day because of a. Earth's rotation with respect to the Sun. b. the Moon's rotation with respect to Earth. c. Earth's rotation with respect to the Moon. d. a change in gravitational attraction.
Earth's rotation with respect to the Moon.
Which of Jupiter's moons is believed to be covered with water ice and possibly have life sustaining conditions? a. Io b. Europa c. Ganymede d. Callisto
Europa
Probably the best-known comet is ______________ Comet. a. Sally's b. Bally's c. Bailey's d. Malley's e. Halley's
Halley's
The name of which astronomer is most closely linked with that of Ejnar Hertzsprung? a. Johannes Kepler b. Henrietta Leavitt c. Henry Russell d. Edwin Hubble
Henry Russell
The letters LMC refer to the galaxy named _______________. a. Light Magellanic Collection b. Large Magellanic Collection c. Large Magellanic Cloud d. Light Magellanic Cloud
Large Magellanic Cloud
The cluster of galaxies that includes our Milky Way is called the _______________. a. Local Group b. universe c. solar system d. Milky Cluster
Local Group
The asteroid belt is between the orbits of a. Earth and Mars. b. Mars and Jupiter. c. Earth and Venus. d. Jupiter and Saturn.
Mars and Jupiter.
Which of the following is usually burned up in Earth's atmosphere? a. Asteroid b. Meteoroid c. Meteor d. Meteorite
Meteor
Suppose you live on the near side of the Moon in the crater Copernicus. How often will the Sun set below your horizon? a. Every 12 hours b. Every 24 hours c. Every 29.5 days d. Never
Never
Someone on the far side of the Moon would observe Earth rise once every a. 24 hours. b. 24 hours and 50 minutes. c. 29.5 Earth days. d. None of these, the observer would never see Earth rise.
None of these, the observer would never see Earth rise.
Someone on the near side of the Moon would observe Earth rise once every a. 24 hours. b. 24 hours and 50 minutes. c. 29.5 Earth days. d. None of these, the observer would never see Earth rise.
None of these, the observer would never see Earth rise.
The stars of highest photospheric temperature are those of spectral class _______________. a. O b. M c. K d. C
O
Which of the following represents the shortest distance? a. One parsec b. One astronomical unit c. One light-year d. One right ascension
One astronomical unit
Charon is a moon of ______________ . a. Earth b. Venus c. Neptune d. Mars e. Pluto
Pluto
Nix and Hydra are moons of ______________ . a. Earth b. Venus c. Neptune d. Mars e. Pluto
Pluto
The closest star to the Sun is named _______________. a. Proxima Centauri b. Sol c. Jupiter d. Polaris
Proxima Centauri
Which of the following is not a name used in the classification of galaxies? a. Irregular b. Regular c. Spiral d. Elliptical
Regular
What type of galaxy is the Milky Way? a. Spiral b. Elliptical c. Regular d. Irregular
Spiral
______________ is the major moon of Neptune. a. Triton b. Titan c. Ganymede d. Europa e. Callisto
Triton
______________ is the only moon in the solar system to have retrograde motion. a. Ganymede b. Europa c. Callisto d. Titan e. Triton
Triton
What is the name given to all matter, energy, and space? a. Universe b. Galaxy c. Local group d. Solar system
Universe
The major moons of ______________ were named after literary characters. a. Mars b. Jupiter c. Saturn d. Uranus e. Neptune
Uranus
Which planet's major moons were named after literary characters? a. Jupiter b. Saturn c. Uranus d. Neptune
Uranus
Most cosmologists favor the Big Bang theory over other cosmological theories because of a. a 3-to-1 ratio of hydrogen to helium in stars and interstellar matter. b. cosmological redshifts. c. the cosmic microwave background. d. all of the above.
all of the above.
A comet consists of a. a nucleus only. b. a coma only. c. a tail only. d. all of these.
all of these.
The Moon a. revolves about Earth from west to east. b. has a day equal to 29.5 Earth days. c. has an elliptical orbit about Earth. d. all of these.
all of these.
Familiar groups of stars that are parts of a constellation or parts of different constellations are called a. configurations. b. asterisms. c. major sequences. d. local groups.
asterisms
An incredibly dense star so massive that light cannot escape from its surface is called a _______________. a. red giant b. black hole c. white dwarf d. pulsar
black hole
When the term singularity is mentioned, the object under discussion is probably a a. white dwarf. b. black hole. c. neutron star. d. nova.
black hole.
The impact of meteorites on the Moon has caused a. craters only. b. rays only. c. rills only. d. both rays and craters.
both rays and craters.
The half-circle that defines the starting point for designating longitude on the celestial sphere is called the a. vernal equinox. b. ecliptic. c. celestial prime meridian. d. Greenwich meridian.
celestial prime meridian.
Taurus the Bull is a(n) a. star. b. asterism. c. galaxy. d. constellation.
constellation.
Celestial latitude is called a. declination b. right ascension c. the parsec value d. the zenith angle
declination
The "surface" of a black hole is known as the _______________. a. core b. corona c. photosphere d. event horizon
event horizon
The tail of a comet is shortest when the comet is a. closest to the Sun. b. farthest from the Sun. c. closest to Earth. d. farthest from Earth.
farthest from the Sun.
The greater the mass of a star, the _______________ it moves through its life cycle. a. faster b. slower c. Neither of these; mass has no effect on the life cycle of a star.
faster
A lunar eclipse can occur only when the Moon is in or near the ______________ phase. a. new b. first-quarter c. last-quarter d. full
full
The far side of the Moon a. has never been seen. b. has more craters than the near side. c. looks just like the near side. d. is always dark.
has more craters than the near side.
The ______________ surrounds the nucleus of a comet. a. head or coma b. cloud c. fuzz d. cover e. epinucleus
head or coma
The Sun's photosphere is, by mass, about 75% a. helium. b. carbon. c. hydrogen. d. oxygen.
hydrogen.
The Moon revolves around Earth a. in a clockwise direction, as viewed from above Earth's North Pole. b. once every day. c. once every 7-3/8 days. d. none of these
in a clockwise direction, as viewed from above Earth's North Pole.
It is not true that the neutrino a. is an elementary particle. b. interacts extensively with other particles. c. has no electric charge. d. travels at or near the speed of light.
interacts extensively with other particles.
Which of the Galilean moons has volcanic activity? a. Io b. Europa c. Ganymede d. Callisto
lo
When a meteor strikes Earth's surface, it is called a(n) ______________. a. asteroid b. star c. planet d. meteorite e. ball
meteorite
The particles of interplanetary dust are called ______________. a. micrometeoroids b. asteroids c. meteors d. meteorites
micrometeoroids
The last-quarter Moon rises approximately at a. 6 A.M. b. noon c. 6 P.M. d. midnight
midnight
Rills on the Moon are believed to have been caused by a. moonquakes b. meteorite impacts c. volcanoes d. expansion and contraction of the Moon's surface.
moonquakes
A solar eclipse occurs at or near the time of a a. first-quarter moon. b. last-quarter moon. c. new moon. d. full moon.
new moon.
The full moon by definition occurs a. for only a day. b. for 7-3/8 days. c. only for an instant. d. only once every month.
only for an instant.
For low-mass stars, the life cycle phase that just precedes white dwarf formation is a. planetary nebula. b. variable star. c. main-sequence star. d. red giant.
planetary nebula.
The Sun's high-speed charged nuclei and electrons form a fourth phase of matter known as a a. neutrino. b. sunspot. c. plasma. d. fusion pool.
plasma
Enormous filaments of excited gas arching over the Sun's surface and extending hundreds of thousand of kilometers outward are called a. sunspots. b. solar flares. c. prominences. d. coronal arcs.
prominences.
The three fusion reactions in the Sun that form helium from hydrogen are together called the a. proton-proton chain. b. hydrogen cycle. c. helium sequence. d. neutrino exchange.
proton-proton chain.
Stars in the process of forming are called a. giant planets. b. brown dwarfs. c. red supergiants. d. protostars.
protostars.
The most distant objects yet detected in the universe are a. quasars. b. pulsars. c. superclusters. d. globular clusters.
quasars.
Pulverized rock is believed to make up the Moon's a. rays b. craters c. rills d. plains (maria).
rays
The majority of stars are small, cool, type-M stars called a. brown dwarfs. b. blue dwarfs. c. red dwarfs. d. white dwarfs.
red dwarfs.
When the Sun moves off the main sequence, it will next become a _______________. a. red giant b. dwarf star c. white dwarf d. black hole
red giant
Stars lying above the main sequence that are relatively cool but very bright are called a. red giants. b. white dwarfs. c. brown dwarfs. d. pulsars.
red giants.
The heliosphere is defined as the volume of space over which the ______________ extends. a. solar wind b. solar constant c. magnetic field d. gravitational field
solar wind
The Sun is a a. moon b. galaxy c. planet d. star
star
Clusters containing clusters of galaxies are called _______________. a. superclusters b. galactic clusters c. universe clusters d. quasar clusters
superclusters
The cataclysmic explosion of a star that throws most of its matter into space is called a _______________. a. supernova b. solar flare c. solar blast d. novaton
supernova
The color of a star reveals its a. apparent brightness b. component elements. c. density d. surface temperature
surface temperature
The Moon rises 50 minutes later each day because a. the tidal forces on the Moon slow Earth's rotation, causing its period to be longer. b. the Moon revolves eastward around Earth. c. the Moon rotates on its axis. d. the Moon revolves westward around Earth.
the Moon revolves eastward around Earth.
The Moon always presents the same face to Earth because a. the Moon does not rotate on its axis. b. the Moon rotates on its axis at same rate at which it revolves around Earth. c. the Moon revolves around the Sun in one month. d. none of these
the Moon rotates on its axis at same rate at which it revolves around Earth.
Astronomers measure stellar distances in three different units. The smallest of these is a. the light-year. b. the absolute magnitude. c. the astronomical unit. d. the parsec.
the astronomical unit.
Craters on the Moon are believed to have been caused by a. wind erosion. b. water erosion. c. the impact of meteorites. d. volcanic action.
the impact of meteorites.
Spring tides occur close to the time of ______________ moon. a. the new b. the first-quarter c. both the new and the full d. the last-quarter
the new
The Moon is thought to be a. older than Earth. b. the same age as Earth. c. younger than Earth. d. infinitely old.
the same age as Earth.
When the Moon is on an observer's meridian at 9 A.M., the Moon is in the ______________ phase. a. waning crescent b. waning gibbous c. waxing crescent d. waxing gibbous
waning crescent
The phase of the Moon that one observes on the overhead meridian at 10 P.M. local time is a ______________ moon. a. waxing crescent b. waning crescent c. waxing gibbous d. waning gibbous
waxing gibbous
During a solar eclipse, the umbra moves across Earth's surface generally from a. east to west. b. west to east. c. south to north. d. north to south.
west to east.
Spring tides occur a. only in March. b. when Earth, the Moon, and the Sun line up. c. fewer than 10 times a year. d. once a month.
when Earth, the Moon, and the Sun line up.
The remaining core of a planetary nebula is called a _______________. a. white dwarf b. neutron star c. black hole d. red giant
white dwarf
The Sun will finally become a a. brown dwarf. b. neutron star. c. black hole. d. white dwarf.
white dwarf.
A high tide is occurring at Charleston, South Carolina (70°W, 12°N). At approximately what other longitude is a high tide occurring? a. 110°E b. 70°E c. 20°E d. 20°W e. 110°W
110°E
The universe seems to be about how many years old? a. 232 billion b. 6 billion c. 13.7 billion d. 1 billion
13.7 billion
The temperature of the Sun's interior is estimated to be about how many kelvins? a. 1500 b. 15 million c. 5 billion d. 60,000
15 million
At what longitude is an observer who sees the last-quarter moon on his meridian when it is 12:00 noon local solar time at 75°W? a. 165°W b. 15°E c. 15°W d. 165°E e. 75°E
165°W
If the magnitude difference between one star and another is 1, the stars differ in brightness by a factor of a. 10. b. 100. c. 2.51. d. 4.
2.51.
The diameter of the Moon is approximately a. 800 mi. b. 239,000 mi. c. 93,000,000 mi. d. 2200 mi.
2200 mi.
If a person weighs 150 lb on Earth, what will the person weigh on the Moon? a. 25 lb b. 900 lb c. 150 lb d. 75 lb e. 300 lb
25 lb
A high tide is occurring at Charleston, South Carolina (151°W, 36°N). At approximately what other longitude is a high tide occurring? a. 29°E b. 151°E c. 61°E d. 61°W e. 29°W
29°E
If a person weighs 252 lb on Earth, what will the person weigh on the Moon? a. 42 lb b. 1512 lb c. 252 lb d. 126 lb e. 25.2 lb
42 lb
A high tide is occurring at Charleston, South Carolina (45°W, 64°N). Which listed longitude is experiencing a low tide occurring? a. 135°E b. 65°E c. 45°E d. 45°W e. 145°W
45°E
A high tide is occurring at Charleston, South Carolina (36°W, 59°N). Which listed longitude is experiencing a low tide occurring? a. 144°E b. 36°E c. 54°E d. 54°W e. 144°W
54°E
The Moon's orbital plane is inclined to Earth's orbital plane by a. 0°. b. 5°. c. 23.5°. d. 30°.
5°.
Which of the following is believed to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs on Earth? a. An asteroid b. A meteoroid c. A comet d. Interplanetary dust
An asteroid
Which of the following is(are) believed to be material that never collected into a single planet? a. Asteroids b. Meteoroids c. Comets d. Interplanetary dust
Asteroids
Which of the following is(are) found mainly between Mars and Jupiter? a. Asteroids b. Meteoroids c. Comets d. Interplanetary dust
Asteroids
What is the pseudoscience that contends the planets' positions in the sky at the time of a person's birth affect the individual's personality or future? a. Astronomy b. Card reading c. Physics d. Astrology
Astrology
The absolute magnitude of a celestial object is the apparent magnitude it would have if it were placed how far from the Earth? a. 10 parsecs b. 3.26 light-years c. 1 astronomical unit d. None of the above
10 parsecs
The estimated number of stars in the Milky Way is about how many billion? a. 1 to 2 b. 100 to 200 c. 10 to 20 d. 1000 to 2000
100 to 200
It is 12:00 noon local solar time at 75°W. The date is March 21. At which of the following longitudes would an observer be able to see the last-quarter moon rising? a. 105°W b. 75°E c. 15°W d. 105°E
105°E
A high tide is occurring at Charleston, South Carolina (80°W, 33°N). What two longitudes are experiencing low tide? a. 10°E and 170°E b. 10°W and 170°W c. 10°E and 170°W d. 10°W and 170°E
10°E and 170°W
