Astro Exam 2 Quiz Questions
By far, the most abundant element in the Sun is _____
Hydrogen
Throughout the video you can see a lot of particles gently streaming away constantly from the Sun at all times. This is a/the: Filament Sunspot Solar wind Prominence Coronal Mass Ejection Solar flare
Solar wind
The picture below shows multiple events happening on the Sun's surface. The event are the dark areas that are clearly visible. This would be a: Prominence Solar flare Coronal Mass Ejection Sunspot Filament Solar wind
Sunspot
A star that has the same surface temperature as the Sun but is 100,000 times more luminous than the Sun
Supergiant
A dirty ball of ice in space that sometimes vents gases depending on its proximity to the Sun
comet
When comets are close to the Sun, they usually have two distinct tails. Categorize the characteristics of each tail correctly: Dust Tail:
- Is weakly affected by the solar wind - Made mainly of ice and dust particles - Is usually yellow/white in appearance - Generally trails behind the comet
When comets are close to the Sun, they usually have two distinct tails. Categorize the characteristics of each tail correctly: Ion Tail:
- Points straight away from the Sun - Made mainly of charged atoms/molecules - Is strongly affected by the solar wind - Is usually bluish in appearance
The interior of the Earth is hot because it has retained the heat from when it was formed. However, it remains as hot as it is due to: A) Energy released by tidal forces B) Energy released by nuclear decay C) The presence of iron in the core D) The presence of a magnetic field E) The presence of magma
B) Energy released by nuclear decay
Some interplanetary spacecraft have solar panels to generate electricity for its equipment. But many do not. The ones that do not generate electricity mainly from: A) By absorbing sunlight using their giant radio reflectors B) Heat generated by nuclear decay from radioactive material contained inside metal cylinders called RTGs. C)Batteries stored in their bodies
B) Heat generated by nuclear decay from radioactive material contained
On Earth you have a mass of 60 kg and a weight of 600 N. Which of the following can be true? Remember, the Moon is less massive than the Earth. A) On the Moon you have a mass of 60 kg and a weight of 600 N B) On the Moon you have a mass of 60 kg and weight of 100 N C) On the Moon you have a mass of 10 kg and a weight of 100 N D) On the Moon you have a mass of 60 kg and a weight of 3600 N E) On the Moon you have a mass of 360 kg and a weight of 100 N
B) On the Moon you have a mass of 60 kg and weight of 100 N
Spring tides are extra strong high tides and neap tides are extra weak high tides that happen every now and then. What is the man cause of this phenomenon? A) Sometimes Jupiter aligns in a way to help the Moon affect the tides and this causes stronger tides called spring tides. Similarly sometimes Jupiter aligns in a way where it negates the effects of the Moon on the tides, creating neap tides. B) Sometimes the Sun aligns in a way to help the Moon affect the tides and this causes stronger tides called spring tides. Similarly sometimes the Sun aligns in a way where it negates the effects of the Moon on the tides, creating neap tides. C) Sometimes the Moon is closer to the Earth and this causes stronger tides called spring tides. Similarly sometimes the the Moon is farther away from the Earth, creating neap tides.
B) Sometimes the Sun aligns in a way to help the Moon affect the tides and this causes stronger tides called spring tides. Similarly sometimes the Sun aligns in a way where it negates the effects of the Moon on the tides, creating neap tides.
Which of these correctly describes the motion of the planets around the Sun A) The planets orbit the Sun in perfect circular orbits with the Sun at the center of the circular orbits B) The planets orbit the Sun in slightly elliptical orbits with the Sun at one of the foci of these elliptical orbits C) The planets orbit the Sun in slightly elliptical orbits with the Sun at the center of these elliptical orbits D) The planets orbit the Sun in highly elliptical orbits with the Sun at one of the foci of these elliptical orbits
B) The planets orbit the Sun in slightly elliptical orbits with the Sun at one of the foci of these elliptical orbits
May interplanetary spacecraft (like Voyager 1 &2, Galileo, or Cassini) all have extended metal booms sticking out of the main body. The function of these booms is mainly: A) To hold cameras out away from the body so the spacecraft can take pictures of itself near planets B) To hold sensitive sensors away from the body. If they were close to the body, they might pick up interference. C) To hold radio antennas that can better communicate with the Earth D) To hold extended solar panels to generate energy for the spacecraft
B) To hold sensitive sensors away from the body. If they were close to the body, they might pick up interference.
A meteor shower happens: A) When the Earth passes through the Kuiper belt B) When the Earth passes through debris left trailing behind in a comet's orbit C) When the Earth passes through the Oort cloud D) When the Earth passes through the asteroid belt
B) When the Earth passes through debris left trailing behind in a comet's orbit
A very large rock floating in space
asteroid
Stars with hotter surface temperature appear ____ while stars with cooler surface temperatures appear ____
bluer and redder
A small rock that has entered a planet's atmosphere and is quickly burning up
meteor
A small rock from space that has landed on a planet's surface
meteorite
A small rock floating in space
meteoroid
A star that is much hotter than the Sun, with a surface temperature of 20,000 K and is about 10,000 times more luminous than the Sun
Giant
The larger a telescope's aperture gets the ____ bright the image gets and the ____ fine detail the telescope can resolve
More and More
The picture below focuses on an event happening on the Sun's surface. The event is pictured over multiple days as the Sun rotates and our perspective of the even changes. The event in question the loop of material protruding above the Sun's "surface". On 17 September, 2015 this event would be termed a: Sunspot Solar wind Prominence Filament Coronal Mass Ejection Solar flare
Prominence
____ is the term used to describe the atsmopheric turbulence that causes stars to twinkle and images of celestial objects to wobble
Seeing
The picture below focuses on an event happening on the Sun's surface. The event in question is the bright spot that suddenly appeared (the bright spot is also causing the X shaped distortion inside the camera because of high energy particles and EM waves being given off). What is this called? Coronal Mass Ejection Filament Sunspot Solar flare Solar wind Prominence
Solar Flare
When going from air to glass at an angle, light of longer wavelenght is refracted (bent) ______ while light of shorter wavelengths is refracted (bent) _____
The least and the most
Your friend next door wants you to see something cool in the night sky right now!. They give you a set of coordinates that only work for the current time and your general location. They give you which piece(s) of information? A) Altitude B) Right Ascension C) Azimuth D) Declination
A) Altitude C) Azimuth
As an astronomer on Earth, suppose you are trying to measure the distance of a specific star by using the method of trigonometric parallax. Unfortunately, your telescope's resolution is not good enough to measure the tiny angle change. Which of the following changes to your technique will not improve your chances of figuring out the distance to this star: A) By measuring the trigonometric parallax from Earth over 1 year instead of ½ a year. B) By measuring the trigonometric parallax of this star from Uranus over half of its orbital period C) By substantially improving the angular resolution of your telescope
A) By measuring the trigonometric parallax from Earth over 1 year instead of ½ a year.
Which of the following statements about the terrestrial planets is false? A) Earth's atmosphere allows the Sun's infrared radiation in but doesn't allow much visible light to escape, resulting in the greenhouse effect B) Earth's atmosphere plays a central role in keeping our planet from freezing cold temperatures C) Despite being the closest planet to the Sun, some parts of Mercury have a surface temperature far below the freezing point of water D) Venus is the hottest planet in our Solar System, mainly the result of a greatly elevated greenhouse effect.
A) Earth's atmosphere allows the Sun's infrared radiation in but doesn't allow much visible light to escape, resulting in the greenhouse effect
Which of the following best describes the reason Pluto was redefined as a "dwarf planet" rather than a regular planet. A) It has not cleared most other objects from its neighborhood Its orbit sometimes brings it closer to the Sun than Neptune B) Its orbit is far more inclined than those of the other planets C) It is too small and is thus not quite spherical D) Rather than Charon orbiting Pluto, they both orbit a common center of mass between them since they are comparable in size
A) It has not cleared most other objects from its neighborhood
Why does Mars appear reddish-orange? A) It's rocks have suffered "rusting" and contain iron oxides which appear reddish orange B) It is moving away from us rapidly, so its color is redshifted C) Its thick atmosphere consists of reddish-orange clouds D) There is a large population of Martians wandering around and they have reddish-orange skin. E) Its surface temperature is lower than that of Earth (which appears blue), so Mars appears at a longer wavelength of red
A) It's rocks have suffered "rusting" and contain iron oxides which appear reddish orange
If the atmosphere selectively scattered/reflected only red light, the sky would appear A) red B) white C) yellow D) Blue
A) Red
All other things being equal, and ignoring atmospheric effects, compare a reflecting telescope with a large primary mirror (i.e. large aperture) to a telescope with a smaller primary mirror (i.e. small aperture) : A) The larger telescope will have better light-gathering power and better resolution B) The larger telescope will have better resolution only C) The larger telescope will have better light-gathering power only D) The larger telescope will have better light-gathering power but worse resolution
A) The larger telescope will have better light-gathering power and better resolution
You keep taking pictures of your favorite star in the night sky every six months over a period of 5 years. When you look at the sequence of images you took, you notice that your favorite star seems to drift westward slowly all through those images compared to the other background stars. What you are seeing is: A) The proper motion of the star B) The motion due to parallax of the star C) The true 3D motion of the star D) The radial motion of the star
A) The proper motion of the star
comets are mainly: A) made of frozen water, methane and ammonia and dust and are usually found in a cloud of similar objects surrounding the solar system B) made of frozen water, methane and ammonia and dust and are usually found in a ring of similar objects just outside the orbit of Neptune C) made of rocky and metallic substances and are usually found in a ring of similar objects just outside the orbit of Neptune D) made of frozen water, methane and ammonia and dust and are usually found in a ring of similar objects between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter E) made of rocky and metallic substances and are usually found in a ring of similar objects between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter F) made of rocky and metallic substances and are usually found in a cloud of similar objects surrounding the solar system
A) made of frozen water, methane and ammonia and dust and are usually found in a cloud of similar objects surrounding the solar system
If the atmosphere selectively scattered/reflected only red light, sunsets would appear appear A) red B) white C) Yellow D) Blue
A) red
The corona of the Sun has an incredibly high temperature. However, if you were sufficiently far enough away from the "surface" of the Sun but still inside this high temperature corona, it is possible that you won't burn up. Why is this the case? A) While the corona has an incredibly high temperature, it also consists of the solar wind, which is always flowing outward. This wind has a cooling effect that counteracts the corona's high temperature. B) While the corona has an incredibly high temperature, it is also very sparse (not dense). This means there aren't a lot of particles there to transfer that thermal energy to you through contact to burn you. C) Spacesuit's are incredibly resilient and aren't affected by high temperatures. D) While the corona has an incredibly high temperature, space is also very cold. These two effects cancel each other out to make the corona survivable.
B) While the corona has an incredibly high temperature, it is also very sparse (not dense). This means there aren't a lot of particles there to transfer that thermal energy to you through contact to burn you.
If the atmosphere selectively scattered/reflected only red light, sunsets would appear A) white B) blue C) red D) yellow
B) blue
We know the mass of Pluto because we know the: A) distance of Charon from Pluto and the orbital period of Pluto around the Sun B) distance of Charon from Pluto and the orbital period of Charon around Pluto C) distance of Pluto from the Sun and the orbital period of Charon from Pluto D) distance of Pluto from the Sun and the orbital period of Pluto around the Sun
B) distance of Charon from Pluto and the orbital period of Charon around Pluto
Your friend in Australia wants you to see something cool in the night sky. They give you a set of coordinates that will work no matter where you are on Earth or what time it is. They give you which piece(s) of information? A) Altitude B) Right Ascension C) Azimuth D) Declination
B) right ascension C) Declination
You want to figure out the mass of the Sun. Which of the following bodies' orbital period and distance from the body they are orbiting can you study to figure this out? There may be multiple correct answers A) Moon B) Earth C) Mercury D) Jupiter E) Ganymede (A moon of Jupiter)
B)Earth C) Mercury D) Jupiter
The two largest bodies in the asteroid belt, Ceres and Vesta, are shown below. Why is Ceres considered a dwarf planet while Vesta is not? A) Ceres is considered a dwarf planet since it orbits the Sun all by itself and is circular in shape. Vesta, on the other hand, is irregular in shape and orbits the Sun on its own and is therefore an asteroid. B) Ceres is considered a dwarf planet since it orbits the Sun with other objects in its orbit and is circular in shape. Vesta, on the other hand, is irregular in shape and orbits the Sun on its own and is therefore a planet. C) Ceres is considered a dwarf planet since it orbits the Sun with other objects in its orbit and is circular in shape. Vesta, on the other hand, is similar but irregular in shape and therefore an asteroid.
C) Ceres is considered a dwarf planet since it orbits the Sun with other objects in its orbit and is circular in shape. Vesta, on the other hand, is similar but irregular in shape and therefore an asteroid.
You want to figure out the mass of Jupiter. Which of the following bodies' orbital period and distance from the body they are orbiting can you study to figure this out? There may be multiple correct answers A) Earth B) Mercury C) Ganymede D) Jupiter E) Moon
C) Ganymede
Adaptive optics is a method to reduces the effects of A) Spherical aberration B) Dust on the primary mirror of a telescope C) Seeing (distortion due to atmospheric turbulence) D) Chromatic aberration
C) Seeing
We commonly say that the temperature of the Sun is about 5800K. This is also what a blackbody curve of the Sun corresponds to. This means that: A) The corona of the Sun is at 5800K B) The Sun is generally uniformly at 5800K throughout its structure. C) The "surface" or photosphere of the Sun is at 5800K D) The core of the Sun is at 5800K
C) The "surface" or photosphere of the Sun is at 5800K
Which of the following is not influenced by the local magnetic fields on the Sun's surface? A) Sunspots B) Solar prominences C) The Sun's blackbody spectrum D) Filaments E) Solar flares
C) The Sun's blackbody spectrum
The near side of the Moon contains more maria than the far side because: A) The near side became colder earlier than the far side because the near side was shielded by the Earth B) The near side has more earthquakes than the far side C) The near side stayed hotter longer than the far side because the near side faced the young Earth and stayed molten longer D) The far side of the Moon never gets sunlight and thus never melts to form maria E) Maria are caused by meteors colliding with the surface of the moon and the far side receives more meteors than the near side
C) The near side stayed hotter longer than the far side because the near side faced the young Earth and stayed molten longer
If I decrease the size of the primary mirror (and thus the aperture) of my reflecting telescope by 3 times, the amount of light I am now gathering has: A) decreased by 3 times B) increased by 3 times C) increased by 9 times D) decreased by 9 times E) Increased by 6 times F) Decreased by 6 times
D) Decreased by 9 times
You see a cluster of stars in the night sky that are all physically close to each other. You decide to take the spectrum of each star and place them on a Brightness vs Surface Temperature diagram (H-R diagram). You notice that the shape you get, while similar to the shape of a standard H-R diagram, lies below the standard H-R diagram. This indicates to you that the cluster of stars you are studying is: A) Closer than 10 pc B) Generally consists of only bright stars C) Generally consists of only dim stars D) Farther than 10 pc
D) Farther than 10 pc
The temperature of the atmosphere around the Earth: A) Initially goes up as you go away from the surface but then oscillates down and up as you keep going B) Always goes down as you go away from the surface C) Always goes up as you go away from the surface D) Initially goes down as you go away from the surface but then oscillates up and down as you keep going
D) Initially goes down as you go away from the surface but then oscillates up and down as you keep going
Astronomers have observed that the far side of the Moon is more heavily cratered than the far side of the Moon. This primarily because: A) The near side of the Moon is hotter than the far side of the Moon, so the craters melt away B) The near side of the Moon is more shielded from charged particles by the Earth's magnetic field compared to the far side of the Moon C) The near side of the Moon contains "seas" or maria, and the water in these end up absorbing most of the collisions, leading to fewer collisions D) The far side of the Moon is more exposed to collisions from meteoroids (space rocks) compared to the near side of the Moon which is effectively shielded by the Earth
D) The far side of the Moon is more exposed to collisions from meteoroids (space rocks) compared to the near side of the Moon which is effectively shielded by the Earth
The retrograde motion of Venus across the sky over many days A)is caused by the "backward" rotation of Venus about its own axis (it spins in a direction opposite that of most planets) B) is caused by the gravitational tug of other planets on Venus C) is caused by the motion of Venus along an epicycle that follows its main orbit as Venus goes around the Earth D) is caused by the change in perspective as Venus catches up with, and passes, Earth while both planets orbit the Sun
D) is caused by the change in perspective as Venus catches up with, and passes, Earth while both planets orbit the Sun
Suppose you go through historical records and are convinced that the comet that appeared in 1AD is the same one that appeared again in 1001 AD and also in the year 2001. What is the approximate semimajor axis of this comet? A) 1000 AU B) 32,000 AU C) 10 AU D) 32 AU E) 100 AU
E) 100 AU
Suppose you discover a comet whose orbital period around the Sun is 106 years. What is the semimajor axis (or average radius) of the Comet's orbit in AU? A) 10^3 AU B) 10^6 AU C) 10^2 AU D) 10^9 AU E) 10^4 AU
E) 10^4 AU
Suppose you discover a new planet whose orbital period around the Sun is 10 years. What is the average distance of this planet from the Sun in Astronomical Units (AU)? A) 10 AU B) Not enough information for a meaningful answer C) 1000 AU D) 31.6 AU E) 4.64 AU
E) 4.64 AU
Which of the following statements about the terrestrial planets is false? A) Long ago, Mars probably had a thicker atmosphere than it does now, with sufficiently high temperatures and pressures to allow liquid water to exist on its surface B)Venus is the hottest planet in our Solar System, mainly the result of a greatly elevated greenhouse effect. C) Earth's atmosphere plays a central role in keeping our planet from freezing cold temperatures D) Despite being the closest planet to the Sun, some parts of Mercury have a surface temperature far below the freezing point of water E) Earth's atmosphere allows the Sun's infrared radiation in but doesn't allow much visible light to escape, resulting in the greenhouse effect
E) Earth's atmosphere allows the Sun's infrared radiation in but doesn't allow much visible light to escape, resulting in the greenhouse effect
Which of the following is true: ase of making large lenses A) Refracting telescopes have the advantage of not suffering from chromatic aberrations like reflecting telescopes do B) Refracting telescopes have the advantage of not suffering from chromatic aberrations like reflecting telescopes do C) All refracting telescopes suffer from spherical aberration since there is no easy solution for it D) All reflecting telescopes suffer from spherical aberration since there is no easy solution for it E) Reflecting telescopes have the advantage of not suffering from chromatic aberrations like refracting telescopes do
E) Reflecting telescopes have the advantage of not suffering from chromatic aberrations like refracting telescopes do
An external force is needed to keep an object in motion at a constant speed and a constant direction
False
Planets orbit the Sun because they are so far from the Sun that there is effectively no gravitational force on them
False
The Earth pulls on you with a stronger gravitational force than the gravitational force that you pull the Earth with.
False
The picture below focuses on an event happening on the Sun's surface. The event is pictured over multiple days as the Sun rotates and our perspective of the even changes. The event in question the loop of material protruding above the Sun's "surface". On 24 September, 2015 this event would be termed a: Coronal Mass Ejection Solar wind Prominence Sunspot Filament Solar flare
Filament
A star that is slightly hotter than the Sun but is 1000 times dimmer
White Dwarf
The celestial analogues for latitude and longitude are ____ and ____ respectively
declination and right-ascension
