Astronomy Quiz 3

A scientific model must make an observational prediction. 1) True 2) False

1) True

Astronomy and astrology were often practiced together in ancient cultures, and astrology played an important role in the historical development of astronomy. 1) True 2) False

1) True

Science can say nothing about the validity of nonscientific practices that do not make testable predictions. 1) True 2) False

1) True

The names of the seven days of the week are derived from the names of the members of the solar system that are visible to the naked eye. 1) True 2) False

1) True

Columbus was the first person to discover that Earth is round. 1) True 2) False

2) False

Copernicus's model of the solar system gave much better predictions than the model of Ptolemy. 1) True 2) False

2) False

Scientific thinking developed only in the past few decades. 1) True 2) False

2) False

The Polynesian navigators of the South Pacific found their way primarily by observing the position of Polaris in the night sky. 1) True 2) False

2) False

The Ptolemaic model of the solar system was useless for predicting planetary positions. 1) True 2) False

2) False

From Kepler's third law, an asteroid with an orbital period of 8 years lies at an average distance from the Sun equal to 16 astronomical units. 4 astronomical units. 2 astronomical units. 8 astronomical units. It depends on the asteroid's mass.

4 astronomical units.

In the Ptolemaic model of the solar system, Venus should exhibit which of the following phases? new crescent full A and B B and C

A and B

What discoveries or further ideas were most critical for Copernicus' hypothesis that the planets orbit the sun to be promoted to a theory? observation of Venus' phases observation of sunspots observation of the moons of Jupiter A and B A and C

A and C

Which of the following is not part of a good scientific theory? A scientific theory must make testable predictions that, if found to be incorrect, could lead to its own modification or demise. A scientific theory must explain a wide variety of phenomena observed in the natural world. A scientific theory cannot be accepted until it has been proven true beyond all doubt. A scientific theory should be based on natural processes and should not invoke the supernatural or divine.

A scientific theory cannot be accepted until it has been proven true beyond all doubt.

Which of the following statements about scientific theories is not true? A theory must make predictions that can be checked by observation or experiment. If even a single new fact is discovered that contradicts what we expect according to a particular theory, then the theory must be revised or discarded. A theory cannot be taken seriously by scientists if it contradicts other theories developed by scientists over the past several hundred years. A theory is a model designed to explain a number of observed facts. A theory can never be proved beyond all doubt; we can only hope to collect more and more evidence that might support it.

A theory cannot be taken seriously by scientists if it contradicts other theories developed by scientists over the past several hundred years.

He was the first to prove that comets lie beyond Earth's atmosphere. Galileo Aristotle Tycho Brahe Kepler Copernicus

Tycho Brahe

The great contribution of Nicholas Copernicus was to ________. create a detailed model of our solar system with the Sun rather than Earth at the center discover the law of gravity discover the laws of planetary motion prove that the Earth is not the center of the universe

create a detailed model of our solar system with the Sun rather than Earth at the center

The Metonic cycle is used to keep lunar calendars approximately synchronized with solar calendars. the ancient Greek name for the cycle of lunar phases that repeats every 29 1/2 days. used to predict the future orientation of the Earth's axis in space. the 18-year, 11-day period over which the pattern of eclipses repeats.

used to keep lunar calendars approximately synchronized with solar calendars.

When and where did the Library of Alexandria exist? from 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Rome from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1800 in Greece from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1800 in Egypt from 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Greece from 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Egypt

from 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Egypt

When we see Venus in its full phase, what phase would Earth be in as seen by a hypothetical Venetian? new third quarter waning crescent full first quarter

full

Which of the following statements about Kepler's laws is false? Kepler's laws explain why planets with larger semi-major axes have much longer orbital periods. Kepler's first law states that planetary orbits are shaped as ellipses. Kepler's second law implies that when planets are closer to the sun, they move faster. Kepler's laws provide mathematical descriptions of the motion of the planets.

Kepler's laws explain why planets with larger semi-major axes have much longer orbital periods.

Which of the following statements about an ellipse is not true? The focus of an ellipse is always located precisely at the center of the ellipse. An ellipse with a large eccentricity looks much more elongated (stretched out) than an ellipse with a small eccentricity. A circle is considered to be a special type of ellipse. The semimajor axis of an ellipse is half the length of the longest line that you can draw across an ellipse.

The focus of an ellipse is always located precisely at the center of the ellipse.

Which of the following is not one of, nor a direct consequence of, Kepler's Laws? As a planet moves around its orbit, it sweeps out equal areas in equal times. The orbit of each planet about the Sun is an ellipse with the Sun at one focus. More distant planets orbit the Sun at slower speeds. The force of attraction between any two objects decreases with the square of the distance between their centers.

The force of attraction between any two objects decreases with the square of the distance between their centers.

How did the Ptolemaic model explain the apparent retrograde motion of the planets? The planets sometimes stopped moving and then reversed to move backward along their circular orbits. The model showed that apparent retrograde motion occurs as Earth passes by another planet in its orbit of the Sun. The planets resided on giant spheres that sometimes turned clockwise and sometimes turned counterclockwise. The planets moved along small circles that moved on larger circles around the Earth.

The planets moved along small circles that moved on larger circles around the Earth.

Which of the following best describes a set of conditions under which archaeoastronomers would conclude that an ancient structure was used for astronomical purposes? They find that, looking out from the center of the building, there are two windows that align with the rise and set points of two bright stars. The structure has 29 straight lines pointing out from a center, just like there are 29 days in the lunar cycle. The structure has the same dome shape as modern astronomical observatories. The structure has holes in the ceiling that allow viewing the passage of constellations that figure prominently in the culture's folklore, and many other structures built by the same culture have ceiling holes placed in the same way.

The structure has holes in the ceiling that allow viewing the passage of constellations that figure prominently in the culture's folklore, and many other structures built by the same culture have ceiling holes placed in the same way.

He discovered what we now call Newton's first law of motion. Tycho Brahe Ptolemy Copernicus Galileo Kepler

Galileo

Kepler's third law, p2 = a3, means that all orbits with the same semimajor axis have the same period. the period of a planet does not depend on its mass. a planet's period does not depend on the eccentricity of its orbit. planets that are farther from the Sun move at slower average speeds than nearer planets. All of the above are correct.

All of the above are correct.

During the Dark Ages in Europe, the scientific work of the ancient Greeks was preserved and further developed primarily by scholars in Baghdad. India. Greece. Rome. China.

Baghdad.

One of the "nails in the coffin" for the Earth-centered universe was the phases of the Moon. eclipses of the Sun. Galileo's observations of the moons of Jupiter. the retrograde motion of the planets. Galileo's observation of stars in the Milky Way.

Galileo's observations of the moons of Jupiter.

When Copernicus first created his Sun-centered model of the universe, it did not lead to substantially better predictions of planetary positions than the Ptolemaic model. Why not? Copernicus used perfect circles for the orbits of the planets. Copernicus misjudged the distances between the planets. Copernicus placed the planets in the wrong order going outward from the Sun. Copernicus placed the Sun at the center, but did not realize that the Moon orbits the Earth.

Copernicus used perfect circles for the orbits of the planets.

Only one of the statements below uses the term theory in its correct, scientific sense. Which one? Evolution is only a theory, so there's no reason to think it really happened. I have a new theory about the cause of earthquakes, and I plan to start testing it soon. I wrote a theory that is 152 pages long. Einstein's theory of relativity has been tested and verified thousands of times.

Einstein's theory of relativity has been tested and verified thousands of times.

Which pair of ball-drop experiments will best test whether mass affects the acceleration of gravity? Exp 1. Mass 0.5 kilograms, height 20 meters Exp 2. Mass 5.0 kilograms, height 20 meters Exp 3. Mass 0.5 kilograms, height 30 meters Exp 1 and 3 Exp 1 and 2 Exp 2 and 3

Exp 1 and 3

He discovered that Jupiter has moons. Kepler Tycho Brahe Galileo Ptolemy Aristotle

Galileo

How does a 12-month lunar calendar differ from our 12-month solar calendar? It uses a 23-hour rather than a 24-hour day. It does not have seasons. Its new year always occurs in February instead of on January 1. It has about 11 fewer days.

It has about 11 fewer days.

Which of the following claims cannot be tested by science? The geometry of the universe is curved. The Sun goes around the Earth. Smoking shortens people's lifespans. This drug will cure cancer. The Earth was created by God.

The Earth was created by God.

All the following statements are true. Which one follows directly from Kepler's third law ? Venus orbits the Sun at a slower average speed than Mercury. Venus is more massive than Mercury. Venus has a thicker atmosphere than Mercury. Venus takes longer to rotate than it does to orbit the Sun.

Venus orbits the Sun at a slower average speed than Mercury.

Which of the following critical features of the heliocentric model leads to Venus exhibiting a full range of phases? When Venus is closer to the Sun, it moves faster. Venus physically distorts from a sphere as it orbits the sun. Venus passes on the far-side of the sun from the Earth's perspective.

Venus passes on the far-side of the sun from the Earth's perspective.

What led Kepler to abandon circular orbits and his discovery that planetary orbits are ellipses? a desire to gain prestige by using a more complicated model a deviation between observed and model values that was much larger than the observation uncertainties the observation of a comet moving on a highly eccentric orbit

a deviation between observed and model values that was much larger than the observation uncertainties

Galileo observed which of the following phases of Venus? gibbous full crescent new all of the above

all of the above

At the Sun Dagger in New Mexico, a dagger-shaped beam of sunlight pierces a spiral at noon on the summer solstice. at noon on the day of full moon each month. at sunset on the spring equinox. every day at noon. during the totality of a total solar eclipse.

at noon on the summer solstice.

Scientific thinking is ________. based on everyday ideas of observation and trial-and-error experiments an ancient mode of thinking first invented in Egypt completely different from any other type of thinking a difficult process that only a handful of people can do well

based on everyday ideas of observation and trial-and-error experiments

How did Eratosthenes estimate the size of Earth in 240 B.C.? by comparing the maximum altitude of the Sun in two cities at different latitudes by measuring the size of Earth's shadow on the Moon in a lunar eclipse by sending fleets of ships around Earth by observing the duration of a solar eclipse We don't know how he did it since all his writings were destroyed.

by comparing the maximum altitude of the Sun in two cities at different latitudes

The Muslim fast of Ramadan occurs at the end of the Metonic cycle. during a thirteenth month of the Metonic cycle. on the spring equinox. on the summer solstice. during the ninth month of a 12-month lunar cycle.

during the ninth month of a 12-month lunar cycle.

The principle of Occam's Razor states that while personal biases may influence individual scientists, the process of science itself can uncover these biases. only a model that has survived repeated observational tests deserves to be called a scientific theory. scientific explanations may invoke supernatural causes if no other causes are found. no scientific theory, no matter how well tested, can ever be proved absolutely true. in explaining natural phenomena, the simplest explanation consistent with the observations is to be preferred.

in explaining natural phenomena, the simplest explanation consistent with the observations is to be preferred.

Scientific models are used to ________. prove that past paradigms no longer hold true present the scale of the solar system to the general public make miniature representations of the universe make specific predictions that can be tested through observations or experiments

make specific predictions that can be tested through observations or experiments

You want to test how the mass of a ball affects its rate of fall. Which of the following ball drop trials (matched mass and drop heights) would best test this question? mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m/mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m/mass of 5.0 kg, height 10 m mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m/mass of 5.0 kg, height 20 m mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m/mass of 0.5 kg, height 10 m

mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m/mass of 5.0 kg, height 20 m

The great contribution of Tycho Brahe was to ________. discover four moons orbiting Jupiter, thereby lending strong support to the idea that the Earth is not the center of the universe observe planetary positions with sufficient accuracy so that Kepler could later use the data to discover the laws of planetary motion offer the first detailed model of a Sun-centered solar system, thereby beginning the process of overturning the Earth-centered model of the Greeks discover that planets orbit the Sun in elliptical orbits with varying speed

observe planetary positions with sufficient accuracy so that Kepler could later use the data to discover the laws of planetary motion

Galileo challenged the idea that objects in the heavens were perfect by ________. proving Kepler's laws were correct observing sunspots on the Sun and mountains on the Moon showing that heavy objects fall at the same rate as lighter objects inventing the telescope

observing sunspots on the Sun and mountains on the Moon

Galileo observed all of the following. Which observation offered direct proof of a planet orbiting the Sun? four moons of Jupiter phases of Venus patterns of shadow and sunlight near the dividing line between the light and dark portions of the Moon's face The Milky Way is composed of many individual stars.

phases of Venus

Which of the following was not observed by Galileo? phases of Venus mountains and valleys on the Moon stellar parallax four moons orbiting Jupiter

stellar parallax

The path that led to modern science emerged from ancient civilizations in which part of the world? Central and South America North America the Mediterranean and the Middle East Southern Asia China

the Mediterranean and the Middle East