Chapter 6 reading quiz

What is the angular resolution of the human eye? about 1 arcminute, or 1/60 of a degree about 1 degree about 1 milliarcsecond about 1 arcsecond (1/3600 of a degree)

about 1 arcminute, or 1/60 of a degree

Which of the following wavelength regions can be studied with telescopes on the ground? radio, visible, and very limited portions of the infrared and ultraviolet regions infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light. all light with wavelengths longer than ultraviolet wavelengths all light with wavelengths shorter than infrared wavelengths

radio, visible, and very limited portions of the infrared and ultraviolet regions

Which of the following statements best describes the difference between a refracting telescope and a reflecting telescope? It is much easier to make a large refracting telescope than a large reflecting telescope. Reflecting telescopes make much clearer images than can refracting telescopes of the same size. A refracting telescope produces refracted images, whereas a reflecting telescope produces reflected images. A refracting telescope uses a transparent glass lens to focus light, whereas a reflecting telescope uses a mirror to focus light.

A refracting telescope uses a transparent glass lens to focus light, whereas a reflecting telescope uses a mirror to focus light.

What is a CCD? A) It is an electronic detector that can be used in place of photographic film for making images. B) It is an abbreviation for the world's largest operating telescope. C) It refers to any kind of instrument that can be hooked up to a telescope. D) It is a unit used by astronomers to measure angular resolution.

A) It is an electronic detector that can be used in place of photographic film for making images.

Which of the following is not one of the three main categories of observation generally used by astronomers? Spectroscopy to spread an object's light into a spectrum. Imaging to get a picture of an astronomical objects. Filtering to look at just a single color from an object. Time monitoring to track how an object's brightness varies with time.

Filtering to look at just a single color from an object.

Suppose you want to determine the chemical composition of a distant planet or star. Which of the following will be most useful to have? A radio telescope. High angular resolution. High spectral resolution. High turbulence.

High Spectral Resolution

What is the purpose of interferometry? It allows two or more small telescopes to achieve the angular resolution of a much larger telescope. It reduces the twinkling of stars caused by atmospheric turbulence. It allows two or more small telescopes to achieve a larger light-collecting area than they would have independently. It is designed to prevent light pollution from interfering with astronomical observations.

It allows two or more small telescopes to achieve the angular resolution of a much larger telescope.

What do we mean by the diffraction limit of a telescope? It describes the farthest distance to which the telescope can see. It is the angular resolution the telescope could achieve if nothing besides the size of its light-collecting area affected the quality of its images. It is the maximum size to which any telescope can be built. It describes the maximum exposure time for images captured with the telescope.

It is the angular resolution the telescope could achieve if nothing besides the size of its light-collecting area affected the quality of its images.

Which of the following best describes what we mean by the focal plane of a telescope? It is the surface of the lens on the eyepiece, through which you would look to see objects in the telescope's field of view. It is the upper surface of the telescope's primary lens or mirror. It is the place where, if we mounted film or an electronic detector, we could get a clear (not blurry) image of an object viewed through the telescope. It is the lower surface of the telescope's primary lens or mirror

It is the place where, if we mounted film or an electronic detector, we could get a clear (not blurry) image of an object viewed through the telescope.

What is the purpose of adaptive optics? It is a special technology that allows the Hubble Space Telescope to adapt to study many different types of astronomical objects. It allows ground-based telescopes to observe ultraviolet light that normally does not penetrate the atmosphere. It allows several small telescopes to work together like a single larger telescope. It reduces blurring caused by atmospheric turbulence for telescopes on the ground.

It reduces blurring caused by atmospheric turbulence for telescopes on the ground.

What do astronomers mean by light pollution? Light pollution is light from human sources that makes it difficult to see the stars at night. Light pollution is a term used to describe the appearance of the sky in regions that are crowded with stars. Light pollution is a type of air pollution created by lightweight gases such as hydrogen and helium. Light pollution means contamination of light caused by chemicals in the Earth's atmosphere.

Light pollution is light from human sources that makes it difficult to see the stars at night.

Which of the following statements best describes the two principle advantages of telescopes over eyes? Telescopes collect more light and are unaffected by twinkling. Telescopes can collect far more light with far greater magnification. Telescopes have much more magnification and better angular resolution. Telescopes can collect far more light with far better angular resolution.

Telescopes can collect far more light with far better angular resolution.

What does angular resolution measure? The number of electromagnetic waves captured by an image. The size of an image. The angular size of the smallest features that the telescope can see. The brightness of an image.

The angular size of the smallest features that the telescope can see..

Which of the following is always true about images captured with X-ray telescopes? They show us light with extremely long wavelengths compared to the wavelengths of visible light. They are always shown with colors that are not the true colors of the objects that were photographed. They always are made with adaptive optics. They are always pretty. They always have high angular resolution.

They are always shown with colors that are not the true colors of the objects that were photographed.

Which of the following effects is caused by atmospheric turbulence? diffraction of light twinkling of stars magnification of images light pollution

twinkling of stars