Question 1

Radio telescopes have an advantage over optical telescopes in that they can be used ___________.

Accepted Answer

A)  to detect visual imagery of pulsars 
B)  in all four seasons 
C)  to detect very short wave radiation 
D)  during daylight hours 
A)  to detect visual imagery of pulsars 
B)  in all four seasons 
C)  to detect very short wave radiation 
D)  during daylight hours

Question 2

The study of spectroscopy was begun by___________ .

Accepted Answer

A)  Galileo 
B)  Albert Einstein 
C)  George Hale 
D)  Niels Bohr 
E)  Sir Isaac Newton 
A)  Galileo 
B)  Albert Einstein 
C)  George Hale 
D)  Niels Bohr 
E)  Sir Isaac Newton

Question 3

You take a block of granite and heat it to 1000 degrees Kelvin, and it glows bright red. If you then heat it to 1200 Kelvin, how might it look different?

Accepted Answer

A)  It would be about the same brightness but white. 
B)  It would be much brighter and red. 
C)  It would be brighter and more white. 
D)  None of the above; it would have melted, and once it melts, it will no longer emit. 
A)  It would be about the same brightness but white. 
B)  It would be much brighter and red. 
C)  It would be brighter and more white. 
D)  None of the above; it would have melted, and once it melts, it will no longer emit.

Question 4

Why would astronomers be interested in placing a gamma ray detecting observatory in space?

Accepted Answer

A)  to map high- energy electromagnetic waves from distant sources that would be blocked out or scattered by Earth's atmosphere 
B)  to map gamma ray emissions from radioactive elements on Earth 
C)  to map gamma ray emissions coming from the Sun 
D)  to detect nuclear weapons tests on Earth 
A)  to map high- energy electromagnetic waves from distant sources that would be blocked out or scattered by Earth's atmosphere 
B)  to map gamma ray emissions from radioactive elements on Earth 
C)  to map gamma ray emissions coming from the Sun 
D)  to detect nuclear weapons tests on Earth

Question 5

Prominences and solar flares present dangers to astronauts primarily because___________ .

Accepted Answer

A)  they do not pose a danger to astronauts 
B)  they disrupt communications on Earth 
C)  they pose a radiation danger from X- rays and gamma rays, but primarily from high- energy particle emissions 
D)  they can overheat the spacecraft 
A)  they do not pose a danger to astronauts 
B)  they disrupt communications on Earth 
C)  they pose a radiation danger from X- rays and gamma rays, but primarily from high- energy particle emissions 
D)  they can overheat the spacecraft

Question 6

The amount of energy released during a nuclear reaction was established by the well- known scientist named___________ .

Accepted Answer

A)  Christiaan Huygens 
B)  Albert Einstein 
C)  William Hershel 
D)  Enrico Fermi 
A)  Christiaan Huygens 
B)  Albert Einstein 
C)  William Hershel 
D)  Enrico Fermi

Question 7

All of the world's largest telescopes are of the___________ type.

Accepted Answer

A)  radio 
B)  reflecting 
C)  optical 
D)  refracting 
A)  radio 
B)  reflecting 
C)  optical 
D)  refracting

Question 8

The spectra of most stars are dark- line spectra because___________ .

Accepted Answer

A)  elements in the earth's atmosphere absorb in these dark- line bands, blocking out the frequencies in the dark bands 
B)  electrons decaying to a lower energy state emit a photon at a fixed energy, leaving dark bands between the emissions 
C)  elements in the Sun's outer atmosphere emit radiation between these dark bands 
D)  elements in the Sun's outer atmosphere absorb in these dark- line bands, blocking the radiation in those bands 
A)  elements in the earth's atmosphere absorb in these dark- line bands, blocking out the frequencies in the dark bands 
B)  electrons decaying to a lower energy state emit a photon at a fixed energy, leaving dark bands between the emissions 
C)  elements in the Sun's outer atmosphere emit radiation between these dark bands 
D)  elements in the Sun's outer atmosphere absorb in these dark- line bands, blocking the radiation in those bands

Question 9

When excited electrons decay to ground state, hydrogen emits along distinctive line near the visible red. An astronomer observes what appear to be hydrogen emission lines from a distant star but they are in the infrared spectral band. She concludes___________ .

Accepted Answer

A)  the star's hydrogen emission must be being absorbed by water in the atmosphere, which then re- emits in the infrared 
B)  the star must be moving very fast away from Earth 
C)  her instrument needs to be recalibrated 
D)  the star must be moving very fast toward Earth 
A)  the star's hydrogen emission must be being absorbed by water in the atmosphere, which then re- emits in the infrared 
B)  the star must be moving very fast away from Earth 
C)  her instrument needs to be recalibrated 
D)  the star must be moving very fast toward Earth

Question 10

Discuss the features and characteristics of the Sun? Are they thought to be unique to the Sun or are they typical of other stars? How do any of these structures relate to the process of nuclear fusion which is thought to produce the Sun's energy?

Accepted Answer

The Sun is large and extremely hot with

Question 11

Radio telescopes are generally ___________than are optical telescopes.

Accepted Answer

A)  much simpler 
B)  smoother in surface 
C)  more precise higher resolution. 
D)  much larger in size 
A)  much simpler 
B)  smoother in surface 
C)  more precise higher resolution. 
D)  much larger in size

Question 12

Light behaves as a___________ .

Accepted Answer

A)  particle 
B)  wave 
C)  both a wave and a particle 
D)  neither a wave nor a particle 
A)  particle 
B)  wave 
C)  both a wave and a particle 
D)  neither a wave nor a particle

Question 13

Dark- line absorption. spectra can be used to identify the___________ present in stars.

Accepted Answer

A)  heat 
B)  elements 
C)  energy 
D)  luminosity 
A)  heat 
B)  elements 
C)  energy 
D)  luminosity

Question 14

Consider the following image of the Orion nebula   The Orion nebula is an___________ nebula.

Accepted Answer

A)  reflection 
B)  electromagnetic 
C)  dark 
D)  emission 
A)  reflection 
B)  electromagnetic 
C)  dark 
D)  emission

Question 15

The source of the Sun's energy is ___________.

Accepted Answer

A)  nuclear fusion 
B)  heat of contraction 
C)  potential energy 
D)  chemical burning 
E)  nuclear fission 
A)  nuclear fusion 
B)  heat of contraction 
C)  potential energy 
D)  chemical burning 
E)  nuclear fission

Question 16

If a yellow star is moving away from us very rapidly, what color will it appear to be?

Accepted Answer

A)  greenish blue 
B)  purple 
C)  bluish purple 
D)  reddish orange 
A)  greenish blue 
B)  purple 
C)  bluish purple 
D)  reddish orange

Question 17

Light travels 300,000 km/s. Many communications satellites are in geosynchronous orbit that means they keep up with Earth's rotation and thus stay above the same spot on earth. at about 36,000 km above Earth's surface. If you talk to your friend on the other side of the world via a geosynchronous satellite using Skype or your phone, what is the minimum time delay there will be between you and your friend in your conversation?

Accepted Answer

A)  .24 seconds 
B)  8.3 seconds 
C)  .12 seconds 
D) .48 seconds 
A)  .24 seconds 
B)  8.3 seconds 
C)  .12 seconds 
D) .48 seconds

Question 18

The most conspicuous features on the surface of the Sun are dark areas called___________ .

Accepted Answer

A)  granules 
B)  helium lines 
C)  flares 
D)  sunspots 
E)  spicules 
A)  granules 
B)  helium lines 
C)  flares 
D)  sunspots 
E)  spicules

Question 19

As the temperature of a radiating surface is increased ___________.

Accepted Answer

A)  a larger portion of the energy is radiated at shorter wavelengths 
B)  a larger portion of the energy is radiated at longer wavelengths 
C)  the total amount of energy emitted increases 
D)  both A and B 
E)  both A and C 
A)  a larger portion of the energy is radiated at shorter wavelengths 
B)  a larger portion of the energy is radiated at longer wavelengths 
C)  the total amount of energy emitted increases 
D)  both A and B 
E)  both A and C

Question 20

The wavelength of light emitted from a distance object is related to___________ .

Accepted Answer

A)  gravity-gravity bends electromagnetic waves causing refraction and sorting of wavelengths 
B)  the energy of the source. A more energetic source has higher wavelength emissions 
C)  the energy of the source. A more energetic source has lower wavelength emissions 
D)  distance of the source-the farther away the object is, the lower the wavelength observed related to changes in electromagnetic energy over time 
A)  gravity-gravity bends electromagnetic waves causing refraction and sorting of wavelengths 
B)  the energy of the source. A more energetic source has higher wavelength emissions 
C)  the energy of the source. A more energetic source has lower wavelength emissions 
D)  distance of the source-the farther away the object is, the lower the wavelength observed related to changes in electromagnetic energy over time

Exam 23: Light, Telescopes, and the Sun

Radio telescopes have an advantage over optical telescopes in that they can be used ___________.

The study of spectroscopy was begun by___________ .

You take a block of granite and heat it to 1000 degrees Kelvin, and it glows bright red. If you then heat it to 1200 Kelvin, how might it look different?

Why would astronomers be interested in placing a gamma ray detecting observatory in space?

Prominences and solar flares present dangers to astronauts primarily because___________ .

The amount of energy released during a nuclear reaction was established by the well- known scientist named___________ .

All of the world's largest telescopes are of the___________ type.

The spectra of most stars are dark- line spectra because___________ .

When excited electrons decay to ground state, hydrogen emits along distinctive line near the visible red. An astronomer observes what appear to be hydrogen emission lines from a distant star but they are in the infrared spectral band. She concludes___________ .

Discuss the features and characteristics of the Sun? Are they thought to be unique to the Sun or are they typical of other stars? How do any of these structures relate to the process of nuclear fusion which is thought to produce the Sun's energy?

Radio telescopes are generally ___________than are optical telescopes.

Light behaves as a___________ .

Dark- line absorption. spectra can be used to identify the___________ present in stars.

Consider the following image of the Orion nebula The Orion nebula is an___________ nebula.

The source of the Sun's energy is ___________.

If a yellow star is moving away from us very rapidly, what color will it appear to be?

The most conspicuous features on the surface of the Sun are dark areas called___________ .

As the temperature of a radiating surface is increased ___________.

The wavelength of light emitted from a distance object is related to___________ .

Introduction to Earth Science

Matter and Minerals

Rocks: Materials of the Solid Earth

Plate Tectonics: a Scientific Revolution Unfolds

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Volcanoes and Other Igneous Activity

Crustal Deformation and Mountain Building

Weathering, Soil, and Mass Movement

Running Water and Groundwater

Glaciers, Deserts, and Wind

Geologic Time

Earths Evolution Through Geologic Time

The Ocean Floor

Ocean Water and Ocean Life

The Dynamic Ocean

The Atmosphere: Composition, Structure, and Temperature

Moisture, Clouds, and Precipitation

Air Pressure and Wind

Weather Patterns and Severe Storms

World Climates and Global Climate Change

Origins of Modern Astronomy

Touring Our Solar System

Beyond Our Solar System

Filters