Question 1

Given that white dwarf supernovae are such good standard candles, why don't we use them to measure the distance to all galaxies?

Accepted Answer

A) We cannot see them beyond a distance of about 100 million light- years. 
B) They are rare events, so we have observed them in only a tiny fraction of all galaxies. 
C) They can occur only in spiral galaxies, not elliptical galaxies. 
D) We would, but we don't have enough telescopes. 
A) We cannot see them beyond a distance of about 100 million light- years. 
B) They are rare events, so we have observed them in only a tiny fraction of all galaxies. 
C) They can occur only in spiral galaxies, not elliptical galaxies. 
D) We would, but we don't have enough telescopes.

Question 2

What is the major difference between an elliptical galaxy and a spiral galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A) Elliptical galaxies are not as big as spiral galaxies. 
B) A spiral galaxy contains mostly younger stars. 
C) An elliptical galaxy lacks a disk component. 
D) There are no dwarf spiral galaxies, but there are dwarf ellipticals. 
E) A spiral galaxy has a spherical halo. 
A) Elliptical galaxies are not as big as spiral galaxies. 
B) A spiral galaxy contains mostly younger stars. 
C) An elliptical galaxy lacks a disk component. 
D) There are no dwarf spiral galaxies, but there are dwarf ellipticals. 
E) A spiral galaxy has a spherical halo.

Question 3

Which of the following is not one of the three major categories of galaxies?

Accepted Answer

A) spiral galaxies 
B) elliptical galaxies 
C) irregular galaxies 
D) globular galaxies 
A) spiral galaxies 
B) elliptical galaxies 
C) irregular galaxies 
D) globular galaxies

Question 4

Why does the merger of two spiral galaxies often trigger starbursts?

Accepted Answer

The dusty molecular clouds in spiral gal

Question 5

Based on current estimates of the value of Hubble's constant, how old is the universe?

Accepted Answer

A) 12 to 15 billion years old 
B) more than 20 billion years old 
C) 15 to 20 billion years old 
D) 4 to 8 billion years old 
E) 8 to 12 billion years old 
A) 12 to 15 billion years old 
B) more than 20 billion years old 
C) 15 to 20 billion years old 
D) 4 to 8 billion years old 
E) 8 to 12 billion years old

Question 6

The disk component of a spiral galaxy includes which of the following parts?

Accepted Answer

A) bulge 
B) halo 
C) globular clusters 
D) spiral arms 
E) all of the above 
A) bulge 
B) halo 
C) globular clusters 
D) spiral arms 
E) all of the above

Question 7

A lenticular galaxy is another name for an elongated elliptical galaxy.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Collisions between galaxies typically unfold over a period of .

Accepted Answer

A) hundreds of millions of years 
B) several months 
C) several days 
D) thousands of years 
A) hundreds of millions of years 
B) several months 
C) several days 
D) thousands of years

Question 9

Briefly explain why white- dwarf supernovae are useful for measuring cosmic distances.

Accepted Answer

They all come from explosions of white d

Question 10

What is a central dominant galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A) a giant spiral galaxy that exerts large tidal forces on other nearby galaxies 
B) a spiral galaxy from which many smaller galaxies form when it is stripped apart by tidal forces 
C) a hypothesized galaxy type that no longer exists but once dominated the structure of the universe 
D) a giant elliptical galaxy at the center of a dense cluster 
E) a galaxy around which many other smaller galaxies orbit 
A) a giant spiral galaxy that exerts large tidal forces on other nearby galaxies 
B) a spiral galaxy from which many smaller galaxies form when it is stripped apart by tidal forces 
C) a hypothesized galaxy type that no longer exists but once dominated the structure of the universe 
D) a giant elliptical galaxy at the center of a dense cluster 
E) a galaxy around which many other smaller galaxies orbit

Question 11

When we use an analogy that represents the expanding universe with the surface of an expanding balloon, what does the inside of the balloon represent?

Accepted Answer

A) regions of the universe beyond the Milky Way Galaxy 
B) the center of the universe 
C) the entire universe 
D) The inside of the balloon does not represent any part of our universe. 
A) regions of the universe beyond the Milky Way Galaxy 
B) the center of the universe 
C) the entire universe 
D) The inside of the balloon does not represent any part of our universe.

Question 12

What is the best way to determine a galaxy's redshift?

Accepted Answer

A) Take a spectrum of the galaxy, and measure the difference in wavelength of spectral lines from the wavelengths of those same lines as measured in the laboratory. 
B) Measure the magnitude of the galaxy, estimate its distance, and calculate its redshift using Hubble's Law. 
C) Find the color of the galaxy, and estimate its distance based on how red the galaxy is. 
D) Find the galaxy's apparent distance, and look up the redshift based on Hubble's Law. 
A) Take a spectrum of the galaxy, and measure the difference in wavelength of spectral lines from the wavelengths of those same lines as measured in the laboratory. 
B) Measure the magnitude of the galaxy, estimate its distance, and calculate its redshift using Hubble's Law. 
C) Find the color of the galaxy, and estimate its distance based on how red the galaxy is. 
D) Find the galaxy's apparent distance, and look up the redshift based on Hubble's Law.

Question 13

Most active galactic nuclei are found at large distances from us, with relatively few nearby. What does this imply?

Accepted Answer

A) Supermassive black holes existed only when the universe was young, and no longer exist today. 
B) Active galactic nuclei can form only at large distances from the Milky Way. 
C) The jets seen in many active galactic nuclei must cause them to move far away from us. 
D) Active galactic nuclei tend to become less active as they age. 
A) Supermassive black holes existed only when the universe was young, and no longer exist today. 
B) Active galactic nuclei can form only at large distances from the Milky Way. 
C) The jets seen in many active galactic nuclei must cause them to move far away from us. 
D) Active galactic nuclei tend to become less active as they age.

Question 14

A standard candle is _ .

Accepted Answer

A) another name for a main- sequence star 
B) another name for a barred- spiral galaxy 
C) a light source of known luminosity 
D) a 7- cm- long wax candle 
A) another name for a main- sequence star 
B) another name for a barred- spiral galaxy 
C) a light source of known luminosity 
D) a 7- cm- long wax candle

Question 15

What is main- sequence fitting?

Accepted Answer

A) a way of forcing stars to fit into a standard main sequence, even when they have some unusual characteristics 
B) a method for determining the age of a star cluster 
C) a method for determining the distance to a star cluster by assuming that its main sequence should line up with the main sequence on a standard H- R diagram 
D) the way we construct an H- R diagram by plotting the surface temperatures and luminosities of stars 
A) a way of forcing stars to fit into a standard main sequence, even when they have some unusual characteristics 
B) a method for determining the age of a star cluster 
C) a method for determining the distance to a star cluster by assuming that its main sequence should line up with the main sequence on a standard H- R diagram 
D) the way we construct an H- R diagram by plotting the surface temperatures and luminosities of stars

Question 16

How are jets thought to be produced by active galaxies?

Accepted Answer

Magnetic fields in the accreti

Question 17

Distant galaxies are more likely to be irregular in shape than galaxies closer to the Milky Way.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Elliptical galaxies are more likely to be found in clusters than spiral galaxies.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Telescopes designed to study the earliest stages in galactic lives should be optimized for observations in .

Accepted Answer

A) infrared light 
B) radio waves 
C) X- rays 
D) visible light 
A) infrared light 
B) radio waves 
C) X- rays 
D) visible light

Question 20

The black hole mass at the center of a galaxy is generally larger in galaxies with larger central bulges.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Given that white dwarf supernovae are such good standard candles, why don't we use them to measure the distance to all galaxies?

What is the major difference between an elliptical galaxy and a spiral galaxy?

Which of the following is not one of the three major categories of galaxies?

Why does the merger of two spiral galaxies often trigger starbursts?

Based on current estimates of the value of Hubble's constant, how old is the universe?

The disk component of a spiral galaxy includes which of the following parts?

A lenticular galaxy is another name for an elongated elliptical galaxy.

Collisions between galaxies typically unfold over a period of .

Briefly explain why white- dwarf supernovae are useful for measuring cosmic distances.

What is a central dominant galaxy?

When we use an analogy that represents the expanding universe with the surface of an expanding balloon, what does the inside of the balloon represent?

What is the best way to determine a galaxy's redshift?

Most active galactic nuclei are found at large distances from us, with relatively few nearby. What does this imply?

A standard candle is _ .

What is main- sequence fitting?

How are jets thought to be produced by active galaxies?

Distant galaxies are more likely to be irregular in shape than galaxies closer to the Milky Way.

Elliptical galaxies are more likely to be found in clusters than spiral galaxies.

Telescopes designed to study the earliest stages in galactic lives should be optimized for observations in .

The black hole mass at the center of a galaxy is generally larger in galaxies with larger central bulges.

A Modern View of the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet System

Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Other Planetary Systems: the New Science of Distant Worlds

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

The Birth of the Universe

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe

Life in the Universe

Filters

Exam 16: A Universe of Galaxies

Given that white dwarf supernovae are such good standard candles, why don't we use them to measure the distance to all galaxies?

What is the major difference between an elliptical galaxy and a spiral galaxy?

Which of the following is not one of the three major categories of galaxies?

Why does the merger of two spiral galaxies often trigger starbursts?

Based on current estimates of the value of Hubble's constant, how old is the universe?

The disk component of a spiral galaxy includes which of the following parts?

A lenticular galaxy is another name for an elongated elliptical galaxy.

Collisions between galaxies typically unfold over a period of .

Briefly explain why white- dwarf supernovae are useful for measuring cosmic distances.

What is a central dominant galaxy?

When we use an analogy that represents the expanding universe with the surface of an expanding balloon, what does the inside of the balloon represent?

What is the best way to determine a galaxy's redshift?

Most active galactic nuclei are found at large distances from us, with relatively few nearby. What does this imply?

A standard candle is _ .

What is main- sequence fitting?

How are jets thought to be produced by active galaxies?

Distant galaxies are more likely to be irregular in shape than galaxies closer to the Milky Way.

Elliptical galaxies are more likely to be found in clusters than spiral galaxies.

Telescopes designed to study the earliest stages in galactic lives should be optimized for observations in .

The black hole mass at the center of a galaxy is generally larger in galaxies with larger central bulges.

A Modern View of the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet System

Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Other Planetary Systems: the New Science of Distant Worlds

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

The Birth of the Universe

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe

Life in the Universe

Filters