Question 1

A rich, regular cluster of galaxies differs from a rich, irregular cluster in that

Accepted Answer

A)  its galaxies are distributed in a regular, highly flattened system (like a disk). 
B)  it contains fewer galaxies than does an irregular cluster. 
C)  it lacks the giant elliptical galaxies often found in irregular clusters. 
D)  it has fewer spirals and more ellipticals and S0 galaxies than an irregular cluster. 
A)  its galaxies are distributed in a regular, highly flattened system (like a disk). 
B)  it contains fewer galaxies than does an irregular cluster. 
C)  it lacks the giant elliptical galaxies often found in irregular clusters. 
D)  it has fewer spirals and more ellipticals and S0 galaxies than an irregular cluster.

Question 2

Self-propagating star formation requires many mechanisms to spread star formation over a region. Which of these is NOT one of them?

Accepted Answer

A)  the influence of black holes 
B)  winds from newly formed stars 
C)  shock waves from supernovae 
D)  radiation from newly formed stars 
A)  the influence of black holes 
B)  winds from newly formed stars 
C)  shock waves from supernovae 
D)  radiation from newly formed stars

Question 3

Which of these types of galaxies contains primarily Population II, metal-poor, low-mass, long-lived stars?

Accepted Answer

A)  elliptical galaxies 
B)  barred spiral galaxies 
C)  starburst galaxies 
D)  flocculent spiral galaxies 
A)  elliptical galaxies 
B)  barred spiral galaxies 
C)  starburst galaxies 
D)  flocculent spiral galaxies

Question 4

How are the Magellanic Clouds, the two nearby satellite galaxies of the Milky Way Galaxy, classified?

Accepted Answer

A)  elliptical galaxies 
B)  irregular galaxies 
C)  flocculent spiral galaxies 
D)  grand-design spiral galaxies 
A)  elliptical galaxies 
B)  irregular galaxies 
C)  flocculent spiral galaxies 
D)  grand-design spiral galaxies

Question 5

What happens in the bar of a barred spiral?

Accepted Answer

A)  The bar rotates like a rigid body with no relative motion of the stars and gas inside. 
B)  The bar is part of the spiral arm structure, and it is actually a shock wave moving through the relatively rapid circular motion of the individual stars. 
C)  Stars tend to enter one end of the bar, pass through the bar, and exit the other end. 
D)  Stars and gas tend to move along highly elliptical orbits within the bars. 
A)  The bar rotates like a rigid body with no relative motion of the stars and gas inside. 
B)  The bar is part of the spiral arm structure, and it is actually a shock wave moving through the relatively rapid circular motion of the individual stars. 
C)  Stars tend to enter one end of the bar, pass through the bar, and exit the other end. 
D)  Stars and gas tend to move along highly elliptical orbits within the bars.

Question 6

Standard candles, which are important for finding distances to remote galaxies, are

Accepted Answer

A)  stars and other objects of known intrinsic brightness. 
B)  standard laboratory light sources with which the brightness of a galaxy can be compared. 
C)  standard bars of known length with which the size of a galaxy can be measured. 
D)  heat sources used for calibrating infrared observations of galaxies. 
A)  stars and other objects of known intrinsic brightness. 
B)  standard laboratory light sources with which the brightness of a galaxy can be compared. 
C)  standard bars of known length with which the size of a galaxy can be measured. 
D)  heat sources used for calibrating infrared observations of galaxies.

Question 7

What is a poor cluster of galaxies?

Accepted Answer

A)  cluster with very few spiral galaxies compared with other types 
B)  cluster with very little gas or dust 
C)  cluster with a low metal content 
D)  cluster containing fewer than 1000 galaxies 
A)  cluster with very few spiral galaxies compared with other types 
B)  cluster with very little gas or dust 
C)  cluster with a low metal content 
D)  cluster containing fewer than 1000 galaxies

Question 8

As much as 90% of the matter in the universe may be unseen "dark matter." Where is this dark matter in galaxies?

Accepted Answer

A)  Dark matter follows the same distribution as the stars inside galaxies. 
B)  Dark matter is concentrated in the centers of galaxies and may, in fact, be related to black holes at galactic centers. 
C)  Dark matter is concentrated in the planes of galaxies but extends far beyond the visible galactic plane. 
D)  Dark matter appears to be concentrated in spherical halos around galaxies that extend several times the radius of visible matter. 
A)  Dark matter follows the same distribution as the stars inside galaxies. 
B)  Dark matter is concentrated in the centers of galaxies and may, in fact, be related to black holes at galactic centers. 
C)  Dark matter is concentrated in the planes of galaxies but extends far beyond the visible galactic plane. 
D)  Dark matter appears to be concentrated in spherical halos around galaxies that extend several times the radius of visible matter.

Question 9

In the self-propagating star formation theory

Accepted Answer

A)  spiral arms are formed and sustained primarily by the actions of solar-mass stars because there are so many more of them than there are high-mass stars. 
B)  spiral arms are poorly defined because they are formed and sustained primarily by the actions of short-lived massive stars. 
C)  the passage of dust clouds through the spiral arms triggers star formation. 
D)  spiral structure results with thin, well-defined arms. 
A)  spiral arms are formed and sustained primarily by the actions of solar-mass stars because there are so many more of them than there are high-mass stars. 
B)  spiral arms are poorly defined because they are formed and sustained primarily by the actions of short-lived massive stars. 
C)  the passage of dust clouds through the spiral arms triggers star formation. 
D)  spiral structure results with thin, well-defined arms.

Question 10

According to the Hubble classification scheme, an Sa galaxy has

Accepted Answer

A)  a large central bulge and tightly wound spiral arms. 
B)  an irregular shape with no obvious disk or spiral arms. 
C)  a round or spherical appearance with a smooth light distribution. 
D)  a small central bulge and loosely wound spiral arms. 
A)  a large central bulge and tightly wound spiral arms. 
B)  an irregular shape with no obvious disk or spiral arms. 
C)  a round or spherical appearance with a smooth light distribution. 
D)  a small central bulge and loosely wound spiral arms.

Question 11

What method is used to determine the distances of very remote galaxies?

Accepted Answer

A)  measurement of the apparent magnitudes of Type Ia supernovae in the galaxies 
B)  comparison of the apparent and absolute magnitudes of the galaxies 
C)  measurement of the apparent brightness and period of Cepheid variable stars in the galaxies 
D)  measurement of the angular size of a galaxy and an assumption about the actual physical size of the galaxy 
A)  measurement of the apparent magnitudes of Type Ia supernovae in the galaxies 
B)  comparison of the apparent and absolute magnitudes of the galaxies 
C)  measurement of the apparent brightness and period of Cepheid variable stars in the galaxies 
D)  measurement of the angular size of a galaxy and an assumption about the actual physical size of the galaxy

Question 12

Collisions between galaxies

Accepted Answer

A)  do not occur because the distances between galaxies are so vast. 
B)  are relatively fleeting because galaxies move so rapidly and thus last only a few million years. 
C)  can last hundreds of millions of years. 
D)  have little long-term effect on the galaxies involved because gravity is a relatively weak force and the distances over which it must act between galaxies are so great. 
A)  do not occur because the distances between galaxies are so vast. 
B)  are relatively fleeting because galaxies move so rapidly and thus last only a few million years. 
C)  can last hundreds of millions of years. 
D)  have little long-term effect on the galaxies involved because gravity is a relatively weak force and the distances over which it must act between galaxies are so great.

Question 13

The total number of galaxies in a rich, regular cluster of galaxies such as the Coma cluster is believed to be

Accepted Answer

A)  between a few thousand and 10,000. 
B)  over 1 million. 
C)  about 1000. 
D)  several dozen. 
A)  between a few thousand and 10,000. 
B)  over 1 million. 
C)  about 1000. 
D)  several dozen.

Question 14

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is BEST described as a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  spiral collection of stars, dust, and gas, 200,000 ly across. 
B)  extension of the Milky Way. 
C)  vortex surrounding a black hole. 
D)  gaseous nebula extending for 6° across Earth's sky. 
A)  spiral collection of stars, dust, and gas, 200,000 ly across. 
B)  extension of the Milky Way. 
C)  vortex surrounding a black hole. 
D)  gaseous nebula extending for 6° across Earth's sky.

Question 15

An astronomer studying a distant galaxy finds that its recessional velocity is 14,000 km/s. What is the distance to the galaxy? Assume Hubble's constant to be 73.5 km/s per Mpc.

Accepted Answer

A)  1,030,000 Mpc 
B)  103 Mpc 
C)  190 Mpc 
D)  1900 Mpc 
A)  1,030,000 Mpc 
B)  103 Mpc 
C)  190 Mpc 
D)  1900 Mpc

Question 16

What is a barred spiral galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A)  galaxy with a bar through the nuclear bulge and the spiral arms starting from the ends of the bar 
B)  spiral galaxy with a straight bar instead of a nuclear bulge 
C)  galaxy in which the arms form straight bars instead of curved lines 
D)  galaxy with a bar extending across the entire diameter and the arms starting at various positions along the bar 
A)  galaxy with a bar through the nuclear bulge and the spiral arms starting from the ends of the bar 
B)  spiral galaxy with a straight bar instead of a nuclear bulge 
C)  galaxy in which the arms form straight bars instead of curved lines 
D)  galaxy with a bar extending across the entire diameter and the arms starting at various positions along the bar

Question 17

An astronomer studying a cluster of galaxies finds a galaxy that is round and has a disk and central bulge like a spiral galaxy but has no spiral arms. How should the astronomer classify this galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A)  E0 
B)  E7 
C)  Sa 
D)  S0 
A)  E0 
B)  E7 
C)  Sa 
D)  S0

Question 18

What is astronomers' present belief about the location of the Milky Way Galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Milky Way has been shown to be in the center of the universe by the uniformity of the Hubble flow as seen from Earth. 
B)  The Milky Way has been shown to not be in the center of the universe by the uniformity of the Hubble flow as seen from Earth. 
C)  The Milky Way has been shown to be in the center of the universe by the distribution of superclusters as seen from Earth. 
D)  The Milky Way has been shown to not be in the center of the universe by the distribution of superclusters as seen from Earth. 
A)  The Milky Way has been shown to be in the center of the universe by the uniformity of the Hubble flow as seen from Earth. 
B)  The Milky Way has been shown to not be in the center of the universe by the uniformity of the Hubble flow as seen from Earth. 
C)  The Milky Way has been shown to be in the center of the universe by the distribution of superclusters as seen from Earth. 
D)  The Milky Way has been shown to not be in the center of the universe by the distribution of superclusters as seen from Earth.

Question 19

Much of the mass in galaxies and clusters of galaxies is dark matter. Which of these techniques is NOT useful for detecting evidence of this dark matter?

Accepted Answer

A)  measuring the speed of stars in their orbits around a galactic center 
B)  gravitational lensing of very distant galaxies by a nearby galaxy (or cluster) and its accompanying dark matter 
C)  observing the aftermath of a collision such as that in galaxy cluster 1E0657-56 
D)  gravitational waves 
A)  measuring the speed of stars in their orbits around a galactic center 
B)  gravitational lensing of very distant galaxies by a nearby galaxy (or cluster) and its accompanying dark matter 
C)  observing the aftermath of a collision such as that in galaxy cluster 1E0657-56 
D)  gravitational waves

Question 20

How does the amount of dust and gas in a spiral galaxy vary with the classification of the galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A)  The most loosely wound galaxy, Sc, has the most dust and gas in its arms. 
B)  All spiral galaxies Sa, Sb, and Sc types have about the same fraction of gas and dust within them, about 4% by mass. 
C)  Only the most tightly wound spiral galaxies, type Sa, have any dust or gas in them at all. 
D)  The most loosely wound galaxy, Sc, has the least dust and gas in its arms. 
A)  The most loosely wound galaxy, Sc, has the most dust and gas in its arms. 
B)  All spiral galaxies Sa, Sb, and Sc types have about the same fraction of gas and dust within them, about 4% by mass. 
C)  Only the most tightly wound spiral galaxies, type Sa, have any dust or gas in them at all. 
D)  The most loosely wound galaxy, Sc, has the least dust and gas in its arms.

A rich, regular cluster of galaxies differs from a rich, irregular cluster in that

Self-propagating star formation requires many mechanisms to spread star formation over a region. Which of these is NOT one of them?

Which of these types of galaxies contains primarily Population II, metal-poor, low-mass, long-lived stars?

How are the Magellanic Clouds, the two nearby satellite galaxies of the Milky Way Galaxy, classified?

What happens in the bar of a barred spiral?

Standard candles, which are important for finding distances to remote galaxies, are

What is a poor cluster of galaxies?

As much as 90% of the matter in the universe may be unseen "dark matter." Where is this dark matter in galaxies?

In the self-propagating star formation theory

According to the Hubble classification scheme, an Sa galaxy has

What method is used to determine the distances of very remote galaxies?

Collisions between galaxies

The total number of galaxies in a rich, regular cluster of galaxies such as the Coma cluster is believed to be

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is BEST described as a(n)

An astronomer studying a distant galaxy finds that its recessional velocity is 14,000 km/s. What is the distance to the galaxy? Assume Hubble's constant to be 73.5 km/s per Mpc.

What is a barred spiral galaxy?

An astronomer studying a cluster of galaxies finds a galaxy that is round and has a disk and central bulge like a spiral galaxy but has no spiral arms. How should the astronomer classify this galaxy?

What is astronomers' present belief about the location of the Milky Way Galaxy?

Much of the mass in galaxies and clusters of galaxies is dark matter. Which of these techniques is NOT useful for detecting evidence of this dark matter?

How does the amount of dust and gas in a spiral galaxy vary with the classification of the galaxy?

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Atomic Physics and Spectra

Exoplanets and the Formation of Planetary Systems

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Moon

The Other Terrestrial Planets

The Outer Planets

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes: Matters of Gravity

The Milky Way Galaxy

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

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Exam 17: Galaxies

A rich, regular cluster of galaxies differs from a rich, irregular cluster in that

Self-propagating star formation requires many mechanisms to spread star formation over a region. Which of these is NOT one of them?

Which of these types of galaxies contains primarily Population II, metal-poor, low-mass, long-lived stars?

How are the Magellanic Clouds, the two nearby satellite galaxies of the Milky Way Galaxy, classified?

What happens in the bar of a barred spiral?

Standard candles, which are important for finding distances to remote galaxies, are

What is a poor cluster of galaxies?

As much as 90% of the matter in the universe may be unseen "dark matter." Where is this dark matter in galaxies?

In the self-propagating star formation theory

According to the Hubble classification scheme, an Sa galaxy has

What method is used to determine the distances of very remote galaxies?

Collisions between galaxies

The total number of galaxies in a rich, regular cluster of galaxies such as the Coma cluster is believed to be

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is BEST described as a(n)

An astronomer studying a distant galaxy finds that its recessional velocity is 14,000 km/s. What is the distance to the galaxy? Assume Hubble's constant to be 73.5 km/s per Mpc.

What is a barred spiral galaxy?

An astronomer studying a cluster of galaxies finds a galaxy that is round and has a disk and central bulge like a spiral galaxy but has no spiral arms. How should the astronomer classify this galaxy?

What is astronomers' present belief about the location of the Milky Way Galaxy?

Much of the mass in galaxies and clusters of galaxies is dark matter. Which of these techniques is NOT useful for detecting evidence of this dark matter?

How does the amount of dust and gas in a spiral galaxy vary with the classification of the galaxy?

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Atomic Physics and Spectra

Exoplanets and the Formation of Planetary Systems

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Moon

The Other Terrestrial Planets

The Outer Planets

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes: Matters of Gravity

The Milky Way Galaxy

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters