Question 1

In a spiral galaxy, the

Accepted Answer

A)  spiral arm tightness is independent of the size of the nuclear bulge; a particular bulge can have a wide range of spiral structure. 
B)  smaller the nuclear bulge is, the tighter the spiral. 
C)  tighter the spiral is, the larger the nuclear bulge. 
D)  larger the nuclear bulge is, the looser the spiral. 
A)  spiral arm tightness is independent of the size of the nuclear bulge; a particular bulge can have a wide range of spiral structure. 
B)  smaller the nuclear bulge is, the tighter the spiral. 
C)  tighter the spiral is, the larger the nuclear bulge. 
D)  larger the nuclear bulge is, the looser the spiral.

Question 2

One difficulty with the density wave theory is that

Accepted Answer

A)  the theory fails to explain why a given spiral pattern lasts only a small fraction of the lifetime of a galaxy. 
B)  the theory fails to provide a mechanism for star formation. 
C)  astronomers are unsure of the mechanism that produces the energy output necessary to sustain the density wave. 
D)  the theory fails to explain the distribution of Population I and Population II stars in the galaxy. 
A)  the theory fails to explain why a given spiral pattern lasts only a small fraction of the lifetime of a galaxy. 
B)  the theory fails to provide a mechanism for star formation. 
C)  astronomers are unsure of the mechanism that produces the energy output necessary to sustain the density wave. 
D)  the theory fails to explain the distribution of Population I and Population II stars in the galaxy.

Question 3

The Tully-Fisher relation can be used to determine the distance to

Accepted Answer

A)  spiral galaxies only. 
B)  elliptical galaxies only. 
C)  irregular galaxies only. 
D)  either spirals or ellipticals. 
A)  spiral galaxies only. 
B)  elliptical galaxies only. 
C)  irregular galaxies only. 
D)  either spirals or ellipticals.

Question 4

What is the MOST widely accepted Hubble classification of the Milky Way Galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A)  Sab 
B)  SBa 
C)  SBab 
D)  Because of the difficulty of examining the structure of the Milky Way from inside, the Galaxy has not been classified. 
A)  Sab 
B)  SBa 
C)  SBab 
D)  Because of the difficulty of examining the structure of the Milky Way from inside, the Galaxy has not been classified.

Question 5

One piece of evidence for the existence of dark matter is the

Accepted Answer

A)  absence of interstellar materials (gas and dust) from elliptical galaxies. 
B)  low count of neutrinos emitted from the center of the Sun. 
C)  scarcity of dwarf ellipticals in the Local Group of galaxies. 
D)  discrepancy between observed mass and the required gravitational binding in rich clusters of galaxies. 
A)  absence of interstellar materials (gas and dust) from elliptical galaxies. 
B)  low count of neutrinos emitted from the center of the Sun. 
C)  scarcity of dwarf ellipticals in the Local Group of galaxies. 
D)  discrepancy between observed mass and the required gravitational binding in rich clusters of galaxies.

Question 6

The estimated distance from Earth to the Coma cluster of galaxies is about

Accepted Answer

A)  300 million ly. 
B)  200 billion ly. 
C)  2 million ly. 
D)  10 ly. 
A)  300 million ly. 
B)  200 billion ly. 
C)  2 million ly. 
D)  10 ly.

Question 7

Who first discovered that many galaxies are moving away from Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Karl Jansky 
B)  V. M. Slipher 
C)  Albert Einstein 
D)  Edwin Hubble 
A)  Karl Jansky 
B)  V. M. Slipher 
C)  Albert Einstein 
D)  Edwin Hubble

Question 8

What is the present range of measured values of Hubble's constant from various techniques?

Accepted Answer

A)  somewhere between 200 and 1000 km/s Mpc 
B)  somewhere between 67 and 75 km/s per Mpc 
C)  somewhere between 80 and 300 km/s per Mpc 
D)  between 28 and 32 km/s per Mpc 
A)  somewhere between 200 and 1000 km/s Mpc 
B)  somewhere between 67 and 75 km/s per Mpc 
C)  somewhere between 80 and 300 km/s per Mpc 
D)  between 28 and 32 km/s per Mpc

Question 9

The width (Doppler broadening) of the 21-cm line in a spiral galaxy is NOT related to which one of these properties of the galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A)  rotation rate 
B)  mass 
C)  luminosity 
D)  age 
A)  rotation rate 
B)  mass 
C)  luminosity 
D)  age

Question 10

Arrange these objects in order of increasing size.

Accepted Answer

A)  ultra-compact dwarfs, globular clusters, spiral galaxies 
B)  globular clusters, ultra-compact dwarfs, spiral galaxies 
C)  globular clusters, spiral galaxies, ultra-compact dwarfs 
D)  ultra-compact dwarfs, spiral galaxies, globular clusters 
A)  ultra-compact dwarfs, globular clusters, spiral galaxies 
B)  globular clusters, ultra-compact dwarfs, spiral galaxies 
C)  globular clusters, spiral galaxies, ultra-compact dwarfs 
D)  ultra-compact dwarfs, spiral galaxies, globular clusters

Question 11

In which of these cases does gravity, a long-range force, NOT result in a bound system?

Accepted Answer

A)  orbital movements of globular clusters about the center of the Milky Way 
B)  disruption by tidal forces from the Milky Way of the most recently discovered member of the Local Group, Canis Major Dwarf, a close companion of the Milky Way Galaxy 
C)  motions of galaxies within clusters 
D)  motions of clusters within superclusters 
A)  orbital movements of globular clusters about the center of the Milky Way 
B)  disruption by tidal forces from the Milky Way of the most recently discovered member of the Local Group, Canis Major Dwarf, a close companion of the Milky Way Galaxy 
C)  motions of galaxies within clusters 
D)  motions of clusters within superclusters

Question 12

What is the distribution of stars in the spiral arms of a typical spiral galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A)  The density of stars in the arms is far higher than the density of stars between the arms. 
B)  Far fewer but brighter stars exist in the arms, while many more fainter stars exist between the arms. 
C)  All the stars of a spiral galaxy are in the arms; there are none at all between the arms. 
D)  The density of stars is relatively uniform in the disk of the galaxy but is slightly higher within the arms than between them. 
A)  The density of stars in the arms is far higher than the density of stars between the arms. 
B)  Far fewer but brighter stars exist in the arms, while many more fainter stars exist between the arms. 
C)  All the stars of a spiral galaxy are in the arms; there are none at all between the arms. 
D)  The density of stars is relatively uniform in the disk of the galaxy but is slightly higher within the arms than between them.

Question 13

What is the brightest standard candle, and therefore the one that is visible to the greatest distance, found so far?

Accepted Answer

A)  Type Ia supernovae 
B)  brightest H II regions in each galaxy 
C)  brightest globular cluster of each galaxy 
D)  Cepheid variables 
A)  Type Ia supernovae 
B)  brightest H II regions in each galaxy 
C)  brightest globular cluster of each galaxy 
D)  Cepheid variables

Question 14

The Hubble relation links which two characteristics of distant objects in the universe?

Accepted Answer

A)  distance and recessional velocity 
B)  luminosity and surface temperature 
C)  state of organization and the ages of clusters of stars 
D)  stellar mass and luminosity 
A)  distance and recessional velocity 
B)  luminosity and surface temperature 
C)  state of organization and the ages of clusters of stars 
D)  stellar mass and luminosity

Question 15

Compared to the Milky Way Galaxy, a giant elliptical like M86 has

Accepted Answer

A)  more gas and dust. 
B)  a higher rate of star formation. 
C)  more stars. 
D)  spiral arms that are more loosely wound. 
A)  more gas and dust. 
B)  a higher rate of star formation. 
C)  more stars. 
D)  spiral arms that are more loosely wound.

Question 16

The light that arrives at Earth from the Coma cluster of galaxies has traveled for approximately how long?

Accepted Answer

A)  300 billion years 
B)  300 million years 
C)  92 million years 
D)  30 million years 
A)  300 billion years 
B)  300 million years 
C)  92 million years 
D)  30 million years

Question 17

To what distance in parsecs can Cepheid variables now be seen with the Hubble Space Telescope?

Accepted Answer

A)  about 500 Mpc 
B)  about 50 Mpc 
C)  about 50 kpc 
D)  about 5 Mpc 
A)  about 500 Mpc 
B)  about 50 Mpc 
C)  about 50 kpc 
D)  about 5 Mpc

Question 18

A particular galaxy appears round, with a nuclear region of uniform brightness and an outer region that is broken up into curved but fuzzy and poorly defined lanes of stars and light gas clouds. How would this galaxy be classified?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 19

What is believed to be the origin of giant elliptical galaxies?

Accepted Answer

A)  Giant elliptical galaxies formed as such and have remained unchanged ever since. 
B)  Giant elliptical galaxies grew by devouring smaller galaxies. 
C)  Collisions of galaxies in the cluster produce a smooth distribution of stars through the cluster, which sink to the center of the cluster and form giant galaxies. 
D)  Giant elliptical galaxies have grown continuously since their formation by accretion of intergalactic gas. 
A)  Giant elliptical galaxies formed as such and have remained unchanged ever since. 
B)  Giant elliptical galaxies grew by devouring smaller galaxies. 
C)  Collisions of galaxies in the cluster produce a smooth distribution of stars through the cluster, which sink to the center of the cluster and form giant galaxies. 
D)  Giant elliptical galaxies have grown continuously since their formation by accretion of intergalactic gas.

Question 20

What is the designation given to a galaxy with a small nuclear bulge and loosely wound arms starting from a bar through the nuclear bulge?

Accepted Answer

A)  SBc 
B)  SBa 
C)  Sb 
D)  Sc 
A)  SBc 
B)  SBa 
C)  Sb 
D)  Sc

In a spiral galaxy, the

One difficulty with the density wave theory is that

The Tully-Fisher relation can be used to determine the distance to

What is the MOST widely accepted Hubble classification of the Milky Way Galaxy?

One piece of evidence for the existence of dark matter is the

The estimated distance from Earth to the Coma cluster of galaxies is about

Who first discovered that many galaxies are moving away from Earth?

What is the present range of measured values of Hubble's constant from various techniques?

The width (Doppler broadening) of the 21-cm line in a spiral galaxy is NOT related to which one of these properties of the galaxy?

Arrange these objects in order of increasing size.

In which of these cases does gravity, a long-range force, NOT result in a bound system?

What is the distribution of stars in the spiral arms of a typical spiral galaxy?

What is the brightest standard candle, and therefore the one that is visible to the greatest distance, found so far?

The Hubble relation links which two characteristics of distant objects in the universe?

Compared to the Milky Way Galaxy, a giant elliptical like M86 has

The light that arrives at Earth from the Coma cluster of galaxies has traveled for approximately how long?

To what distance in parsecs can Cepheid variables now be seen with the Hubble Space Telescope?

A particular galaxy appears round, with a nuclear region of uniform brightness and an outer region that is broken up into curved but fuzzy and poorly defined lanes of stars and light gas clouds. How would this galaxy be classified?

What is believed to be the origin of giant elliptical galaxies?

What is the designation given to a galaxy with a small nuclear bulge and loosely wound arms starting from a bar through the nuclear bulge?

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

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Exoplanets and the Formation of Planetary Systems

Formation of the Solar System

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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

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Exam 17: Galaxies

In a spiral galaxy, the

One difficulty with the density wave theory is that

The Tully-Fisher relation can be used to determine the distance to

What is the MOST widely accepted Hubble classification of the Milky Way Galaxy?

One piece of evidence for the existence of dark matter is the

The estimated distance from Earth to the Coma cluster of galaxies is about

Who first discovered that many galaxies are moving away from Earth?

What is the present range of measured values of Hubble's constant from various techniques?

The width (Doppler broadening) of the 21-cm line in a spiral galaxy is NOT related to which one of these properties of the galaxy?

Arrange these objects in order of increasing size.

In which of these cases does gravity, a long-range force, NOT result in a bound system?

What is the distribution of stars in the spiral arms of a typical spiral galaxy?

What is the brightest standard candle, and therefore the one that is visible to the greatest distance, found so far?

The Hubble relation links which two characteristics of distant objects in the universe?

Compared to the Milky Way Galaxy, a giant elliptical like M86 has

The light that arrives at Earth from the Coma cluster of galaxies has traveled for approximately how long?

To what distance in parsecs can Cepheid variables now be seen with the Hubble Space Telescope?

A particular galaxy appears round, with a nuclear region of uniform brightness and an outer region that is broken up into curved but fuzzy and poorly defined lanes of stars and light gas clouds. How would this galaxy be classified?

What is believed to be the origin of giant elliptical galaxies?

What is the designation given to a galaxy with a small nuclear bulge and loosely wound arms starting from a bar through the nuclear bulge?

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