Question 1

A beam of light of which of these pure colors is made up of photons of the lowest energy?

Accepted Answer

A)  red 
B)  yellow 
C)  green 
D)  blue 
A)  red 
B)  yellow 
C)  green 
D)  blue A

Question 2

If a person wants to build a telescope having the LEAST possible amount of chromatic aberration, one should use

Accepted Answer

A)  a front lens that has been coated with a special material to reduce refraction. 
B)  a front lens that is composed of two closely spaced lenses made of different kinds of glass. 
C)  the thinnest front lens that one can obtain. 
D)  mirrors instead of lenses. 
A)  a front lens that has been coated with a special material to reduce refraction. 
B)  a front lens that is composed of two closely spaced lenses made of different kinds of glass. 
C)  the thinnest front lens that one can obtain. 
D)  mirrors instead of lenses. D

Question 3

When a ray of light enters the flat smooth surface of a dense transparent material at an angle to the perpendicular, which way does it bend?

Accepted Answer

A)  away from the perpendicular 
B)  toward the perpendicular 
C)  in a direction so that it travels perpendicular to the surface 
D)  It does not bend at all because the material is transparent. 
A)  away from the perpendicular 
B)  toward the perpendicular 
C)  in a direction so that it travels perpendicular to the surface 
D)  It does not bend at all because the material is transparent. B

Question 4

Which was the first satellite to be dedicated to infrared astronomy?

Accepted Answer

A)  Hubble Space Telescope (HST) 
B)  International Ultraviolet Explorer (IU
E)  
C)  Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUV
E)  
D)  Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) 
A)  Hubble Space Telescope (HST) 
B)  International Ultraviolet Explorer (IU
E)  
C)  Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUV
E)  
D)  Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS)

Question 5

When white light passes through a prism a spectrum is formed. This is because the prism

Accepted Answer

A)  adds color to the light. 
B)  subtracts from the light, producing color. 
C)  causes different wavelengths of light to travel in different directions. 
D)  causes different parts of the light beam to vibrate at different frequencies. 
A)  adds color to the light. 
B)  subtracts from the light, producing color. 
C)  causes different wavelengths of light to travel in different directions. 
D)  causes different parts of the light beam to vibrate at different frequencies.

Question 6

Which of these was the first nonvisible radiation to be detected from outer space?

Accepted Answer

A)  X-rays 
B)  gamma rays 
C)  radio waves 
D)  ultraviolet (UV) light 
A)  X-rays 
B)  gamma rays 
C)  radio waves 
D)  ultraviolet (UV) light

Question 7

Which substance in Earth's atmosphere is the main absorber of infrared radiation from space?

Accepted Answer

A)  methane 
B)  water vapor 
C)  ozone 
D)  carbon dioxide 
A)  methane 
B)  water vapor 
C)  ozone 
D)  carbon dioxide

Question 8

The speed of light in space is

Accepted Answer

A)  infinite, traveling through space instantaneously. 
B)  variable, depending on the speed of its source, but very large (on average, 3 × 108 meters per second). 
C)  3 × 1010 meters per second, independent of the speed of the source. 
D)  3 × 108 meters per second, independent of the speed of the source. 
A)  infinite, traveling through space instantaneously. 
B)  variable, depending on the speed of its source, but very large (on average, 3 × 108 meters per second). 
C)  3 × 1010 meters per second, independent of the speed of the source. 
D)  3 × 108 meters per second, independent of the speed of the source.

Question 9

What is the one fundamental difference between X-rays and radio waves?

Accepted Answer

A)  X-rays and radio waves can only be produced by different sources. 
B)  The wavelengths of X-rays and radio waves are very different. 
C)  The speeds of X-rays and radio waves in outer space are different. 
D)  Radio waves are wavelike, whereas X-rays only behave like particles. 
A)  X-rays and radio waves can only be produced by different sources. 
B)  The wavelengths of X-rays and radio waves are very different. 
C)  The speeds of X-rays and radio waves in outer space are different. 
D)  Radio waves are wavelike, whereas X-rays only behave like particles.

Question 10

Violet light differs from red light in that it

Accepted Answer

A)  travels more quickly (through a vacuum) than red light. 
B)  has a shorter wavelength than red light. 
C)  travels more slowly (through a vacuum) than red light. 
D)  has a longer wavelength than red light. 
A)  travels more quickly (through a vacuum) than red light. 
B)  has a shorter wavelength than red light. 
C)  travels more slowly (through a vacuum) than red light. 
D)  has a longer wavelength than red light.

Question 11

The sharpest images of stars that can be formed by a single, large, ground-based, visible-light telescope are of the order of what angular size?

Accepted Answer

A)  about 10-3 arcsecond 
B)  about 1° 
C)  about 1 arcminute 
D)  about 0.2 arcsecond 
A)  about 10-3 arcsecond 
B)  about 1° 
C)  about 1 arcminute 
D)  about 0.2 arcsecond

Question 12

Radio waves travel through space at what speed?

Accepted Answer

A)  much faster than the speed of light 
B)  at the speed of light, 3 × 108 m/s 
C)  much slower than the speed of light 
D)  slightly faster than the speed of light because their wavelength is longer 
A)  much faster than the speed of light 
B)  at the speed of light, 3 × 108 m/s 
C)  much slower than the speed of light 
D)  slightly faster than the speed of light because their wavelength is longer

Question 13

When light passes through a prism of glass,

Accepted Answer

A)  the prism absorbs colors from different parts of the broad beam coming out of the prism, leaving the complementary colors seen. 
B)  different colors are caused by multiple reflections within the prism and the resulting interference between the beams. 
C)  refraction changes the directions of different colors or wavelengths of light. 
D)  the prism adds colors to different parts of the outgoing and broadly scattered beam. 
A)  the prism absorbs colors from different parts of the broad beam coming out of the prism, leaving the complementary colors seen. 
B)  different colors are caused by multiple reflections within the prism and the resulting interference between the beams. 
C)  refraction changes the directions of different colors or wavelengths of light. 
D)  the prism adds colors to different parts of the outgoing and broadly scattered beam.

Question 14

The BEST shape for the cross-section of a simple astronomical mirror in order to produce the sharpest images of very distant objects at its prime focus is a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  parabolic shape. 
B)  elliptical shape. 
C)  perfectly flat, smooth surface. 
D)  spherical shape. 
A)  parabolic shape. 
B)  elliptical shape. 
C)  perfectly flat, smooth surface. 
D)  spherical shape.

Question 15

How was the "solar neutrino problem," that is, the detection of only a third of the predicted number of solar neutrinos, finally resolved?

Accepted Answer

A)  It was found that the detection system was faulty and missed many neutrinos it should have counted. 
B)  The energy of the neutrinos to be detected had been miscalculated, and different detectors were required to detect neutrinos in the correct range. 
C)  The basic physics of the emission of neutrinos in nuclear reactions had been misunderstood, and the predicted number was incorrect. 
D)  On the way from the Sun to Earth the neutrino beam changes to a mixture of three types of neutrinos, only one of which was being detected. 
A)  It was found that the detection system was faulty and missed many neutrinos it should have counted. 
B)  The energy of the neutrinos to be detected had been miscalculated, and different detectors were required to detect neutrinos in the correct range. 
C)  The basic physics of the emission of neutrinos in nuclear reactions had been misunderstood, and the predicted number was incorrect. 
D)  On the way from the Sun to Earth the neutrino beam changes to a mixture of three types of neutrinos, only one of which was being detected.

Question 16

Which of these lists of different types of electromagnetic radiation is correctly ordered in wavelength, from shortest to longest?

Accepted Answer

A)  gamma ray, ultraviolet, radio, infrared 
B)  radio, ultraviolet, infrared, gamma ray 
C)  radio, infrared, ultraviolet, gamma ray 
D)  gamma ray, ultraviolet, infrared, radio 
A)  gamma ray, ultraviolet, radio, infrared 
B)  radio, ultraviolet, infrared, gamma ray 
C)  radio, infrared, ultraviolet, gamma ray 
D)  gamma ray, ultraviolet, infrared, radio

Question 17

When visible light passes through a glass prism or a glass lens, which wavelengths of light are deflected MOST by the glass? See Figure 3-21.

Accepted Answer

A)  the longer wavelengths 
B)  The light is not deflected by glass because glass is transparent. 
C)  All wavelengths have their directions changed by the same amount. 
D)  the shorter wavelengths 
A)  the longer wavelengths 
B)  The light is not deflected by glass because glass is transparent. 
C)  All wavelengths have their directions changed by the same amount. 
D)  the shorter wavelengths

Question 18

How does the speed of light in a substance such as glass compare to the speed of light in a vacuum?

Accepted Answer

A)  The speed of light in glass is faster than the speed of light in a vacuum. 
B)  The speed of light is the same in both, equal to 299,792.458 km/s. 
C)  The speed of light in glass is slower than the speed of light in a vacuum. 
D)  The speed of light in glass can be faster or slower than the speed of light in a vacuum, depending on the type of glass. 
A)  The speed of light in glass is faster than the speed of light in a vacuum. 
B)  The speed of light is the same in both, equal to 299,792.458 km/s. 
C)  The speed of light in glass is slower than the speed of light in a vacuum. 
D)  The speed of light in glass can be faster or slower than the speed of light in a vacuum, depending on the type of glass.

Question 19

Cosmic rays are

Accepted Answer

A)  electromagnetic waves that originate from space. 
B)  X-rays originating from the Sun. 
C)  neutrinos. 
D)  high-energy particles traveling at nearly the speed of light. 
A)  electromagnetic waves that originate from space. 
B)  X-rays originating from the Sun. 
C)  neutrinos. 
D)  high-energy particles traveling at nearly the speed of light.

Question 20

Recent solar neutrino experiments have confirmed the suspicion that the explanation for the apparent shortfall in neutrino detection rates over the past 30 years is that

Accepted Answer

A)  the Sun does indeed produce only 1/3 of that predicted by earlier theoretical models; these models require major modification. 
B)  2/3 of the neutrinos from the Sun are absorbed by material between the Sun and Earth. 
C)  2/3 of the solar neutrinos transform into types of neutrinos that were undetectable by old detection techniques. 
D)  the detectors were faulty; 2/3 of the neutrinos were missed by the detectors. 
A)  the Sun does indeed produce only 1/3 of that predicted by earlier theoretical models; these models require major modification. 
B)  2/3 of the neutrinos from the Sun are absorbed by material between the Sun and Earth. 
C)  2/3 of the solar neutrinos transform into types of neutrinos that were undetectable by old detection techniques. 
D)  the detectors were faulty; 2/3 of the neutrinos were missed by the detectors.

A beam of light of which of these pure colors is made up of photons of the lowest energy?

If a person wants to build a telescope having the LEAST possible amount of chromatic aberration, one should use

When a ray of light enters the flat smooth surface of a dense transparent material at an angle to the perpendicular, which way does it bend?

Which was the first satellite to be dedicated to infrared astronomy?

When white light passes through a prism a spectrum is formed. This is because the prism

Which of these was the first nonvisible radiation to be detected from outer space?

Which substance in Earth's atmosphere is the main absorber of infrared radiation from space?

The speed of light in space is

What is the one fundamental difference between X-rays and radio waves?

Violet light differs from red light in that it

The sharpest images of stars that can be formed by a single, large, ground-based, visible-light telescope are of the order of what angular size?

Radio waves travel through space at what speed?

When light passes through a prism of glass,

The BEST shape for the cross-section of a simple astronomical mirror in order to produce the sharpest images of very distant objects at its prime focus is a(n)

How was the "solar neutrino problem," that is, the detection of only a third of the predicted number of solar neutrinos, finally resolved?

Which of these lists of different types of electromagnetic radiation is correctly ordered in wavelength, from shortest to longest?

When visible light passes through a glass prism or a glass lens, which wavelengths of light are deflected MOST by the glass? See Figure 3-21.

How does the speed of light in a substance such as glass compare to the speed of light in a vacuum?

Cosmic rays are

Recent solar neutrino experiments have confirmed the suspicion that the explanation for the apparent shortfall in neutrino detection rates over the past 30 years is that

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

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

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters

Exam 3: Light and Telescopes

A beam of light of which of these pure colors is made up of photons of the lowest energy?

If a person wants to build a telescope having the LEAST possible amount of chromatic aberration, one should use

When a ray of light enters the flat smooth surface of a dense transparent material at an angle to the perpendicular, which way does it bend?

Which was the first satellite to be dedicated to infrared astronomy?

When white light passes through a prism a spectrum is formed. This is because the prism

Which of these was the first nonvisible radiation to be detected from outer space?

Which substance in Earth's atmosphere is the main absorber of infrared radiation from space?

The speed of light in space is

What is the one fundamental difference between X-rays and radio waves?

Violet light differs from red light in that it

The sharpest images of stars that can be formed by a single, large, ground-based, visible-light telescope are of the order of what angular size?

Radio waves travel through space at what speed?

When light passes through a prism of glass,

The BEST shape for the cross-section of a simple astronomical mirror in order to produce the sharpest images of very distant objects at its prime focus is a(n)

How was the "solar neutrino problem," that is, the detection of only a third of the predicted number of solar neutrinos, finally resolved?

Which of these lists of different types of electromagnetic radiation is correctly ordered in wavelength, from shortest to longest?

When visible light passes through a glass prism or a glass lens, which wavelengths of light are deflected MOST by the glass? See Figure 3-21.

How does the speed of light in a substance such as glass compare to the speed of light in a vacuum?

Cosmic rays are

Recent solar neutrino experiments have confirmed the suspicion that the explanation for the apparent shortfall in neutrino detection rates over the past 30 years is that

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

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

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters