Question 1

What was the first extraterrestrial radio source to be detected?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cassiopeia A (a supernova remnant) 
B)  the center of our Galaxy 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  Sun 
A)  Cassiopeia A (a supernova remnant) 
B)  the center of our Galaxy 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  Sun

Question 2

Earth's atmosphere is transparent to which of these types of electromagnetic radiations?

Accepted Answer

A)  X-ray 
B)  radio wave 
C)  long infrared wavelength 
D)  short ultraviolet wavelength 
A)  X-ray 
B)  radio wave 
C)  long infrared wavelength 
D)  short ultraviolet wavelength

Question 3

The speed of light always has the same value in a vacuum

Accepted Answer

A)  but its speed inside a transparent material depends on the temperature of the material and can be faster or slower than its speed in a vacuum. 
B)  as well as in transparent materials. 
C)  but is slower in transparent materials such as water and glass. 
D)  but is faster in transparent materials such as water and glass. 
A)  but its speed inside a transparent material depends on the temperature of the material and can be faster or slower than its speed in a vacuum. 
B)  as well as in transparent materials. 
C)  but is slower in transparent materials such as water and glass. 
D)  but is faster in transparent materials such as water and glass.

Question 4

In measuring solar neutrinos, what would one expect for the variation in the rate of detection in any instrument?

Accepted Answer

A)  The detection rate would rise at sunset and sunrise because solar neutrinos are gravitationally deflected by Earth to increase this rate at these times. 
B)  The rate would remain constant, day and night, because neutrinos pass very easily through Earth. 
C)  The instrument would only detect neutrinos in the daytime because Earth would block these particles during the night. 
D)  The instrument would measure more neutrinos during the night than in daytime because solar neutrinos would react with nuclei in Earth to produce more neutrinos at that time. 
A)  The detection rate would rise at sunset and sunrise because solar neutrinos are gravitationally deflected by Earth to increase this rate at these times. 
B)  The rate would remain constant, day and night, because neutrinos pass very easily through Earth. 
C)  The instrument would only detect neutrinos in the daytime because Earth would block these particles during the night. 
D)  The instrument would measure more neutrinos during the night than in daytime because solar neutrinos would react with nuclei in Earth to produce more neutrinos at that time.

Question 5

It is difficult to improve the angular resolution of optical telescopes located on the surface of Earth beyond a certain limit because

Accepted Answer

A)  large telescopes are reflecting telescopes, and they suffer from too much chromatic aberration. 
B)  spherical mirrors suffer from too much aberration. 
C)  star images are distorted more by air turbulence than by the telescope optics. 
D)  improvement would require much larger, very expensive telescopes to enhance the inherent telescope. 
A)  large telescopes are reflecting telescopes, and they suffer from too much chromatic aberration. 
B)  spherical mirrors suffer from too much aberration. 
C)  star images are distorted more by air turbulence than by the telescope optics. 
D)  improvement would require much larger, very expensive telescopes to enhance the inherent telescope.

Question 6

A particular reflecting telescope has a primary mirror 0.4 m in diameter and 4.0-m focal length and an eyepiece lens 1.0 cm in diameter and 2.0-cm focal length. What is the magnifying power of this telescope?

Accepted Answer

A)  20× 
B)  200× 
C)  40× 
D)  400× 
A)  20× 
B)  200× 
C)  40× 
D)  400×

Question 7

What is the maximum angular resolution (sharpness of the image) obtainable with radio telescopes on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  0.00001 arcsecond using the worldwide very long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) array of telescopes 
B)  100 arcseconds using the 305-m Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico 
C)  0.0001 arcsecond using the very long-baseline array of telescopes extending across the United States and including Hawaii 
D)  0.1 arcsecond using the 27-dish very large-array (VL
A)  of radio telescopes at Socorro, New Mexico 
A)  0.00001 arcsecond using the worldwide very long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) array of telescopes 
B)  100 arcseconds using the 305-m Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico 
C)  0.0001 arcsecond using the very long-baseline array of telescopes extending across the United States and including Hawaii 
D)  0.1 arcsecond using the 27-dish very large-array (VL
A)  of radio telescopes at Socorro, New Mexico

Question 8

A typical refracting telescope is made up of

Accepted Answer

A)  a long-focal-length lens at the front and a short-focal-length lens at the rear (next to a person's eye as one looks through the telescope). 
B)  two mirrors, one concave, the other convex. 
C)  a mirror that gathers and focuses the light and a lens next to a person's eye through which one examines the image. 
D)  a short-focal-length lens at the front and a long-focal-length lens at the rear (next to a person's eye as one looks through the telescope). 
A)  a long-focal-length lens at the front and a short-focal-length lens at the rear (next to a person's eye as one looks through the telescope). 
B)  two mirrors, one concave, the other convex. 
C)  a mirror that gathers and focuses the light and a lens next to a person's eye through which one examines the image. 
D)  a short-focal-length lens at the front and a long-focal-length lens at the rear (next to a person's eye as one looks through the telescope).

Question 9

Normal reflecting telescopes, with minor adjustments, can be made capable of detecting all of these EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  infrared radiation. 
B)  visible radiation. 
C)  near ultraviolet radiation. 
D)  X-ray radiation. 
A)  infrared radiation. 
B)  visible radiation. 
C)  near ultraviolet radiation. 
D)  X-ray radiation.

Question 10

Which of these wave effects is NOT electromagnetic in nature?

Accepted Answer

A)  gamma rays 
B)  seismic waves 
C)  microwaves 
D)  radio waves 
A)  gamma rays 
B)  seismic waves 
C)  microwaves 
D)  radio waves

Question 11

What happens to MOST of the neutrinos produced by the nuclear reactions in the core of the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)  Most neutrinos combine with protons to form neutrons. 
B)  Most neutrinos collide and stick together with protons to form helium nuclei. 
C)  Most neutrinos collide with electrons, producing energy. 
D)  Most neutrinos escape from the Sun into space. 
A)  Most neutrinos combine with protons to form neutrons. 
B)  Most neutrinos collide and stick together with protons to form helium nuclei. 
C)  Most neutrinos collide with electrons, producing energy. 
D)  Most neutrinos escape from the Sun into space.

Question 12

Two neutron stars orbit each other. Careful observations show that they are spiraling toward each other and thus losing energy from their orbit. How might people detect this energy?

Accepted Answer

A)  neutrinos 
B)  gamma ray bursts 
C)  gravitational waves 
D)  Hawking radiation 
A)  neutrinos 
B)  gamma ray bursts 
C)  gravitational waves 
D)  Hawking radiation

Question 13

Which wavelength region of the electromagnetic spectrum is taken up by visible light?

Accepted Answer

A)  1200 nm to 1500 nm 
B)  4000 nm to 7000 nm 
C)  400 nm to 700 nm 
D)  100 nm to 400 nm 
A)  1200 nm to 1500 nm 
B)  4000 nm to 7000 nm 
C)  400 nm to 700 nm 
D)  100 nm to 400 nm

Question 14

Which technique was the first to be used to detect solar neutrinos?

Accepted Answer

A)  proton-proton reaction in which neutrinos play an intermediate role 
B)  interaction of neutrinos with water molecules in huge underground tanks 
C)  production of radioactive argon nuclei by neutrino interaction with chlorine nuclei in deep underground tanks 
D)  interactions of neutrinos with radioactive argon nuclei to produce chlorine nuclei, which are then measured chemically 
A)  proton-proton reaction in which neutrinos play an intermediate role 
B)  interaction of neutrinos with water molecules in huge underground tanks 
C)  production of radioactive argon nuclei by neutrino interaction with chlorine nuclei in deep underground tanks 
D)  interactions of neutrinos with radioactive argon nuclei to produce chlorine nuclei, which are then measured chemically

Question 15

In terms of wavelengths, gamma rays

Accepted Answer

A)  have the shortest wavelengths of the named electromagnetic waves. 
B)  are intermediate, between X-rays and ultraviolet waves. 
C)  are intermediate, between radio and infrared waves. 
D)  have the longest wavelengths of the named electromagnetic waves. 
A)  have the shortest wavelengths of the named electromagnetic waves. 
B)  are intermediate, between X-rays and ultraviolet waves. 
C)  are intermediate, between radio and infrared waves. 
D)  have the longest wavelengths of the named electromagnetic waves.

Question 16

What is the main reason for placing astronomical telescopes and detectors on satellites?

Accepted Answer

A)  to avoid light pollution from cities and other built-up areas 
B)  to avoid dust and haze in Earth's atmosphere 
C)  to get above the absorption in Earth's atmosphere 
D)  to get closer to the objects being viewed 
A)  to avoid light pollution from cities and other built-up areas 
B)  to avoid dust and haze in Earth's atmosphere 
C)  to get above the absorption in Earth's atmosphere 
D)  to get closer to the objects being viewed

Question 17

Which of these statements correctly describes the refraction of light?

Accepted Answer

A)  A light ray reverses its direction of travel after striking a mirror surface. 
B)  The path of a ray of light bends as the light enters or leaves a dense, transparent medium such as glass or water. 
C)  A ray of light is partially absorbed as it enters the denser material. 
D)  A ray of light spreads out after passing through an opening because of the wave nature of light. 
A)  A light ray reverses its direction of travel after striking a mirror surface. 
B)  The path of a ray of light bends as the light enters or leaves a dense, transparent medium such as glass or water. 
C)  A ray of light is partially absorbed as it enters the denser material. 
D)  A ray of light spreads out after passing through an opening because of the wave nature of light.

Question 18

Who first discovered that radio radiation could be received from astronomical objects?

Accepted Answer

A)  Isaac Newton 
B)  Edwin Hubble 
C)  Thomas Young 
D)  Karl Jansky 
A)  Isaac Newton 
B)  Edwin Hubble 
C)  Thomas Young 
D)  Karl Jansky

Question 19

Electromagnetic radiation moving through space with the speed of light consists of oscillating

Accepted Answer

A)  electric and magnetic fields moving in opposite directions along the same line in space. 
B)  magnetic fields that over time and distance change to oscillating electric fields and then back to magnetic fields in a continuous manner. 
C)  electric and magnetic fields with the same frequency and wavelength and traveling in the same direction. 
D)  electric fields, with magnetic fields occasionally accompanying them, moving in the same direction. 
A)  electric and magnetic fields moving in opposite directions along the same line in space. 
B)  magnetic fields that over time and distance change to oscillating electric fields and then back to magnetic fields in a continuous manner. 
C)  electric and magnetic fields with the same frequency and wavelength and traveling in the same direction. 
D)  electric fields, with magnetic fields occasionally accompanying them, moving in the same direction.

Question 20

Why was adaptive optics developed?

Accepted Answer

A)  to prevent the distortion of mirrors by the vacuum of space 
B)  to compensate for image distortion caused by Earth's atmosphere 
C)  to compensate for spherical aberration 
D)  to prevent distortion by sagging in very thin, lightweight mirrors 
A)  to prevent the distortion of mirrors by the vacuum of space 
B)  to compensate for image distortion caused by Earth's atmosphere 
C)  to compensate for spherical aberration 
D)  to prevent distortion by sagging in very thin, lightweight mirrors

What was the first extraterrestrial radio source to be detected?

Earth's atmosphere is transparent to which of these types of electromagnetic radiations?

The speed of light always has the same value in a vacuum

In measuring solar neutrinos, what would one expect for the variation in the rate of detection in any instrument?

It is difficult to improve the angular resolution of optical telescopes located on the surface of Earth beyond a certain limit because

A particular reflecting telescope has a primary mirror 0.4 m in diameter and 4.0-m focal length and an eyepiece lens 1.0 cm in diameter and 2.0-cm focal length. What is the magnifying power of this telescope?

What is the maximum angular resolution (sharpness of the image) obtainable with radio telescopes on Earth?

A typical refracting telescope is made up of

Normal reflecting telescopes, with minor adjustments, can be made capable of detecting all of these EXCEPT

Which of these wave effects is NOT electromagnetic in nature?

What happens to MOST of the neutrinos produced by the nuclear reactions in the core of the Sun?

Two neutron stars orbit each other. Careful observations show that they are spiraling toward each other and thus losing energy from their orbit. How might people detect this energy?

Which wavelength region of the electromagnetic spectrum is taken up by visible light?

Which technique was the first to be used to detect solar neutrinos?

In terms of wavelengths, gamma rays

What is the main reason for placing astronomical telescopes and detectors on satellites?

Which of these statements correctly describes the refraction of light?

Who first discovered that radio radiation could be received from astronomical objects?

Electromagnetic radiation moving through space with the speed of light consists of oscillating

Why was adaptive optics developed?

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

What was the first extraterrestrial radio source to be detected?

Earth's atmosphere is transparent to which of these types of electromagnetic radiations?

The speed of light always has the same value in a vacuum

In measuring solar neutrinos, what would one expect for the variation in the rate of detection in any instrument?

It is difficult to improve the angular resolution of optical telescopes located on the surface of Earth beyond a certain limit because

A particular reflecting telescope has a primary mirror 0.4 m in diameter and 4.0-m focal length and an eyepiece lens 1.0 cm in diameter and 2.0-cm focal length. What is the magnifying power of this telescope?

What is the maximum angular resolution (sharpness of the image) obtainable with radio telescopes on Earth?

A typical refracting telescope is made up of

Normal reflecting telescopes, with minor adjustments, can be made capable of detecting all of these EXCEPT

Which of these wave effects is NOT electromagnetic in nature?

What happens to MOST of the neutrinos produced by the nuclear reactions in the core of the Sun?

Two neutron stars orbit each other. Careful observations show that they are spiraling toward each other and thus losing energy from their orbit. How might people detect this energy?

Which wavelength region of the electromagnetic spectrum is taken up by visible light?

Which technique was the first to be used to detect solar neutrinos?

In terms of wavelengths, gamma rays

What is the main reason for placing astronomical telescopes and detectors on satellites?

Which of these statements correctly describes the refraction of light?

Who first discovered that radio radiation could be received from astronomical objects?

Electromagnetic radiation moving through space with the speed of light consists of oscillating

Why was adaptive optics developed?

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