Question 1

The number 50,000 is written in scientific notation as

Accepted Answer

A)  5 × 104. 
B)  5 × 105. 
C)  (50) × 10-3 = 5 × 10-2. 
D)  5 × 103. 
A)  5 × 104. 
B)  5 × 105. 
C)  (50) × 10-3 = 5 × 10-2. 
D)  5 × 103.

Question 2

The direction of Earth's rotation about its axis is the same as the direction of its revolution about the Sun. How does a solar day compare to a sidereal day on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  A solar day is always longer. 
B)  A sidereal day is always longer. 
C)  A solar day and a sidereal day are always the same length. 
D)  A sidereal day is longer when Earth is farther from the Sun (northern summer), but a solar day is longer when Earth is closer to the Sun (northern winter). 
A)  A solar day is always longer. 
B)  A sidereal day is always longer. 
C)  A solar day and a sidereal day are always the same length. 
D)  A sidereal day is longer when Earth is farther from the Sun (northern summer), but a solar day is longer when Earth is closer to the Sun (northern winter).

Question 3

An observer can see a total solar eclipse from within a narrow band along Earth's surface. This band

Accepted Answer

A)  is always along the equator. 
B)  is always parallel to the equator. 
C)  always crosses the equator at a right angle. 
D)  can begin almost anywhere on Earth's surface. 
A)  is always along the equator. 
B)  is always parallel to the equator. 
C)  always crosses the equator at a right angle. 
D)  can begin almost anywhere on Earth's surface.

Question 4

The north circumpolar constellations

Accepted Answer

A)  do not appear to rotate around Polaris but instead move across the sky in a straight line like the other stars. 
B)  appear to circle Polaris, but only every 24 hours. 
C)  appear to circle Polaris, but only in annual motion, once per year. 
D)  appear to circle Polaris both in daily motion and in annual motion. 
A)  do not appear to rotate around Polaris but instead move across the sky in a straight line like the other stars. 
B)  appear to circle Polaris, but only every 24 hours. 
C)  appear to circle Polaris, but only in annual motion, once per year. 
D)  appear to circle Polaris both in daily motion and in annual motion.

Question 5

The mass of the electron, 0.000,000,000,091 kg, can be written in scientific notation as

Accepted Answer

A)  0.91 × 10-11 kg. 
B)  9.1 × 10-12 kg. 
C)  9.1 × 10-11 kg. 
D)  9.1 × 10-10 kg. 
A)  0.91 × 10-11 kg. 
B)  9.1 × 10-12 kg. 
C)  9.1 × 10-11 kg. 
D)  9.1 × 10-10 kg.

Question 6

At what time of the year will the shadow of a vertical pole (a sundial) at any site in the northern hemisphere be the shortest?

Accepted Answer

A)  noon, December 21, at the beginning of winter 
B)  noon, June 21, at the beginning of summer 
C)  noon, August 5, midsummer 
D)  dawn, June 21, at the beginning of summer 
A)  noon, December 21, at the beginning of winter 
B)  noon, June 21, at the beginning of summer 
C)  noon, August 5, midsummer 
D)  dawn, June 21, at the beginning of summer

Question 7

During any given solar eclipse, an observer will experience total shadow

Accepted Answer

A)  anywhere on the surface of Earth. 
B)  from anywhere on the sunlit hemisphere of Earth. 
C)  only over a region of Earth within +/- 23.5° of Earth's equator, or in the tropics. 
D)  only within a specific narrow strip across Earth's surface. 
A)  anywhere on the surface of Earth. 
B)  from anywhere on the sunlit hemisphere of Earth. 
C)  only over a region of Earth within +/- 23.5° of Earth's equator, or in the tropics. 
D)  only within a specific narrow strip across Earth's surface.

Question 8

Which of these statements about angle is correct?

Accepted Answer

A)  180 arcminutes is one-half of a full circle. 
B)  15 arcminutes is 1 arcsecond. 
C)  15 arcminutes is 1°. 
D)  25 arcminutes is 1°. 
A)  180 arcminutes is one-half of a full circle. 
B)  15 arcminutes is 1 arcsecond. 
C)  15 arcminutes is 1°. 
D)  25 arcminutes is 1°.

Question 9

In angular measurements used in astronomy, the number of degrees in a semicircle is how many times the number of degrees in a right angle?

Accepted Answer

A)  six 
B)  one 
C)  four 
D)  two 
A)  six 
B)  one 
C)  four 
D)  two

Question 10

If Earth lay on its side with its rotation in the plane of the ecliptic but rotated at the same rate it does now,

Accepted Answer

A)  there would be points on the surface that would constantly receive sunlight. 
B)  there would still be equinox positions in Earth's orbit. 
C)  one pole would constantly experience summer while the other experienced perpetual winter. 
D)  there would be permanent ice caps. 
A)  there would be points on the surface that would constantly receive sunlight. 
B)  there would still be equinox positions in Earth's orbit. 
C)  one pole would constantly experience summer while the other experienced perpetual winter. 
D)  there would be permanent ice caps.

Question 11

If an observer sees the Sun rising due east of their position, the date must be the

Accepted Answer

A)  summer solstice. 
B)  autumnal equinox. 
C)  vernal equinox. 
D)  equinox-either one. 
A)  summer solstice. 
B)  autumnal equinox. 
C)  vernal equinox. 
D)  equinox-either one.

Question 12

The vernal equinox is the time of the year when the

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth is at the closest point to the Sun in its elliptical orbit. 
B)  Sun crosses the equatorial plane, or celestial equator, moving northward. 
C)  Sun crosses the equatorial plane, or celestial equator, moving southward. 
D)  Sun crosses the ecliptic plane. 
A)  Earth is at the closest point to the Sun in its elliptical orbit. 
B)  Sun crosses the equatorial plane, or celestial equator, moving northward. 
C)  Sun crosses the equatorial plane, or celestial equator, moving southward. 
D)  Sun crosses the ecliptic plane.

Question 13

What is the cause of an annular eclipse?

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth's position in its orbit is near aphelion, its farthest point from the Sun. 
B)  Earth's position in its orbit is near perihelion, its nearest point to the Sun. 
C)  The Moon's position in its orbit is near apogee, its farthest point from Earth. 
D)  The Moon's position in its orbit is near perigee, its nearest point to Earth. 
A)  Earth's position in its orbit is near aphelion, its farthest point from the Sun. 
B)  Earth's position in its orbit is near perihelion, its nearest point to the Sun. 
C)  The Moon's position in its orbit is near apogee, its farthest point from Earth. 
D)  The Moon's position in its orbit is near perigee, its nearest point to Earth.

Question 14

The declination of the Sun on September 21 compared to that on March 21 is

Accepted Answer

A)  47° greater. 
B)  about the same. 
C)  23.5° less. 
D)  23.5° greater. 
A)  47° greater. 
B)  about the same. 
C)  23.5° less. 
D)  23.5° greater.

Question 15

In a mystery story, the culprit made these statements when describing the murder scene. Which of them was the only true statement?

Accepted Answer

A)  "It was just after midnight, as the new Moon was setting over the western horizon." 
B)  "The time must have been about midnight because the full Moon was just setting in the west." 
C)  "It was about 6 P.M., as the first-quarter Moon was just setting." 
D)  "The full Moon was just rising as the Sun set." 
A)  "It was just after midnight, as the new Moon was setting over the western horizon." 
B)  "The time must have been about midnight because the full Moon was just setting in the west." 
C)  "It was about 6 P.M., as the first-quarter Moon was just setting." 
D)  "The full Moon was just rising as the Sun set."

Question 16

If an observer could see background stars in the daytime, the Sun would

Accepted Answer

A)  appear to move eastward against them at a rate of 15° per day. 
B)  appear to move westward against them at a rate of 1° per day. 
C)  remain stationary against them. 
D)  appear to move eastward against them at a rate of 1° per day. 
A)  appear to move eastward against them at a rate of 15° per day. 
B)  appear to move westward against them at a rate of 1° per day. 
C)  remain stationary against them. 
D)  appear to move eastward against them at a rate of 1° per day.

Question 17

Which way will the "horns," or the sharp ends of the crescent Moon, point in the sky when the Moon is on the western horizon at sunset 3 days later than new Moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  toward the Sun, westward 
B)  The Moon is not crescent-shaped 3 days after new. 
C)  at right angles to the Sun direction, northward 
D)  away from the Sun, eastward 
A)  toward the Sun, westward 
B)  The Moon is not crescent-shaped 3 days after new. 
C)  at right angles to the Sun direction, northward 
D)  away from the Sun, eastward

Question 18

The constellation whose stars are used as pointers to the north celestial pole in the northern hemisphere is

Accepted Answer

A)  Leo the Lion, containing the bright star Regulus. 
B)  Ursa Major, the Big Dipper. 
C)  Ursa Minor the Little Bear, containing the bright star Polaris. 
D)  Bootes the Shepherd, containing the bright star Arcturus. 
A)  Leo the Lion, containing the bright star Regulus. 
B)  Ursa Major, the Big Dipper. 
C)  Ursa Minor the Little Bear, containing the bright star Polaris. 
D)  Bootes the Shepherd, containing the bright star Arcturus.

Question 19

The time that elapses before the Sun returns to the same point in space in the solar system compared to the background stars in the sky is 1

Accepted Answer

A)  solar day. 
B)  Gregorian year. 
C)  tropical year. 
D)  sidereal year. 
A)  solar day. 
B)  Gregorian year. 
C)  tropical year. 
D)  sidereal year.

Question 20

From Earth's North Pole, how long does the Sun remain above the horizon once it first appears at the beginning of spring?

Accepted Answer

A)  less than 1 hour 
B)  just a few minutes 
C)  about 6 months 
D)  exactly 12 hours 
A)  less than 1 hour 
B)  just a few minutes 
C)  about 6 months 
D)  exactly 12 hours

The number 50,000 is written in scientific notation as

The direction of Earth's rotation about its axis is the same as the direction of its revolution about the Sun. How does a solar day compare to a sidereal day on Earth?

An observer can see a total solar eclipse from within a narrow band along Earth's surface. This band

The north circumpolar constellations

The mass of the electron, 0.000,000,000,091 kg, can be written in scientific notation as

At what time of the year will the shadow of a vertical pole (a sundial) at any site in the northern hemisphere be the shortest?

During any given solar eclipse, an observer will experience total shadow

Which of these statements about angle is correct?

In angular measurements used in astronomy, the number of degrees in a semicircle is how many times the number of degrees in a right angle?

If Earth lay on its side with its rotation in the plane of the ecliptic but rotated at the same rate it does now,

If an observer sees the Sun rising due east of their position, the date must be the

The vernal equinox is the time of the year when the

What is the cause of an annular eclipse?

The declination of the Sun on September 21 compared to that on March 21 is

In a mystery story, the culprit made these statements when describing the murder scene. Which of them was the only true statement?

If an observer could see background stars in the daytime, the Sun would

Which way will the "horns," or the sharp ends of the crescent Moon, point in the sky when the Moon is on the western horizon at sunset 3 days later than new Moon?

The constellation whose stars are used as pointers to the north celestial pole in the northern hemisphere is

The time that elapses before the Sun returns to the same point in space in the solar system compared to the background stars in the sky is 1

From Earth's North Pole, how long does the Sun remain above the horizon once it first appears at the beginning of spring?

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

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

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Exam 1: Discovering the Night Sky

The number 50,000 is written in scientific notation as

The direction of Earth's rotation about its axis is the same as the direction of its revolution about the Sun. How does a solar day compare to a sidereal day on Earth?

An observer can see a total solar eclipse from within a narrow band along Earth's surface. This band

The north circumpolar constellations

The mass of the electron, 0.000,000,000,091 kg, can be written in scientific notation as

At what time of the year will the shadow of a vertical pole (a sundial) at any site in the northern hemisphere be the shortest?

During any given solar eclipse, an observer will experience total shadow

Which of these statements about angle is correct?

In angular measurements used in astronomy, the number of degrees in a semicircle is how many times the number of degrees in a right angle?

If Earth lay on its side with its rotation in the plane of the ecliptic but rotated at the same rate it does now,

If an observer sees the Sun rising due east of their position, the date must be the

The vernal equinox is the time of the year when the

What is the cause of an annular eclipse?

The declination of the Sun on September 21 compared to that on March 21 is

In a mystery story, the culprit made these statements when describing the murder scene. Which of them was the only true statement?

If an observer could see background stars in the daytime, the Sun would

Which way will the "horns," or the sharp ends of the crescent Moon, point in the sky when the Moon is on the western horizon at sunset 3 days later than new Moon?

The constellation whose stars are used as pointers to the north celestial pole in the northern hemisphere is

The time that elapses before the Sun returns to the same point in space in the solar system compared to the background stars in the sky is 1

From Earth's North Pole, how long does the Sun remain above the horizon once it first appears at the beginning of spring?

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

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters