Question 1

The number 1.5 * 104 can also be written as

Accepted Answer

A)  0.00015 
B)  0.0015 
C)  1,500 
D)  15,000 
E)  150,000 
A)  0.00015 
B)  0.0015 
C)  1,500 
D)  15,000 
E)  150,000 D

Question 2

Before 2014 the supercluster we resided in was called the Virgo Supercluster.Based on a new way of classifying superclusters we are now a member of the Laniakea Supercluster.What is this change an example of?

Accepted Answer

The provisional nature of scientific knowledge.

Question 3

The orbital period of Mercury is 88 days.What is its orbital period in units of seconds?

Accepted Answer

A)  76,000 seconds 
B)  7.6 million seconds 
C)  7.6 billion seconds 
D)  760 billion seconds 
E)  76 million seconds 
A)  76,000 seconds 
B)  7.6 million seconds 
C)  7.6 billion seconds 
D)  760 billion seconds 
E)  76 million seconds B

Question 4

According to the figure below, if you were to specify your address in the universe, listing your membership from the smallest to largest physical structures, it would be

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth, Local Group, Solar System, Andromeda, the universe. 
B)  Earth, Solar System, Local Group, Milky Way, the universe. 
C)  Earth, Solar System, Milky Way, Local Group, Laniakea Supercluster, the universe. 
D)  Earth, Solar System, Milky Way, Laniakea Supercluster, the universe. 
E)  Earth, Laniakea Supercluster, Milky Way, Solar System, the universe. 
A)  Earth, Local Group, Solar System, Andromeda, the universe. 
B)  Earth, Solar System, Local Group, Milky Way, the universe. 
C)  Earth, Solar System, Milky Way, Local Group, Laniakea Supercluster, the universe. 
D)  Earth, Solar System, Milky Way, Laniakea Supercluster, the universe. 
E)  Earth, Laniakea Supercluster, Milky Way, Solar System, the universe.

Question 5

The area of a circle is related to its diameter by the   formula Using algebra to solve for D, we find that

Accepted Answer

A)    
B)    
C)    
D)    
E)    
A)    
B)    
C)    
D)    
E)

Question 6

In the scientific method, a fact is a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  opinion or an idea. 
B)  observation or a measurement. 
C)  type of test. 
D)  opinion backed by an expert. 
E)  rigorously tested theory. 
A)  opinion or an idea. 
B)  observation or a measurement. 
C)  type of test. 
D)  opinion backed by an expert. 
E)  rigorously tested theory.

Question 7

What two pre-Renaissance beliefs are contradicted by the cosmological principle?

Accepted Answer

(1)Earth is at the center of o

Question 8

Scientific notation is used in astronomy primarily because it allows us to

Accepted Answer

A)  write very large and very small numbers in a convenient way. 
B)  talk about science in an easy way. 
C)  change easy calculations into hard calculations. 
D)  change hard calculations into easy calculations. 
E)  explain science to engineers. 
A)  write very large and very small numbers in a convenient way. 
B)  talk about science in an easy way. 
C)  change easy calculations into hard calculations. 
D)  change hard calculations into easy calculations. 
E)  explain science to engineers.

Question 9

Light from the Andromeda Galaxy that is just reaching us first left Andromeda when

Accepted Answer

A)  the woolly mammoth last walked the Earth. 
B)  humans began exploring the skies with telescopes. 
C)  Homo erectus first walked the Earth. 
D)  the Solar System formed. 
E)  the universe began. 
A)  the woolly mammoth last walked the Earth. 
B)  humans began exploring the skies with telescopes. 
C)  Homo erectus first walked the Earth. 
D)  the Solar System formed. 
E)  the universe began.

Question 10

A ________ becomes a ________ when repeated testing of its predictions does not disprove it.

Accepted Answer

A)  hypothesis; scientific method 
B)  theory; scientific revolution 
C)  phenomenon; theory 
D)  hypothesis; theory 
E)  law; theory 
A)  hypothesis; scientific method 
B)  theory; scientific revolution 
C)  phenomenon; theory 
D)  hypothesis; theory 
E)  law; theory

Question 11

A scientific principle is

Accepted Answer

A)  a scientific law. 
B)  a detailed description in terms of known physical laws or theories. 
C)  a general idea or sense about the universe. 
D)  an easily testable statement. 
E)  the next step beyond a scientific theory. 
A)  a scientific law. 
B)  a detailed description in terms of known physical laws or theories. 
C)  a general idea or sense about the universe. 
D)  an easily testable statement. 
E)  the next step beyond a scientific theory.

Question 12

The majority of the energy in our universe is

Accepted Answer

A)  radiated by stars from the nuclear fusion going on in their cores. 
B)  the kinetic energy found in the collisions of galaxies. 
C)  the gravitational potential energy of superclusters. 
D)  emitted in radioactive decays of unstable elements. 
E)  made up of dark energy that permeates space. 
A)  radiated by stars from the nuclear fusion going on in their cores. 
B)  the kinetic energy found in the collisions of galaxies. 
C)  the gravitational potential energy of superclusters. 
D)  emitted in radioactive decays of unstable elements. 
E)  made up of dark energy that permeates space.

Question 13

A light-hour is a measure of

Accepted Answer

A)  time. 
B)  distance. 
C)  energy. 
D)  speed. 
E)  acceleration. 
A)  time. 
B)  distance. 
C)  energy. 
D)  speed. 
E)  acceleration.

Question 14

A hypothesis may become a theory

Accepted Answer

A)  automatically, as the terms mean the same thing. 
B)  if a majority of scientists agree on its propositions. 
C)  after it has been logically proved. 
D)  if it makes at least one verifiable prediction. 
E)  after many repeated attempts to falsify it fail. 
A)  automatically, as the terms mean the same thing. 
B)  if a majority of scientists agree on its propositions. 
C)  after it has been logically proved. 
D)  if it makes at least one verifiable prediction. 
E)  after many repeated attempts to falsify it fail.

Question 15

The study of whether or not life exists elsewhere in the Solar System and beyond is called

Accepted Answer

A)  origins. 
B)  biochemistry. 
C)  cosmology. 
D)  astrobiology. 
E)  exoplanetology. 
A)  origins. 
B)  biochemistry. 
C)  cosmology. 
D)  astrobiology. 
E)  exoplanetology.

Question 16

Using the method of comparing times to get a handle on the large distances in astronomy, compare the size of Earth to the size of the visible universe.Start by making the size of Earth comparable to a snap of your fingers, which lasts about 1/7 second.Show your computation.

Accepted Answer

If the size of Earth is like a snap of y

Question 17

If you have a stuffy nose, a fever, chills, and body aches and a doctor treats you for the flu rather than four separate diseases that account for each of your symptoms, this is an application of

Accepted Answer

A)  Newton's hypothesis. 
B)  Occam's razor. 
C)  Aristotle's test. 
D)  Einstein's relativity. 
E)  the Copernican principle. 
A)  Newton's hypothesis. 
B)  Occam's razor. 
C)  Aristotle's test. 
D)  Einstein's relativity. 
E)  the Copernican principle.

Question 18

The Sun is a

Accepted Answer

A)  supercluster. 
B)  moon. 
C)  galaxy. 
D)  star. 
E)  planet. 
A)  supercluster. 
B)  moon. 
C)  galaxy. 
D)  star. 
E)  planet.

Question 19

The language of patterns, and therefore of science, is

Accepted Answer

A)  Greek. 
B)  mathematics. 
C)  calculus. 
D)  Java. 
E)  Latin. 
A)  Greek. 
B)  mathematics. 
C)  calculus. 
D)  Java. 
E)  Latin.

Question 20

The figure below measures distances in the amount of time it takes light to travel.If the circumference of Earth is a snap of your fingers (1/7 second), the diameter of the Solar System is approximately equal to

Accepted Answer

A)  the length of a quick lunch. 
B)  the time to turn a page in a book. 
C)  the length of the workday. 
D)  the time you spent in high school. 
E)  a human lifetime. 
A)  the length of a quick lunch. 
B)  the time to turn a page in a book. 
C)  the length of the workday. 
D)  the time you spent in high school. 
E)  a human lifetime.

Exam 1: Thinking Like an Astronomer

The number 1.5 * 104 can also be written as

Before 2014 the supercluster we resided in was called the Virgo Supercluster.Based on a new way of classifying superclusters we are now a member of the Laniakea Supercluster.What is this change an example of?

The orbital period of Mercury is 88 days.What is its orbital period in units of seconds?

According to the figure below, if you were to specify your address in the universe, listing your membership from the smallest to largest physical structures, it would be

The area of a circle is related to its diameter by the formula Using algebra to solve for D, we find that

In the scientific method, a fact is a(n)

What two pre-Renaissance beliefs are contradicted by the cosmological principle?

Scientific notation is used in astronomy primarily because it allows us to

Light from the Andromeda Galaxy that is just reaching us first left Andromeda when

A ________ becomes a ________ when repeated testing of its predictions does not disprove it.

A scientific principle is

The majority of the energy in our universe is

A light-hour is a measure of

A hypothesis may become a theory

The study of whether or not life exists elsewhere in the Solar System and beyond is called

Using the method of comparing times to get a handle on the large distances in astronomy, compare the size of Earth to the size of the visible universe.Start by making the size of Earth comparable to a snap of your fingers, which lasts about 1/7 second.Show your computation.

If you have a stuffy nose, a fever, chills, and body aches and a doctor treats you for the flu rather than four separate diseases that account for each of your symptoms, this is an application of

The Sun is a

The language of patterns, and therefore of science, is

The figure below measures distances in the amount of time it takes light to travel.If the circumference of Earth is a snap of your fingers (1/7 second), the diameter of the Solar System is approximately equal to

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth and the Moon

Motion of Astronomical Bodies

Gravity and Orbits

Light

The Tools of the Astronomer

The Formation of Planetary Systems

The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

Worlds of Gas and Liquidthe Giant Planets

Planetary Moons and Rings

Dwarf Planets and Small Solar System Bodies

Taking the Measure of Stars

Our Starthe Sun

The Interstellar Medium and Star Formation

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

Relativity and Black Holes

Galaxies

The Milky Waya Normal Spiral Galaxy

The Expanding Universe

Cosmology

Large-Scale Structure in the Universe

Life

Filters

The number 1.5 * 10⁴ can also be written as

A becomes a when repeated testing of its predictions does not disprove it.