Question 1

What is the most important consideration in the "habitable zone" of a planetary system?

Accepted Answer

The distance from its star and

Question 2

Due to the first strong commercial radio stations, our radio presence is now known out toover about 70 light-years.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

As a radio source, the period of "pulsar Earth" is:

Accepted Answer

A) 30 minutes. 
B) 23 hours, 56 minutes. 
C) 24 hours. 
D) 29.5 days. 
E) 365.25 days. 
A) 30 minutes. 
B) 23 hours, 56 minutes. 
C) 24 hours. 
D) 29.5 days. 
E) 365.25 days.

Question 4

The first probe carrying humanity's message to alien civilizations was:

Accepted Answer

A) Sputnik I. 
B) Mariner 4. 
C) Pioneer 10. 
D) Voyager I. 
E) New Horizons. 
A) Sputnik I. 
B) Mariner 4. 
C) Pioneer 10. 
D) Voyager I. 
E) New Horizons.

Question 5

Why do we feel type O and B stars are poor candidates for extraterrestrial life?

Accepted Answer

A) They do not have a habitable Zone. 
B) They don't produce enough yellow light. 
C) Their lifetime is too short. 
D) They don't produce a planetary system. 
E) Their habitable zone lies too close to the star. 
A) They do not have a habitable Zone. 
B) They don't produce enough yellow light. 
C) Their lifetime is too short. 
D) They don't produce a planetary system. 
E) Their habitable zone lies too close to the star.

Question 6

Which of these radio waves would fall in the "water hole"?

Accepted Answer

A) 15,000 cm wavelength 
B) 6.563 cm wavelength 
C) 19 cm wavelength 
D) 150 cm wavelength 
E) 243 cm wavelength 
A) 15,000 cm wavelength 
B) 6.563 cm wavelength 
C) 19 cm wavelength 
D) 150 cm wavelength 
E) 243 cm wavelength

Question 7

How did the Miller-Urey experiment attempt to recreate early conditions on Earth?

Accepted Answer

They combined gasses thought t

Question 8

Considering both longevity and luminosity, which of these stars would be the most likelycandidate for seeking extraterrestrial intelligence?

Accepted Answer

A) Spica, a B3 main sequence star 
B) 61 Cygni, a K2 main sequence star 
C) Sirius B, a white dwarf 
D) Antares, a M3 supergiant 
E) Barnard's star, a M5 dwarf 
A) Spica, a B3 main sequence star 
B) 61 Cygni, a K2 main sequence star 
C) Sirius B, a white dwarf 
D) Antares, a M3 supergiant 
E) Barnard's star, a M5 dwarf

Question 9

Evidence gathered from observations of exoplanets indicates approximately what percentageof stars has planets?

Accepted Answer

A) 0 
B) 1 
C) 10 
D) 100 
E) It is not yet possible to make an estimate. 
A) 0 
B) 1 
C) 10 
D) 100 
E) It is not yet possible to make an estimate.

Question 10

The last step in cosmic evolution is:

Accepted Answer

A) particulate evolution. 
B) stellar evolution. 
C) chemical evolution. 
D) biological evolution. 
E) cultural evolution. 
A) particulate evolution. 
B) stellar evolution. 
C) chemical evolution. 
D) biological evolution. 
E) cultural evolution.

Question 11

In terms of temperature alone, there are ________ terrestrial planets within the widestboundaries of the Sun's zone of habitability.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In terms of temperature alone, there are...

Question 12

The unusual nature of viruses (behaving as living organisms while within them, butbecoming inert while isolated)has caused scientists to consider the possibility that:

Accepted Answer

A) viruses may be considered a kind of life. 
B) the ability to breathe may need to be added to the definition of life. 
C) the ability to evolve or mutate should be added to the definition of life. 
D) the ability to grow should be added to the definition of life. 
E) the definition of life may be more complex than a simple checklist. 
A) viruses may be considered a kind of life. 
B) the ability to breathe may need to be added to the definition of life. 
C) the ability to evolve or mutate should be added to the definition of life. 
D) the ability to grow should be added to the definition of life. 
E) the definition of life may be more complex than a simple checklist.

Question 13

As the average estimated lifetime of a technical civilization increases, then the distancesbetween neighboring civilizations would ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of As the average estimated lifetime of a...

Question 14

If a star system at 30 parsecs distance is found to be broadcasting intelligent radio signals,then their news is already ________ years old.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If a star system at 30 parsecs...

Question 15

Describe the reasoning leading to the idea that the number of technological civilizations in thegalaxy is equal to the average lifetime of a technological civilization.

Accepted Answer

Taking the other factors into account, t

Question 16

What happened to the dinosaurs? How does that enter into the Drake Equation?

Accepted Answer

Much of the life on Earth died

Question 17

Our earliest atmosphere, formed by outgassing, was much poorer in ________ than now.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Our earliest atmosphere, formed by outgassing, was...

Question 18

Why is the hypothesis that life on Earth came from outer space considered plausible?

Accepted Answer

A) because alien DNA is like human DNA 
B) because organic molecules have been found in space 
C) because many meteorites contain complex organic molecules 
D) because Earth has had many collisions in its history 
E) because Earth formed with the Sun from the solar nebula 
A) because alien DNA is like human DNA 
B) because organic molecules have been found in space 
C) because many meteorites contain complex organic molecules 
D) because Earth has had many collisions in its history 
E) because Earth formed with the Sun from the solar nebula

Question 19

According to our definition, we have been a technological civilization for about:

Accepted Answer

A) 1000 years. 
B) 10,000 years. 
C) 100 years. 
D) 10 years. 
E) 500 years. 
A) 1000 years. 
B) 10,000 years. 
C) 100 years. 
D) 10 years. 
E) 500 years.

Question 20

Of the billions of possible combinations of atoms into organic molecules, only about 1500actually occur.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 28: Life in the Universe: Are We Alone

What is the most important consideration in the "habitable zone" of a planetary system?

Due to the first strong commercial radio stations, our radio presence is now known out toover about 70 light-years.

As a radio source, the period of "pulsar Earth" is:

The first probe carrying humanity's message to alien civilizations was:

Why do we feel type O and B stars are poor candidates for extraterrestrial life?

Which of these radio waves would fall in the "water hole"?

How did the Miller-Urey experiment attempt to recreate early conditions on Earth?

Considering both longevity and luminosity, which of these stars would be the most likelycandidate for seeking extraterrestrial intelligence?

Evidence gathered from observations of exoplanets indicates approximately what percentageof stars has planets?

The last step in cosmic evolution is:

In terms of temperature alone, there are ________ terrestrial planets within the widestboundaries of the Sun's zone of habitability.

The unusual nature of viruses (behaving as living organisms while within them, butbecoming inert while isolated)has caused scientists to consider the possibility that:

As the average estimated lifetime of a technical civilization increases, then the distancesbetween neighboring civilizations would ________.

If a star system at 30 parsecs distance is found to be broadcasting intelligent radio signals,then their news is already ________ years old.

Describe the reasoning leading to the idea that the number of technological civilizations in thegalaxy is equal to the average lifetime of a technological civilization.

What happened to the dinosaurs? How does that enter into the Drake Equation?

Our earliest atmosphere, formed by outgassing, was much poorer in ________ than now.

Why is the hypothesis that life on Earth came from outer space considered plausible?

According to our definition, we have been a technological civilization for about:

Of the billions of possible combinations of atoms into organic molecules, only about 1500actually occur.

Charting the Heavens: The Foundations of Astronomy

The Copernican Revolution: The Birth of Modern Science

Radiation: Information From the Cosmos

Spectroscopy: the Inner Workings of Atoms

Telescopes: The Tools of Astronomy

The Solar System: Comparative Planetology and Formation Models

Earth: Our Home in Space

The Moon and Mercury: Scorched and Battered Worlds

Venus: Earths Sister Planet

Mars: a Near Miss for Life

Jupiter: Giant of the Solar System

Saturn: Spectacular Rings and Mysterious Moons

Uranus and Neptune: The Outer Worlds of the Solar System

Solar System Debris: Keys to Our Origin

Exoplanets: Planetary Systems Beyond Our Own

The Sun: Our Parent Star

The Stars: Giants, Dwarfs, and the Main Sequence

The Interstellar Medium: Gas and Dust Among the Stars

Star Formation: a Traumatic Birth

Stellar Evolution: The Life and Death of a Star

Stellar Explosions: Novae, Supernovae, and the Formation of the Elements

Neutron Stars and Black Holes: Strange States of Matter

The Milky Way Galaxy: a Spiral in Space

Galaxies: Building Blocks of the Universe

Galaxies and Dark Matter: The Large-Scale Structure of the Cosmos

Cosmology: The Big Bang and the Fate of the Universe

The Early Universe: Toward the Beginning of Time

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