Question 1

What did Galileo's observations of a complete set of phases of Venus prove?

Accepted Answer

A) that Venus orbited the Sun 
B) that the Earth orbited the Sun 
C) that all of the planets orbited the Sun 
D) that Venus had an atmosphere 
A) that Venus orbited the Sun 
B) that the Earth orbited the Sun 
C) that all of the planets orbited the Sun 
D) that Venus had an atmosphere

Question 2

When Mars is located directly behind the Earth with respect to the Sun in its orbit,we see it at its highest in the sky.At what time of day or night does this happen?

Accepted Answer

A) at sunset 
B) at midnight 
C) at sunrise 
D) at noon 
A) at sunset 
B) at midnight 
C) at sunrise 
D) at noon

Question 3

What is the term for the apparent westward motion of a planet in the sky compared to the background stars (as viewed from the Earth)when observed on successive nights?

Accepted Answer

A) epicycle 
B) retrograde motion 
C) prograde motion 
D) heliocentric motion 
A) epicycle 
B) retrograde motion 
C) prograde motion 
D) heliocentric motion

Question 4

Which of the following objects cannot transit (i.e.pass in front of)the Sun,as seen from Jupiter?

Accepted Answer

A) Mercury 
B) Venus 
C) Mars 
D) Saturn 
A) Mercury 
B) Venus 
C) Mars 
D) Saturn

Question 5

What is the term for a small circle that has its centre located on the circumference of another larger circle?

Accepted Answer

A) equant 
B) deferent 
C) retrograde loop 
D) epicycle 
A) equant 
B) deferent 
C) retrograde loop 
D) epicycle

Question 6

What does the eccentricity of a planet's orbit describe?

Accepted Answer

A) westward motion in the night sky when observed on successive nights 
B) deviation in shape when compared to a circle 
C) tilt with respect to the ecliptic plane 
D) the tilt of the planet's rotational axis with respect to the ecliptic 
A) westward motion in the night sky when observed on successive nights 
B) deviation in shape when compared to a circle 
C) tilt with respect to the ecliptic plane 
D) the tilt of the planet's rotational axis with respect to the ecliptic

Question 7

What are Newton's three laws of motion?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are Newton's three laws of motion?...

Question 8

How did Galileo's observations of moons orbiting Jupiter conflict with the geocentric model of the universe of his time?

Accepted Answer

A) The moons moved in non-circular orbits about Jupiter. 
B) The moons did not appear to orbit the Sun. 
C) The moons did not appear to orbit the Earth. 
D) The moons appeared to be too small, and therefore too far away, to be considered part of the solar system. 
A) The moons moved in non-circular orbits about Jupiter. 
B) The moons did not appear to orbit the Sun. 
C) The moons did not appear to orbit the Earth. 
D) The moons appeared to be too small, and therefore too far away, to be considered part of the solar system.

Question 9

Which of the following planets can be seen in a crescent phase when observed from the Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) Mercury and Venus 
B) Venus and Mars 
C) Mercury 
D) Jupiter and Saturn 
A) Mercury and Venus 
B) Venus and Mars 
C) Mercury 
D) Jupiter and Saturn

Question 10

Imagine a satellite in orbit around the Earth,always at a constant distance from the centre of the Earth.Which of its properties changes?

Accepted Answer

A) velocity 
B) speed 
C) acceleration 
D) mass 
A) velocity 
B) speed 
C) acceleration 
D) mass

Question 11

The neap tides can only occur when the Moon's position is at or near one of its orbital nodes.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Describe the Ptolemaic model of the universe.Draw a diagram of the model,showing the major components of the model for the Earth,the Moon,the Sun,and the five planets visible to the ancient Greeks.

Accepted Answer

The Ptolemaic model of the universe, als

Question 13

What was a common feature of astronomy as practiced worldwide prior to the Greeks?

Accepted Answer

A) recognizing patterns 
B) making hypotheses 
C) defining the 24-hour clock 
D) observing supernovae 
A) recognizing patterns 
B) making hypotheses 
C) defining the 24-hour clock 
D) observing supernovae

Question 14

Classical Greek astronomers believed the motions of the heavens could be described by uniform circular motion.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

A comet is found in a highly elliptical orbit with a semi-major axis equal to one astronomical unit (AU).According to Kepler's third law of planetary motion,what would the sidereal period of this comet be?

Accepted Answer

A) It would be more than one year. 
B) It would be one year. 
C) It would be less than one year. 
D) It would be 76 years; the same for every comet. 
A) It would be more than one year. 
B) It would be one year. 
C) It would be less than one year. 
D) It would be 76 years; the same for every comet.

Question 16

A scientific model can never be exactly correct.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Why were Galileo's telescopic observations of the phases of Venus critical evidence in favour of the Copernican theory?

Accepted Answer

Galileo's telescopic observations of the

What did Galileo's observations of a complete set of phases of Venus prove?

When Mars is located directly behind the Earth with respect to the Sun in its orbit,we see it at its highest in the sky.At what time of day or night does this happen?

What is the term for the apparent westward motion of a planet in the sky compared to the background stars (as viewed from the Earth)when observed on successive nights?

Which of the following objects cannot transit (i.e.pass in front of)the Sun,as seen from Jupiter?

What is the term for a small circle that has its centre located on the circumference of another larger circle?

What does the eccentricity of a planet's orbit describe?

What are Newton's three laws of motion?

How did Galileo's observations of moons orbiting Jupiter conflict with the geocentric model of the universe of his time?

Which of the following planets can be seen in a crescent phase when observed from the Earth?

Imagine a satellite in orbit around the Earth,always at a constant distance from the centre of the Earth.Which of its properties changes?

The neap tides can only occur when the Moon's position is at or near one of its orbital nodes.

Describe the Ptolemaic model of the universe.Draw a diagram of the model,showing the major components of the model for the Earth,the Moon,the Sun,and the five planets visible to the ancient Greeks.

What was a common feature of astronomy as practiced worldwide prior to the Greeks?

Classical Greek astronomers believed the motions of the heavens could be described by uniform circular motion.

A comet is found in a highly elliptical orbit with a semi-major axis equal to one astronomical unit (AU).According to Kepler's third law of planetary motion,what would the sidereal period of this comet be?

A scientific model can never be exactly correct.

Why were Galileo's telescopic observations of the phases of Venus critical evidence in favour of the Copernican theory?

The Scale of the Cosmos

User's Guide to the Sky

Astronomical Telescopes and Instruments

Sun Light and Sun Atoms

The Family of Stars

The Structure and Formation of Stars

The Deaths of Stars

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Cosmology in the 21st Century

The Origin of the Solar System

Comparative Planetology of the Terrestrial Planets

Comparative Planetology of the Jovian Planets

Life on Other Worlds

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Exam 3: The Origin of Modern Astronomy

What did Galileo's observations of a complete set of phases of Venus prove?

When Mars is located directly behind the Earth with respect to the Sun in its orbit,we see it at its highest in the sky.At what time of day or night does this happen?

What is the term for the apparent westward motion of a planet in the sky compared to the background stars (as viewed from the Earth)when observed on successive nights?

Which of the following objects cannot transit (i.e.pass in front of)the Sun,as seen from Jupiter?

What is the term for a small circle that has its centre located on the circumference of another larger circle?

What does the eccentricity of a planet's orbit describe?

What are Newton's three laws of motion?

How did Galileo's observations of moons orbiting Jupiter conflict with the geocentric model of the universe of his time?

Which of the following planets can be seen in a crescent phase when observed from the Earth?

Imagine a satellite in orbit around the Earth,always at a constant distance from the centre of the Earth.Which of its properties changes?

The neap tides can only occur when the Moon's position is at or near one of its orbital nodes.

Describe the Ptolemaic model of the universe.Draw a diagram of the model,showing the major components of the model for the Earth,the Moon,the Sun,and the five planets visible to the ancient Greeks.

What was a common feature of astronomy as practiced worldwide prior to the Greeks?

Classical Greek astronomers believed the motions of the heavens could be described by uniform circular motion.

A comet is found in a highly elliptical orbit with a semi-major axis equal to one astronomical unit (AU).According to Kepler's third law of planetary motion,what would the sidereal period of this comet be?

A scientific model can never be exactly correct.

Why were Galileo's telescopic observations of the phases of Venus critical evidence in favour of the Copernican theory?

The Scale of the Cosmos

User's Guide to the Sky

Astronomical Telescopes and Instruments

Sun Light and Sun Atoms

The Family of Stars

The Structure and Formation of Stars

The Deaths of Stars

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Cosmology in the 21st Century

The Origin of the Solar System

Comparative Planetology of the Terrestrial Planets

Comparative Planetology of the Jovian Planets

Life on Other Worlds

Filters