Question 1

Our galaxy is suspected to be surrounded by a dark halo.What is it about the disk of the galaxy that makes us suspect this?

Accepted Answer

A) It rotates faster than expected in its outer region. 
B) It rotates more slowly than expected in its outer region. 
C) It is only visible during a total eclipse of our Sun. 
D) It is surrounded above, below, and well beyond by the brightly glowing corona. 
A) It rotates faster than expected in its outer region. 
B) It rotates more slowly than expected in its outer region. 
C) It is only visible during a total eclipse of our Sun. 
D) It is surrounded above, below, and well beyond by the brightly glowing corona.

Question 2

Discuss how Harlow Shapley determined the structure of the Milky Way galaxy from his study of globular clusters.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss how Harlow Shapley determined the structure...

Question 3

Population II stars contain more metals than Population I stars.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

The centre of our galaxy is believed to be occupied by the radio source known as ____________________.

Accepted Answer

Sgr A*
Sag

Question 5

What is the best evidence that Sagittarius A* is a black hole at the centre of the Milky Way galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A) Orbits of stars indicate a mass several million times that of the Sun within a very small volume. 
B) Sagittarius A* is a powerful radio source. 
C) No visible light from Sagittarius A* reaches the Earth. 
D) Radio maps of the region around Sagittarius A* show complicated gas structures believed to be related to massive star formation. 
A) Orbits of stars indicate a mass several million times that of the Sun within a very small volume. 
B) Sagittarius A* is a powerful radio source. 
C) No visible light from Sagittarius A* reaches the Earth. 
D) Radio maps of the region around Sagittarius A* show complicated gas structures believed to be related to massive star formation.

Question 6

Which of the following is believed to make up most of the extended galactic halo?

Accepted Answer

A) dark matter 
B) faint brown dwarfs 
C) G, K, and M stars 
D) globular clusters 
A) dark matter 
B) faint brown dwarfs 
C) G, K, and M stars 
D) globular clusters

Question 7

The rotation curve of the galaxy provides evidence for the existence of the ____________________ that extends beyond the halo of the galaxy.

Accepted Answer

extended h

Question 8

The rapid rotation of the outer disk suggests that our galaxy is more massive than previously thought.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

How did Harlow Shapley use the period-luminosity relationship of RR Lyrae variable stars to determine the size of the Milky Way galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A) He found the distances to open clusters found throughout the disk of the galaxy. 
B) He found the distances to individual variables free-floating in the halo of the galaxy. 
C) He determined the proper motion of globular clusters in the outer disk of the galaxy. 
D) He found the distances to globular clusters distributed about the centre of the galaxy. 
A) He found the distances to open clusters found throughout the disk of the galaxy. 
B) He found the distances to individual variables free-floating in the halo of the galaxy. 
C) He determined the proper motion of globular clusters in the outer disk of the galaxy. 
D) He found the distances to globular clusters distributed about the centre of the galaxy.

Question 10

According to the traditional theory,how did the galaxy form?

Accepted Answer

A) from a large cloud of material that broke off a larger galaxy 
B) from the collapse of a large spherical cloud of gas that was rotating very slowly 
C) from material that had been ejected in the violent explosion of a dying galaxy 
D) as a result of mergers between several smaller groups of gas, dust, and stars 
A) from a large cloud of material that broke off a larger galaxy 
B) from the collapse of a large spherical cloud of gas that was rotating very slowly 
C) from material that had been ejected in the violent explosion of a dying galaxy 
D) as a result of mergers between several smaller groups of gas, dust, and stars

Question 11

What are the orbits of population I stars like?

Accepted Answer

A) circular, confined to the disk of the galaxy 
B) very elliptical, confined to the disk of the galaxy 
C) very elliptical, randomly inclined to the disk of the galaxy 
D) circular, randomly inclined to the disk of the galaxy 
A) circular, confined to the disk of the galaxy 
B) very elliptical, confined to the disk of the galaxy 
C) very elliptical, randomly inclined to the disk of the galaxy 
D) circular, randomly inclined to the disk of the galaxy

Question 12

The period-luminosity relationship is primarily used for main sequence stars.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Globular clusters are primarily found in the _________________ component of the galaxy.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Globular clusters are primarily found in the...

Question 14

Why do radio maps of our galaxy show spiral arms?

Accepted Answer

A) The arms have larger Doppler shifts. 
B) The gas in the spiral arms is very hot. 
C) The dust in spiral arms is denser. 
D) The gas in spiral arms is denser. 
A) The arms have larger Doppler shifts. 
B) The gas in the spiral arms is very hot. 
C) The dust in spiral arms is denser. 
D) The gas in spiral arms is denser.

Question 15

Who first calibrated the Cepheid variable stars for use in determining distance?

Accepted Answer

A) Edwin Hubble 
B) Henrietta Leavitt 
C) Carl Sagan 
D) Harlow Shapley 
A) Edwin Hubble 
B) Henrietta Leavitt 
C) Carl Sagan 
D) Harlow Shapley

Question 16

Why does the average chemical composition of stars now forming differ from that of older stars?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why does the average chemical composition of...

Question 17

Which of the following are associated with the spiral arms of a galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A) young, massive stars 
B) nuclear bulges 
C) metal-poor stars 
D) million-solar-mass black holes 
A) young, massive stars 
B) nuclear bulges 
C) metal-poor stars 
D) million-solar-mass black holes

Question 18

If a star with a high speed with respect a typical disk star is found,what other property would you expect it to have?

Accepted Answer

A) young age 
B) high luminosity 
C) low metal content compared to the Sun 
D) high mass 
A) young age 
B) high luminosity 
C) low metal content compared to the Sun 
D) high mass

Question 19

What part of the Milky Way contains mostly old stars and globular clusters?

Accepted Answer

A) the spiral arms 
B) the spherical halo component 
C) the smooth disk component 
D) the nucleus 
A) the spiral arms 
B) the spherical halo component 
C) the smooth disk component 
D) the nucleus

Question 20

Which constellation lies in the direction of the centre of our galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A) Orion 
B) Sagittarius 
C) Ursa Major 
D) Monoceros 
A) Orion 
B) Sagittarius 
C) Ursa Major 
D) Monoceros

Our galaxy is suspected to be surrounded by a dark halo.What is it about the disk of the galaxy that makes us suspect this?

Discuss how Harlow Shapley determined the structure of the Milky Way galaxy from his study of globular clusters.

Population II stars contain more metals than Population I stars.

The centre of our galaxy is believed to be occupied by the radio source known as ____________________.

What is the best evidence that Sagittarius A* is a black hole at the centre of the Milky Way galaxy?

Which of the following is believed to make up most of the extended galactic halo?

The rotation curve of the galaxy provides evidence for the existence of the ____________________ that extends beyond the halo of the galaxy.

The rapid rotation of the outer disk suggests that our galaxy is more massive than previously thought.

How did Harlow Shapley use the period-luminosity relationship of RR Lyrae variable stars to determine the size of the Milky Way galaxy?

According to the traditional theory,how did the galaxy form?

What are the orbits of population I stars like?

The period-luminosity relationship is primarily used for main sequence stars.

Globular clusters are primarily found in the _________________ component of the galaxy.

Why do radio maps of our galaxy show spiral arms?

Who first calibrated the Cepheid variable stars for use in determining distance?

Why does the average chemical composition of stars now forming differ from that of older stars?

Which of the following are associated with the spiral arms of a galaxy?

If a star with a high speed with respect a typical disk star is found,what other property would you expect it to have?

What part of the Milky Way contains mostly old stars and globular clusters?

Which constellation lies in the direction of the centre of our galaxy?

The Scale of the Cosmos

User's Guide to the Sky

The Origin of Modern Astronomy

Astronomical Telescopes and Instruments

Sun Light and Sun Atoms

The Family of Stars

The Structure and Formation of Stars

The Deaths of Stars

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

Exam 9: The Milky Way Galaxy

Our galaxy is suspected to be surrounded by a dark halo.What is it about the disk of the galaxy that makes us suspect this?

Discuss how Harlow Shapley determined the structure of the Milky Way galaxy from his study of globular clusters.

Population II stars contain more metals than Population I stars.

The centre of our galaxy is believed to be occupied by the radio source known as ____________________.

What is the best evidence that Sagittarius A* is a black hole at the centre of the Milky Way galaxy?

Which of the following is believed to make up most of the extended galactic halo?

The rotation curve of the galaxy provides evidence for the existence of the ____________________ that extends beyond the halo of the galaxy.

The rapid rotation of the outer disk suggests that our galaxy is more massive than previously thought.

How did Harlow Shapley use the period-luminosity relationship of RR Lyrae variable stars to determine the size of the Milky Way galaxy?

According to the traditional theory,how did the galaxy form?

What are the orbits of population I stars like?

The period-luminosity relationship is primarily used for main sequence stars.

Globular clusters are primarily found in the _________________ component of the galaxy.

Why do radio maps of our galaxy show spiral arms?

Who first calibrated the Cepheid variable stars for use in determining distance?

Why does the average chemical composition of stars now forming differ from that of older stars?

Which of the following are associated with the spiral arms of a galaxy?

If a star with a high speed with respect a typical disk star is found,what other property would you expect it to have?

What part of the Milky Way contains mostly old stars and globular clusters?

Which constellation lies in the direction of the centre of our galaxy?

The Scale of the Cosmos

User's Guide to the Sky

The Origin of Modern Astronomy

Astronomical Telescopes and Instruments

Sun Light and Sun Atoms

The Family of Stars

The Structure and Formation of Stars

The Deaths of Stars

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