Question 1

Emission nebulae like M42 occur only near stars that emit large amounts of:

Accepted Answer

A)  visible light. 
B)  microwaves. 
C)  ultraviolet radiation. 
D)  infrared heat. 
E)  X-rays and gamma rays. 
A)  visible light. 
B)  microwaves. 
C)  ultraviolet radiation. 
D)  infrared heat. 
E)  X-rays and gamma rays. C

Question 2

A "fuzzy" dark or light patch in the sky is called a:

Accepted Answer

A)  nebula. 
B)  cloud. 
C)  galaxy. 
D)  comet. 
E)  dust lane. 
A)  nebula. 
B)  cloud. 
C)  galaxy. 
D)  comet. 
E)  dust lane. A

Question 3

Interstellar reddening of starlight occurs because the interstellar dust preferentially ________ the blue light.

Accepted Answer

scatters

Question 4

List the four different ways that molecules can be excited to produce spectra.

Accepted Answer

In addition to becoming excite

Question 5

How do we know that a hot main sequence star (and not some other kind of star)is embedded in a cloud of interstellar gas?

Accepted Answer

Except for white dwarfs,all hot stars ar

Question 6

The density of interstellar dust is very low,yet it still blocks starlight because:

Accepted Answer

A)  it is so cold it absorbs higher energy photons. 
B)  there is 100 times more opaque gas than dust present in the ISM. 
C)  the dust particles are about the same size as the light waves they absorb. 
D)  the dust particles are irregular in shape. 
E)  ice particles reflect all light back toward their stars, not toward us. 
A)  it is so cold it absorbs higher energy photons. 
B)  there is 100 times more opaque gas than dust present in the ISM. 
C)  the dust particles are about the same size as the light waves they absorb. 
D)  the dust particles are irregular in shape. 
E)  ice particles reflect all light back toward their stars, not toward us.

Question 7

When an electron in H changes its spin from the same to the opposite direction as the proton,it:

Accepted Answer

A)  emits an X-ray photon. 
B)  absorbs a radio wave photon. 
C)  emits a radio wave photon. 
D)  absorbs a visible light photon. 
E)  neither emits nor absorbs a photon. 
A)  emits an X-ray photon. 
B)  absorbs a radio wave photon. 
C)  emits a radio wave photon. 
D)  absorbs a visible light photon. 
E)  neither emits nor absorbs a photon.

Question 8

What do "forbidden" lines reveal about interstellar space?

Accepted Answer

A)  The density or pressure of this gas is much lower than can be produced in a laboratory. 
B)  The laws of physics are not the same in space as they are on Earth. 
C)  There are unknown elements in space that do not correspond to elements found on Earth. 
D)  There are molecules found in meteorites and interstellar dust that are not found on Earth. 
E)  All of the above are true. 
A)  The density or pressure of this gas is much lower than can be produced in a laboratory. 
B)  The laws of physics are not the same in space as they are on Earth. 
C)  There are unknown elements in space that do not correspond to elements found on Earth. 
D)  There are molecules found in meteorites and interstellar dust that are not found on Earth. 
E)  All of the above are true.

Question 9

What feature of interstellar dust is inferred by the polarization of starlight?

Accepted Answer

A)  its shape 
B)  its composition 
C)  its location in space 
D)  its presence in molecular clouds 
E)  its presence in dark nebulae 
A)  its shape 
B)  its composition 
C)  its location in space 
D)  its presence in molecular clouds 
E)  its presence in dark nebulae

Question 10

In the Milky Way galaxy,gas and dust are found:

Accepted Answer

A)  in molecular clouds. 
B)  everywhere. 
C)  in neutral hydrogen clouds. 
D)  in dark nebulae. 
E)  in emission nebulae. 
A)  in molecular clouds. 
B)  everywhere. 
C)  in neutral hydrogen clouds. 
D)  in dark nebulae. 
E)  in emission nebulae.

Question 11

The spectra of interstellar gas clouds show that they have the same basic composition as:

Accepted Answer

A)  interstellar dust. 
B)  Earth's atmosphere. 
C)  stars. 
D)  asteroids. 
E)  the Martian polar caps. 
A)  interstellar dust. 
B)  Earth's atmosphere. 
C)  stars. 
D)  asteroids. 
E)  the Martian polar caps.

Question 12

We often find dark nebulae associated with bright H II regions.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Molecular clouds are much warmer than typical interstellar gas clouds.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

The form of electromagnetic radiation least blocked by a dark nebula is ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The form of electromagnetic radiation least blocked...

Question 15

The average temperature of the typical dark dust cloud is about:

Accepted Answer

A)  0 K. 
B)  2.73 K. 
C)  100 K. 
D)  3,000 K. 
E)  6,000 K. 
A)  0 K. 
B)  2.73 K. 
C)  100 K. 
D)  3,000 K. 
E)  6,000 K.

Question 16

Complex molecules in the interstellar medium are found:

Accepted Answer

A)  uniformly throughout the disk of the Galaxy. 
B)  scattered evenly throughout the universe, a product of the Big Bang itself. 
C)  only around the supergiant stars like Betelguese that make their heavy atoms. 
D)  primarily in the dense dust clouds. 
E)  on the surfaces of the coolest class K and M stars only. 
A)  uniformly throughout the disk of the Galaxy. 
B)  scattered evenly throughout the universe, a product of the Big Bang itself. 
C)  only around the supergiant stars like Betelguese that make their heavy atoms. 
D)  primarily in the dense dust clouds. 
E)  on the surfaces of the coolest class K and M stars only.

Question 17

The "Local Bubble" was probably created by a nearby supernova in the distant past.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

The temperature inside an H II region is colder than inside an H I region.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

What color is an H I region?

Accepted Answer

A)  red from ionized hydrogen's alpha transition, such as in the Orion Nebula 
B)  red from reddening due to dust 
C)  colorless; it emits in the radio region 
D)  blue from the scattering of light off the tiny atoms, such as around the Pleiades 
E)  blue from ionized helium's alpha transition, such as the Horsehead Nebula 
A)  red from ionized hydrogen's alpha transition, such as in the Orion Nebula 
B)  red from reddening due to dust 
C)  colorless; it emits in the radio region 
D)  blue from the scattering of light off the tiny atoms, such as around the Pleiades 
E)  blue from ionized helium's alpha transition, such as the Horsehead Nebula

Question 20

H II regions are usually found isolated from other stars or types of nebulae.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 18: The Interstellar Medium: Gas and Dust among the Stars

Emission nebulae like M42 occur only near stars that emit large amounts of:

A "fuzzy" dark or light patch in the sky is called a:

Interstellar reddening of starlight occurs because the interstellar dust preferentially ________ the blue light.

List the four different ways that molecules can be excited to produce spectra.

How do we know that a hot main sequence star (and not some other kind of star)is embedded in a cloud of interstellar gas?

The density of interstellar dust is very low,yet it still blocks starlight because:

When an electron in H changes its spin from the same to the opposite direction as the proton,it:

What do "forbidden" lines reveal about interstellar space?

What feature of interstellar dust is inferred by the polarization of starlight?

In the Milky Way galaxy,gas and dust are found:

The spectra of interstellar gas clouds show that they have the same basic composition as:

We often find dark nebulae associated with bright H II regions.

Molecular clouds are much warmer than typical interstellar gas clouds.

The form of electromagnetic radiation least blocked by a dark nebula is ________.

The average temperature of the typical dark dust cloud is about:

Complex molecules in the interstellar medium are found:

The "Local Bubble" was probably created by a nearby supernova in the distant past.

The temperature inside an H II region is colder than inside an H I region.

What color is an H I region?

H II regions are usually found isolated from other stars or types of nebulae.

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: Earth's 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

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

Life in the Universe: Are We Alone?

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