Question 1

Which type of stable planetary orbit would be best in a wide binary system?

Accepted Answer

A)  a large elliptical orbit around both components 
B)  a large circular orbit around both components 
C)  a "figure-of-eight" orbit around both components 
D)  an orbit close to one of the components 
A)  a large elliptical orbit around both components 
B)  a large circular orbit around both components 
C)  a "figure-of-eight" orbit around both components 
D)  an orbit close to one of the components D

Question 2

Life may be less likely around A- and F-type stars because

Accepted Answer

A)  they emit large quantities of ultraviolet radiation 
B)  they experience violent surface activity 
C)  their habitable zones are very narrow 
D)  rocky planets are unlikely to form around them 
A)  they emit large quantities of ultraviolet radiation 
B)  they experience violent surface activity 
C)  their habitable zones are very narrow 
D)  rocky planets are unlikely to form around them A

Question 3

What is the most common class of star in our galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A)  G-type 
B)  O-type 
C)  M-type 
D)  A-type 
A)  G-type 
B)  O-type 
C)  M-type 
D)  A-type C

Question 4

If a star has an extrasolar planet, the amplitude of its radial velocity curve is related to the planet's

Accepted Answer

A)  mass 
B)  orbital shape 
C)  orbital period 
D)  radius 
A)  mass 
B)  orbital shape 
C)  orbital period 
D)  radius

Question 5

The wavelengths of radiation from a star that is moving perpendicular to us

Accepted Answer

A)  can be longer or shorter depending on the distance to the star 
B)  are shorter than if the star were not moving 
C)  are longer than if the star were not moving 
D)  are the same as if the star were not moving 
A)  can be longer or shorter depending on the distance to the star 
B)  are shorter than if the star were not moving 
C)  are longer than if the star were not moving 
D)  are the same as if the star were not moving

Question 6

Which of the following methods describes the transit method for detecting extrasolar planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  regular changes in the positions of the parent stars with respect to more distant stars as they move across the sky 
B)  detection of Doppler shifts in the spectra of the parent stars 
C)  detection of brightness changes in a star as a planet passes in front of it 
D)  detection of reflected starlight 
A)  regular changes in the positions of the parent stars with respect to more distant stars as they move across the sky 
B)  detection of Doppler shifts in the spectra of the parent stars 
C)  detection of brightness changes in a star as a planet passes in front of it 
D)  detection of reflected starlight

Question 7

Compared to young stars, very old stars have

Accepted Answer

A)  exactly the same chemical composition 
B)  a lower proportion of elements heavier than helium 
C)  a higher proportion of elements heavier than helium 
D)  no elements heavier than helium at all 
A)  exactly the same chemical composition 
B)  a lower proportion of elements heavier than helium 
C)  a higher proportion of elements heavier than helium 
D)  no elements heavier than helium at all

Question 8

Which of the following stars is the coolest?

Accepted Answer

A)  B7 
B)  G9 
C)  K7 
D)  K4 
A)  B7 
B)  G9 
C)  K7 
D)  K4

Question 9

For the transit of an extrasolar planet to be observed, the

Accepted Answer

A)  orbital plane of the planet has to be aligned along our line of sight 
B)  planet has to be very large 
C)  orbital plane has to be perpendicular to our line of sight 
D)  parent star has to be very small 
A)  orbital plane of the planet has to be aligned along our line of sight 
B)  planet has to be very large 
C)  orbital plane has to be perpendicular to our line of sight 
D)  parent star has to be very small

Question 10

At the top of the Hertzprung-Russell diagram we find

Accepted Answer

A)  red giant stars 
B)  white dwarfs 
C)  supergiant stars 
D)  main sequence stars 
A)  red giant stars 
B)  white dwarfs 
C)  supergiant stars 
D)  main sequence stars

Question 11

Compared to the planets in our own solar system, exoplanets have

Accepted Answer

A)  a much narrow range of composition 
B)  a much wider range of compositions 
C)  an almost identical range of compositions 
D)  completely different compositions 
A)  a much narrow range of composition 
B)  a much wider range of compositions 
C)  an almost identical range of compositions 
D)  completely different compositions

Question 12

O-type stars in our galaxy are

Accepted Answer

A)  very common, making up about 50% of the total 
B)  fairly common (several percent) 
C)  very rare (less than 1%) 
D)  the most common type of stars in our galaxy (75% or more) 
A)  very common, making up about 50% of the total 
B)  fairly common (several percent) 
C)  very rare (less than 1%) 
D)  the most common type of stars in our galaxy (75% or more)

Question 13

Stars spend most of their lives

Accepted Answer

A)  fusing hydrogen into helium in their cores 
B)  slowly dimming as they die with no fusion occurring in their cores 
C)  as slowly brightening protostars 
D)  fusing helium into carbon in their cores 
A)  fusing hydrogen into helium in their cores 
B)  slowly dimming as they die with no fusion occurring in their cores 
C)  as slowly brightening protostars 
D)  fusing helium into carbon in their cores

Question 14

Which of the following could be a stable planetary orbit in a binary system?

Accepted Answer

A)  a large orbit around both stars in a wide binary system 
B)  an orbit close to one of the stars in a wide binary system 
C)  a "figure-of-eight" orbit about both stars in a close binary system 
D)  an orbit close to one of the stars in a close binary system 
A)  a large orbit around both stars in a wide binary system 
B)  an orbit close to one of the stars in a wide binary system 
C)  a "figure-of-eight" orbit about both stars in a close binary system 
D)  an orbit close to one of the stars in a close binary system

Question 15

Red giants

Accepted Answer

A)  are mature stars that are fusing hydrogen into helium in their cores 
B)  are dead stars 
C)  have exhausted their nuclear fuel and are in the process of dying 
D)  are in the process of forming 
A)  are mature stars that are fusing hydrogen into helium in their cores 
B)  are dead stars 
C)  have exhausted their nuclear fuel and are in the process of dying 
D)  are in the process of forming

Question 16

Why is it better to search for extrasolar planets directly using infrared (IR) rather than visible radiation?

Accepted Answer

A)  the planet doesn't reflect any visible radiation, only IR radiation 
B)  the star doesn't emit any IR radiation because it is too hot 
C)  the visible light from planets will be blocked by interstellar dust along our line of sight while the IR radiation will not 
D)  the planet emits more IR radiation than it reflects in the visible 
A)  the planet doesn't reflect any visible radiation, only IR radiation 
B)  the star doesn't emit any IR radiation because it is too hot 
C)  the visible light from planets will be blocked by interstellar dust along our line of sight while the IR radiation will not 
D)  the planet emits more IR radiation than it reflects in the visible

Question 17

When Mercury or Venus passes in front of the disk of the Sun, we call this

Accepted Answer

A)  an eclipse 
B)  a shadow event 
C)  a transit 
D)  an occultation 
A)  an eclipse 
B)  a shadow event 
C)  a transit 
D)  an occultation

Question 18

High mass stars are much less common than low mass stars because they

Accepted Answer

A)  are born in much smaller numbers 
B)  have much shorter lifetimes 
C)  have much longer lifetimes 
D)  two of these 
A)  are born in much smaller numbers 
B)  have much shorter lifetimes 
C)  have much longer lifetimes 
D)  two of these

Question 19

The habitable zones for stars may be considerably larger if they have planetary systems containing

Accepted Answer

A)  super-Earths with thick hydrogen atmospheres 
B)  Earth-sized planets with thick carbon dioxide atmospheres 
C)  super-Earths with thin hydrogen atmospheres 
D)  Earth-sized planets with thick methane atmospheres 
A)  super-Earths with thick hydrogen atmospheres 
B)  Earth-sized planets with thick carbon dioxide atmospheres 
C)  super-Earths with thin hydrogen atmospheres 
D)  Earth-sized planets with thick methane atmospheres

Question 20

Which of the following extrasolar planets would be the most difficult to detect using the Doppler shift method?

Accepted Answer

A)  a low mass planet far from its parent star 
B)  a massive planet close to its parent star 
C)  a low mass planet close to its parent star 
D)  a massive planet far from its parent star 
A)  a low mass planet far from its parent star 
B)  a massive planet close to its parent star 
C)  a low mass planet close to its parent star 
D)  a massive planet far from its parent star

Which type of stable planetary orbit would be best in a wide binary system?

Life may be less likely around A- and F-type stars because

What is the most common class of star in our galaxy?

If a star has an extrasolar planet, the amplitude of its radial velocity curve is related to the planet's

The wavelengths of radiation from a star that is moving perpendicular to us

Which of the following methods describes the transit method for detecting extrasolar planets?

Compared to young stars, very old stars have

Which of the following stars is the coolest?

For the transit of an extrasolar planet to be observed, the

At the top of the Hertzprung-Russell diagram we find

Compared to the planets in our own solar system, exoplanets have

O-type stars in our galaxy are

Stars spend most of their lives

Which of the following could be a stable planetary orbit in a binary system?

Red giants

Why is it better to search for extrasolar planets directly using infrared (IR) rather than visible radiation?

When Mercury or Venus passes in front of the disk of the Sun, we call this

High mass stars are much less common than low mass stars because they

The habitable zones for stars may be considerably larger if they have planetary systems containing

Which of the following extrasolar planets would be the most difficult to detect using the Doppler shift method?

A Universe of Life

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Universal Context of Life

The Habitability of Earth

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Mars

Life on Jovian Moons

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

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Exam 11: Extrasolar Planets: Their Nature and Potential Habitability

Which type of stable planetary orbit would be best in a wide binary system?

Life may be less likely around A- and F-type stars because

What is the most common class of star in our galaxy?

If a star has an extrasolar planet, the amplitude of its radial velocity curve is related to the planet's

The wavelengths of radiation from a star that is moving perpendicular to us

Which of the following methods describes the transit method for detecting extrasolar planets?

Compared to young stars, very old stars have

Which of the following stars is the coolest?

For the transit of an extrasolar planet to be observed, the

At the top of the Hertzprung-Russell diagram we find

Compared to the planets in our own solar system, exoplanets have

O-type stars in our galaxy are

Stars spend most of their lives

Which of the following could be a stable planetary orbit in a binary system?

Red giants

Why is it better to search for extrasolar planets directly using infrared (IR) rather than visible radiation?

When Mercury or Venus passes in front of the disk of the Sun, we call this

High mass stars are much less common than low mass stars because they

The habitable zones for stars may be considerably larger if they have planetary systems containing

Which of the following extrasolar planets would be the most difficult to detect using the Doppler shift method?

A Universe of Life

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Universal Context of Life

The Habitability of Earth

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Mars

Life on Jovian Moons

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

Filters