Question 1

The center of mass of the solar system is

Accepted Answer

A)  midway between the Sun and Jupiter 
B)  exactly at the center of the Sun 
C)  just outside the orbit of Mercury 
D)  close to but not exactly at the center of the Sun 
A)  midway between the Sun and Jupiter 
B)  exactly at the center of the Sun 
C)  just outside the orbit of Mercury 
D)  close to but not exactly at the center of the Sun

Question 2

Stars only exhibit a Doppler shift if they are moving

Accepted Answer

A)  away from us along the line of sight 
B)  perpendicular to our line of sight 
C)  in a circular motion about us 
D)  toward or away from us along the line of sight 
A)  away from us along the line of sight 
B)  perpendicular to our line of sight 
C)  in a circular motion about us 
D)  toward or away from us along the line of sight

Question 3

What is the simplest way we might detect life on an extrasolar planet?

Accepted Answer

A)  listen for radio signals coming from an advanced civilization on the planet 
B)  wait for aliens from the planet to visit us 
C)  analyze the spectrum of reflected light from the planet 
D)  send an interstellar probe to the planetary system 
A)  listen for radio signals coming from an advanced civilization on the planet 
B)  wait for aliens from the planet to visit us 
C)  analyze the spectrum of reflected light from the planet 
D)  send an interstellar probe to the planetary system

Question 4

B-type stars have lifetimes

Accepted Answer

A)  long enough for advanced life to evolve 
B)  too short for planet formation 
C)  long enough for planets to form but not for life to appear 
D)  long enough for planets to form and for simple life to appear, but not long enough for advanced life to develop 
A)  long enough for advanced life to evolve 
B)  too short for planet formation 
C)  long enough for planets to form but not for life to appear 
D)  long enough for planets to form and for simple life to appear, but not long enough for advanced life to develop

Question 5

Studies of multiplanet exoplanet systems have shown us that other planetary systems can sometimes differ from ours by

Accepted Answer

A)  having their planets packed much closer to each other than our solar system's planets 
B)  exist in binary star systems 
C)  containing planets with much lower masses 
D)  two of these 
A)  having their planets packed much closer to each other than our solar system's planets 
B)  exist in binary star systems 
C)  containing planets with much lower masses 
D)  two of these

Question 6

What is a major limitation in the Doppler method for detecting extrasolar planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  it is better at finding massive planets like Jupiter rather than small planets like the Earth 
B)  it is best suited to finding planets which orbit relatively close to their star 
C)  it requires the use of fairly large telescopes and long exposures which limits the number of star that can be studied 
D)  all of these are major limitations 
A)  it is better at finding massive planets like Jupiter rather than small planets like the Earth 
B)  it is best suited to finding planets which orbit relatively close to their star 
C)  it requires the use of fairly large telescopes and long exposures which limits the number of star that can be studied 
D)  all of these are major limitations

Question 7

All stars on the main sequence

Accepted Answer

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

Question 8

A planet with a density comparable to the Earth but several times more massive is described as a

Accepted Answer

A)  mini-Neptune 
B)  super-Earth 
C)  mega-Earth 
D)  super-Jovian 
A)  mini-Neptune 
B)  super-Earth 
C)  mega-Earth 
D)  super-Jovian

Question 9

The average density of a planet can be obtained from

Accepted Answer

A)  the Doppler method only 
B)  a combination of the Doppler and transit methods 
C)  the transit method only 
D)  a combination of the astrometric and Doppler methods 
A)  the Doppler method only 
B)  a combination of the Doppler and transit methods 
C)  the transit method only 
D)  a combination of the astrometric and Doppler methods

Question 10

The radial velocity curve of a star with an extrasolar planet is a plot of

Accepted Answer

A)  radial velocity against luminosity 
B)  radial velocity against brightness 
C)  radial velocity against distance 
D)  radial velocity against time 
A)  radial velocity against luminosity 
B)  radial velocity against brightness 
C)  radial velocity against distance 
D)  radial velocity against time

Question 11

The wavelengths of radiation from a star that is moving toward 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 12

The Hertzprung-Russell diagram is a plot of

Accepted Answer

A)  radial velocity against distance 
B)  apparent brightness against time 
C)  luminosity against distance 
D)  luminosity against surface temperature 
A)  radial velocity against distance 
B)  apparent brightness against time 
C)  luminosity against distance 
D)  luminosity against surface temperature

Question 13

Which space mission is searching for extrasolar planets using the astrometric method?

Accepted Answer

A)  Kepler 
B)  GAIA 
C)  CoRoT 
D)  Spitzer 
A)  Kepler 
B)  GAIA 
C)  CoRoT 
D)  Spitzer

Question 14

When we measure the mass of a planet using the Doppler shift method, we know that it is mass

Accepted Answer

A)  could well be smaller 
B)  could be larger or smaller 
C)  is exactly as measured 
D)  could well be larger 
A)  could well be smaller 
B)  could be larger or smaller 
C)  is exactly as measured 
D)  could well be larger

Question 15

M-type stars in our galaxy are

Accepted Answer

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

Question 16

What is the minimum possible mass for a star?

Accepted Answer

A)  0.01 solar masses 
B)  0.008 solar masses 
C)  0.1 solar masses 
D)  0.08 solar masses 
A)  0.01 solar masses 
B)  0.008 solar masses 
C)  0.1 solar masses 
D)  0.08 solar masses

Question 17

What is the spectral type of the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)  K9 
B)  G2 
C)  F7 
D)  A2 
A)  K9 
B)  G2 
C)  F7 
D)  A2

Question 18

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

Question 19

Orphan planets will most likely be found using which method used for finding exoplanets?

Accepted Answer

A)  Doppler 
B)  transit 
C)  microlensing 
D)  astrometric 
A)  Doppler 
B)  transit 
C)  microlensing 
D)  astrometric

Question 20

White dwarfs

Accepted Answer

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

The center of mass of the solar system is

Stars only exhibit a Doppler shift if they are moving

What is the simplest way we might detect life on an extrasolar planet?

B-type stars have lifetimes

Studies of multiplanet exoplanet systems have shown us that other planetary systems can sometimes differ from ours by

What is a major limitation in the Doppler method for detecting extrasolar planets?

All stars on the main sequence

A planet with a density comparable to the Earth but several times more massive is described as a

The average density of a planet can be obtained from

The radial velocity curve of a star with an extrasolar planet is a plot of

The wavelengths of radiation from a star that is moving toward us

The Hertzprung-Russell diagram is a plot of

Which space mission is searching for extrasolar planets using the astrometric method?

When we measure the mass of a planet using the Doppler shift method, we know that it is mass

M-type stars in our galaxy are

What is the minimum possible mass for a star?

What is the spectral type of the Sun?

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

Orphan planets will most likely be found using which method used for finding exoplanets?

White dwarfs

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

Exam 11: Extrasolar Planets: Their Nature and Potential Habitability

The center of mass of the solar system is

Stars only exhibit a Doppler shift if they are moving

What is the simplest way we might detect life on an extrasolar planet?

B-type stars have lifetimes

Studies of multiplanet exoplanet systems have shown us that other planetary systems can sometimes differ from ours by

What is a major limitation in the Doppler method for detecting extrasolar planets?

All stars on the main sequence

A planet with a density comparable to the Earth but several times more massive is described as a

The average density of a planet can be obtained from

The radial velocity curve of a star with an extrasolar planet is a plot of

The wavelengths of radiation from a star that is moving toward us

The Hertzprung-Russell diagram is a plot of

Which space mission is searching for extrasolar planets using the astrometric method?

When we measure the mass of a planet using the Doppler shift method, we know that it is mass

M-type stars in our galaxy are

What is the minimum possible mass for a star?

What is the spectral type of the Sun?

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

Orphan planets will most likely be found using which method used for finding exoplanets?

White dwarfs

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