Question 1

How is the "Fermi Paradox" normally stated?

Accepted Answer

A)  Why are we here? 
B)  Who are we? 
C)  Where are we? 
D)  Where is everybody? 
A)  Why are we here? 
B)  Who are we? 
C)  Where are we? 
D)  Where is everybody?

Question 2

You are traveling in a space ship at half the speed of light (0.5c) directly toward an oncoming photon traveling at the speed of light (c). At what speed would you see the photon coming toward you?

Accepted Answer

A)  c 
B)  0.25c 
C)  1.5c 
D)  0.5c 
A)  c 
B)  0.25c 
C)  1.5c 
D)  0.5c

Question 3

If we could observe a spacecraft actually traveling past us at the speed of light, we would measure its mass to be

Accepted Answer

A)  zero 
B)  slightly greater 
C)  infinite 
D)  the same as at rest 
A)  zero 
B)  slightly greater 
C)  infinite 
D)  the same as at rest

Question 4

The cosmic speed limit, the speed of light is established by

Accepted Answer

A)  Newton's Laws of Motion 
B)  Einstein's General Theory of Relativity 
C)  Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity 
D)  Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion 
A)  Newton's Laws of Motion 
B)  Einstein's General Theory of Relativity 
C)  Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity 
D)  Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion

Question 5

Consider a spacecraft that travels round-trip to the zeta reticuli star system (distance 39.5 light-years) at 99% of the speed of light. If the round-trip travel time as measured from Earth is 79.8 years, how much time would pass for passengers on the spacecraft?

Accepted Answer

A)  39.9 years 
B)  79.8 years 
C)  22.6 years 
D)  11.3 years 
A)  39.9 years 
B)  79.8 years 
C)  22.6 years 
D)  11.3 years

Question 6

Von Neumann machines are hypothetical

Accepted Answer

A)  self-replicating probes sent out to explore the galaxy by an advanced civilization 
B)  devices capable of creating wormholes 
C)  devices capable of time travel 
D)  spacecraft capable of traveling faster than the speed of light 
A)  self-replicating probes sent out to explore the galaxy by an advanced civilization 
B)  devices capable of creating wormholes 
C)  devices capable of time travel 
D)  spacecraft capable of traveling faster than the speed of light

Question 7

The 100 Year Starship initiative aims to devise a plan for sending a crewed spacecraft to a nearby star

Accepted Answer

A)  at a cost of less than a 100 billion US dollars 
B)  with a travel time of one century or less 
C)  within the next century 
D)  a hundred light years distant 
A)  at a cost of less than a 100 billion US dollars 
B)  with a travel time of one century or less 
C)  within the next century 
D)  a hundred light years distant

Question 8

It is very likely that the general theory of relativity will need to be refined because it is currently incompatible with

Accepted Answer

A)  electromagnetism 
B)  quantum mechanics 
C)  Newtonian gravity 
D)  all of these 
A)  electromagnetism 
B)  quantum mechanics 
C)  Newtonian gravity 
D)  all of these

Question 9

Which of the following is not a conventional spacecraft design?

Accepted Answer

A)  a matter-antimatter rocket 
B)  a chemical rocket 
C)  a solar sail 
D)  a nuclear rocket 
A)  a matter-antimatter rocket 
B)  a chemical rocket 
C)  a solar sail 
D)  a nuclear rocket

Question 10

Based on human history, the likelihood that we will eventually colonize other habitable planets in our galaxy is

Accepted Answer

A)  impossible to predict 
B)  high 
C)  zero 
D)  low 
A)  impossible to predict 
B)  high 
C)  zero 
D)  low

Question 11

The ultimate speed of a solar-sail-propelled spacecraft is limited by the

Accepted Answer

A)  low energy photons that the Sun produces 
B)  gravitational force of the Sun 
C)  fact that the intensity of sunlight falls off rapidly with distance 
D)  mass of the spacecraft 
A)  low energy photons that the Sun produces 
B)  gravitational force of the Sun 
C)  fact that the intensity of sunlight falls off rapidly with distance 
D)  mass of the spacecraft

Question 12

The rocket equation describes how a vehicle's final speed depends on

Accepted Answer

A)  its mass 
B)  the propellant's velocity 
C)  the type of the fuel used 
D)  its aerodynamic shape 
A)  its mass 
B)  the propellant's velocity 
C)  the type of the fuel used 
D)  its aerodynamic shape

Question 13

Which of the following is a difficulty associated with interstellar travel?

Accepted Answer

A)  all three are difficulties 
B)  the speed of light being the fastest possible speed we can travel 
C)  the enormous amount of energy required to accelerate any ship to high speed 
D)  the huge distances between the stars 
A)  all three are difficulties 
B)  the speed of light being the fastest possible speed we can travel 
C)  the enormous amount of energy required to accelerate any ship to high speed 
D)  the huge distances between the stars

Question 14

Who started launching liquid-filled rockets in the United States in 1926?

Accepted Answer

A)  Robert Goddard 
B)  Konstantin Tsiolkovsky 
C)  Hermann Oberth 
D)  Wernher von Braun 
A)  Robert Goddard 
B)  Konstantin Tsiolkovsky 
C)  Hermann Oberth 
D)  Wernher von Braun

Question 15

Nuclear fusion is the process by which

Accepted Answer

A)  electrons are rearranged inside an atom, releasing energy 
B)  a number of smaller nuclei combine to form a larger nucleus with the release of energy 
C)  an electron is ejected from the nucleus of an atom, releasing energy 
D)  large nuclei break up into smaller nuclei with the release of energy 
A)  electrons are rearranged inside an atom, releasing energy 
B)  a number of smaller nuclei combine to form a larger nucleus with the release of energy 
C)  an electron is ejected from the nucleus of an atom, releasing energy 
D)  large nuclei break up into smaller nuclei with the release of energy

Question 16

In Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, higher dimensions beyond the three that we can comprehend are called

Accepted Answer

A)  hidden space 
B)  hyperspace 
C)  excited space 
D)  extra space 
A)  hidden space 
B)  hyperspace 
C)  excited space 
D)  extra space

Question 17

Chemical rockets work on which basic physical principle?

Accepted Answer

A)  Kepler's first law of planetary motion 
B)  Einstein's special theory of relativity 
C)  Newton's third law of motion 
D)  the law of conservation of energy 
A)  Kepler's first law of planetary motion 
B)  Einstein's special theory of relativity 
C)  Newton's third law of motion 
D)  the law of conservation of energy

Question 18

Relativity predicts that everything in the universe is relative

Accepted Answer

A)  except the laws of nature, which are absolutes 
B)  except the speed of light, which is an absolute 
C)  ast here are no absolutes 
D)  except the laws of nature and the speed of light, which are absolutes 
A)  except the laws of nature, which are absolutes 
B)  except the speed of light, which is an absolute 
C)  ast here are no absolutes 
D)  except the laws of nature and the speed of light, which are absolutes

Question 19

What mass ratio is required to launch a rocket from the surface of Mars (escape velocity = 5.0 km/s) if its engines produce an exhaust velocity of 3.0 km/s?

Accepted Answer

A)  1.8 
B)  5.3 
C)  6.9 
D)  7.4 
A)  1.8 
B)  5.3 
C)  6.9 
D)  7.4

Question 20

The idea that other civilizations are aware of our existence but have deliberately chosen to hide from us is referred to as the

Accepted Answer

A)  zoo hypothesis 
B)  conspiracy hypothesis 
C)  sentinel hypothesis 
D)  UFO hypothesis 
A)  zoo hypothesis 
B)  conspiracy hypothesis 
C)  sentinel hypothesis 
D)  UFO hypothesis

How is the "Fermi Paradox" normally stated?

You are traveling in a space ship at half the speed of light (0.5c) directly toward an oncoming photon traveling at the speed of light (c). At what speed would you see the photon coming toward you?

If we could observe a spacecraft actually traveling past us at the speed of light, we would measure its mass to be

The cosmic speed limit, the speed of light is established by

Consider a spacecraft that travels round-trip to the zeta reticuli star system (distance 39.5 light-years) at 99% of the speed of light. If the round-trip travel time as measured from Earth is 79.8 years, how much time would pass for passengers on the spacecraft?

Von Neumann machines are hypothetical

The 100 Year Starship initiative aims to devise a plan for sending a crewed spacecraft to a nearby star

It is very likely that the general theory of relativity will need to be refined because it is currently incompatible with

Which of the following is not a conventional spacecraft design?

Based on human history, the likelihood that we will eventually colonize other habitable planets in our galaxy is

The ultimate speed of a solar-sail-propelled spacecraft is limited by the

The rocket equation describes how a vehicle's final speed depends on

Which of the following is a difficulty associated with interstellar travel?

Who started launching liquid-filled rockets in the United States in 1926?

Nuclear fusion is the process by which

In Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, higher dimensions beyond the three that we can comprehend are called

Chemical rockets work on which basic physical principle?

Relativity predicts that everything in the universe is relative

What mass ratio is required to launch a rocket from the surface of Mars (escape velocity = 5.0 km/s) if its engines produce an exhaust velocity of 3.0 km/s?

The idea that other civilizations are aware of our existence but have deliberately chosen to hide from us is referred to as the

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

Extrasolar Planets: Their Nature and Potential Habitability

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

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Exam 13: Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

How is the "Fermi Paradox" normally stated?

You are traveling in a space ship at half the speed of light (0.5c) directly toward an oncoming photon traveling at the speed of light (c). At what speed would you see the photon coming toward you?

If we could observe a spacecraft actually traveling past us at the speed of light, we would measure its mass to be

The cosmic speed limit, the speed of light is established by

Consider a spacecraft that travels round-trip to the zeta reticuli star system (distance 39.5 light-years) at 99% of the speed of light. If the round-trip travel time as measured from Earth is 79.8 years, how much time would pass for passengers on the spacecraft?

Von Neumann machines are hypothetical

The 100 Year Starship initiative aims to devise a plan for sending a crewed spacecraft to a nearby star

It is very likely that the general theory of relativity will need to be refined because it is currently incompatible with

Which of the following is not a conventional spacecraft design?

Based on human history, the likelihood that we will eventually colonize other habitable planets in our galaxy is

The ultimate speed of a solar-sail-propelled spacecraft is limited by the

The rocket equation describes how a vehicle's final speed depends on

Which of the following is a difficulty associated with interstellar travel?

Who started launching liquid-filled rockets in the United States in 1926?

Nuclear fusion is the process by which

In Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, higher dimensions beyond the three that we can comprehend are called

Chemical rockets work on which basic physical principle?

Relativity predicts that everything in the universe is relative

What mass ratio is required to launch a rocket from the surface of Mars (escape velocity = 5.0 km/s) if its engines produce an exhaust velocity of 3.0 km/s?

The idea that other civilizations are aware of our existence but have deliberately chosen to hide from us is referred to as the

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

Extrasolar Planets: Their Nature and Potential Habitability

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Filters