Question 1

Each planet moves along an elliptical path,with the Sun at one focus of the ellipse.What is at the other focus?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Moon 
B)  Vulcan 
C)  the Great Attractor 
D)  nothing 
A)  the Moon 
B)  Vulcan 
C)  the Great Attractor 
D)  nothing

Question 2

The time period between two successive passages of a planet through the position of opposition is:

Accepted Answer

A)  1 year. 
B)  its sidereal period. 
C)  its synodic period. 
D)  its precessional period. 
A)  1 year. 
B)  its sidereal period. 
C)  its synodic period. 
D)  its precessional period.

Question 3

A certain star is found to be 340 ly from Earth.Expressed in parsecs,the distance is approximately:

Accepted Answer

A)  750 pc. 
B)  105 pc. 
C)  0.340 kpc (kiloparsecs). 
D)  1100 pc. 
A)  750 pc. 
B)  105 pc. 
C)  0.340 kpc (kiloparsecs). 
D)  1100 pc.

Question 4

What was Tycho Brahe's conclusion regarding his parallax measurements of the stars?

Accepted Answer

A)  The parallax motion occurred too quickly for Tycho to detect with the equipment available to him at the time. Thus, he concluded that Earth is motionless. 
B)  The parallax motion was too small for Tycho to detect with the equipment available to him at the time. Thus, he concluded that Earth is motionless. 
C)  Tycho was able to measure parallax motion for the stars and thus concluded that the solar system is geocentric. 
D)  Tycho was able to measure parallax motion for the stars and thus concluded that the solar system is heliocentric. 
A)  The parallax motion occurred too quickly for Tycho to detect with the equipment available to him at the time. Thus, he concluded that Earth is motionless. 
B)  The parallax motion was too small for Tycho to detect with the equipment available to him at the time. Thus, he concluded that Earth is motionless. 
C)  Tycho was able to measure parallax motion for the stars and thus concluded that the solar system is geocentric. 
D)  Tycho was able to measure parallax motion for the stars and thus concluded that the solar system is heliocentric.

Question 5

In Ptolemy's geocentric theory of the solar system,what name is given to the large circle (orbit)that carries the planet around Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  the deferent 
B)  the celestial equator 
C)  the ecliptic 
D)  the epicycle 
A)  the deferent 
B)  the celestial equator 
C)  the ecliptic 
D)  the epicycle

Question 6

An inferior planet is farthest from Earth when it is at:

Accepted Answer

A)  superior conjunction. 
B)  opposition. 
C)  inferior conjunction. 
D)  greatest elongation. 
A)  superior conjunction. 
B)  opposition. 
C)  inferior conjunction. 
D)  greatest elongation.

Question 7

If light takes about 8.3 minutes to travel from the Sun to Earth,approximately how much longer would light take to travel from Jupiter to Earth when Jupiter is at conjunction (appearing closest to the Sun in our sky)than when it is at opposition (on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun)? (Assume that light from Jupiter is not blocked by the Sun at conjunction.A diagram might help.)

Accepted Answer

A)  8.3 minutes 
B)  16.6 minutes 
C)  43.2 minutes 
D)  There is insufficient information to answer the question. 
A)  8.3 minutes 
B)  16.6 minutes 
C)  43.2 minutes 
D)  There is insufficient information to answer the question.

Question 8

A scientist observes a new phenomenon that disagrees with his explanation or hypothesis.Following the scientific method,he should:

Accepted Answer

A)  discard the observation as erroneous. 
B)  modify his hypothesis. 
C)  wait until someone develops an adequate explanation before announcing his observation. 
D)  reject those observations that do not agree with the theory. 
A)  discard the observation as erroneous. 
B)  modify his hypothesis. 
C)  wait until someone develops an adequate explanation before announcing his observation. 
D)  reject those observations that do not agree with the theory.

Question 9

The person who developed the first comprehensive model for a heliocentric cosmology was:

Accepted Answer

A)  Kepler. 
B)  Ptolemy. 
C)  Aristarchus. 
D)  Copernicus. 
A)  Kepler. 
B)  Ptolemy. 
C)  Aristarchus. 
D)  Copernicus.

Question 10

How was the planet Neptune discovered?

Accepted Answer

A)  Neptune was discovered by mathematical prediction using Newton's laws. 
B)  Neptune happened to pass close to Jupiter in the sky and was discovered by an astronomer studying Jupiter. 
C)  Neptune was discovered accidentally during a telescopic survey of the sky. 
D)  No one knows-Neptune has been known since ancient times. 
A)  Neptune was discovered by mathematical prediction using Newton's laws. 
B)  Neptune happened to pass close to Jupiter in the sky and was discovered by an astronomer studying Jupiter. 
C)  Neptune was discovered accidentally during a telescopic survey of the sky. 
D)  No one knows-Neptune has been known since ancient times.

Question 11

In the geocentric model for the solar system developed by Ptolemy,to what does the word deferent refer?

Accepted Answer

A)  distance of the center of the epicycle from the center of Earth 
B)  small circle about which a planet moves while the center of the circle moves around Earth 
C)  distance of offset between the center of Earth and the center of a planet's orbit 
D)  large circle (orbit) that carries the planet around Earth while the planet itself is moving in a smaller circle 
A)  distance of the center of the epicycle from the center of Earth 
B)  small circle about which a planet moves while the center of the circle moves around Earth 
C)  distance of offset between the center of Earth and the center of a planet's orbit 
D)  large circle (orbit) that carries the planet around Earth while the planet itself is moving in a smaller circle

Question 12

A light-year is a measure of:

Accepted Answer

A)  angle. 
B)  arc length along an orbit. 
C)  distance. 
D)  time. 
A)  angle. 
B)  arc length along an orbit. 
C)  distance. 
D)  time.

Question 13

The direction of retrograde motion for a planet as seen by an observer on Earth is:

Accepted Answer

A)  west to east relative to the background stars. 
B)  east to west relative to the background stars. 
C)  east to west relative to objects on the person's horizon. 
D)  west to east relative to objects on the person's horizon. 
A)  west to east relative to the background stars. 
B)  east to west relative to the background stars. 
C)  east to west relative to objects on the person's horizon. 
D)  west to east relative to objects on the person's horizon.

Question 14

The intellectual foundation of science is:

Accepted Answer

A)  observation, faith, and acceptance. 
B)  rejection of all observations that disagree with theory. 
C)  logical derivation entirely from fundamental principles. 
D)  observation, logic, and skepticism. 
A)  observation, faith, and acceptance. 
B)  rejection of all observations that disagree with theory. 
C)  logical derivation entirely from fundamental principles. 
D)  observation, logic, and skepticism.

Question 15

If we sent a radio message toward the star nearest to the Sun,and intelligent beings from a planet near the star sent back a reply immediately on receipt of the message,how long after our transmission would we have to wait for a reply?

Accepted Answer

A)  8.6 years 
B)  1 light-year 
C)  1 year 
D)  20,000 years 
A)  8.6 years 
B)  1 light-year 
C)  1 year 
D)  20,000 years

Question 16

What is the name for a theory that describes the overall structure of the universe?

Accepted Answer

A)  field theory 
B)  astrology 
C)  cosmology 
D)  astronomy 
A)  field theory 
B)  astrology 
C)  cosmology 
D)  astronomy

Question 17

When Saturn is closest to Earth,it is at:

Accepted Answer

A)  greatest elongation (about 47° from the Sun). 
B)  opposition. 
C)  conjunction. 
D)  inferior conjunction. 
A)  greatest elongation (about 47° from the Sun). 
B)  opposition. 
C)  conjunction. 
D)  inferior conjunction.

Question 18

If an object has an orbit around the Sun that has an eccentricity of 0.1,then the orbit is:

Accepted Answer

A)  exactly circular. 
B)  a straight line. 
C)  a long, thin ellipse. 
D)  almost circular, but not quite. 
A)  exactly circular. 
B)  a straight line. 
C)  a long, thin ellipse. 
D)  almost circular, but not quite.

Question 19

Suppose two asteroids are located at the same distance from the Sun.One asteroid has twice the mass of the other.According to Newton's law of gravitation (and ignoring all forces except that from the Sun):

Accepted Answer

A)  the more massive asteroid feels half the force that the other does. 
B)  the more massive asteroid feels twice the force that the other does. 
C)  neither feels any force because they are weightless in space. 
D)  both asteroids feel the same force because gravity acts equally on all objects. 
A)  the more massive asteroid feels half the force that the other does. 
B)  the more massive asteroid feels twice the force that the other does. 
C)  neither feels any force because they are weightless in space. 
D)  both asteroids feel the same force because gravity acts equally on all objects.

Question 20

The contribution of Copernicus to the development of astronomy was a mathematical model for a:

Accepted Answer

A)  heliocentric cosmology in which the planets move in circular orbits. 
B)  solar system in which the planets move under the gravitational influence of the Sun. 
C)  heliocentric cosmology in which the planets move in elliptical orbits. 
D)  geocentric cosmology in which the planets move in circular epicycles. 
A)  heliocentric cosmology in which the planets move in circular orbits. 
B)  solar system in which the planets move under the gravitational influence of the Sun. 
C)  heliocentric cosmology in which the planets move in elliptical orbits. 
D)  geocentric cosmology in which the planets move in circular epicycles.

Each planet moves along an elliptical path,with the Sun at one focus of the ellipse.What is at the other focus?

The time period between two successive passages of a planet through the position of opposition is:

A certain star is found to be 340 ly from Earth.Expressed in parsecs,the distance is approximately:

What was Tycho Brahe's conclusion regarding his parallax measurements of the stars?

In Ptolemy's geocentric theory of the solar system,what name is given to the large circle (orbit)that carries the planet around Earth?

An inferior planet is farthest from Earth when it is at:

A scientist observes a new phenomenon that disagrees with his explanation or hypothesis.Following the scientific method,he should:

The person who developed the first comprehensive model for a heliocentric cosmology was:

How was the planet Neptune discovered?

In the geocentric model for the solar system developed by Ptolemy,to what does the word deferent refer?

A light-year is a measure of:

The direction of retrograde motion for a planet as seen by an observer on Earth is:

The intellectual foundation of science is:

If we sent a radio message toward the star nearest to the Sun,and intelligent beings from a planet near the star sent back a reply immediately on receipt of the message,how long after our transmission would we have to wait for a reply?

What is the name for a theory that describes the overall structure of the universe?

When Saturn is closest to Earth,it is at:

If an object has an orbit around the Sun that has an eccentricity of 0.1,then the orbit is:

Suppose two asteroids are located at the same distance from the Sun.One asteroid has twice the mass of the other.According to Newton's law of gravitation (and ignoring all forces except that from the Sun):

The contribution of Copernicus to the development of astronomy was a mathematical model for a:

Discovering the Night Sky

Light and Telescopes

Formation of the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems

Exoplanets

The Terrestrial Planets and Their Moons

The Outer Planets and Their Moons

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of the Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Deaths and Remnants of Stars

The Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters

Exam 2: Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

Each planet moves along an elliptical path,with the Sun at one focus of the ellipse.What is at the other focus?

The time period between two successive passages of a planet through the position of opposition is:

A certain star is found to be 340 ly from Earth.Expressed in parsecs,the distance is approximately:

What was Tycho Brahe's conclusion regarding his parallax measurements of the stars?

In Ptolemy's geocentric theory of the solar system,what name is given to the large circle (orbit)that carries the planet around Earth?

An inferior planet is farthest from Earth when it is at:

A scientist observes a new phenomenon that disagrees with his explanation or hypothesis.Following the scientific method,he should:

The person who developed the first comprehensive model for a heliocentric cosmology was:

How was the planet Neptune discovered?

In the geocentric model for the solar system developed by Ptolemy,to what does the word deferent refer?

A light-year is a measure of:

The direction of retrograde motion for a planet as seen by an observer on Earth is:

The intellectual foundation of science is:

If we sent a radio message toward the star nearest to the Sun,and intelligent beings from a planet near the star sent back a reply immediately on receipt of the message,how long after our transmission would we have to wait for a reply?

What is the name for a theory that describes the overall structure of the universe?

When Saturn is closest to Earth,it is at:

If an object has an orbit around the Sun that has an eccentricity of 0.1,then the orbit is:

Suppose two asteroids are located at the same distance from the Sun.One asteroid has twice the mass of the other.According to Newton's law of gravitation (and ignoring all forces except that from the Sun):

The contribution of Copernicus to the development of astronomy was a mathematical model for a:

Discovering the Night Sky

Light and Telescopes

Formation of the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems

Exoplanets

The Terrestrial Planets and Their Moons

The Outer Planets and Their Moons

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of the Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Deaths and Remnants of Stars

The Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters