Question 1

Which of the following statements about an asteroid moving in a circular orbit around the Sun is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

A)  An asteroid moving in a circular orbit around the Sun is moving at a constant speed. 
B)  An asteroid moving in a circular orbit around the Sun is moving in a flat plane. 
C)  An asteroid moving in a circular orbit around the Sun is accelerating. 
D)  An asteroid moving in a circular orbit around the Sun is moving at a constant velocity. 
A)  An asteroid moving in a circular orbit around the Sun is moving at a constant speed. 
B)  An asteroid moving in a circular orbit around the Sun is moving in a flat plane. 
C)  An asteroid moving in a circular orbit around the Sun is accelerating. 
D)  An asteroid moving in a circular orbit around the Sun is moving at a constant velocity.

Question 2

A comet is observed to return to the vicinity of the Sun on a long elliptical orbit with a period of 31.7 years.What is the semimajor axis of the orbit?

Accepted Answer

A)  31.7 AU 
B)  178.5 AU 
C)  10 AU 
D)  1000 AU 
A)  31.7 AU 
B)  178.5 AU 
C)  10 AU 
D)  1000 AU

Question 3

When viewed from Earth,which of the following planets shows the GREATEST change in angular size over one planetary orbit?

Accepted Answer

A)  Venus 
B)  Mercury 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Jupiter 
A)  Venus 
B)  Mercury 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Jupiter

Question 4

What was the MOST important contribution of Newton to the development of astronomy?

Accepted Answer

A)  Newton showed that astronomical phenomena can be explained using only basic physics and mathematics. 
B)  Newton showed that planetary orbits are ellipses, with each planet moving fastest when closest to the Sun. 
C)  Newton was the first person to observe the sky through a telescope. 
D)  Newton invented the reflecting telescope. 
A)  Newton showed that astronomical phenomena can be explained using only basic physics and mathematics. 
B)  Newton showed that planetary orbits are ellipses, with each planet moving fastest when closest to the Sun. 
C)  Newton was the first person to observe the sky through a telescope. 
D)  Newton invented the reflecting telescope.

Question 5

A horse is dragging a loaded sled across a field.Which of the following pairs of forces is an action-reaction pair by Newton's third law?

Accepted Answer

A)  the force of the horse on the sled and the force of the ground on the sled 
B)  the force of the horse on the sled and the force of the sled on the horse 
C)  the force of the horse on the sled and the force of the ground on the horse 
D)  the force of the sled on the ground and the force of the horse's hooves on the ground 
A)  the force of the horse on the sled and the force of the ground on the sled 
B)  the force of the horse on the sled and the force of the sled on the horse 
C)  the force of the horse on the sled and the force of the ground on the horse 
D)  the force of the sled on the ground and the force of the horse's hooves on the ground

Question 6

Ptolemy's system of planetary motions,as described in the Almagest,was based on:

Accepted Answer

A)  magnetism. 
B)  gravitation. 
C)  electrical forces. 
D)  no underlying physical theory. 
A)  magnetism. 
B)  gravitation. 
C)  electrical forces. 
D)  no underlying physical theory.

Question 7

Consider the synodic period for Jupiter.Which planet (or planets)will be in the same place in its orbit at the beginning and at the end of one synodic period of Jupiter?

Accepted Answer

A)  neither Jupiter nor Earth 
B)  Earth but not Jupiter 
C)  Jupiter but not Earth 
D)  both Jupiter and Earth 
A)  neither Jupiter nor Earth 
B)  Earth but not Jupiter 
C)  Jupiter but not Earth 
D)  both Jupiter and Earth

Question 8

The Crab Nebula is the result of a supernova explosion of a star that occurred at a distance of about 1.84 kpc from Earth.If people first saw the explosion in a.d.1054,when did the explosion actually occur?

Accepted Answer

A)  about a.d.1048 
B)  786 b.c. 
C)  a.d. 1054, of course 
D)  about 4946 b.c. 
A)  about a.d.1048 
B)  786 b.c. 
C)  a.d. 1054, of course 
D)  about 4946 b.c.

Question 9

To specify an object's velocity completely,we need to specify its:

Accepted Answer

A)  direction of travel. 
B)  speed. 
C)  rate of change of acceleration. 
D)  speed and direction of travel. 
A)  direction of travel. 
B)  speed. 
C)  rate of change of acceleration. 
D)  speed and direction of travel.

Question 10

The person who was an assistant to the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe before becoming famous himself was:

Accepted Answer

A)  Sir Isaac Newton. 
B)  Galileo Galilei. 
C)  Nicolaus Copernicus. 
D)  Johannes Kepler. 
A)  Sir Isaac Newton. 
B)  Galileo Galilei. 
C)  Nicolaus Copernicus. 
D)  Johannes Kepler.

Question 11

Copernicus used the fact that Mars can sometimes be seen high in the sky at midnight to conclude that:

Accepted Answer

A)  the Sun can come between Earth and Mars. 
B)  Earth can come between Mars and the Sun. 
C)  Mars and the Sun can never be on the same side of Earth at the same time. 
D)  Mars can come between Earth and the Sun. 
A)  the Sun can come between Earth and Mars. 
B)  Earth can come between Mars and the Sun. 
C)  Mars and the Sun can never be on the same side of Earth at the same time. 
D)  Mars can come between Earth and the Sun.

Question 12

What did Galileo see when he observed Venus through his telescope?

Accepted Answer

A)  phases like the Moon's 
B)  nothing because Venus is perpetually cloud-covered 
C)  four satellites (moons) orbiting Venus 
D)  a set of rings 
A)  phases like the Moon's 
B)  nothing because Venus is perpetually cloud-covered 
C)  four satellites (moons) orbiting Venus 
D)  a set of rings

Question 13

How did Copernicus know Jupiter's orbit around the Sun was larger than Earth's?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter can always be seen relatively close to the Sun 
B)  He measured Jupiter's orbital period and used Kepler's third law. 
C)  Jupiter was sometimes seen to pass behind the Sun. 
D)  Jupiter can be high in the sky at midnight. 
A)  Jupiter can always be seen relatively close to the Sun 
B)  He measured Jupiter's orbital period and used Kepler's third law. 
C)  Jupiter was sometimes seen to pass behind the Sun. 
D)  Jupiter can be high in the sky at midnight.

Question 14

A perfect circle is an ellipse with an eccentricity of:

Accepted Answer

A)  zero. 
B)  one. 
C)  pi. 
D)  infinity. 
A)  zero. 
B)  one. 
C)  pi. 
D)  infinity.

Question 15

I have a massive purple object in my laboratory.If I were to take it to the Moon,which of its characteristics would be guaranteed to change?

Accepted Answer

A)  weight 
B)  color 
C)  density (mass per unit volume) 
D)  mass 
A)  weight 
B)  color 
C)  density (mass per unit volume) 
D)  mass

Question 16

In science,if new and reliable observations disagree with a particular theory,then the:

Accepted Answer

A)  observations must be discarded. 
B)  theory must be modified. 
C)  observations and the theory should both be retained. 
D)  theory must be discarded. 
A)  observations must be discarded. 
B)  theory must be modified. 
C)  observations and the theory should both be retained. 
D)  theory must be discarded.

Question 17

An object orbiting the Sun in a circle can be said to be:

Accepted Answer

A)  moving at a constant velocity. 
B)  weightless. 
C)  moving under the action of equal and opposite forces. 
D)  always accelerating. 
A)  moving at a constant velocity. 
B)  weightless. 
C)  moving under the action of equal and opposite forces. 
D)  always accelerating.

Question 18

What was the MOST important difference between the development of Isaac Newton's theory of planetary motion and that of Johannes Kepler?

Accepted Answer

A)  Newton developed his theory from basic physical assumptions, whereas Kepler simply adjusted his theory to fit the data. 
B)  Newton lived in England, which is famous for clear skies, whereas Kepler lived on the continent, which is notorious for bad weather. 
C)  Newton based his theory on accurate telescopic observations, whereas Kepler used observations made by eye. 
D)  Newton lived in a freer political climate, whereas Kepler risked house arrest if his theory opposed the Bible or Aristotle. 
A)  Newton developed his theory from basic physical assumptions, whereas Kepler simply adjusted his theory to fit the data. 
B)  Newton lived in England, which is famous for clear skies, whereas Kepler lived on the continent, which is notorious for bad weather. 
C)  Newton based his theory on accurate telescopic observations, whereas Kepler used observations made by eye. 
D)  Newton lived in a freer political climate, whereas Kepler risked house arrest if his theory opposed the Bible or Aristotle.

Question 19

The "new star" observed by Tycho in 1572 was assumed by many to be close to Earth.Why?

Accepted Answer

A)  Most people believed that Tycho had made errors in his parallax measurements. 
B)  They thought they could see clouds moving between Earth and the star. 
C)  Plato and Aristotle had taught that the universe beyond Earth was unchanging. 
D)  The star moved too rapidly to be far away. 
A)  Most people believed that Tycho had made errors in his parallax measurements. 
B)  They thought they could see clouds moving between Earth and the star. 
C)  Plato and Aristotle had taught that the universe beyond Earth was unchanging. 
D)  The star moved too rapidly to be far away.

Question 20

A gravitational force is exerted by a large mass on a small mass a certain distance away.If I increase the separation to three times its original value and then switch the large and small masses,what will happen to the gravitational force?

Accepted Answer

A)  It will remain the same. 
B)  It will increase by a factor of three. 
C)  It will decrease by a factor of three. 
D)  It will decrease by a factor of nine. 
A)  It will remain the same. 
B)  It will increase by a factor of three. 
C)  It will decrease by a factor of three. 
D)  It will decrease by a factor of nine.

Which of the following statements about an asteroid moving in a circular orbit around the Sun is NOT true?

A comet is observed to return to the vicinity of the Sun on a long elliptical orbit with a period of 31.7 years.What is the semimajor axis of the orbit?

When viewed from Earth,which of the following planets shows the GREATEST change in angular size over one planetary orbit?

What was the MOST important contribution of Newton to the development of astronomy?

A horse is dragging a loaded sled across a field.Which of the following pairs of forces is an action-reaction pair by Newton's third law?

Ptolemy's system of planetary motions,as described in the Almagest,was based on:

Consider the synodic period for Jupiter.Which planet (or planets)will be in the same place in its orbit at the beginning and at the end of one synodic period of Jupiter?

The Crab Nebula is the result of a supernova explosion of a star that occurred at a distance of about 1.84 kpc from Earth.If people first saw the explosion in a.d.1054,when did the explosion actually occur?

To specify an object's velocity completely,we need to specify its:

The person who was an assistant to the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe before becoming famous himself was:

Copernicus used the fact that Mars can sometimes be seen high in the sky at midnight to conclude that:

What did Galileo see when he observed Venus through his telescope?

How did Copernicus know Jupiter's orbit around the Sun was larger than Earth's?

A perfect circle is an ellipse with an eccentricity of:

I have a massive purple object in my laboratory.If I were to take it to the Moon,which of its characteristics would be guaranteed to change?

In science,if new and reliable observations disagree with a particular theory,then the:

An object orbiting the Sun in a circle can be said to be:

What was the MOST important difference between the development of Isaac Newton's theory of planetary motion and that of Johannes Kepler?

The "new star" observed by Tycho in 1572 was assumed by many to be close to Earth.Why?

A gravitational force is exerted by a large mass on a small mass a certain distance away.If I increase the separation to three times its original value and then switch the large and small masses,what will happen to the gravitational force?

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

Which of the following statements about an asteroid moving in a circular orbit around the Sun is NOT true?

A comet is observed to return to the vicinity of the Sun on a long elliptical orbit with a period of 31.7 years.What is the semimajor axis of the orbit?

When viewed from Earth,which of the following planets shows the GREATEST change in angular size over one planetary orbit?

What was the MOST important contribution of Newton to the development of astronomy?

A horse is dragging a loaded sled across a field.Which of the following pairs of forces is an action-reaction pair by Newton's third law?

Ptolemy's system of planetary motions,as described in the Almagest,was based on:

Consider the synodic period for Jupiter.Which planet (or planets)will be in the same place in its orbit at the beginning and at the end of one synodic period of Jupiter?

The Crab Nebula is the result of a supernova explosion of a star that occurred at a distance of about 1.84 kpc from Earth.If people first saw the explosion in a.d.1054,when did the explosion actually occur?

To specify an object's velocity completely,we need to specify its:

The person who was an assistant to the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe before becoming famous himself was:

Copernicus used the fact that Mars can sometimes be seen high in the sky at midnight to conclude that:

What did Galileo see when he observed Venus through his telescope?

How did Copernicus know Jupiter's orbit around the Sun was larger than Earth's?

A perfect circle is an ellipse with an eccentricity of:

I have a massive purple object in my laboratory.If I were to take it to the Moon,which of its characteristics would be guaranteed to change?

In science,if new and reliable observations disagree with a particular theory,then the:

An object orbiting the Sun in a circle can be said to be:

What was the MOST important difference between the development of Isaac Newton's theory of planetary motion and that of Johannes Kepler?

The "new star" observed by Tycho in 1572 was assumed by many to be close to Earth.Why?

A gravitational force is exerted by a large mass on a small mass a certain distance away.If I increase the separation to three times its original value and then switch the large and small masses,what will happen to the gravitational force?

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