Question 1

A person orbiting Earth in the space shuttle feels weightless because:

Accepted Answer

A)  two forces are acting on her in opposite directions, so they cancel and produce the same effect as if no force at all were acting. 
B)  her mass is zero in space, and weight requires mass. 
C)  no forces act on her. 
D)  only one force (gravity) acts on her, but gravity also accelerates the Shuttle, so the Shuttle does not push up on her to create the feeling of weight. 
A)  two forces are acting on her in opposite directions, so they cancel and produce the same effect as if no force at all were acting. 
B)  her mass is zero in space, and weight requires mass. 
C)  no forces act on her. 
D)  only one force (gravity) acts on her, but gravity also accelerates the Shuttle, so the Shuttle does not push up on her to create the feeling of weight.

Question 2

The strength of gravity on Mars is about 40% of that on Earth.If you were to visit Mars,what would happen to your mass and weight compared with when you were on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Your weight would be the same, but your mass would be less. 
B)  Your weight and mass would both be less than when you were on Earth. 
C)  Your weight and mass would both be unchanged from when you were on Earth. 
D)  Your mass would be the same, but your weight would be less. 
A)  Your weight would be the same, but your mass would be less. 
B)  Your weight and mass would both be less than when you were on Earth. 
C)  Your weight and mass would both be unchanged from when you were on Earth. 
D)  Your mass would be the same, but your weight would be less.

Question 3

If the line joining a planet to the Sun sweeps out a particular area in one day,then in two days it will sweep out:

Accepted Answer

A)  less than twice the area if the planet is approaching perihelion and more than twice the area if it is leaving perihelion. 
B)  half the area. 
C)  more than twice the area if the planet is approaching perihelion and less than twice the area if it is leaving perihelion. 
D)  exactly twice the area. 
A)  less than twice the area if the planet is approaching perihelion and more than twice the area if it is leaving perihelion. 
B)  half the area. 
C)  more than twice the area if the planet is approaching perihelion and less than twice the area if it is leaving perihelion. 
D)  exactly twice the area.

Question 4

You throw a ball straight up in the air.At its highest point,the ball's:

Accepted Answer

A)  velocity and acceleration are both zero. 
B)  velocity is not zero, but its acceleration is zero. 
C)  acceleration is not zero, but its velocity is zero. 
D)  velocity and acceleration are both non-zero. 
A)  velocity and acceleration are both zero. 
B)  velocity is not zero, but its acceleration is zero. 
C)  acceleration is not zero, but its velocity is zero. 
D)  velocity and acceleration are both non-zero.

Question 5

When choosing among scientific explanations for a phenomenon,all else being equal,the simpler theory is more likely correct.This philosophy is associated with:

Accepted Answer

A)  Pythagoras. 
B)  Aristotle. 
C)  Occam. 
D)  Kepler. 
A)  Pythagoras. 
B)  Aristotle. 
C)  Occam. 
D)  Kepler.

Question 6

An astronomer finds an object at a distance of 5.6 pc from Earth.At this distance,what is the object MOST likely to be?

Accepted Answer

A)  a star in our Galaxy 
B)  an asteroid in our solar system 
C)  an artificial satellite orbiting Earth 
D)  a distant galaxy 
A)  a star in our Galaxy 
B)  an asteroid in our solar system 
C)  an artificial satellite orbiting Earth 
D)  a distant galaxy

Question 7

Greatest elongation in a planetary orbit occurs when the angle from:

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth to the planet and then to the Sun has its greatest possible value. 
B)  the Sun to Earth and then to the planet is 90°. 
C)  Earth to the Sun and then to the planet is 90°. 
D)  the Sun to the planet and then to Earth is 90°. 
A)  Earth to the planet and then to the Sun has its greatest possible value. 
B)  the Sun to Earth and then to the planet is 90°. 
C)  Earth to the Sun and then to the planet is 90°. 
D)  the Sun to the planet and then to Earth is 90°.

Question 8

If Halley's Comet has an elliptical orbit with a semimajor axis of 17.5 AU,approximately how far out into the planetary system does it reach at its farthest point (aphelion)? (Assume that perihelion distance from the Sun is negligible.Be careful-the question needs some thought.)

Accepted Answer

A)  between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus 
B)  between the orbits of Uranus and Neptune 
C)  between the orbits of Neptune and Pluto 
D)  beyond the orbit of Pluto 
A)  between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus 
B)  between the orbits of Uranus and Neptune 
C)  between the orbits of Neptune and Pluto 
D)  beyond the orbit of Pluto

Question 9

Galileo observed Venus to go through a full range of phases.Which other planet should also display a full range of phases when viewed from Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury 
B)  Mars 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  any other planet 
A)  Mercury 
B)  Mars 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  any other planet

Question 10

In which part of the sky does Venus appear at sunset when it is at greatest elongation?

Accepted Answer

A)  due south 
B)  western 
C)  It is not visible because it is on the other side of the Sun. 
D)  eastern 
A)  due south 
B)  western 
C)  It is not visible because it is on the other side of the Sun. 
D)  eastern

Question 11

In an ellipse,the major axis is a distance measured:

Accepted Answer

A)  from focus to focus. 
B)  along the longer diameter, passing through the foci of the ellipse. 
C)  along the shorter diameter. 
D)  along the circumference, between the closest point to and the farthest point from one focus. 
A)  from focus to focus. 
B)  along the longer diameter, passing through the foci of the ellipse. 
C)  along the shorter diameter. 
D)  along the circumference, between the closest point to and the farthest point from one focus.

Question 12

The angular momentum of an object depends ONLY on:

Accepted Answer

A)  the mass of the object and how fast it is spinning. 
B)  the mass of the object, how the mass is distributed, how fast the object is spinning, and how strong a gravitational field the object is in. 
C)  how fast the object is spinning. 
D)  the mass of the object, how the mass is distributed, and how fast the object is spinning. 
A)  the mass of the object and how fast it is spinning. 
B)  the mass of the object, how the mass is distributed, how fast the object is spinning, and how strong a gravitational field the object is in. 
C)  how fast the object is spinning. 
D)  the mass of the object, how the mass is distributed, and how fast the object is spinning.

Question 13

Kepler's first law states that a planet moves around the Sun in a(n):

Accepted Answer

A)  circle, with the Sun at the center. 
B)  elliptical orbit, with the Sun at one focus. 
C)  elliptical orbit, with the Sun on the minor axis of the ellipse. 
D)  elliptical orbit, with the Sun at the center of the ellipse. 
A)  circle, with the Sun at the center. 
B)  elliptical orbit, with the Sun at one focus. 
C)  elliptical orbit, with the Sun on the minor axis of the ellipse. 
D)  elliptical orbit, with the Sun at the center of the ellipse.

Question 14

The effect of the gravitational force only extends as far as:

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth's atmosphere. 
B)  the edge of the solar system. 
C)  the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy. 
D)  the full extent of the universe. 
A)  Earth's atmosphere. 
B)  the edge of the solar system. 
C)  the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy. 
D)  the full extent of the universe.

Question 15

Which of the following objects does NOT experience retrograde motion when viewed from Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mars 
B)  Venus 
C)  the Sun 
D)  Pluto 
A)  Mars 
B)  Venus 
C)  the Sun 
D)  Pluto

Question 16

Which one of the following is NOT part of the scientific method?

Accepted Answer

A)  Make an observation or do an experiment. 
B)  Analyze results. 
C)  Determine consistency with recognized authorities. 
D)  Choose the simplest existing theory. 
A)  Make an observation or do an experiment. 
B)  Analyze results. 
C)  Determine consistency with recognized authorities. 
D)  Choose the simplest existing theory.

Question 17

The major contribution of Tycho Brahe to the development of modern astronomy was:

Accepted Answer

A)  using parallax to prove that Earth moves around the Sun. 
B)  observing the phases of Venus. 
C)  measuring planetary positions very accurately. 
D)  proving that planetary orbits are ellipses. 
A)  using parallax to prove that Earth moves around the Sun. 
B)  observing the phases of Venus. 
C)  measuring planetary positions very accurately. 
D)  proving that planetary orbits are ellipses.

Question 18

The Greek mathematician Ptolemy devised a:

Accepted Answer

A)  sundial. 
B)  geocentric model for the solar system. 
C)  heliocentric model for the solar system. 
D)  method to measure Earth's radius. 
A)  sundial. 
B)  geocentric model for the solar system. 
C)  heliocentric model for the solar system. 
D)  method to measure Earth's radius.

Question 19

Which of the following pairs of forces is an example of an action-reaction pair by Newton's third law?

Accepted Answer

A)  for a dog pulling on its leash, the force of the dog on the leash and the force of the leash on the dog 
B)  for a baseball player sliding into first base, the force of the baseball player on his shoes and the friction force of the ground on his shoes 
C)  for a tugboat pulling a barge, the force of the water on the barge and the force of the barge on the tugboat 
D)  for the solar system, the force of the Sun on Earth and the force of the Sun on Mars 
A)  for a dog pulling on its leash, the force of the dog on the leash and the force of the leash on the dog 
B)  for a baseball player sliding into first base, the force of the baseball player on his shoes and the friction force of the ground on his shoes 
C)  for a tugboat pulling a barge, the force of the water on the barge and the force of the barge on the tugboat 
D)  for the solar system, the force of the Sun on Earth and the force of the Sun on Mars

Question 20

How many forces need to be applied to a body in space to keep it moving with a constant velocity?

Accepted Answer

A)  none 
B)  one force, in a direction opposite to the direction of motion 
C)  two unequal forces 
D)  one force, in the direction of motion 
A)  none 
B)  one force, in a direction opposite to the direction of motion 
C)  two unequal forces 
D)  one force, in the direction of motion

A person orbiting Earth in the space shuttle feels weightless because:

The strength of gravity on Mars is about 40% of that on Earth.If you were to visit Mars,what would happen to your mass and weight compared with when you were on Earth?

If the line joining a planet to the Sun sweeps out a particular area in one day,then in two days it will sweep out:

You throw a ball straight up in the air.At its highest point,the ball's:

When choosing among scientific explanations for a phenomenon,all else being equal,the simpler theory is more likely correct.This philosophy is associated with:

An astronomer finds an object at a distance of 5.6 pc from Earth.At this distance,what is the object MOST likely to be?

Greatest elongation in a planetary orbit occurs when the angle from:

If Halley's Comet has an elliptical orbit with a semimajor axis of 17.5 AU,approximately how far out into the planetary system does it reach at its farthest point (aphelion)? (Assume that perihelion distance from the Sun is negligible.Be careful-the question needs some thought.)

Galileo observed Venus to go through a full range of phases.Which other planet should also display a full range of phases when viewed from Earth?

In which part of the sky does Venus appear at sunset when it is at greatest elongation?

In an ellipse,the major axis is a distance measured:

The angular momentum of an object depends ONLY on:

Kepler's first law states that a planet moves around the Sun in a(n):

The effect of the gravitational force only extends as far as:

Which of the following objects does NOT experience retrograde motion when viewed from Earth?

Which one of the following is NOT part of the scientific method?

The major contribution of Tycho Brahe to the development of modern astronomy was:

The Greek mathematician Ptolemy devised a:

Which of the following pairs of forces is an example of an action-reaction pair by Newton's third law?

How many forces need to be applied to a body in space to keep it moving with a constant velocity?

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

A person orbiting Earth in the space shuttle feels weightless because:

The strength of gravity on Mars is about 40% of that on Earth.If you were to visit Mars,what would happen to your mass and weight compared with when you were on Earth?

If the line joining a planet to the Sun sweeps out a particular area in one day,then in two days it will sweep out:

You throw a ball straight up in the air.At its highest point,the ball's:

When choosing among scientific explanations for a phenomenon,all else being equal,the simpler theory is more likely correct.This philosophy is associated with:

An astronomer finds an object at a distance of 5.6 pc from Earth.At this distance,what is the object MOST likely to be?

Greatest elongation in a planetary orbit occurs when the angle from:

If Halley's Comet has an elliptical orbit with a semimajor axis of 17.5 AU,approximately how far out into the planetary system does it reach at its farthest point (aphelion)? (Assume that perihelion distance from the Sun is negligible.Be careful-the question needs some thought.)

Galileo observed Venus to go through a full range of phases.Which other planet should also display a full range of phases when viewed from Earth?

In which part of the sky does Venus appear at sunset when it is at greatest elongation?

In an ellipse,the major axis is a distance measured:

The angular momentum of an object depends ONLY on:

Kepler's first law states that a planet moves around the Sun in a(n):

The effect of the gravitational force only extends as far as:

Which of the following objects does NOT experience retrograde motion when viewed from Earth?

Which one of the following is NOT part of the scientific method?

The major contribution of Tycho Brahe to the development of modern astronomy was:

The Greek mathematician Ptolemy devised a:

Which of the following pairs of forces is an example of an action-reaction pair by Newton's third law?

How many forces need to be applied to a body in space to keep it moving with a constant velocity?

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