Question 1

The MAIN reason for placing a telescope and scientific equipment into an aircraft to carry out infrared astronomy is to:

Accepted Answer

A)  obtain photographs of resolution higher than can be obtained on the ground. 
B)  avoid stray IR radiation from the warm Earth and its occupants. 
C)  avoid the absorption of the IR radiation by water vapor. 
D)  obtain longer observing times on specific sources by moving in the direction of Earth's rotation. 
A)  obtain photographs of resolution higher than can be obtained on the ground. 
B)  avoid stray IR radiation from the warm Earth and its occupants. 
C)  avoid the absorption of the IR radiation by water vapor. 
D)  obtain longer observing times on specific sources by moving in the direction of Earth's rotation.

Question 2

A typical refracting telescope is made up of:

Accepted Answer

A)  a long-focal-length lens at the front and a short-focal-length lens at the rear (next to your eye as you look through the telescope). 
B)  two mirrors, one concave, the other convex. 
C)  a mirror that gathers and focuses the light and a lens next to your eye through which you examine the image. 
D)  a short-focal-length lens at the front and a long-focal-length lens at the rear (next to your eye as you look through the telescope). 
A)  a long-focal-length lens at the front and a short-focal-length lens at the rear (next to your eye as you look through the telescope). 
B)  two mirrors, one concave, the other convex. 
C)  a mirror that gathers and focuses the light and a lens next to your eye through which you examine the image. 
D)  a short-focal-length lens at the front and a long-focal-length lens at the rear (next to your eye as you look through the telescope).

Question 3

Research observatories do NOT use Newtonian reflectors because they:

Accepted Answer

A)  cannot be made large enough for modern astronomical work. 
B)  are inherently lopsided and cannot support heavy research instruments. 
C)  are more sensitive to atmospheric distortions than are refractors. 
D)  require two mirrors, whereas the Cassegrain requires only one. 
A)  cannot be made large enough for modern astronomical work. 
B)  are inherently lopsided and cannot support heavy research instruments. 
C)  are more sensitive to atmospheric distortions than are refractors. 
D)  require two mirrors, whereas the Cassegrain requires only one.

Question 4

In general,doubling the diameter of an optical telescope will:

Accepted Answer

A)  quadruple the light-gathering power and double the angular resolution. 
B)  quadruple the light-gathering power and quadruple the angular resolution. 
C)  double both the light-gathering power and the angular resolution. 
D)  double the light-gathering power and quadruple the angular resolution. 
A)  quadruple the light-gathering power and double the angular resolution. 
B)  quadruple the light-gathering power and quadruple the angular resolution. 
C)  double both the light-gathering power and the angular resolution. 
D)  double the light-gathering power and quadruple the angular resolution.

Question 5

The temperature scale MOST often used by scientists is the:

Accepted Answer

A)  Kelvin scale. 
B)  Richter scale. 
C)  Fahrenheit scale. 
D)  Celsius scale. 
A)  Kelvin scale. 
B)  Richter scale. 
C)  Fahrenheit scale. 
D)  Celsius scale.

Question 6

A scientist reports the detection of an atomic particle known as a cosmic ray that came toward his experiment from outer space at a speed of 4 × 10⁵ km/ s-¹.What conclusion can we draw from this report?

Accepted Answer

A)  He made an error in his experiment because such a speed is considered to be impossible by all previous experiments. 
B)  This "particle" must have been a photon or quantum of electromagnetic radiation of very high energy in order to have been traveling this fast. 
C)  This result is acceptable since atomic particles can travel this fast, whereas larger bodies are limited to 3 × 10⁵ m/s-¹. 
D)  This is an acceptable result for a particle originating from outer space because particle speed from such regions is unlimited. 
A)  He made an error in his experiment because such a speed is considered to be impossible by all previous experiments. 
B)  This "particle" must have been a photon or quantum of electromagnetic radiation of very high energy in order to have been traveling this fast. 
C)  This result is acceptable since atomic particles can travel this fast, whereas larger bodies are limited to 3 × 10⁵ m/s-¹. 
D)  This is an acceptable result for a particle originating from outer space because particle speed from such regions is unlimited.

Question 7

Compared with the direction of the incoming light,in which way does the light leave the eyepiece of a Newtonian telescope?

Accepted Answer

A)  at a variable angle depending on the direction of the source in the sky 
B)  in the same direction 
C)  in the reverse direction, back toward the source 
D)  at right angles 
A)  at a variable angle depending on the direction of the source in the sky 
B)  in the same direction 
C)  in the reverse direction, back toward the source 
D)  at right angles

Question 8

Increasing the exposure time of an image made through a telescope will:

Accepted Answer

A)  brighten the image. 
B)  increase the magnification. 
C)  increase the resolution. 
D)  leave the image unchanged. 
A)  brighten the image. 
B)  increase the magnification. 
C)  increase the resolution. 
D)  leave the image unchanged.

Question 9

How many electrons surround the nucleus of a triply ionized magnesium atom,Mg IV?

Accepted Answer

A)  9 
B)  12 
C)  11 
D)  15 
A)  9 
B)  12 
C)  11 
D)  15

Question 10

The person who discovered the atomic nucleus was the:

Accepted Answer

A)  Swiss mathematician Johann Balmer. 
B)  Danish physicist Niels Bohr. 
C)  New Zealand physicist Sir Ernest Rutherford. 
D)  German optician Joseph von Fraunhofer. 
A)  Swiss mathematician Johann Balmer. 
B)  Danish physicist Niels Bohr. 
C)  New Zealand physicist Sir Ernest Rutherford. 
D)  German optician Joseph von Fraunhofer.

Question 11

A particular photon of ultraviolet (UV)light has a wavelength of 200 nm and a photon of infrared (IR)light has a wavelength of 2000 nm.What is the energy of the UV photon compared with that of the IR photon?

Accepted Answer

A)  The UV photon has 1/10 of the energy of the IR photon. 
B)  The UV photon has 10 times more energy than the IR photon. 
C)  The UV photon has 1/100 of the energy of the IR photon. 
D)  The UV photon has 100 times more energy than the IR photon. 
A)  The UV photon has 1/10 of the energy of the IR photon. 
B)  The UV photon has 10 times more energy than the IR photon. 
C)  The UV photon has 1/100 of the energy of the IR photon. 
D)  The UV photon has 100 times more energy than the IR photon.

Question 12

The element helium was first discovered and identified as a separate element:

Accepted Answer

A)  in natural gas originating underground, from the spectrum emitted from a flame of burning natural gas. 
B)  in rocks containing radioactively decaying elements such as uranium. 
C)  on the Sun, in the spectrum emitted from its upper atmosphere. 
D)  inside meteorites that had come from outer space. 
A)  in natural gas originating underground, from the spectrum emitted from a flame of burning natural gas. 
B)  in rocks containing radioactively decaying elements such as uranium. 
C)  on the Sun, in the spectrum emitted from its upper atmosphere. 
D)  inside meteorites that had come from outer space.

Question 13

Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes:

Accepted Answer

A)  have parabolic mirrors created by spinning liquid glass. 
B)  give only narrow-angle images. 
C)  are compact. 
D)  allow great magnification. 
A)  have parabolic mirrors created by spinning liquid glass. 
B)  give only narrow-angle images. 
C)  are compact. 
D)  allow great magnification.

Question 14

Which of the following statements CORRECTLY describes the refraction of light?

Accepted Answer

A)  A light ray reverses its direction of travel after striking a mirror surface. 
B)  The path of a ray of light bends as the light enters or leaves a dense, transparent medium such as glass or water. 
C)  A ray of light is partially absorbed as it enters the denser material. 
D)  A ray of light spreads out after passing through an opening because of the wave nature of light. 
A)  A light ray reverses its direction of travel after striking a mirror surface. 
B)  The path of a ray of light bends as the light enters or leaves a dense, transparent medium such as glass or water. 
C)  A ray of light is partially absorbed as it enters the denser material. 
D)  A ray of light spreads out after passing through an opening because of the wave nature of light.

Question 15

Which statement about the twinkling of stars and planets is NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

A)  Stars twinkle less when they are farther from the horizon. 
B)  A photographic image of more than a few seconds exposure time will show a twinkling star as a disk. 
C)  Planets twinkle less than stars. 
D)  The twinkling of stars is an inherent phenomenon and cannot be reduced by any observing technique. 
A)  Stars twinkle less when they are farther from the horizon. 
B)  A photographic image of more than a few seconds exposure time will show a twinkling star as a disk. 
C)  Planets twinkle less than stars. 
D)  The twinkling of stars is an inherent phenomenon and cannot be reduced by any observing technique.

Question 16

A discovery useful to telescope makers was made by Isaac Newton,namely that the surface of a liquid spun in a circle assumes the shape of a(n):

Accepted Answer

A)  sphere. 
B)  parabola. 
C)  ellipse. 
D)  hyperbola. 
A)  sphere. 
B)  parabola. 
C)  ellipse. 
D)  hyperbola.

Question 17

The first astronomical radio source,identified by Karl Jansky during measurements of sources of radio noise,was:

Accepted Answer

A)  the center of our Galaxy. 
B)  the Crab Nebula. 
C)  Jupiter. 
D)  the Orion Nebula. 
A)  the center of our Galaxy. 
B)  the Crab Nebula. 
C)  Jupiter. 
D)  the Orion Nebula.

Question 18

Light enters a plane-parallel block of glass from the vacuum of space and leaves again into space through the opposite side (e.g.,in a space-borne instrument).What is the speed of light after it leaves the glass?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is the same speed it was before it entered the glass. 
B)  The exit speed will depend on the thickness of the glass, becoming slower the thicker the glass. 
C)  It is faster than when it entered because it has passed through the dense glass. 
D)  It is slower because it has passed through the glass and been slowed by it. 
A)  It is the same speed it was before it entered the glass. 
B)  The exit speed will depend on the thickness of the glass, becoming slower the thicker the glass. 
C)  It is faster than when it entered because it has passed through the dense glass. 
D)  It is slower because it has passed through the glass and been slowed by it.

Question 19

One advantage of using a Cassegrain telescope is that:

Accepted Answer

A)  larger mirrors can be used with a Cassegrain telescope than with a Newtonian telescope of similar size. 
B)  Cassegrain telescopes use spherical mirrors, which are easier to manufacture than the parabolic mirrors required by other telescopes. 
C)  Cassegrain telescopes have holes cut out of their primary mirrors to make them lighter. 
D)  observing equipment mounted on a Cassegrain telescope is more balanced and stable than if it were mounted on a Newtonian telescope. 
A)  larger mirrors can be used with a Cassegrain telescope than with a Newtonian telescope of similar size. 
B)  Cassegrain telescopes use spherical mirrors, which are easier to manufacture than the parabolic mirrors required by other telescopes. 
C)  Cassegrain telescopes have holes cut out of their primary mirrors to make them lighter. 
D)  observing equipment mounted on a Cassegrain telescope is more balanced and stable than if it were mounted on a Newtonian telescope.

Question 20

The light from a small amount of a particular chemical element,when heated in a flame,is found to consist of a:

Accepted Answer

A)  pattern of narrow, bright emissions at wavelengths that are specific to the element and different for each element. 
B)  continuous spectrum of light from which certain colors are missing or absorbed, as the absorbed colors are different for different elements. 
C)  pattern of narrow, bright emissions at specific wavelengths that are the same for all elements, except the relative intensities of the lines differ for different elements. 
D)  continuous spectrum of light whose peak wavelength is specific to the particular element. 
A)  pattern of narrow, bright emissions at wavelengths that are specific to the element and different for each element. 
B)  continuous spectrum of light from which certain colors are missing or absorbed, as the absorbed colors are different for different elements. 
C)  pattern of narrow, bright emissions at specific wavelengths that are the same for all elements, except the relative intensities of the lines differ for different elements. 
D)  continuous spectrum of light whose peak wavelength is specific to the particular element.

The MAIN reason for placing a telescope and scientific equipment into an aircraft to carry out infrared astronomy is to:

A typical refracting telescope is made up of:

Research observatories do NOT use Newtonian reflectors because they:

In general,doubling the diameter of an optical telescope will:

The temperature scale MOST often used by scientists is the:

A scientist reports the detection of an atomic particle known as a cosmic ray that came toward his experiment from outer space at a speed of 4 × 10⁵ km/ s-¹.What conclusion can we draw from this report?

Compared with the direction of the incoming light,in which way does the light leave the eyepiece of a Newtonian telescope?

Increasing the exposure time of an image made through a telescope will:

How many electrons surround the nucleus of a triply ionized magnesium atom,Mg IV?

The person who discovered the atomic nucleus was the:

A particular photon of ultraviolet (UV)light has a wavelength of 200 nm and a photon of infrared (IR)light has a wavelength of 2000 nm.What is the energy of the UV photon compared with that of the IR photon?

The element helium was first discovered and identified as a separate element:

Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes:

Which of the following statements CORRECTLY describes the refraction of light?

Which statement about the twinkling of stars and planets is NOT correct?

A discovery useful to telescope makers was made by Isaac Newton,namely that the surface of a liquid spun in a circle assumes the shape of a(n):

The first astronomical radio source,identified by Karl Jansky during measurements of sources of radio noise,was:

Light enters a plane-parallel block of glass from the vacuum of space and leaves again into space through the opposite side (e.g.,in a space-borne instrument).What is the speed of light after it leaves the glass?

One advantage of using a Cassegrain telescope is that:

The light from a small amount of a particular chemical element,when heated in a flame,is found to consist of a:

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

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 3: Light and Telescopes

The MAIN reason for placing a telescope and scientific equipment into an aircraft to carry out infrared astronomy is to:

A typical refracting telescope is made up of:

Research observatories do NOT use Newtonian reflectors because they:

In general,doubling the diameter of an optical telescope will:

The temperature scale MOST often used by scientists is the:

A scientist reports the detection of an atomic particle known as a cosmic ray that came toward his experiment from outer space at a speed of 4 × 10⁵ km/ s-¹.What conclusion can we draw from this report?

Compared with the direction of the incoming light,in which way does the light leave the eyepiece of a Newtonian telescope?

Increasing the exposure time of an image made through a telescope will:

How many electrons surround the nucleus of a triply ionized magnesium atom,Mg IV?

The person who discovered the atomic nucleus was the:

A particular photon of ultraviolet (UV)light has a wavelength of 200 nm and a photon of infrared (IR)light has a wavelength of 2000 nm.What is the energy of the UV photon compared with that of the IR photon?

The element helium was first discovered and identified as a separate element:

Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes:

Which of the following statements CORRECTLY describes the refraction of light?

Which statement about the twinkling of stars and planets is NOT correct?

A discovery useful to telescope makers was made by Isaac Newton,namely that the surface of a liquid spun in a circle assumes the shape of a(n):

The first astronomical radio source,identified by Karl Jansky during measurements of sources of radio noise,was:

Light enters a plane-parallel block of glass from the vacuum of space and leaves again into space through the opposite side (e.g.,in a space-borne instrument).What is the speed of light after it leaves the glass?

One advantage of using a Cassegrain telescope is that:

The light from a small amount of a particular chemical element,when heated in a flame,is found to consist of a:

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

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