Question 1

A spectrograph is a scientific instrument that:

Accepted Answer

A)  measures the effectiveness of the specular reflection of mirrors. 
B)  spreads out light from a source into its component colors, or spectrum. 
C)  measures the transparency of different types of glass at different colors by using glass prisms. 
D)  focuses all the colors of light from a star at one point so that the total intensity of the star can be measured, for photometry. 
A)  measures the effectiveness of the specular reflection of mirrors. 
B)  spreads out light from a source into its component colors, or spectrum. 
C)  measures the transparency of different types of glass at different colors by using glass prisms. 
D)  focuses all the colors of light from a star at one point so that the total intensity of the star can be measured, for photometry.

Question 2

The wavelength of infrared radiation is longer than the wavelength of visible light and is usually measured in units of micrometers.1 micrometer (µm)is:

Accepted Answer

A)  10-⁶ m. 
B)  10-³ m. 
C)  10⁶ m. 
D)  10-⁹ m. 
A)  10-⁶ m. 
B)  10-³ m. 
C)  10⁶ m. 
D)  10-⁹ m.

Question 3

The first person to detect and identify radio emissions coming from deep space was:

Accepted Answer

A)  Thomas Edison. 
B)  Galileo. 
C)  Arno Penzias. 
D)  Karl Jansky. 
A)  Thomas Edison. 
B)  Galileo. 
C)  Arno Penzias. 
D)  Karl Jansky.

Question 4

The IRAS satellite,placed in orbit in 1983 to survey the whole sky,detected which kind of electromagnetic radiation?

Accepted Answer

A)  infrared 
B)  X-ray 
C)  ultraviolet 
D)  visible light 
A)  infrared 
B)  X-ray 
C)  ultraviolet 
D)  visible light

Question 5

The Kelvin scale measures:

Accepted Answer

A)  temperature in Fahrenheit-sized degrees above absolute zero. 
B)  temperature referenced to zero at the freezing point of water. 
C)  mass per unit volume, or density, with water having a value of 1.0. 
D)  temperature in Celsius-sized degrees above absolute zero. 
A)  temperature in Fahrenheit-sized degrees above absolute zero. 
B)  temperature referenced to zero at the freezing point of water. 
C)  mass per unit volume, or density, with water having a value of 1.0. 
D)  temperature in Celsius-sized degrees above absolute zero.

Question 6

In which of the following parameters does a photon of blue light NOT differ from a photon of yellow light,in a vacuum?

Accepted Answer

A)  energy 
B)  color 
C)  wavelength 
D)  speed 
A)  energy 
B)  color 
C)  wavelength 
D)  speed

Question 7

How is interferometry used in radio astronomy?

Accepted Answer

A)  Signals from a radio source are combined with an equivalent signal delayed in time to produce interference, thereby increasing the angular resolution of the telescope. 
B)  Signals from different places around the dish of a radio telescope are combined to produce interference and increase the angular resolution of the telescope. 
C)  Signals from two or more different radio telescopes are combined to produce a single image of greater angular resolution than from any one telescope alone. 
D)  Signals from different parts of a radio source are combined to increase the angular resolution of the telescope. 
A)  Signals from a radio source are combined with an equivalent signal delayed in time to produce interference, thereby increasing the angular resolution of the telescope. 
B)  Signals from different places around the dish of a radio telescope are combined to produce interference and increase the angular resolution of the telescope. 
C)  Signals from two or more different radio telescopes are combined to produce a single image of greater angular resolution than from any one telescope alone. 
D)  Signals from different parts of a radio source are combined to increase the angular resolution of the telescope.

Question 8

Isotopes of a particular element in the periodic table have the same number of _____ in the nucleus.

Accepted Answer

A)  neutrons but different numbers of protons and electrons 
B)  protons but different numbers of neutrons 
C)  neutrons but different numbers of protons 
D)  protons and neutrons 
A)  neutrons but different numbers of protons and electrons 
B)  protons but different numbers of neutrons 
C)  neutrons but different numbers of protons 
D)  protons and neutrons

Question 9

The MAIN reason astronomers seek funds to build larger telescopes is to:

Accepted Answer

A)  measure a wider spectrum of light from stars. 
B)  collect more light from distant objects. 
C)  provide magnified images of stars. 
D)  bring stars closer to Earth. 
A)  measure a wider spectrum of light from stars. 
B)  collect more light from distant objects. 
C)  provide magnified images of stars. 
D)  bring stars closer to Earth.

Question 10

How many times more light will be collected by the optics of one side of a pair of binoculars (7 × 50-magnification of 7 and an objective lens aperture diameter of 50 mm)than by an average human eye,with a typical aperture diameter of 5 mm?

Accepted Answer

A)  100 times 
B)  10 times 
C)  2500 times 
D)  7/5 (or 1.4) times 
A)  100 times 
B)  10 times 
C)  2500 times 
D)  7/5 (or 1.4) times

Question 11

How do the nuclei of the carbon ions C III and C IV differ from each other?

Accepted Answer

A)  The nuclei of the carbon ions C III and C IV have the same number of neutrons but a different number of protons. 
B)  The nuclei of the carbon ions C III and C IV have different numbers of both protons and neutrons. 
C)  The nuclei of the carbon ions C III and C IV are identical; the ions differ only in the number of electrons. 
D)  The nuclei of the carbon ions C III and C IV have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons. 
A)  The nuclei of the carbon ions C III and C IV have the same number of neutrons but a different number of protons. 
B)  The nuclei of the carbon ions C III and C IV have different numbers of both protons and neutrons. 
C)  The nuclei of the carbon ions C III and C IV are identical; the ions differ only in the number of electrons. 
D)  The nuclei of the carbon ions C III and C IV have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.

Question 12

Visible light occupies what proportion of the full wavelength range of electromagnetic radiation?

Accepted Answer

A)  a very narrow range 
B)  two narrow but separate ranges between ultraviolet and infrared radiations, the red and the blue, which mix to give all the other colors 
C)  about half of the possible range 
D)  almost the full range between radio waves and X-rays 
A)  a very narrow range 
B)  two narrow but separate ranges between ultraviolet and infrared radiations, the red and the blue, which mix to give all the other colors 
C)  about half of the possible range 
D)  almost the full range between radio waves and X-rays

Question 13

Violet light differs from red light in that it:

Accepted Answer

A)  travels more quickly (through a vacuum) than red light. 
B)  has a shorter wavelength than red light. 
C)  travels more slowly (through a vacuum) than red light. 
D)  has a longer wavelength than red light. 
A)  travels more quickly (through a vacuum) than red light. 
B)  has a shorter wavelength than red light. 
C)  travels more slowly (through a vacuum) than red light. 
D)  has a longer wavelength than red light.

Question 14

The overall charge of a singly ionized neon atom Ne,whose position in the periodic table (or atomic number)is 10,in units of electron charge,is:

Accepted Answer

A)  +9. 
B)  -1. 
C)  +1. 
D)  +10. 
A)  +9. 
B)  -1. 
C)  +1. 
D)  +10.

Question 15

An atom in which one or more electrons has been removed is known as a(n):

Accepted Answer

A)  molecule. 
B)  excited atom. 
C)  isotope. 
D)  ion. 
A)  molecule. 
B)  excited atom. 
C)  isotope. 
D)  ion.

Question 16

Which of the following types of telescopes consists of a concave,spherical primary mirror and a glass corrector plate to correct for the spherical aberration in the primary?

Accepted Answer

A)  Newtonian 
B)  refracting 
C)  Cassegrain 
D)  Schmidt 
A)  Newtonian 
B)  refracting 
C)  Cassegrain 
D)  Schmidt

Question 17

What is a CCD (charge-coupled device)?

Accepted Answer

A)  a detector in which a small electric current is controlled by a bimetallic strip that expands and contracts in response to infrared radiation 
B)  an electronic filter to single out one wavelength or set of wavelengths for studying astronomical objects 
C)  a device in which an image from a photographic plate or film is transferred to a computer by moving static-electric charges directly into the computer memory in a manner similar to modern copying machines 
D)  an array of small, light-sensitive elements that can be used in place of photographic film to obtain and store a picture 
A)  a detector in which a small electric current is controlled by a bimetallic strip that expands and contracts in response to infrared radiation 
B)  an electronic filter to single out one wavelength or set of wavelengths for studying astronomical objects 
C)  a device in which an image from a photographic plate or film is transferred to a computer by moving static-electric charges directly into the computer memory in a manner similar to modern copying machines 
D)  an array of small, light-sensitive elements that can be used in place of photographic film to obtain and store a picture

Question 18

What evidence do we have that the Sun contains the element iron?

Accepted Answer

A)  Solar spectra show absorption in spectral lines that are characteristic of iron and are unique to it. 
B)  The peak wavelength of the continuum spectrum of sunlight is characteristic of the emission spectrum of iron, as seen when a piece of iron is heated in the laboratory. 
C)  Scientists have collected meteorites composed of almost pure iron that have originated in the Sun. 
D)  Magnetic fields exist in sunspots and on the Sun, and they must be produced by iron in the same way that Earth's magnetic field is generated. 
A)  Solar spectra show absorption in spectral lines that are characteristic of iron and are unique to it. 
B)  The peak wavelength of the continuum spectrum of sunlight is characteristic of the emission spectrum of iron, as seen when a piece of iron is heated in the laboratory. 
C)  Scientists have collected meteorites composed of almost pure iron that have originated in the Sun. 
D)  Magnetic fields exist in sunspots and on the Sun, and they must be produced by iron in the same way that Earth's magnetic field is generated.

Question 19

Chromatic aberration is the failure of a telescope objective to bring all colors of light to the same focus and appears in:

Accepted Answer

A)  only a reflecting telescope. 
B)  both reflecting and refracting telescopes. 
C)  all telescopes because it is caused by a basic property of light. 
D)  only a refracting telescope. 
A)  only a reflecting telescope. 
B)  both reflecting and refracting telescopes. 
C)  all telescopes because it is caused by a basic property of light. 
D)  only a refracting telescope.

Question 20

In telescopes designed for any wavelength of electromagnetic radiation,the angular resolution is WORSE for:

Accepted Answer

A)  larger-diameter lenses or mirrors or radio dishes and longer-wavelength radiation. 
B)  larger-diameter lenses or mirrors or radio dishes and shorter-wavelength radiation. 
C)  smaller-diameter lenses or mirrors or radio dishes and shorter-wavelength radiation. 
D)  smaller-diameter lenses or mirrors or radio dishes and longer-wavelength radiation. 
A)  larger-diameter lenses or mirrors or radio dishes and longer-wavelength radiation. 
B)  larger-diameter lenses or mirrors or radio dishes and shorter-wavelength radiation. 
C)  smaller-diameter lenses or mirrors or radio dishes and shorter-wavelength radiation. 
D)  smaller-diameter lenses or mirrors or radio dishes and longer-wavelength radiation.

A spectrograph is a scientific instrument that:

The wavelength of infrared radiation is longer than the wavelength of visible light and is usually measured in units of micrometers.1 micrometer (µm)is:

The first person to detect and identify radio emissions coming from deep space was:

The IRAS satellite,placed in orbit in 1983 to survey the whole sky,detected which kind of electromagnetic radiation?

The Kelvin scale measures:

In which of the following parameters does a photon of blue light NOT differ from a photon of yellow light,in a vacuum?

How is interferometry used in radio astronomy?

Isotopes of a particular element in the periodic table have the same number of _____ in the nucleus.

The MAIN reason astronomers seek funds to build larger telescopes is to:

How many times more light will be collected by the optics of one side of a pair of binoculars (7 × 50-magnification of 7 and an objective lens aperture diameter of 50 mm)than by an average human eye,with a typical aperture diameter of 5 mm?

How do the nuclei of the carbon ions C III and C IV differ from each other?

Visible light occupies what proportion of the full wavelength range of electromagnetic radiation?

Violet light differs from red light in that it:

The overall charge of a singly ionized neon atom Ne,whose position in the periodic table (or atomic number)is 10,in units of electron charge,is:

An atom in which one or more electrons has been removed is known as a(n):

Which of the following types of telescopes consists of a concave,spherical primary mirror and a glass corrector plate to correct for the spherical aberration in the primary?

What is a CCD (charge-coupled device)?

What evidence do we have that the Sun contains the element iron?

Chromatic aberration is the failure of a telescope objective to bring all colors of light to the same focus and appears in:

In telescopes designed for any wavelength of electromagnetic radiation,the angular resolution is WORSE for:

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

A spectrograph is a scientific instrument that:

The wavelength of infrared radiation is longer than the wavelength of visible light and is usually measured in units of micrometers.1 micrometer (µm)is:

The first person to detect and identify radio emissions coming from deep space was:

The IRAS satellite,placed in orbit in 1983 to survey the whole sky,detected which kind of electromagnetic radiation?

The Kelvin scale measures:

In which of the following parameters does a photon of blue light NOT differ from a photon of yellow light,in a vacuum?

How is interferometry used in radio astronomy?

Isotopes of a particular element in the periodic table have the same number of _____ in the nucleus.

The MAIN reason astronomers seek funds to build larger telescopes is to:

How many times more light will be collected by the optics of one side of a pair of binoculars (7 × 50-magnification of 7 and an objective lens aperture diameter of 50 mm)than by an average human eye,with a typical aperture diameter of 5 mm?

How do the nuclei of the carbon ions C III and C IV differ from each other?

Visible light occupies what proportion of the full wavelength range of electromagnetic radiation?

Violet light differs from red light in that it:

The overall charge of a singly ionized neon atom Ne,whose position in the periodic table (or atomic number)is 10,in units of electron charge,is:

An atom in which one or more electrons has been removed is known as a(n):

Which of the following types of telescopes consists of a concave,spherical primary mirror and a glass corrector plate to correct for the spherical aberration in the primary?

What is a CCD (charge-coupled device)?

What evidence do we have that the Sun contains the element iron?

Chromatic aberration is the failure of a telescope objective to bring all colors of light to the same focus and appears in:

In telescopes designed for any wavelength of electromagnetic radiation,the angular resolution is WORSE for:

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