Question 1

The Milky Way Galaxy is orbited by:

Accepted Answer

A)  the Magellanic Clouds. 
B)  hypervelocity stars. 
C)  dwarf spiral galaxies. 
D)  dwarf elliptical galaxies. 
A)  the Magellanic Clouds. 
B)  hypervelocity stars. 
C)  dwarf spiral galaxies. 
D)  dwarf elliptical galaxies.

Question 2

According to the Hubble classification scheme,an Sc galaxy has a(n):

Accepted Answer

A)  round or spherical appearance with a smooth light distribution. 
B)  large central bulge and tightly wound spiral arms. 
C)  irregular shape with no obvious disk or spiral arms. 
D)  small central bulge and loosely wound spiral arms. 
A)  round or spherical appearance with a smooth light distribution. 
B)  large central bulge and tightly wound spiral arms. 
C)  irregular shape with no obvious disk or spiral arms. 
D)  small central bulge and loosely wound spiral arms.

Question 3

The light that arrives at Earth from the Coma cluster of galaxies has traveled for approximately how long?

Accepted Answer

A)  300 billion years 
B)  300 million years 
C)  92 million years 
D)  30 million years 
A)  300 billion years 
B)  300 million years 
C)  92 million years 
D)  30 million years

Question 4

If the central engine of a double-lobed radio source is a black hole swallowing matter from an accretion disk,where do the jets of matter come from that we see traveling outward from the galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A)  The jets are accelerated in the ergoregion of the rotating black hole and ejected outward in the black hole's equatorial plane. 
B)  The jets are composed of material that has been accelerated from two hemispheres toward the black hole with such speed that it escapes again on two opposite sides of the black hole. 
C)  The jets arise in the weak galactic magnetic field, not in the region near the black hole. 
D)  The jets are squirted out by high pressure in the accretion disk before the matter reaches the black hole. 
A)  The jets are accelerated in the ergoregion of the rotating black hole and ejected outward in the black hole's equatorial plane. 
B)  The jets are composed of material that has been accelerated from two hemispheres toward the black hole with such speed that it escapes again on two opposite sides of the black hole. 
C)  The jets arise in the weak galactic magnetic field, not in the region near the black hole. 
D)  The jets are squirted out by high pressure in the accretion disk before the matter reaches the black hole.

Question 5

On the Hubble tuning fork diagram shown in Figure 13-33 of Comins,Discovering the Essential Universe,6th ed.,the irregular galaxies are placed between the tines at the right end of the diagram.Why is this?

Accepted Answer

A)  These are the least massive galaxies, and on the diagram the masses increase from left to right. 
B)  These are the youngest galaxies, and on the diagram the ages increase from right to left. 
C)  These are the oldest galaxies, and on the diagram the ages increase from left to right. 
D)  The placement is somewhat arbitrary. 
A)  These are the least massive galaxies, and on the diagram the masses increase from left to right. 
B)  These are the youngest galaxies, and on the diagram the ages increase from right to left. 
C)  These are the oldest galaxies, and on the diagram the ages increase from left to right. 
D)  The placement is somewhat arbitrary.

Question 6

Observations indicate that BL Lacertae objects are:

Accepted Answer

A)  quasars colliding with smaller galaxies and initiating vigorous star formation. 
B)  black holes in binary star systems, where matter pulled from the companion stars forms a hot accretion disk around the black holes. 
C)  distant spiral galaxies with high rates of supernova explosions. 
D)  radio galaxies whose jets and radio lobes point almost directly at Earth. 
A)  quasars colliding with smaller galaxies and initiating vigorous star formation. 
B)  black holes in binary star systems, where matter pulled from the companion stars forms a hot accretion disk around the black holes. 
C)  distant spiral galaxies with high rates of supernova explosions. 
D)  radio galaxies whose jets and radio lobes point almost directly at Earth.

Question 7

Which body is NOT one of the satellite galaxies that surround the Milky Way Galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Small Magellanic Cloud 
B)  the Large Magellanic Cloud 
C)  the Andromeda spiral galaxy 
D)  the Canis Major Dwarf elliptical galaxy 
A)  the Small Magellanic Cloud 
B)  the Large Magellanic Cloud 
C)  the Andromeda spiral galaxy 
D)  the Canis Major Dwarf elliptical galaxy

Question 8

What is the designation given to a galaxy with a small nuclear bulge and loosely wound arms starting from a bar through the nuclear bulge?

Accepted Answer

A)  SBc 
B)  SBa 
C)  Sb 
D)  Sc 
A)  SBc 
B)  SBa 
C)  Sb 
D)  Sc

Question 9

A BL Lacertae object is a(n):

Accepted Answer

A)  emission nebula containing a young T Tauri star. 
B)  rapidly spinning neutron star. 
C)  eclipsing binary star with a black hole as one component. 
D)  active galactic nucleus. 
A)  emission nebula containing a young T Tauri star. 
B)  rapidly spinning neutron star. 
C)  eclipsing binary star with a black hole as one component. 
D)  active galactic nucleus.

Question 10

Massive black holes have been discovered in the cores of what kinds of galaxies?

Accepted Answer

A)  giant elliptical only 
B)  spirals only 
C)  giant ellipticals and spirals only 
D)  dwarf ellipticals, giant ellipticals, and spirals 
A)  giant elliptical only 
B)  spirals only 
C)  giant ellipticals and spirals only 
D)  dwarf ellipticals, giant ellipticals, and spirals

Question 11

The factor that misled Herschel into concluding that the stars of the Milky Way were distributed with the Sun at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy was:

Accepted Answer

A)  hot hydrogen gas in the Galaxy, its emission hiding the more distant stars. 
B)  interstellar dust that obscured the more distant stars and thereby localized his observations. 
C)  gravitational bending of light by the mass of the Galaxy, distorting the relative positions of the stars. 
D)  that most of the "stars" he measured were in fact distant galaxies that are distributed uniformly around the Sun. 
A)  hot hydrogen gas in the Galaxy, its emission hiding the more distant stars. 
B)  interstellar dust that obscured the more distant stars and thereby localized his observations. 
C)  gravitational bending of light by the mass of the Galaxy, distorting the relative positions of the stars. 
D)  that most of the "stars" he measured were in fact distant galaxies that are distributed uniformly around the Sun.

Question 12

You are observing the radiation from a distant active galaxy and you notice that the amplitude of the signal varies in strength regularly over a certain period.The maximum possible size for the source of this radiation can now be calculated from the:

Accepted Answer

A)  period and the amplitude of the signal. 
B)  period but not the amplitude of the signal. 
C)  amplitude but not the period of the signal. 
D)  frequency of the radiation composing the signal. 
A)  period and the amplitude of the signal. 
B)  period but not the amplitude of the signal. 
C)  amplitude but not the period of the signal. 
D)  frequency of the radiation composing the signal.

Question 13

What is a starburst galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A)  a galaxy with streams of stars arching out from one place as if from an explosion 
B)  a galaxy with an unusually large number of red giant stars 
C)  a galaxy that is still in the process of formation from the intergalactic medium and undergoing its first star formation 
D)  a galaxy with an unusually large number of newborn stars 
A)  a galaxy with streams of stars arching out from one place as if from an explosion 
B)  a galaxy with an unusually large number of red giant stars 
C)  a galaxy that is still in the process of formation from the intergalactic medium and undergoing its first star formation 
D)  a galaxy with an unusually large number of newborn stars

Question 14

A neutral hydrogen atom consists of a proton and an electron.The energy of the atom is:

Accepted Answer

A)  the same, regardless of the relative spin orientations of the two particles. 
B)  highest when the proton spin and the electron spin are perpendicular to each other. 
C)  highest when the proton spin and the electron spin directions are parallel. 
D)  highest when the proton spin and the electron spin directions are antiparallel. 
A)  the same, regardless of the relative spin orientations of the two particles. 
B)  highest when the proton spin and the electron spin are perpendicular to each other. 
C)  highest when the proton spin and the electron spin directions are parallel. 
D)  highest when the proton spin and the electron spin directions are antiparallel.

Question 15

Because of the expansion of space,we see all distant galaxies moving away from us,with more distant galaxies moving faster.An observer in one of these distant galaxies would see all galaxies:

Accepted Answer

A)  moving toward the observer, with more distant galaxies moving faster. 
B)  moving away from the observer, with closer galaxies moving faster. 
C)  moving away from the observer, with more distant galaxies moving faster. 
D)  on one side of the observer moving toward the observer and all galaxies on the other side moving away from the observer, with more distant galaxies moving faster. 
A)  moving toward the observer, with more distant galaxies moving faster. 
B)  moving away from the observer, with closer galaxies moving faster. 
C)  moving away from the observer, with more distant galaxies moving faster. 
D)  on one side of the observer moving toward the observer and all galaxies on the other side moving away from the observer, with more distant galaxies moving faster.

Question 16

What is a barred spiral galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A)  a galaxy with a bar through the nuclear bulge and the spiral arms starting from the ends of the bar 
B)  a spiral galaxy with a straight bar instead of a nuclear bulge 
C)  a galaxy in which the arms form straight bars instead of curved lines 
D)  a galaxy with a bar extending across the entire diameter and the arms starting at various positions along the bar 
A)  a galaxy with a bar through the nuclear bulge and the spiral arms starting from the ends of the bar 
B)  a spiral galaxy with a straight bar instead of a nuclear bulge 
C)  a galaxy in which the arms form straight bars instead of curved lines 
D)  a galaxy with a bar extending across the entire diameter and the arms starting at various positions along the bar

Question 17

The primary evidence for the expanding universe concept is the:

Accepted Answer

A)  slow spreading out of stars in the near neighborhood of the Sun. 
B)  redshift of light from distant galaxies, which increases with distance of the galaxy from Earth. 
C)  discovery of black holes in binary stars. 
D)  slow increase in Earth-Moon separation-about 4 cm per year-with time. 
A)  slow spreading out of stars in the near neighborhood of the Sun. 
B)  redshift of light from distant galaxies, which increases with distance of the galaxy from Earth. 
C)  discovery of black holes in binary stars. 
D)  slow increase in Earth-Moon separation-about 4 cm per year-with time.

Question 18

Which items are NOT used as "standard candles" for the measurement of distances to distant galaxies?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cepheid variables 
B)  the width of the 21-cm H I radio emission line 
C)  supernova explosions 
D)  the brightness and pulsation rates of pulsars 
A)  Cepheid variables 
B)  the width of the 21-cm H I radio emission line 
C)  supernova explosions 
D)  the brightness and pulsation rates of pulsars

Question 19

The Hubble law implies that distances are increasing between:

Accepted Answer

A)  the proton and electron in hydrogen. 
B)  the planets and the Sun. 
C)  galaxies in the Local Group. 
D)  superclusters of galaxies. 
A)  the proton and electron in hydrogen. 
B)  the planets and the Sun. 
C)  galaxies in the Local Group. 
D)  superclusters of galaxies.

Question 20

Evidence obtained over the last few years indicates that a quasar is MOST probably:

Accepted Answer

A)  the remnant core of an exploding star or supernova. 
B)  the focused image of a distant galaxy by the gravitational lens effect of a closer galaxy. 
C)  evidence of very intense star-building activity in certain distant dust and gas clouds. 
D)  the central nucleus of very distant, very active galaxy. 
A)  the remnant core of an exploding star or supernova. 
B)  the focused image of a distant galaxy by the gravitational lens effect of a closer galaxy. 
C)  evidence of very intense star-building activity in certain distant dust and gas clouds. 
D)  the central nucleus of very distant, very active galaxy.

The Milky Way Galaxy is orbited by:

According to the Hubble classification scheme,an Sc galaxy has a(n):

The light that arrives at Earth from the Coma cluster of galaxies has traveled for approximately how long?

If the central engine of a double-lobed radio source is a black hole swallowing matter from an accretion disk,where do the jets of matter come from that we see traveling outward from the galaxy?

On the Hubble tuning fork diagram shown in Figure 13-33 of Comins,Discovering the Essential Universe,6th ed.,the irregular galaxies are placed between the tines at the right end of the diagram.Why is this?

Observations indicate that BL Lacertae objects are:

Which body is NOT one of the satellite galaxies that surround the Milky Way Galaxy?

What is the designation given to a galaxy with a small nuclear bulge and loosely wound arms starting from a bar through the nuclear bulge?

A BL Lacertae object is a(n):

Massive black holes have been discovered in the cores of what kinds of galaxies?

The factor that misled Herschel into concluding that the stars of the Milky Way were distributed with the Sun at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy was:

You are observing the radiation from a distant active galaxy and you notice that the amplitude of the signal varies in strength regularly over a certain period.The maximum possible size for the source of this radiation can now be calculated from the:

What is a starburst galaxy?

A neutral hydrogen atom consists of a proton and an electron.The energy of the atom is:

Because of the expansion of space,we see all distant galaxies moving away from us,with more distant galaxies moving faster.An observer in one of these distant galaxies would see all galaxies:

What is a barred spiral galaxy?

The primary evidence for the expanding universe concept is the:

Which items are NOT used as "standard candles" for the measurement of distances to distant galaxies?

The Hubble law implies that distances are increasing between:

Evidence obtained over the last few years indicates that a quasar is MOST probably:

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

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

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters

Exam 13: The Galaxies

The Milky Way Galaxy is orbited by:

According to the Hubble classification scheme,an Sc galaxy has a(n):

The light that arrives at Earth from the Coma cluster of galaxies has traveled for approximately how long?

If the central engine of a double-lobed radio source is a black hole swallowing matter from an accretion disk,where do the jets of matter come from that we see traveling outward from the galaxy?

On the Hubble tuning fork diagram shown in Figure 13-33 of Comins,Discovering the Essential Universe,6th ed.,the irregular galaxies are placed between the tines at the right end of the diagram.Why is this?

Observations indicate that BL Lacertae objects are:

Which body is NOT one of the satellite galaxies that surround the Milky Way Galaxy?

What is the designation given to a galaxy with a small nuclear bulge and loosely wound arms starting from a bar through the nuclear bulge?

A BL Lacertae object is a(n):

Massive black holes have been discovered in the cores of what kinds of galaxies?

The factor that misled Herschel into concluding that the stars of the Milky Way were distributed with the Sun at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy was:

You are observing the radiation from a distant active galaxy and you notice that the amplitude of the signal varies in strength regularly over a certain period.The maximum possible size for the source of this radiation can now be calculated from the:

What is a starburst galaxy?

A neutral hydrogen atom consists of a proton and an electron.The energy of the atom is:

Because of the expansion of space,we see all distant galaxies moving away from us,with more distant galaxies moving faster.An observer in one of these distant galaxies would see all galaxies:

What is a barred spiral galaxy?

The primary evidence for the expanding universe concept is the:

Which items are NOT used as "standard candles" for the measurement of distances to distant galaxies?

The Hubble law implies that distances are increasing between:

Evidence obtained over the last few years indicates that a quasar is MOST probably:

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

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

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters