Question 1

Name three main dangers (one human and two astrophysical)that threaten the continued existence of human life on Earth.

Accepted Answer

Some examples include: (1)The Sun evolving to become a red giant and burning away the Earth's atmosphere (2)A large asteroid or comet hitting the Earth,although some life,even if it were in primitive form,might survive even a large collision (3)Human overpopulation and overuse of natural resources (4)Carbon emission leading to global warming (5)Global nuclear war

Question 2

A value of N = 0.1 for the Drake equation signifies that:

Accepted Answer

A)  1 out of every 10 solar systems in our galaxy harbors intelligent life 
B)  1 out of every 10 solar systems in our galaxy harbors life of some kind 
C)  1 out of every 10 galaxies in our universe harbors intelligent life 
D)  1 out of every 10 galaxies in our universe harbors life of some kind 
A)  1 out of every 10 solar systems in our galaxy harbors intelligent life 
B)  1 out of every 10 solar systems in our galaxy harbors life of some kind 
C)  1 out of every 10 galaxies in our universe harbors intelligent life 
D)  1 out of every 10 galaxies in our universe harbors life of some kind C

Question 3

Terrestrial life is composed of 20 different acids that are composed of only 4 different chemical elements.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 4

The Drake equation estimates the number of solar systems in our galaxy today that may harbor life.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

The main goal of the Allen Telescope Array is to search for high redshift galaxies.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

If we model the history of the Earth as a single day,at what time would the first primitive forms of microorganisms appear?

Accepted Answer

A)  5:00 A.M. 
B)  9:00 A.M. 
C)  12:00 noon 
D)  3:00 P.M. 
A)  5:00 A.M. 
B)  9:00 A.M. 
C)  12:00 noon 
D)  3:00 P.M.

Question 7

In 1952,chemists Harold Urey and Stanley Miller mixed ammonia,methane,and hydrogen in a closed container,zapped it with electrical sparks and found that:

Accepted Answer

A)  they could induce cold fusion to occur 
B)  they could not induce any amino acids to form 
C)  single-celled microorganisms had been spontaneously created 
D)  they had created about half the amino acids contained in DNA 
A)  they could induce cold fusion to occur 
B)  they could not induce any amino acids to form 
C)  single-celled microorganisms had been spontaneously created 
D)  they had created about half the amino acids contained in DNA

Question 8

Based on what you know of the Earth's evolution,what percent of Earth-like planets in a star cluster with an age of 2 billion years has intelligent life?

Accepted Answer

A)  0 percent 
B)  10 percent 
C)  30 percent 
D)  50 percent 
A)  0 percent 
B)  10 percent 
C)  30 percent 
D)  50 percent

Question 9

What are the four main chemicals that make up all living organisms on the Earth?

Accepted Answer

CHON: carb

Question 10

Why is a cold star not a good candidate to find life?

Accepted Answer

A)  Just because the star is too cold. 
B)  Because the habitable zone is very narrow. 
C)  Because its lifetime is too long for life to evolve. 
D)  Because the elements that are around cold stars do not lead to evolution. 
A)  Just because the star is too cold. 
B)  Because the habitable zone is very narrow. 
C)  Because its lifetime is too long for life to evolve. 
D)  Because the elements that are around cold stars do not lead to evolution.

Question 11

Carbon forms the backbone of our DNA because:

Accepted Answer

A)  it is the most abundant element in the universe after hydrogen and helium 
B)  it reacts easily with oxygen 
C)  it remains solid even at high temperatures 
D)  a carbon atom can bond with up to four atoms at a time 
A)  it is the most abundant element in the universe after hydrogen and helium 
B)  it reacts easily with oxygen 
C)  it remains solid even at high temperatures 
D)  a carbon atom can bond with up to four atoms at a time

Question 12

Why would the 21-cm line be a good place to search for signals from intelligent life in the universe?

Accepted Answer

Other civilizations might decide to send

Question 13

In 1974,astronomers sent a message toward globular cluster M13.If life exists there,and it returns our signal,we won't receive it for at least another 48,000 years.Why not?

Accepted Answer

A)  It will take that long for the space probe carrying our signal to reach the life forms there. 
B)  Based on the age of the stars in M13,we anticipate it would take that long for a civilization to evolve enough to interpret and respond to our signal. 
C)  M13 is far enough away that even light takes a very long time to reach it. 
D)  It will take that long before our Solar System and M13 are properly aligned again. 
A)  It will take that long for the space probe carrying our signal to reach the life forms there. 
B)  Based on the age of the stars in M13,we anticipate it would take that long for a civilization to evolve enough to interpret and respond to our signal. 
C)  M13 is far enough away that even light takes a very long time to reach it. 
D)  It will take that long before our Solar System and M13 are properly aligned again.

Question 14

We search for intelligent life in the universe by:

Accepted Answer

A)  sending out spacecraft with messages on them 
B)  using radio telescopes to search for radio signals 
C)  monitoring ultraviolet radiation emitted by stars 
D)  all of the above 
A)  sending out spacecraft with messages on them 
B)  using radio telescopes to search for radio signals 
C)  monitoring ultraviolet radiation emitted by stars 
D)  all of the above

Question 15

What determines whether or not a specific mutation is passed on to future generations?

Accepted Answer

Mutations can be either good o

Question 16

Describe the experiments of Harold Urey and Stanley Miller (shown in the image below)in understanding the origins of life.

Accepted Answer

Harold Urey and Stanley Miller performed

Question 17

If we model the age of the universe as a single day,at what time would the earliest traces of humanity appear on the Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  11:00:00 P.M. 
B)  11:35:00 P.M. 
C)  11:53:10 P.M. 
D)  11:59:25 P.M. 
A)  11:00:00 P.M. 
B)  11:35:00 P.M. 
C)  11:53:10 P.M. 
D)  11:59:25 P.M.

Question 18

What occurred approximately 500 million years ago?

Accepted Answer

A)  The extinction of the dinosaurs 
B)  The Cambrian explosion 
C)  The rise of mammals 
D)  The birth of the first humans 
A)  The extinction of the dinosaurs 
B)  The Cambrian explosion 
C)  The rise of mammals 
D)  The birth of the first humans

Question 19

Why is a very hot star not a good candidate to find life?

Accepted Answer

A)  Just because the star is too hot. 
B)  Because hot stars are only found in the disk of the galaxy which is not conducive to life. 
C)  Because its lifetime is too short for life to evolve. 
D)  Because the elements that are around hot stars do not lead to evolution. 
A)  Just because the star is too hot. 
B)  Because hot stars are only found in the disk of the galaxy which is not conducive to life. 
C)  Because its lifetime is too short for life to evolve. 
D)  Because the elements that are around hot stars do not lead to evolution.

Question 20

What is SETI,what is its main objective,and how does it plan to achieve its objective?

Accepted Answer

SETI is the Search for Extraterrestrial

Name three main dangers (one human and two astrophysical)that threaten the continued existence of human life on Earth.

A value of N = 0.1 for the Drake equation signifies that:

Terrestrial life is composed of 20 different acids that are composed of only 4 different chemical elements.

The Drake equation estimates the number of solar systems in our galaxy today that may harbor life.

The main goal of the Allen Telescope Array is to search for high redshift galaxies.

If we model the history of the Earth as a single day,at what time would the first primitive forms of microorganisms appear?

In 1952,chemists Harold Urey and Stanley Miller mixed ammonia,methane,and hydrogen in a closed container,zapped it with electrical sparks and found that:

Based on what you know of the Earth's evolution,what percent of Earth-like planets in a star cluster with an age of 2 billion years has intelligent life?

What are the four main chemicals that make up all living organisms on the Earth?

Why is a cold star not a good candidate to find life?

Carbon forms the backbone of our DNA because:

Why would the 21-cm line be a good place to search for signals from intelligent life in the universe?

In 1974,astronomers sent a message toward globular cluster M13.If life exists there,and it returns our signal,we won't receive it for at least another 48,000 years.Why not?

We search for intelligent life in the universe by:

What determines whether or not a specific mutation is passed on to future generations?

Describe the experiments of Harold Urey and Stanley Miller (shown in the image below)in understanding the origins of life.

If we model the age of the universe as a single day,at what time would the earliest traces of humanity appear on the Earth?

What occurred approximately 500 million years ago?

Why is a very hot star not a good candidate to find life?

What is SETI,what is its main objective,and how does it plan to achieve its objective?

Our Place in the Universe

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

Laws of Motion

Light and Telescopes

The Formation of Stars and Planets

Terrestrial Worlds in the Inner Solar System

Atmospheres of Venus, Earth, and Mars

The Giant Planets

Small Bodies of the Solar System

Measuring the Stars

Our Star: The Sun

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

The Expansion of Space

The Realm of the Galaxies

Our Galaxy: The Milky Way

Modern Cosmology and the Origin of Structure

Filters

Exam 18: Life in the Universe

Name three main dangers (one human and two astrophysical)that threaten the continued existence of human life on Earth.

A value of N = 0.1 for the Drake equation signifies that:

Terrestrial life is composed of 20 different acids that are composed of only 4 different chemical elements.

The Drake equation estimates the number of solar systems in our galaxy today that may harbor life.

The main goal of the Allen Telescope Array is to search for high redshift galaxies.

If we model the history of the Earth as a single day,at what time would the first primitive forms of microorganisms appear?

In 1952,chemists Harold Urey and Stanley Miller mixed ammonia,methane,and hydrogen in a closed container,zapped it with electrical sparks and found that:

Based on what you know of the Earth's evolution,what percent of Earth-like planets in a star cluster with an age of 2 billion years has intelligent life?

What are the four main chemicals that make up all living organisms on the Earth?

Why is a cold star not a good candidate to find life?

Carbon forms the backbone of our DNA because:

Why would the 21-cm line be a good place to search for signals from intelligent life in the universe?

In 1974,astronomers sent a message toward globular cluster M13.If life exists there,and it returns our signal,we won't receive it for at least another 48,000 years.Why not?

We search for intelligent life in the universe by:

What determines whether or not a specific mutation is passed on to future generations?

Describe the experiments of Harold Urey and Stanley Miller (shown in the image below)in understanding the origins of life.

If we model the age of the universe as a single day,at what time would the earliest traces of humanity appear on the Earth?

What occurred approximately 500 million years ago?

Why is a very hot star not a good candidate to find life?

What is SETI,what is its main objective,and how does it plan to achieve its objective?

Our Place in the Universe

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

Laws of Motion

Light and Telescopes

The Formation of Stars and Planets

Terrestrial Worlds in the Inner Solar System

Atmospheres of Venus, Earth, and Mars

The Giant Planets

Small Bodies of the Solar System

Measuring the Stars

Our Star: The Sun

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

The Expansion of Space

The Realm of the Galaxies

Our Galaxy: The Milky Way

Modern Cosmology and the Origin of Structure

Filters