Question 1

Where in the universe did the Big Bang occur?

Accepted Answer

A) Very close to the Milky Way galaxy 
B) Everywhere 
C) Near the Virgo cluster 
D) At the center 
A) Very close to the Milky Way galaxy 
B) Everywhere 
C) Near the Virgo cluster 
D) At the center

Question 2

What was the chemical makeup of the universe several hours after the expansion began?

Accepted Answer

A) Almost entirely hydrogen and helium 
B) All of the known elements were present 
C) Entirely hydrogen 
D) A range of elements up to and including iron 
A) Almost entirely hydrogen and helium 
B) All of the known elements were present 
C) Entirely hydrogen 
D) A range of elements up to and including iron

Question 3

If the universe is closed,where is its center?

Accepted Answer

A) Trick question,it has no center 
B) Near the Virgo cluster 
C) Beyond the visible part of the universe 
D) Within the local group of galaxies 
A) Trick question,it has no center 
B) Near the Virgo cluster 
C) Beyond the visible part of the universe 
D) Within the local group of galaxies

Question 4

The conversion of hydrogen into helium began about 2 minutes after the beginning of the expansion of the universe.Why was there no helium in the universe during the first 2 minutes?

Accepted Answer

A) There was no matter in the universe during the first 2 minutes 
B) Collisions were too violent for helium to be stable during that time 
C) No collisions occurred during the first two minutes 
D) Neutrino disruption dominated during the first two minutes 
A) There was no matter in the universe during the first 2 minutes 
B) Collisions were too violent for helium to be stable during that time 
C) No collisions occurred during the first two minutes 
D) Neutrino disruption dominated during the first two minutes

Question 5

Which of the following is true of the cosmic background radiation?

Accepted Answer

A) It is brighter in the northern hemisphere than in the southern 
B) It was produced by stars 
C) It was produced a few 100,000 years after the beginning of the expansion 
D) It is brightest in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum 
A) It is brighter in the northern hemisphere than in the southern 
B) It was produced by stars 
C) It was produced a few 100,000 years after the beginning of the expansion 
D) It is brightest in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum

Question 6

How could we tell (in principle)whether we live in a universe in which space is flat or in a universe in which space is positively curved?

Accepted Answer

A) Find out if the universe has a center 
B) Find out if the universe has boundaries 
C) Determine whether there is cosmic background radiation 
D) Measure the sum of the angles of a very large triangle 
A) Find out if the universe has a center 
B) Find out if the universe has boundaries 
C) Determine whether there is cosmic background radiation 
D) Measure the sum of the angles of a very large triangle

Question 7

Suppose our universe has negative curvature.Which of the following statements would be FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A) The universe has a center 
B) The universe will never begin to contract 
C) The universe has an infinite volume 
D) The universe has no boundary 
A) The universe has a center 
B) The universe will never begin to contract 
C) The universe has an infinite volume 
D) The universe has no boundary

Question 8

In a universe that is isotropic

Accepted Answer

A) The Big Bang never occurred 
B) Things look the same in all directions 
C) Nothing ever changes 
D) All clusters contain the same number of galaxies 
A) The Big Bang never occurred 
B) Things look the same in all directions 
C) Nothing ever changes 
D) All clusters contain the same number of galaxies

Question 9

If we were to discover that Hubble's constant is actually twice as large as it is now thought to be,how would that alter our estimate of the expansion age of the universe?

Accepted Answer

A) Our estimate would be cut in half 
B) Our estimate would double 
C) Our estimate would be unchanged 
D) Our estimate would increase to 4 times its present value 
A) Our estimate would be cut in half 
B) Our estimate would double 
C) Our estimate would be unchanged 
D) Our estimate would increase to 4 times its present value

Question 10

About 25% of the mass in the universe is helium? Where did most of the helium come from?

Accepted Answer

A) It was produced in early,massive stars 
B) It was present in the universe at the moment the expansion began 
C) It was produced in supernovae 
D) It was produced during the first few minutes of the expansion 
A) It was produced in early,massive stars 
B) It was present in the universe at the moment the expansion began 
C) It was produced in supernovae 
D) It was produced during the first few minutes of the expansion

Question 11

Approximately how long after the expansion of the universe began was the radiation that we now see as the 3 K background radiation produced?

Accepted Answer

A) 3 billion years 
B) 1 microsecond 
C) 7 minutes 
D) 300,000 years 
A) 3 billion years 
B) 1 microsecond 
C) 7 minutes 
D) 300,000 years

Question 12

Which of the following is true of the expansion of the universe if there is no dark energy?

Accepted Answer

A) The expansion rate will increase 
B) The expansion rate will decrease 
C) The expansion rate will remain constant 
D) The expansion rate will first increase and then decrease 
A) The expansion rate will increase 
B) The expansion rate will decrease 
C) The expansion rate will remain constant 
D) The expansion rate will first increase and then decrease

Question 13

What do we need to know in order to predict whether the expansion of the universe will continue forever?

Accepted Answer

A) The curvature of space 
B) The age of the universe and the speed of light 
C) The lifetime of the proton and the distance to the Virgo cluster 
D) The temperature of the cosmic background radiation and the age of the universe 
A) The curvature of space 
B) The age of the universe and the speed of light 
C) The lifetime of the proton and the distance to the Virgo cluster 
D) The temperature of the cosmic background radiation and the age of the universe

Question 14

What is one of the things that have been learned from measurements of the fluctuations in the cosmic background radiation (CBR)?

Accepted Answer

A) The extent to which foreground objects block the CBR 
B) Space is very nearly flat 
C) The CBR was produced long after the first stars formed 
D) The CBR was emitted primarily by galaxies 
A) The extent to which foreground objects block the CBR 
B) Space is very nearly flat 
C) The CBR was produced long after the first stars formed 
D) The CBR was emitted primarily by galaxies

Question 15

What evidence do we have for the existence of "dark energy"?

Accepted Answer

A) It blocks our view of distant parts of the universe 
B) The universe contains more light than has ever been emitted by stars 
C) Expansion seems to be accelerating 
D) We see the cosmic background radiation in all directions 
A) It blocks our view of distant parts of the universe 
B) The universe contains more light than has ever been emitted by stars 
C) Expansion seems to be accelerating 
D) We see the cosmic background radiation in all directions

Question 16

In which respect are flat and positively curved universes alike?

Accepted Answer

A) They are both infinite 
B) Neither can expand 
C) Neither has a center 
D) The sum of the angles of a triangle is 180 degrees in both 
A) They are both infinite 
B) Neither can expand 
C) Neither has a center 
D) The sum of the angles of a triangle is 180 degrees in both

Question 17

What produced the radiation that we see as the 3 degree background radiation?

Accepted Answer

A) Stars 
B) Glowing gas 
C) Neutrinos 
D) Supernovae 
A) Stars 
B) Glowing gas 
C) Neutrinos 
D) Supernovae

Question 18

What will happen if there is no "dark energy" and the density of the universe is greater than the critical density?

Accepted Answer

A) The universe will eventually contract. 
B) The universe will contract and then rebound 
C) The universe will stop expanding,but not begin to contract 
D) The universe will expand forever 
A) The universe will eventually contract. 
B) The universe will contract and then rebound 
C) The universe will stop expanding,but not begin to contract 
D) The universe will expand forever

Question 19

Which statement is true of the cosmic background radiation?

Accepted Answer

A) It comes primarily from one hemisphere of the sky 
B) It is still being produced in the universe 
C) It is greatly redshifted 
D) It was produced in the first second of the Big Bang 
A) It comes primarily from one hemisphere of the sky 
B) It is still being produced in the universe 
C) It is greatly redshifted 
D) It was produced in the first second of the Big Bang

Question 20

Which of the following is true of the universe if it is made of flat space?

Accepted Answer

A) It will eventually begin to collapse 
B) It has a center 
C) It is infinite 
D) The expansion of the universe began at a point in the Virgo cluster 
A) It will eventually begin to collapse 
B) It has a center 
C) It is infinite 
D) The expansion of the universe began at a point in the Virgo cluster

Exam 26: Cosmology

Where in the universe did the Big Bang occur?

What was the chemical makeup of the universe several hours after the expansion began?

If the universe is closed,where is its center?

The conversion of hydrogen into helium began about 2 minutes after the beginning of the expansion of the universe.Why was there no helium in the universe during the first 2 minutes?

Which of the following is true of the cosmic background radiation?

How could we tell (in principle)whether we live in a universe in which space is flat or in a universe in which space is positively curved?

Suppose our universe has negative curvature.Which of the following statements would be FALSE?

In a universe that is isotropic

If we were to discover that Hubble's constant is actually twice as large as it is now thought to be,how would that alter our estimate of the expansion age of the universe?

About 25% of the mass in the universe is helium? Where did most of the helium come from?

Approximately how long after the expansion of the universe began was the radiation that we now see as the 3 K background radiation produced?

Which of the following is true of the expansion of the universe if there is no dark energy?

What do we need to know in order to predict whether the expansion of the universe will continue forever?

What is one of the things that have been learned from measurements of the fluctuations in the cosmic background radiation (CBR)?

What evidence do we have for the existence of "dark energy"?

In which respect are flat and positively curved universes alike?

What produced the radiation that we see as the 3 degree background radiation?

What will happen if there is no "dark energy" and the density of the universe is greater than the critical density?

Which statement is true of the cosmic background radiation?

Which of the following is true of the universe if it is made of flat space?

Journeys Start

Patterns in the Sky

Ancient Astronomy

Renaissance Astronomy

Gravity and Motion

Light and Telescopes

Overview of the Solar System

The Earth

The Moon

Mercury and Venus

Mars

Jupiter and Saturn

The Outer Solar System

Satellites

Small Solar System Bodies

Basic Properties of Stars

The Sun

The Formation of Stars and Planets

The Evolution of Stars

White Dwarfs, neutron Stars, and Black Holes

Binary Star Systems

The Milky Way

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Galaxy Clusters and the Structure of the Universe

Life in the Universe

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