Question 1

Cepheids are types of stars that regularly change how bright they are over a period of a few

Accepted Answer

A) days. 
B) months. 
C) year. 
D) decades. 
A) days. 
B) months. 
C) year. 
D) decades. A

Question 2

Evidence for dark matter is exhibited by the

Accepted Answer

A) relatively similar speeds at which all stars in a galaxy orbit the galactic nucleus. 
B) speed at which galaxies orbit one another within clusters. 
C) degree to which galaxy clusters exhibit gravitational lensing effects. 
D) All of the above 
A) relatively similar speeds at which all stars in a galaxy orbit the galactic nucleus. 
B) speed at which galaxies orbit one another within clusters. 
C) degree to which galaxy clusters exhibit gravitational lensing effects. 
D) All of the above D

Question 3

Edwin Hubble discovered that the farther away a galaxy is the

Accepted Answer

A) faster it is receding from us. 
B) more massive it is. 
C) more energetic it is. 
D) more black holes it contains. 
A) faster it is receding from us. 
B) more massive it is. 
C) more energetic it is. 
D) more black holes it contains. A

Question 4

In a 1-g gravitational field, in 1 s, a light beam will curve beneath a perfectly straight line by

Accepted Answer

A) much less than 4.9 m. 
B) about 4.9 m. 
C) much more than 4.9 m. 
A) much less than 4.9 m. 
B) about 4.9 m. 
C) much more than 4.9 m.

Question 5

"Cosmological Redshift" refers to

Accepted Answer

A) the expansion of space itself. 
B) the expansion of galaxies. 
C) the expansion of red giants. 
D) the tendency of light to expand when free of gravitational influences. 
A) the expansion of space itself. 
B) the expansion of galaxies. 
C) the expansion of red giants. 
D) the tendency of light to expand when free of gravitational influences.

Question 6

According to calculations made by modern astronomers, the age of the universe is close to

Accepted Answer

A) 14 billion years. 
B) 7 billion years. 
C) 21 billion years. 
D) 6,000 years. 
A) 14 billion years. 
B) 7 billion years. 
C) 21 billion years. 
D) 6,000 years.

Question 7

The "redshift" of a galaxy refers to the rate

Accepted Answer

A) at which is receding. 
B) at which it is approaching. 
C) at which it is spinning. 
D) of its fusion. 
A) at which is receding. 
B) at which it is approaching. 
C) at which it is spinning. 
D) of its fusion.

Question 8

According to dark matter theory, most of the mass of a spiral galaxy is found

Accepted Answer

A) within the central supermassive black hole. 
B) within the luminescent spiral arms. 
C) outside of the luminescent spiral arms. 
D) in the form of dark energy. 
A) within the central supermassive black hole. 
B) within the luminescent spiral arms. 
C) outside of the luminescent spiral arms. 
D) in the form of dark energy.

Question 9

If the Sun suddenly became less massive, what would happen to Earth's orbit?

Accepted Answer

A) Spacetime around the Sun would become flatter, and the Earth, with its current momentum, would exit its orbit around the Sun. 
B) Spacetime around the Sun would become less flat, and the Earth would go plunging into the Sun. 
C) The Earth's orbital distance from the Sun would increase correspondingly. 
D) The Earth's orbital distance from the Sun would decrease correspondingly 
A) Spacetime around the Sun would become flatter, and the Earth, with its current momentum, would exit its orbit around the Sun. 
B) Spacetime around the Sun would become less flat, and the Earth would go plunging into the Sun. 
C) The Earth's orbital distance from the Sun would increase correspondingly. 
D) The Earth's orbital distance from the Sun would decrease correspondingly

Question 10

The quantity that undergoes a red shift is

Accepted Answer

A) wave frequency. 
B) wavelength. 
C) both of these 
D) neither of these 
A) wave frequency. 
B) wavelength. 
C) both of these 
D) neither of these

Question 11

Heat death refers to the universe

Accepted Answer

A) reaching the lowest energy state possible, which will mean the greatest level of entropy. 
B) ending after a massive fire. 
C) reaching a state where all stars expand and merge into each other. 
D) reaching the point where the process of radioactive decay is no longer possible. 
A) reaching the lowest energy state possible, which will mean the greatest level of entropy. 
B) ending after a massive fire. 
C) reaching a state where all stars expand and merge into each other. 
D) reaching the point where the process of radioactive decay is no longer possible.

Question 12

We are actually looking into the past when we look at

Accepted Answer

A) a distant star. 
B) our physics book. 
C) actually, both of these 
D) none of these 
A) a distant star. 
B) our physics book. 
C) actually, both of these 
D) none of these

Question 13

Spacetime is curved by

Accepted Answer

A) mass. 
B) the force of gravity. 
C) quantum fluctuations. 
D) the vacuum force. 
A) mass. 
B) the force of gravity. 
C) quantum fluctuations. 
D) the vacuum force.

Question 14

If the orbit of Mercury were perfectly circular, its rate of precession would be

Accepted Answer

A) larger than it is now. 
B) smaller than it is now. 
C) the same as it is now. 
D) zero. 
A) larger than it is now. 
B) smaller than it is now. 
C) the same as it is now. 
D) zero.

Question 15

Astronomers who subscribe to the Big Bang theory believe the Big Bang occurred

Accepted Answer

A) about 14 billion years ago. 
B) at the beginning of time. 
C) both of these 
D) neither of these 
A) about 14 billion years ago. 
B) at the beginning of time. 
C) both of these 
D) neither of these

Question 16

A person on the ground floor of a skyscraper ages

Accepted Answer

A) faster than a person on the top floor. 
B) slower than a person on the top floor. 
C) at the same speed as a person on the top floor. 
A) faster than a person on the top floor. 
B) slower than a person on the top floor. 
C) at the same speed as a person on the top floor.

Question 17

Cosmic background radiation refers to

Accepted Answer

A) uniformly distributed residual radiation that resulted from the Big Bang. 
B) pockets of radiation found in certain quadrants of the observable universe. 
C) the radiation emitted from galactic nuclei. 
D) redshifted microwave radiation being emitted from the center of the universe. 
A) uniformly distributed residual radiation that resulted from the Big Bang. 
B) pockets of radiation found in certain quadrants of the observable universe. 
C) the radiation emitted from galactic nuclei. 
D) redshifted microwave radiation being emitted from the center of the universe.

Question 18

Space and time are

Accepted Answer

A) bound together. 
B) independent entities. 
A) bound together. 
B) independent entities.

Question 19

The Big Bang occurred

Accepted Answer

A) at the tip of your nose. 
B) at the center of each galaxy. 
C) at some undetermined yet vastly distant point. 
D) within an unusually large supernova. 
A) at the tip of your nose. 
B) at the center of each galaxy. 
C) at some undetermined yet vastly distant point. 
D) within an unusually large supernova.

Question 20

Light bends when it

Accepted Answer

A) passes a massive star. 
B) passes through a gravitational field. 
C) both of these 
D) neither of these 
A) passes a massive star. 
B) passes through a gravitational field. 
C) both of these 
D) neither of these

Exam 28: The Structure of Space and Time

Cepheids are types of stars that regularly change how bright they are over a period of a few

Evidence for dark matter is exhibited by the

Edwin Hubble discovered that the farther away a galaxy is the

In a 1-g gravitational field, in 1 s, a light beam will curve beneath a perfectly straight line by

"Cosmological Redshift" refers to

According to calculations made by modern astronomers, the age of the universe is close to

The "redshift" of a galaxy refers to the rate

According to dark matter theory, most of the mass of a spiral galaxy is found

If the Sun suddenly became less massive, what would happen to Earth's orbit?

The quantity that undergoes a red shift is

Heat death refers to the universe

We are actually looking into the past when we look at

Spacetime is curved by

If the orbit of Mercury were perfectly circular, its rate of precession would be

Astronomers who subscribe to the Big Bang theory believe the Big Bang occurred

A person on the ground floor of a skyscraper ages

Cosmic background radiation refers to

Space and time are

The Big Bang occurred

Light bends when it

Patterns of Motion and Equilibrium

Newtons Laws of Motion

Momentum and Energy

Gravity, Projectiles, and Satellites

Fluid Mechanics

Thermal Energy and Thermodynamics

Heat Transfer and Change of Phase

Static and Current Electricity

Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction

Waves and Sound

Light

Atoms and the Periodic Table

The Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity

Elements of Chemistry

How Atoms Bond and Molecules Attract

Mixtures

How Chemicals React

Two Classes of Chemical Reactions

Organic Compounds

Rocks and Minerals

Plate Tectonics and Earths Interior

Shaping Earths Surface

Geologic Timereading the Rock Record

The Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climatic Effects

Driving Forces of Weather

The Solar System

Stars and Galaxies

Prologue: the Nature of Science

Filters