Question 1

White dwarfs

Accepted Answer

A)  are dead stars 
B)  are in the process of forming 
C)  are mature stars that are fusing hydrogen into helium in their cores 
D)  have exhausted their nuclear fuel and are in the process of dying 
A)  are dead stars 
B)  are in the process of forming 
C)  are mature stars that are fusing hydrogen into helium in their cores 
D)  have exhausted their nuclear fuel and are in the process of dying

Question 2

The few extrasolar planets that have been detected directly to date are

Accepted Answer

A)  very large and at great distances from their parent stars 
B)  small and at great distances from their parent stars 
C)  small and close to their parent stars 
D)  very large and close to their parent stars 
A)  very large and at great distances from their parent stars 
B)  small and at great distances from their parent stars 
C)  small and close to their parent stars 
D)  very large and close to their parent stars

Question 3

What is the minimum mass of the exoplanet orbiting 70 Virginis if it has an orbital period of 116.69 days (p = 1.0082 x 107 s) and an average orbital distance a = 7.18 x 1010 m. The star's orbital velocity is measured to be 291 m/s and its mass is 2.19 x 1030 kg.

Accepted Answer

A)  2.73 x 1027 kg 
B)  1.42 x 1028 kg 
C)  3.16 x 1029 kg 
D)  4.67 x 1026 kg 
A)  2.73 x 1027 kg 
B)  1.42 x 1028 kg 
C)  3.16 x 1029 kg 
D)  4.67 x 1026 kg

Question 4

Brown dwarfs have

Accepted Answer

A)  very wide habitable zones 
B)  no habitable zones at all 
C)  narrow habitable zones 
D)  habitable zones similar to the Sun 
A)  very wide habitable zones 
B)  no habitable zones at all 
C)  narrow habitable zones 
D)  habitable zones similar to the Sun

Question 5

Which of the following stars is the coolest?

Accepted Answer

A)  B7 
B)  G9 
C)  K7 
D)  K4 
A)  B7 
B)  G9 
C)  K7 
D)  K4

Question 6

At the upper right of the Hertzprung-Russell diagram we find

Accepted Answer

A)  red giant stars 
B)  red supergiant stars 
C)  white dwarfs 
D)  main sequence stars 
A)  red giant stars 
B)  red supergiant stars 
C)  white dwarfs 
D)  main sequence stars

Question 7

The wavelengths of radiation from a star that is moving toward us

Accepted Answer

A)  can be longer or shorter depending on the distance to the star 
B)  are shorter than if the star were not moving 
C)  are longer than if the star were not moving 
D)  are the same as if the star were not moving 
A)  can be longer or shorter depending on the distance to the star 
B)  are shorter than if the star were not moving 
C)  are longer than if the star were not moving 
D)  are the same as if the star were not moving

Question 8

The orbits of most extrasolar planets detected to date are

Accepted Answer

A)  parabolic 
B)  highly elliptical 
C)  perfectly circular 
D)  slightly elliptical 
A)  parabolic 
B)  highly elliptical 
C)  perfectly circular 
D)  slightly elliptical

Question 9

For the transit of an extrasolar planet to be observed, the

Accepted Answer

A)  orbital plane of the planet has to be aligned along our line of sight 
B)  planet has to be very large 
C)  orbital plane has to be perpendicular to our line of sight 
D)  parent star has to be very small 
A)  orbital plane of the planet has to be aligned along our line of sight 
B)  planet has to be very large 
C)  orbital plane has to be perpendicular to our line of sight 
D)  parent star has to be very small

Question 10

Which of the following extrasolar planets would be the most difficult to detect using the Doppler shift method?

Accepted Answer

A)  a low mass planet far from its parent star 
B)  a massive planet close to its parent star 
C)  a low mass planet close to its parent star 
D)  a massive planet far from its parent star 
A)  a low mass planet far from its parent star 
B)  a massive planet close to its parent star 
C)  a low mass planet close to its parent star 
D)  a massive planet far from its parent star

Question 11

According to our current theory of planet formation, can a Jupiter-like planet form from a rotating disk of dust and gas close to its parent star?

Accepted Answer

A)  no, because the gases would be attracted to rocky terrestrial planets, forming atmospheres 
B)  yes, because we see Jupiter-like planets with small orbits around other stars 
C)  no, because it would be too hot for gases to condense 
D)  no, because there is no gas, only rock in the inner part of the disk 
A)  no, because the gases would be attracted to rocky terrestrial planets, forming atmospheres 
B)  yes, because we see Jupiter-like planets with small orbits around other stars 
C)  no, because it would be too hot for gases to condense 
D)  no, because there is no gas, only rock in the inner part of the disk

Question 12

A- and F-type stars

Accepted Answer

A)  do not contain enough heavy elements to form planets 
B)  have lifetimes long enough for advanced life to evolve 
C)  have lifetimes too short for planet formation 
D)  have lifetimes long enough for planets to form and for simple life to appear, but not long enough for advanced life to develop 
A)  do not contain enough heavy elements to form planets 
B)  have lifetimes long enough for advanced life to evolve 
C)  have lifetimes too short for planet formation 
D)  have lifetimes long enough for planets to form and for simple life to appear, but not long enough for advanced life to develop

Question 13

Why does the Doppler shift method of detecting extrasolar planets only give us the minimum mass of a planet?

Accepted Answer

A)  because we don't necessarily know the density of the planet 
B)  because we don't necessarily know the angle the planet's orbit makes with our line of sight 
C)  because we don't necessarily know the diameter (size) of the planet 
D)  because we don't necessarily know the mass of the parent star very 
A)  because we don't necessarily know the density of the planet 
B)  because we don't necessarily know the angle the planet's orbit makes with our line of sight 
C)  because we don't necessarily know the diameter (size) of the planet 
D)  because we don't necessarily know the mass of the parent star very

Question 14

When a low mass star like our Sun dies it will

Accepted Answer

A)  eject its outer layers into space forming a planetary nebula, leaving behind a dead star called a white dwarf 
B)  eject its outer layers into space forming a planetary nebula, leaving behind a dead star called a neutron star 
C)  explode as a supernova forming a supernova remnant, leaving behind a dead star called a white dwarf 
D)  explode as a supernova forming a supernova remnant, leaving behind a dead star called a neutron star 
A)  eject its outer layers into space forming a planetary nebula, leaving behind a dead star called a white dwarf 
B)  eject its outer layers into space forming a planetary nebula, leaving behind a dead star called a neutron star 
C)  explode as a supernova forming a supernova remnant, leaving behind a dead star called a white dwarf 
D)  explode as a supernova forming a supernova remnant, leaving behind a dead star called a neutron star

Question 15

The total amount of energy that a star radiates out into space is referred to as its

Accepted Answer

A)  radiance 
B)  luminosity 
C)  surface temperature 
D)  apparent brightness 
A)  radiance 
B)  luminosity 
C)  surface temperature 
D)  apparent brightness

Question 16

Discoveries of extrasolar planets have shown us that

Accepted Answer

A)  the nebular theory is correct in every way and no modifications are needed 
B)  the nebular theory is completely wrong and needs to be replaced immediately 
C)  the nebular theory only applies to our own solar system 
D)  the general features of the nebular theory are correct but some modifications are needed 
A)  the nebular theory is correct in every way and no modifications are needed 
B)  the nebular theory is completely wrong and needs to be replaced immediately 
C)  the nebular theory only applies to our own solar system 
D)  the general features of the nebular theory are correct but some modifications are needed

Question 17

Gravitational lensing is the process by which

Accepted Answer

A)  a massive object magnifies and distorts the light from an object behind it 
B)  the wavelengths of light from a star are shifted as it moves about its center of mass 
C)  a planet passes in front of its parent star and blocks part of its light 
D)  a massive object accelerates another object that passes close to it 
A)  a massive object magnifies and distorts the light from an object behind it 
B)  the wavelengths of light from a star are shifted as it moves about its center of mass 
C)  a planet passes in front of its parent star and blocks part of its light 
D)  a massive object accelerates another object that passes close to it

Question 18

A nearby star is discovered to have a high mass planet at a very small distance form it. What would its radial velocity curve look like?

Accepted Answer

A)  large amplitude, short wavelength 
B)  small amplitude, long wavelength 
C)  small amplitude, short wavelength 
D)  large amplitude, long wavelength 
A)  large amplitude, short wavelength 
B)  small amplitude, long wavelength 
C)  small amplitude, short wavelength 
D)  large amplitude, long wavelength

Question 19

The recently discovered rocky terrestrial-like exoplanets with masses a few times that of the Earth are sometimes called

Accepted Answer

A)  mega Earths 
B)  super Earths 
C)  colossal Earths 
D)  heavy Earths 
A)  mega Earths 
B)  super Earths 
C)  colossal Earths 
D)  heavy Earths

Question 20

O-type stars in our galaxy are

Accepted Answer

A)  very common, making up about 50% of the total 
B)  fairly common (several percent) 
C)  very rare (less than 1%) 
D)  the most common type of stars in our galaxy (75% or more) 
A)  very common, making up about 50% of the total 
B)  fairly common (several percent) 
C)  very rare (less than 1%) 
D)  the most common type of stars in our galaxy (75% or more)

White dwarfs

The few extrasolar planets that have been detected directly to date are

What is the minimum mass of the exoplanet orbiting 70 Virginis if it has an orbital period of 116.69 days (p = 1.0082 x 10⁷ s) and an average orbital distance a = 7.18 x 10¹⁰ m. The star's orbital velocity is measured to be 291 m/s and its mass is 2.19 x 10³⁰ kg.

Brown dwarfs have

Which of the following stars is the coolest?

At the upper right of the Hertzprung-Russell diagram we find

The wavelengths of radiation from a star that is moving toward us

The orbits of most extrasolar planets detected to date are

For the transit of an extrasolar planet to be observed, the

Which of the following extrasolar planets would be the most difficult to detect using the Doppler shift method?

According to our current theory of planet formation, can a Jupiter-like planet form from a rotating disk of dust and gas close to its parent star?

A- and F-type stars

Why does the Doppler shift method of detecting extrasolar planets only give us the minimum mass of a planet?

When a low mass star like our Sun dies it will

The total amount of energy that a star radiates out into space is referred to as its

Discoveries of extrasolar planets have shown us that

Gravitational lensing is the process by which

A nearby star is discovered to have a high mass planet at a very small distance form it. What would its radial velocity curve look like?

The recently discovered rocky terrestrial-like exoplanets with masses a few times that of the Earth are sometimes called

O-type stars in our galaxy are

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Universal Context of Life

The Habitability of Earth

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Mars

Life on Jovian Moons

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

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Exam 11: Habitability Outside the Solar System

White dwarfs

The few extrasolar planets that have been detected directly to date are

What is the minimum mass of the exoplanet orbiting 70 Virginis if it has an orbital period of 116.69 days (p = 1.0082 x 107 s) and an average orbital distance a = 7.18 x 1010 m. The star's orbital velocity is measured to be 291 m/s and its mass is 2.19 x 1030 kg.

Brown dwarfs have

Which of the following stars is the coolest?

At the upper right of the Hertzprung-Russell diagram we find

The wavelengths of radiation from a star that is moving toward us

The orbits of most extrasolar planets detected to date are

For the transit of an extrasolar planet to be observed, the

Which of the following extrasolar planets would be the most difficult to detect using the Doppler shift method?

According to our current theory of planet formation, can a Jupiter-like planet form from a rotating disk of dust and gas close to its parent star?

A- and F-type stars

Why does the Doppler shift method of detecting extrasolar planets only give us the minimum mass of a planet?

When a low mass star like our Sun dies it will

The total amount of energy that a star radiates out into space is referred to as its

Discoveries of extrasolar planets have shown us that

Gravitational lensing is the process by which

A nearby star is discovered to have a high mass planet at a very small distance form it. What would its radial velocity curve look like?

The recently discovered rocky terrestrial-like exoplanets with masses a few times that of the Earth are sometimes called

O-type stars in our galaxy are

The Science of Life in the Universe

The Universal Context of Life

The Habitability of Earth

The Nature of Life on Earth

The Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth

Searching for Life in Our Solar System

Mars

Life on Jovian Moons

The Nature and Evolution of Habitability

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Interstellar Travel and the Fermi Paradox

Filters

What is the minimum mass of the exoplanet orbiting 70 Virginis if it has an orbital period of 116.69 days (p = 1.0082 x 10⁷ s) and an average orbital distance a = 7.18 x 10¹⁰ m. The star's orbital velocity is measured to be 291 m/s and its mass is 2.19 x 10³⁰ kg.