Question 1

The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram is a graphical technique used in astronomy to compare

Accepted Answer

A)  the surface temperature versus the energy output of a star. 
B)  the star's luminosity versus its distance from Earth. 
C)  the absolute magnitude of the star versus the star's relative temperature. 
D)  the distance the Sun is from the nearest red giant. 
E)  the location of possible solar systems in the Milky Way. 
A)  the surface temperature versus the energy output of a star. 
B)  the star's luminosity versus its distance from Earth. 
C)  the absolute magnitude of the star versus the star's relative temperature. 
D)  the distance the Sun is from the nearest red giant. 
E)  the location of possible solar systems in the Milky Way.

Question 2

How is it that optical telescopes are placed in orbit but radio telescopes are not?

Accepted Answer

The visible spectrum frequenci

Question 3

What is the difference between apparent brightness and absolute brightness in star classification?

Accepted Answer

Apparent brightness is relativ

Question 4

During ocean voyages, early sailors used a method called triangulation to determine the location of their ships. How is this same method used today by astronomers to determine the distance to certain neighboring stars?

Accepted Answer

By measuring the angle of sigh

Question 5

What are the two factors that affect the behavior of every star?

Accepted Answer

The two factors that

Question 6

List the events in the life of a Sun-like star in chronological order.

Accepted Answer

Every star passes through a cycle that i

Question 7

From the perspective of Earth, how are neutron stars and pulsars the same and how are they different?

Accepted Answer

All pulsars are neutron stars.

Question 8

What four aspects of photons are measured by astronomers and what instruments do the scientists use?

Accepted Answer

Astronomers measure photon wavelength wi

Question 9

If the Hubble telescope detects an intensely bright region in the sky that lasts only a few days, it has probably found evidence of a

Accepted Answer

A)  white dwarf. 
B)  supernova. 
C)  main sequence star. 
D)  new galaxy. 
E)  black hole. 
A)  white dwarf. 
B)  supernova. 
C)  main sequence star. 
D)  new galaxy. 
E)  black hole.

Question 10

How can the ashes of one stellar nuclear fire become the fuel for the next stellar nuclear fire?

Accepted Answer

In medium size stars, hydrogen is burned

Question 11

Which of the following affects the life of a star?

Accepted Answer

A)  gravitational force 
B)  mass 
C)  temperature 
D)  fusion processes 
E)  all of these are correct 
A)  gravitational force 
B)  mass 
C)  temperature 
D)  fusion processes 
E)  all of these are correct

Question 12

Where in the Milky Way galaxy would astronomers expect to find planetary systems other than our own?

Accepted Answer

A)  neutron stars 
B)  nebulae 
C)  supernovas 
D)  black holes 
E)  Cepheid stars 
A)  neutron stars 
B)  nebulae 
C)  supernovas 
D)  black holes 
E)  Cepheid stars

Question 13

From an observer's point of view, how would the birth of a star appear different from the death of a large star (supernova)?

Accepted Answer

These events are similar in that they bo

Question 14

If you were to observe a pulsar, what would you see?

Accepted Answer

A)  a blinking red glow 
B)  intermittent radio waves 
C)  a steady glow that oscillates among the stars 
D)  the sudden brightening of a star 
E)  the total eclipse of the Sun 
A)  a blinking red glow 
B)  intermittent radio waves 
C)  a steady glow that oscillates among the stars 
D)  the sudden brightening of a star 
E)  the total eclipse of the Sun

Question 15

Which of the following variables related to star observation would not be among an astronomer's data?

Accepted Answer

A)  wave length 
B)  intensity 
C)  sound 
D)  position 
E)  brightness 
A)  wave length 
B)  intensity 
C)  sound 
D)  position 
E)  brightness

Question 16

In the 1800s, scientists knew that if the Sun was composed of conventional fuels (coal, oil, or wood) it would have a burning life of only a few thousand years at best. How might this information have impacted the debate of "how old is the Earth" during that era?

Accepted Answer

Either the Earth is only a few

Question 17

From what part of the electromagnetic spectrum is most of the Sun's energy emitted?

Accepted Answer

A)  radio waves 
B)  infrared waves 
C)  visible light waves 
D)  gamma rays 
E)  microwaves 
A)  radio waves 
B)  infrared waves 
C)  visible light waves 
D)  gamma rays 
E)  microwaves

Question 18

How are Cepheid variables used to classify stars?

Accepted Answer

The distance a star is from the Earth ca

Question 19

Red giants can be described as

Accepted Answer

A)  huge planets that are surrounded by gases. 
B)  large stars that emit a lot of energy but have cool surfaces. 
C)  large stars that emit a lot of energy but have glowing, hot surfaces. 
D)  stars that are in the hydrogen-burning stage of their lives. 
E)  large planets with glowing iron oxide surfaces. 
A)  huge planets that are surrounded by gases. 
B)  large stars that emit a lot of energy but have cool surfaces. 
C)  large stars that emit a lot of energy but have glowing, hot surfaces. 
D)  stars that are in the hydrogen-burning stage of their lives. 
E)  large planets with glowing iron oxide surfaces.

Question 20

At this moment, the Sun is producing energy by burning

Accepted Answer

A)  plutonium. 
B)  anthracite. 
C)  hydrogen. 
D)  helium. 
E)  iron. 
A)  plutonium. 
B)  anthracite. 
C)  hydrogen. 
D)  helium. 
E)  iron.

Exam 14: The Stars: How Much Longer Can the Sun Sustain Life on Earth

The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram is a graphical technique used in astronomy to compare

How is it that optical telescopes are placed in orbit but radio telescopes are not?

What is the difference between apparent brightness and absolute brightness in star classification?

During ocean voyages, early sailors used a method called triangulation to determine the location of their ships. How is this same method used today by astronomers to determine the distance to certain neighboring stars?

What are the two factors that affect the behavior of every star?

List the events in the life of a Sun-like star in chronological order.

From the perspective of Earth, how are neutron stars and pulsars the same and how are they different?

What four aspects of photons are measured by astronomers and what instruments do the scientists use?

If the Hubble telescope detects an intensely bright region in the sky that lasts only a few days, it has probably found evidence of a

How can the ashes of one stellar nuclear fire become the fuel for the next stellar nuclear fire?

Which of the following affects the life of a star?

Where in the Milky Way galaxy would astronomers expect to find planetary systems other than our own?

From an observer's point of view, how would the birth of a star appear different from the death of a large star (supernova)?

If you were to observe a pulsar, what would you see?

Which of the following variables related to star observation would not be among an astronomer's data?

In the 1800s, scientists knew that if the Sun was composed of conventional fuels (coal, oil, or wood) it would have a burning life of only a few thousand years at best. How might this information have impacted the debate of "how old is the Earth" during that era?

From what part of the electromagnetic spectrum is most of the Sun's energy emitted?

How are Cepheid variables used to classify stars?

Red giants can be described as

At this moment, the Sun is producing energy by burning

Science: a Way of Knowing: How Do You Know What You Know

The Ordered Universe: Why Do Planets Appear to Wander Slowly Across the Sky

Energy: Why Must Animals Eat to Stay Alive

Heat and the Second Law of Thermodynamics: Why Is It Easier to Make an Omelet From an Egg Than to Make an Egg From an Omelet

Electricity and Magnetism: What Is Lightning

Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation: What Is Color

Albert Einstein and the Theory of Relativity: Can a Human Ever Travel Faster Than the Speed of Light, at Warp Speed

The Atom: Why Are There so Many Different Materials in the World

Quantum Mechanics: How Can the Electron Behave Like Both a Particle and a Wave

Atoms in Combination: the Chemical Bond: How Does Blood Clot

Materials and Their Properties: How Have Computers Gotten so Much Faster

The Nucleus of the Atom: How Do Scientists Determine the Age of the Oldest Human Fossils

The Ultimate Structure of Matter: How Can Antimatter Be Used to Probe the Human Brain

Cosmology: Will the Universe End

Earth and Other Planets: Is Earth the Only Planet With Life

Plate Tectonics: Can We Predict Destructive Earthquakes

Earths Many Cycles: Will We Ever Run Out of Fresh Water

Ecology, Ecosystems, and the Environment: Are Human Activities Affecting the Global Environment

Strategies of Life: What Is Life

The Living Cell: What Is the Smallest Living Thing

Molecules of Life: What Constitutes a Healthy Diet

Classical and Modern Genetics: Why Do Offspring Resemble Their Parents

The New Science of Life: Can We Cure Cancer

Evolution: How Did Life Emerge on the Ancient Earth

Filters