Question 1

Which of the following phenomena is shown in the figure below?

Accepted Answer

A)  reflection 
B)  refraction 
C)  magnification 
D)  diffraction 
E)  interference 
A)  reflection 
B)  refraction 
C)  magnification 
D)  diffraction 
E)  interference

Question 2

What are gravitational waves? Have astronomers been able to detect them yet?

Accepted Answer

Gravitational waves are distur

Question 3

Explain why the largest telescopes are not refracting telescopes.

Accepted Answer

The larger the refracting tele

Question 4

The image quality of most optical telescopes is limited by atmospheric refraction experienced by light as it passes through the Earth's atmosphere.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Why don't astronomers put all telescopes in space?

Accepted Answer

Building and launching a telescope into

Question 6

Water vapor in Earth's atmosphere primarily easily absorbs which type of photons?

Accepted Answer

A)  radio 
B)  infrared 
C)  visible 
D)  ultraviolet 
E)  X-ray 
A)  radio 
B)  infrared 
C)  visible 
D)  ultraviolet 
E)  X-ray

Question 7

What is the diffraction limit of a 4-m telescope observing at a wavelength of 650 nm?

Accepted Answer

@#LAT-DLM& = 2.06 *10^5</

Question 8

Which of the following cannot be directly detected using a telescope?

Accepted Answer

A)  X-rays 
B)  visible light 
C)  infrared light 
D)  neutrinos 
E)  ultraviolet light 
A)  X-rays 
B)  visible light 
C)  infrared light 
D)  neutrinos 
E)  ultraviolet light

Question 9

Landers, rovers, and/or atmospheric probes have visited which object(s) listed below in an effort to gain new information about our Solar System?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter 
B)  Titan, Saturn's moon 
C)  Mars 
D)  Eros, an asteroid 
E)  all of the above 
A)  Jupiter 
B)  Titan, Saturn's moon 
C)  Mars 
D)  Eros, an asteroid 
E)  all of the above

Question 10

Unlike photons, neutrinos are relatively easy to detect.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Why can you see fainter stars with an 8-inch telescope than you can see with your naked eye?

Accepted Answer

A)  The telescope collects light over a larger area. 
B)  The telescope magnifies the field of view. 
C)  The telescope collects light over a wider range of wavelength than your eye. 
D)  The telescope has a wider field of view. 
E)  The telescope has a longer integration time than your eyes. 
A)  The telescope collects light over a larger area. 
B)  The telescope magnifies the field of view. 
C)  The telescope collects light over a wider range of wavelength than your eye. 
D)  The telescope has a wider field of view. 
E)  The telescope has a longer integration time than your eyes.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a reason to put a telescope in space?

Accepted Answer

A)  to observe at wavelengths blocked by the Earth's atmosphere 
B)  to avoid light pollution on Earth 
C)  to avoid weather on Earth 
D)  to avoid atmospheric distortion 
E)  to get closer to the stars 
A)  to observe at wavelengths blocked by the Earth's atmosphere 
B)  to avoid light pollution on Earth 
C)  to avoid weather on Earth 
D)  to avoid atmospheric distortion 
E)  to get closer to the stars

Question 13

Which property of light is responsible for chromatic aberration?

Accepted Answer

A)  reflection 
B)  interference 
C)  dispersion 
D)  diffraction 
E)  magnification 
A)  reflection 
B)  interference 
C)  dispersion 
D)  diffraction 
E)  magnification

Question 14

What part(s) of the human eye is responsible for detecting light?

Accepted Answer

A)  cornea 
B)  lens 
C)  pupil 
D)  rods and cones 
E)  iris 
A)  cornea 
B)  lens 
C)  pupil 
D)  rods and cones 
E)  iris

Question 15

Why is it difficult to view low surface brightness objects, such as the Andromeda Galaxy, with the naked eye? Does the view improve with the use of a telescope? What is needed to get a bright, clear view of the Andromeda Galaxy, as commonly seen in pictures?

Accepted Answer

The human eye has a low integration time

Question 16

The path of red light is deflected by a larger angle than blue light when passing through a glass prism.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

High-speed computers have become one of an astronomer's most important tools. Which of the following does NOT require the use of a high-speed computer?

Accepted Answer

A)  analyzing images taken with very large CCDs 
B)  generating and testing theoretical models 
C)  moving a telescope from object to object 
D)  studying the evolution of astronomical objects or systems over time 
E)  correcting for atmospheric distortion 
A)  analyzing images taken with very large CCDs 
B)  generating and testing theoretical models 
C)  moving a telescope from object to object 
D)  studying the evolution of astronomical objects or systems over time 
E)  correcting for atmospheric distortion

Question 18

Neutrino detectors typically capture one out of every _________ neutrinos that pass through them.

Accepted Answer

A)  10 
B)  106 (one million) 
C)  109 (one billion) 
D)  1012 (one trillion) 
E)  1022 (10 billion trillion) 
A)  10 
B)  106 (one million) 
C)  109 (one billion) 
D)  1012 (one trillion) 
E)  1022 (10 billion trillion)

Question 19

Explain what happens when white light is refracted by a prism.

Accepted Answer

When white light is refracted by a prism

Question 20

The telescope was invented by:

Accepted Answer

A)  Galileo Galilei, an Italian inventor 
B)  Hans Lippershey, an eyeglass maker in the Netherlands 
C)  Gote Reber, a German cabinetmaker 
D)  Tycho Brahe, a Danish astronomer 
E)  Johannes Kepler, a German astronomer 
A)  Galileo Galilei, an Italian inventor 
B)  Hans Lippershey, an eyeglass maker in the Netherlands 
C)  Gote Reber, a German cabinetmaker 
D)  Tycho Brahe, a Danish astronomer 
E)  Johannes Kepler, a German astronomer

Exam 6: The Tools of the Astronomer

Which of the following phenomena is shown in the figure below?

What are gravitational waves? Have astronomers been able to detect them yet?

Explain why the largest telescopes are not refracting telescopes.

The image quality of most optical telescopes is limited by atmospheric refraction experienced by light as it passes through the Earth's atmosphere.

Why don't astronomers put all telescopes in space?

Water vapor in Earth's atmosphere primarily easily absorbs which type of photons?

What is the diffraction limit of a 4-m telescope observing at a wavelength of 650 nm?

Which of the following cannot be directly detected using a telescope?

Landers, rovers, and/or atmospheric probes have visited which object(s) listed below in an effort to gain new information about our Solar System?

Unlike photons, neutrinos are relatively easy to detect.

Why can you see fainter stars with an 8-inch telescope than you can see with your naked eye?

Which of the following is NOT a reason to put a telescope in space?

Which property of light is responsible for chromatic aberration?

What part(s) of the human eye is responsible for detecting light?

Why is it difficult to view low surface brightness objects, such as the Andromeda Galaxy, with the naked eye? Does the view improve with the use of a telescope? What is needed to get a bright, clear view of the Andromeda Galaxy, as commonly seen in pictures?

The path of red light is deflected by a larger angle than blue light when passing through a glass prism.

High-speed computers have become one of an astronomer's most important tools. Which of the following does NOT require the use of a high-speed computer?

Neutrino detectors typically capture one out of every _________ neutrinos that pass through them.

Explain what happens when white light is refracted by a prism.

The telescope was invented by:

Why Learn Astronomy

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

Motion of Astronomical Bodies

Gravity and Orbits

Light

The Birth and Evolution of Planetary Systems

The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

Worlds of Gas and Liquid the Giant Planets

Planetary Adornmentsmoons and Rings

Dwarf Planets and Small Solar System Bodies

Taking the Measure of Stars

Our Starthe Sun

Star Formation and the Interstellar Medium

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

Relativity and Black Holes

The Expanding Universe

Galaxies

The Milky Waya Normal Spiral Galaxy

Modern Cosmology

Large-Scale Structure in the Universe

Life

Filters