Deck 3: The Universal Context of Life

Question 1

Due to the vast scale of the universe, when we observe a star in the night sky, we are seeing it

A) not as it is now, but as it will be in the future
B) as it was at the moment the universe formed
C) as it is right now
D) not as it is now, but as it was in the past

Answer 1

not as it is now, but as it was in the past

Question 2

Huge collections of stars in space containing anywhere form a few hundred million to more than a trillion stars are referred to as

A) island universes
B) galaxy clusters
C) star clusters
D) galaxies

Answer 2

island universes

Question 3

Approximately how long does it take light to travel across the diameter of the Milky Way?

A) 27,000 years
B) 100,000 years
C) 200,000 years
D) 1 million years

Answer 3

100,000 years

Question 4

Approximately how many stars are there in the Milky Way galaxy?

A) a few hundred million
B) a few hundred thousand
C) more than a hundred billion
D) a trillion or more

Question 5

The Local Group is an example of a

A) galaxy cluster
B) galaxy
C) supercluster
D) planetary system

Question 6

If we had sent a radio signal to an advanced civilization in 2006 which is located in the zeta reticuli star system approximately 39 light-years away and the signal was immediately replied to, when would the reply arrive back at Earth?

A) 2084
B) 2012
C) 2045
D) 2039

Question 7

If we had detected a signal from an advanced civilization in 2013 which was located at a distance of 7 light-years from the Sun, in what year was the signal actually transmitted?

A) 2007
B) 2013
C) 2020
D) 2006

Question 8

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that there has been plenty of time for life to have appeared and evolved elsewhere?

A) the universe is very large
B) the universe is very old
C) the laws of physics are the same everywhere
D) the building blocks of life are common

Question 9

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that enormous numbers of habitable worlds may exist in the universe?

A) the laws of physics are the same everywhere
B) the universe is very old
C) the universe is very large
D) the building blocks of life are common

Question 10

If we had sent a radio signal to an advanced civilization in 2006 which is located in the zeta reticuli star system approximately 39 light-years away, when would the signal arrive at its destination?

A) 2006
B) 2051
C) 2039
D) 2045

Question 11

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that the processes that formed life on Earth could have occurred elsewhere?

A) the universe is very old
B) the laws of physics are the same everywhere
C) the universe is very large
D) the chemical elements that make up life on Earth are common

Question 12

In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that extraterrestrial life may be constructed in a similar fashion to life on Earth?

A) the universe is very large
B) the universe is very old
C) the laws of physics are the same everywhere
D) the chemical elements that make up life on Earth are common

Question 13

Which of the following words best describes the sum total of all matter and energy that exists?

A) supercluster
B) universe
C) multiverse
D) macrocosm

Question 14

Most of the mass of the Milky Way is in the form of

A) stars
B) gas clouds
C) black holes
D) dark matter

Question 15

The mysterious component if the universe which appears to be pushing galaxies apart is referred to as

A) dark energy
B) anti-gravity
C) dark matter
D) inflation

Question 16

Which of the following places the structures in our own part of the universe in order of increasing (smallest to largest) scale?

A) Solar System, Local Group, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Supercluster
B) Local Supercluster, Local Group, Milky Way Galaxy, Solar System
C) Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Supercluster, Local Group
D) Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Local Supercluster

Question 17

The nearest star is at a distance of 4.4 light-years. Given that light travels at 300,000 km/s in space, how far away is the nearest star in kilometers (km)?

A) 4.2 10¹³ km
B) 2.7 10¹⁵ km
C) 3.0 10⁸ km
D) 9.5 10¹² km

Question 18

If the size of our solar system were scaled down to a radius of 1 kilometer, approximately how far away would the nearest stars be on this scale?

A) several hundred kilometers
B) several million kilometers
C) several thousand kilometers
D) several billion kilometers

Question 19

The light-year is defined to be the

A) time it takes light to travel from the Sun to the Earth
B) time it takes for light to travel from the nearest star to the Earth
C) distance light travels in one year in space
D) average distance between the Earth and the nearest star

Question 20

Most of the mass of the universe is in the form of

A) stars
B) gas clouds
C) black holes
D) dark matter

Question 21

If we compress the entire history of the into one year, each month represents

A) about a billion years
B) a few tens of millions of years
C) a few hundred years
D) a few million years

Question 22

Telescopic observations of distant galaxies have shown that the universe is

A) expanding
B) contracting
C) static and unchanging
D) infinite in size

Question 23

Ordinary matter in the form stars and planet makes up approximately what proportion of the total mass and energy in the universe?

A) about 70 percent
B) a few percent
C) about 25 percent
D) nearly a 100 percent

Question 24

High mass stars can fuse in their cores

A) all of the chemical elements
B) elements up to and including iron
C) elements up to and including carbon
D) only elements heavier than iron

Question 25

Low mass stars like our Sun can fuse in their cores

A) all of the chemical elements
B) elements up to and including iron
C) elements up to and including carbon
D) only elements heavier than iron

Question 26

A star more massive than the Sun will have

A) an identical lifetime as the Sun because although its overall mass is higher, the mass of its nuclear burning core is the same
B) a longer lifetime because it has more fuel to burn
C) a shorter lifetime because although its overall mass is higher, the mass of its nuclear burning core is smaller
D) a shorter lifetime because its central core is hotter and denser

Question 27

According to current theories, the universe appears to be made

A) of dark matter
B) of dark energy
C) mostly of ordinary matter in the form of stars and galaxies
D) of an equal mixture of dark matter and dark energy

Question 28

The expansion of the universe is due to the

A) motion of galaxies through space
B) expansion of space within galaxies
C) expansion of stars within galaxies
D) expansion of space between galaxies

Question 29

If we compress the entire history of the into one year, each day represents

A) about a billion years
B) a few tens of millions of years
C) a few hundred years
D) a few million years

Question 30

A star less massive than the Sun will have

A) an identical lifetime as the Sun because although its overall mass is lower, the mass of its nuclear burning core is the same
B) a shorter lifetime because it has less fuel to burn
C) a longer lifetime because although its overall mass is lower, the mass of its nuclear burning core is larger
D) a longer lifetime because its central core is cooler and less dense

Question 31

If we compress the entire history of the into one year, each second represents

A) about a billion years
B) a few tens of millions of years
C) a few hundred years
D) a few million years

Question 32

The main chemical building blocks of life, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and iron were formed

A) inside interstellar gas clouds during star formation
B) in the center of the Earth and then ejected onto the surface via volcanism
C) in the nuclear burning cores of stars and then ejected into space when they died
D) in the Big Bang that created the universe

Question 33

The point in time when the expansion of the universe began is referred to the

A) big crunch
B) cosmic detonation event
C) big bang
D) big blowup

Question 34

If we compress the entire history of the universe into one year, the Earth formed

A) in early February
B) in early September
C) in late December
D) in late September

Question 35

The Big Bang predicts that after the universe was born it

A) consisted of an equal mixture of all the chemical elements
B) was completely empty
C) consisted of mostly hydrogen and helium
D) consisted of mostly carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen

Question 36

The strongest piece of evidence that supports the Big Bang is the

A) fact that the universe is expanding
B) detection of dark matter in galaxies
C) fact that stars have finite lifetimes
D) detection of the cosmic microwave background radiation left over from the formation of the universe

Question 37

In the process of nuclear fusion,

A) two or more nuclei fuse or stick together to form a heavier nucleus that has exactly the same mass as the original nucleus
B) a heavy nucleus breaks apart into a number of smaller nuclei whose combined mass is less than the original nucleus
C) two or more nuclei fuse or stick together to form a heavier nucleus whose combined mass is slightly less than the original nucleus
D) two or more nuclei fuse or stick together to form a heavier nucleus whose combined mass is slightly greater than the original nucleus

Question 38

If we compress the entire history of the universe into one year, life on Earth appeared

A) in early February
B) in early September
C) in late December
D) in late September

Question 39

Compared to the Sun, older stars contain what proportion of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium?

A) a higher proportion
B) exactly the same proportion
C) they contain absolutely no heavy elements at all
D) a lower proportion

Question 40

According to current astronomical data, approximately how old is the universe?

A) 65 million years
B) 6000 years
C) 4.6 billion years
D) 14 billion years

Question 41

How many electrons are present in the ion of the isotope of oxygen, ¹⁸O³⁻ if oxygen has an atomic number of 8?

A) 18
B) 5
C) 8
D) 11

Question 42

The number of stars in the observable universe

A) is approximately equal to the population of the Earth at the turn of the 21st century
B) cannot be estimated
C) is approximately equal to the total number of sand grains on every beach on Earth
D) is infinitely large

Question 43

Due to the incredible size of the universe, our search for extraterrestrial life will probably be limited to within our

A) Local Group of galaxies
B) Local Supercluster of galaxies
C) Milky Way galaxy
D) solar system

Question 44

An isotope of the element Manganese (Mn) has an atomic number of 25 and a mass number of 55. Assuming the atom is neutral, this means it has

A) 55 protons, 55 electrons, and 25 neutrons
B) 25 protons, 25 electrons, and 30 neutrons
C) 25 protons, 30 electrons, and 25 neutrons
D) 25 protons, 25 electrons, and 55 neutrons

Question 45

When we make an observation of a distant galaxy 10 billion light-years away, we are seeing this galaxy as it

A) is right now
B) was when the universe was only 10 billion years old
C) was when the universe was formed
D) will be in 10 billion year's time

Question 46

Which of the following do the atoms ¹⁴C and ¹⁴N have in common?

A) total number of protons and neutrons
B) number of electrons
C) number of neutrons
D) number of protons

Question 47

Which of the following do the atoms ¹⁴N and ¹⁵N have in common?

A) total number of neutrons and electrons
B) number of protons
C) total number of protons and neutrons
D) number of neutrons

Question 48

The number of protons in the nucleus of an tom is referred to as its

A) atomic mass number
B) average atomic mass
C) proton number
D) atomic number

Question 49

Which subatomic particle or particles is/are found in the nucleus of an atom?

A) protons and neutrons
B) protons only
C) neutrons and electrons
D) electrons and protons

Question 50

Compared to its neutral atom, an ion has the same number of

A) protons and neutrons
B) protons but a different number of neutrons
C) protons but a different number of electrons
D) neutrons but a different number of protons

Question 51

The total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an tom is referred to as its

A) atomic mass number
B) average atomic mass
C) proton number
D) atomic number

Question 52

We are located at the

A) edge of our entire universe
B) center of our observable universe
C) edge of our observable universe
D) center of our entire universe

Question 53

Isotopes have the same number of

A) protons and neutrons
B) protons but a different number of electrons
C) neutrons but a different number of protons
D) protons but a different number of neutrons

Question 54

If we compress the entire history of the universe into one year, modern humans evolved

A) at 9 PM on New Year's Eve
B) at midnight on New Year's Eve
C) a couple of minutes before midnight on New Year's Eve
D) a few seconds before midnight on New Year's Eve

Question 55

Compared the Earth, the universe is

A) about the same age
B) just slightly older
C) much older
D) much younger

Question 56

Atoms are held together by

A) the electrostatic force of attraction between the protons in the nucleus and the surrounding electrons
B) the combined electrostatic force of attraction between the protons and neutrons in the nucleus and the surrounding electrons
C) the force of gravitational attraction between the protons in the nucleus and the surrounding electrons
D) the electrostatic force of attraction between the neutrons in the nucleus and the surrounding electrons

Question 57

The part of the universe we can see is referred to as the

A) observable universe
B) Milky Way
C) entire universe
D) multiverse

Question 58

Which subatomic particle or particles have no charge?

A) electrons and neutrons
B) all subatomic particles have no charge
C) neutrons only
D) neutrons and protons

Question 59

The total number of galaxies in our observable universe is

A) about ten million
B) about a hundred billion
C) infinite
D) a few trillion

Question 60

The fundamental parameters of the universe are so finely tuned that if they had been only slightly different, life would not have been possible. This statement is often referred to as the

A) mediocrity principle
B) philanthropic principle
C) cosmological principle
D) anthropic principle

Question 61

A car uses gasoline to convert

A) potential energy into radiative energy
B) kinetic energy into potential energy
C) radiative energy into kinetic energy
D) potential energy into kinetic energy

Question 62

What kind of energy does sunlight possess?

A) kinetic
B) radiative
C) mechanical
D) potential

Question 63

The energy associated with random atomic and molecular motion is known as

A) thermal energy
B) radiative energy
C) mass-energy
D) potential energy

Question 64

How does the wavelength (in a vacuum) of a high-frequency electromagnetic wave compare with a low-frequency electromagnetic wave?

A) it is impossible to tell because frequency and wavelength are not related
B) the lower-frequency wave has the longer wavelength because frequency and wavelength are inversely proportional to each other
C) the two waves have the same wavelength because the wavelengths of all electromagnetic waves are the same
D) the higher-frequency wave has the longer wavelength because frequency and wavelength are directly proportional to each other

Question 65

NH₃ is an example of

A) a molecule only
B) a compound only
C) both a molecule and a compound
D) a collection of isolated atoms

Question 66

Visible light is an example of

A) a compression wave
B) an electromagnetic wave
C) a seismic wave
D) a gravitational wave

Question 67

The process by which molecules escape from a solid directly into the gas phase is called

A) gasification
B) evaporation
C) condensation
D) sublimation

Question 68

What kind of energy does gasoline possess?

A) mechanical
B) kinetic
C) potential
D) radiative

Question 69

The process by which molecules escape from a liquid into the gas phase is called

A) evaporation
B) gasification
C) sublimation
D) condensation

Question 70

Electromagnetic radiation has the properties of

A) waves only
B) particles only
C) neither waves or particles
D) both waves and particles

Question 71

How does the speed (in a vacuum) of a high-frequency electromagnetic wave compare with a low-frequency electromagnetic wave?

A) the lower-frequency wave has the higher speed because speed is inversely related to frequency
B) the two waves have the same speed because the speed of light is constant
C) the lower-frequency wave has the higher speed because it has the longest wavelength
D) the higher-frequency wave has the higher speed

Question 72

Which of the following is an organic molecule?

A) N₂H₄
B) B₂O₂
C) C₂H₄
D) H₂O₂

Question 73

O₂ is an example of

A) a molecule only
B) a compound only
C) both a molecule and a compound
D) a collection of isolated atoms

Question 74

The distance between adjacent peaks of an electromagnetic wave is referred to as its

A) speed
B) frequency
C) energy
D) wavelength

Question 75

Place the three phases of water in order of increasing force of interaction between molecules:

A) ice, water, vapor
B) vapor, ice, water
C) water, ice, vapor
D) vapor, water, ice

Question 76

The energy content of matter itself which was discovered by Albert Einstein in his Special Theory of Relativity is called

A) thermal energy
B) radiative energy
C) mass-energy
D) kinetic energy

Question 77

Which of the following sequence of electromagnetic radiations is in order of increasing wavelength?

A) radio, infrared, UV, gamma ray
B) gamma ray, UV, radio, microwave
C) X-ray, visible, infrared, radio
D) UV, infrared, visible, microwave

Question 78

Photon A has a higher energy than photon B. Given this information, which of the following statements is true?

A) Photon A has a longer wavelength than photon B
B) Photon A travels faster in a vacuum than photon B
C) Photon A has a higher frequency than photon B
D) Photon A has a lower frequency than photon B

Question 79

What kind of energy does a speeding bullet possess?

A) kinetic
B) radiative
C) mechanical
D) potential

Question 80

The number of vibrations per second of an electromagnetic wave is referred to as its

A) energy
B) frequency
C) speed
D) wavelength