Deck 1: Astronomy and the Universe

Question 1

Which unique quality distinguishes human beings from other living things?

A)the continuing need to test the ability and strength of their leaders
B)curiosity, the need to explore and understand our surroundings
C)social behavior, the desire to protect the young, the old, and the weak
D)the will to fight to resolve conflicts

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which scientific discipline can be considered as truly universal?

A)astronomy
B)social studies
C)geology
D)biological science

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Astronomy:

A)has not yet influenced our lives significantly, although future developments like mining on the Moon may become important.
B)studies only far-away places and has no application to our lives here on Earth.
C)allows us to predict our individual destinies from the movements of the planets, but has never had any other useful application.
D)has had important practical applications including the development of Newtonian mechanics, on which much of modern technology is based.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The scientific method is a major force in science and has been developed to ensure that:

A)theories about physical phenomena are so good and our faith in them is so strong that we never need to test them against observations.
B)theories about physical phenomena agree with the wisdom of the ancients.
C)results from experiments can be adjusted to agree with our carefully developed theories about physical phenomena.
D)theories about physical phenomena agree with what we find in experiments and observations.

Question 5

The rules that govern the behavior of matter and have inspired major advances in engineering are known as:

A)Murphy's laws.
B)the laws of physics.
C)the laws of social behavior.
D)the laws of chance.

Question 6

The laws of physics developed in laboratories on Earth are generally assumed to be valid:

A)only on Earth.
B)only in our solar system.
C)only in our galaxy.
D)everywhere in the universe.

Question 7

The most important reason for exploring other planets is that:

A)the study of the solar system is our greatest source of information on the formation of the universe.
B)it allows us to understand our own planet more thoroughly.
C)it extends human's thoughts onto a plane that is totally removed from our limited existence here on Earth.
D)it has become vital for us to develop these planets as sources of raw materials.

Question 8

Based on dating of meteorites, the oldest rocks found on Earth, we have concluded that our solar system formed about 4.56 __________ years ago.

A)thousand
B)million
C)billion
D)trillion

Question 9

Which of the following space exploits has not yet been accomplished by humans?

A)walking on the surface of the Moon
B)landing a spacecraft on Saturn's surface
C)studying the surface of Venus under its thick, permanent cloud cover
D)discovering active volcanoes on other worlds

Question 10

In our exploration of the solar system, we have sent spacecraft intended to land on or fly past:

A)only the closer planets: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.
B)all the planets, but not Pluto.
C)only the nearest planets to Earth, Venus, and Mars.
D)all planets from Mercury to Neptune as well as Pluto.

Question 11

The oldest objects in the solar system whose age has been measured are:

A)the Moon rocks brought back by the Apollo astronauts.
B)rocks from the Canadian shield of North America.
C)the large satellites of the jovian planets.
D)meteorites.

Question 12

So far, our study of the other bodies in our solar system is based on:

A)Earth-based telescopic observations only.
B)telescopic observations from Earth and from spacecraft only.
C)telescopic observations from Earth and spacecraft plus geologic samples brought back from the Moon.
D)telescopic observations from Earth and spacecraft plus information from crewed landings on about half the planets.

Question 13

Which of the following is not considered to be part of our solar system?

A)the Sun
B)the Moon
C)Pluto
D)the Orion Nebula

Question 14

Which of the following is not considered to be part of our solar system?

A)meteors
B)comets
C)exoplanets
D)asteroids

Question 15

The idea of thermonuclear fusion, the release of energy following the conversion of hydrogen nuclei into a helium nucleus, was first suggested as the source of energy in:

A)the interior of Earth.
B)the central core of the Sun.
C)a weapon of mass destruction.
D)a controllable nuclear power station.

Question 16

Larger stars have more thermonuclear "fuel":

A)and, since all nuclear reactions proceed at the same rate, they live longer than smaller stars which have less fuel.
B)but they also consume their fuel at a larger rate and thus live the same length of time as smaller stars, which have less fuel but consume it more slowly.
C)but they also consume their fuel at a larger rate and thus live the a shorter time than smaller stars, which have less fuel but consume it more slowly.
D)but there is no correlation between the size of a star and its lifetime.

Question 17

The lifetime of a typical star (like our Sun) appears to be:

A)a few thousands of years.
B)a few millions of years.
C)a few billions of years.
D)essentially infinite because we know of no mechanism that can terminate the nuclear processes in a star's interior.

Question 18

Heavy elements, such as those throughout Earth and within our bodies, appear to have been formed:

A)only during the initial Big Bang formation of the universe.
B)by radioactive decay here on Earth.
C)inside the Sun.
D)deep inside some now-vanished star.

Question 19

Now about halfway through its life cycle, our Sun is expected to last another __________ billion years.

A)1
B)5
C)10
D)20

Question 20

The lifetime of our Sun is estimated to be about:

A)125 million years.
B)4.56 billion years.
C)12.5 billion years.
D)110 billion years.

Question 21

The study of galaxies gives astronomers important clues about the:

A)origin of intellect.
B)existence of life in the universe beyond Earth.
C)formation of planets.
D)beginning of the universe.

Question 22

In galaxies, where are the sites of star formation?

A)in the spiral arms
B)in the center
C)in black holes
D)nowhere; stars appear to be formed in the space between galaxies.

Question 23

What do we mean by the Big Bang?

A)the cosmic explosion at the beginning of the universe and the origin of the cosmic expansion that we now observe
B)the projected end of the universe, the result of the cosmic collapse that will inevitably follow the cosmic expansion we now observe
C)the cataclysmic event that produced our solar system about 13.7 billion years ago
D)the tremendous explosion that occurs when a quasar becomes a black hole, sending gravitational waves and cosmic rays throughout the universe

Question 24

If we could view each of the following objects from the same distance, which would be the brightest?

A)a star
B)a quasar
C)a normal galaxy
D)a solar system

Question 25

Each of the following is a possible stage in the late evolution of a massive star except one. Which is the exception?

A)quasar
B)supernova
C)pulsar
D)black hole

Question 26

In angular measurements used in astronomy, how many right angles are there in a full circle?

A)two
B)six
C)one
D)four

Question 27

The angle of 60° between the line from the Sun to Jupiter and the line from the Sun to the Trojan group of asteroids (See Figure 15-14a of Universe, 11th ed.) is what fraction of a full circle?
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A)1/2
B)1/3
C)1/5
D)1/6

Question 28

The angle subtended by the Moon (diameter 3500 km) to an observer on Earth (Moon-Earth distance is about 400,000 km) is approximately:

A)1/2 degree.
B)1700 degrees.
C)1/1700 degree.
D)1/2 arcminute.

Question 29

The Saturn 5 rocket, used to send astronauts to the Moon, stood about 110 m high. At what distance would you have to stand in order to have the rocket subtend an angle of about 2.5 degrees? (This angle is the field of view of a 600-mm focal length telephoto lens on a 35-mm camera.)

A)275 km
B)0.25 km
C)2700 km
D)2.5 km

Question 30

At what distance would a friend have to hold a dime (about 1 cm diameter) for it to subtend an angle of 2 arcseconds?

A)at the distance of the Moon
B)1 km
C)10 cm
D)10⁵ km

Question 31

Suppose a star rises due east, passes directly overhead, and then sets 12 hours after it rose. What is its average angular speed (in arcseconds per second)?

A)7.5
B)15
C)30
D)180

Question 32

Using a technique known as very long baseline interferometry (VLBI), in which the signals received by two radio telescopes located on different continents are combined as if they were a single radio telescope, astronomers can resolve two objects separated by only 0.00001 second of arc. What is the smallest detail we can see in a quasar 15 billion light-years away using this kind of interferometer?

A)0.7 ly
B)44 ly
C)2400 ly
D)150,000 ly

Question 33

A globular cluster of stars is measured to have an angular diameter of 20.6 arcseconds, and its distance from Earth is measured to be 200,000 light-years. What is its approximate physical diameter in light-years?

A)200,000
B)1/20
C)20
D)2

Question 34

What is the approximate angular diameter of the Sun in arcseconds?

A)186
B)930
C)1.86
D)1860

Question 35

On May 9, 2018, the planet Jupiter had an angular diameter of 43.8 arcseconds as viewed from Earth. Which of the following is a correct statement about this angular diameter?

A)This value is constant. Jupiter always has that angular diameter when viewed from Earth.
B)This value changes. The angular diameter gets larger as the distance to Jupiter becomes larger, and smaller as the distance to Jupiter becomes smaller.
C)This value changes. The angular diameter gets larger as the distance to Jupiter becomes smaller, and smaller as the distance to Jupiter becomes larger.
D)This value changes. It is always larger during that part of Saturn's orbit when Jupiter is closer to the Sun, and it is smaller when Jupiter is farther from the Sun.

Question 36

If a stick of length 5.18 m is placed so that the ends just touch a circle of radius 10 m, the stick will subtend a 30° angle when viewed from the center of the circle. What does the formula derived in Box 1-1 give you as the length of this stick?

A)1.26 m
B)5.18 m
C)5.24 m
D)11.8 m

Question 37

A circle of radius 10m has a circumference C = 2πR = 62.83 m. A 30° angle would intercept an arc that is 30/360 or 1/12 of this, namely 5.24 m. What does this result (along with the result in the previous problem) suggest about the validity of the formula derived in Box 1-1? [Note to instructors: This question and the previous one are intended to reinforce concept that the small angle formula computes subtended arc length, which is slightly greater than D in Box 1-1 for large angles, but a reasonably good approximation for small angles.]

A)The formula is valid even for angles as large as 30°.
B)The formula actually calculates the length subtended by a given angle at a given distance. Thus the formula computes a length that is longer than length D in Box 1-1.
C)The formula actually calculates the length subtended by a given angle at a given distance. Thus the formula computes a length that is shorter than length D in Box 1-1.
D)The formula is valid for angles larger than 30° but not for angles smaller than 30°.

Question 38

The average distance from Earth to the Sun, 149,600,000 km, can be written in shorthand notation as:

A)1.496 × 10⁹ km.
B)1.496 × 10⁶ km.
C)1.496 × 10⁸ km.
D)1.496 × 10⁷ km.

Question 39

The mean distance of Jupiter from the Sun, 778,300,000 km, can be written in shorthand notation as:

A)7.783 × 10⁸ km.
B)7.783 × 10⁹ km.
C)7.783 × 10⁷ km.
D)7.783 × 10⁶ km.

Question 40

There are 1000 mm in 1 m. This means that a distance of 5 mm is:

A)5 × 10³ m.
B)5 × 10^-3 m.
C)2 × 10^-4 m.
D)5 × 10^-2 m.

Question 41

0.0064 m is:

A)0.64 mm.
B)640 mm.
C)6.4 mm.
D)64 mm.

Question 42

10 × 10⁵ =

A)1 billion
B)10 million
C)1 million
D)10,000

Question 43

2⁵ =

A)100,000
B)32
C)25
D)200,000

Question 44

(1/2)³ =

A)8
B)1.25 × 10^-1
C)0.5
D)0.167

Question 45

(0.5)² =

A)2.5 × 10^-2
B)0.25
C)2.5
D)1.0

Question 46

10^-2 × 10² =

A)0
B)1/100
C)1
D)10,000

Question 47

(2 × 10²)³ =

A)6 × 10⁶
B)8 × 10⁶
C)8 × 10⁵
D)6 × 10⁵

Question 48

10⁵ × 10⁸ =

A)10⁴⁰
B)10³
C)10¹³
D)10²⁰

Question 49

10⁶/10⁹ =

A)10⁵⁴
B)10¹⁵
C)10^-3
D)10³

Question 50

10⁶/10⁶ =

A)1
B)10
C)0
D)10¹²

Question 51

(9.0 × 10⁵)/(1.5 × 10³) =

A)13.5 × 10¹⁵
B)3 × 10^-2
C)600
D)7.5 × 10^-2

Question 52

2.5 × 10⁴ × 2.5 × 10^-4 =

A)5.0 × 10^-8
B)5.0
C)6.25
D)1.0 × 10⁶

Question 53

A particular molecule has a diameter of 12 billionths of a meter. This distance is equal to:

A)1.2 nanometers (1.2 nm).
B)1.2 micrometers (1.2 μm).
C)12 nanometers (12 nm).
D)12 micrometers (12 μm).

Question 54

An astronomer is measuring the brightness of a star using infrared light of wavelength 7.8 μm. This corresponds to a wavelength of:

A)7.8 millionths of a meter.
B)7.8 billionths of a meter.
C)7.8 trillionths of a meter (where 1 trillion = 1 million million)
D)780 millionths of a meter.

Question 55

The distance from Earth to the star Betelgeuse (in the constellation Orion) has been measured as 520 light-years. Expressed in parsecs, this is approximately:

A)160 pc.
B)350 pc.
C)520 Mpc (megaparsecs).
D)1700 pc.

Question 56

The distance to the star τ Scorpii has been measured as 230 pc. Expressed in light-years, this is approximately:

A)230 Mly (million light-years).
B)340 ly.
C)750 ly.
D)70 ly.

Question 57

The star $\gamma$ Aquilii is 340 ly from Earth. Expressed in parsecs, this is approximately:

A)1100 pc.
B)105 pc.
C)750 pc.
D)0.340 kpc (kiloparsecs).

Question 58

The star ? Puppis is about 750 pc from Earth. Expressed in light-years, this is approximately:

A)230 ly.
B)1500 ly.
C)2445 ly.
D)7.5 × 10⁵ ly.

Question 59

What is the distance between Earth and the nearest star? (Think carefully about your answer!) (Check the list of stars in the Appendix 4 of Universe, 11th ed.)
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A)5.2 au
B)4.3 pc
C)1 au
D)4.3 ly

Question 60

The Orion Nebula is shown in Figure 1-7 of Universe, 11th ed. How long has the light been traveling from this object before it arrives on Earth?
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A)750 years
B)4890 years
C)460 years
D)1500 years

Question 61

The time taken for light to travel from Jupiter to Earth when they are closest to each other is (you need to think carefully about this, and draw a diagram):

A)12 years.
B)34 minutes.
C)8 minutes.
D)a few seconds.

Question 62

The Crab Nebula (See Figure 1-8 of Universe, 11th ed.) is the result of a supernova explosion of a star that occurred at a distance of about 1.99 kpc from Earth. If people on Earth saw the explosion in the year 1054 C.E., when did the explosion actually occur?

A) 936 C.E.
B) about 1048 C.E.
C) about 5446 B.C.E.
D) 936 B.C.E.

Question 63

If a supernova was first seen in 1572 C.E. and its distance from Earth is measured to be 2 kpc, approximately when did the supernova actually explode?

A) 1572 B.C.E.
B) 4968 B.C.E.
C) 428 B.C.E.
D) 4968 C.E.

Question 64

If a fire burned a large part of a medieval city 1000 years ago, approximately how far out in space has some of that light now reached? (Note to instructors: This question must be modified yearly.)

A)1000 × (3 × 10⁸) m = 6.04 × 10¹¹ m
B)1000 au
C)1000 ly
D)1000 pc

Question 65

Light from a campfire lit by Roman centurions in the year 100 B.C.E. travels out into space at the speed of light. Which is the farthest of the 20 brightest stars (See Appendix 5, Universe, 11th ed.) beyond which this light will now have traveled?

A)Sirius
B)Rigel
C)Betelgeuse
D)Deneb

Question 66

In 2018, an inhabitant of a planet orbiting a distant star observes the flash of the first nuclear explosion on Earth, which occurred in July 1945. Approximately how far away is his solar system from Earth?

A)73 pc
B)2.24 pc
C)224 pc
D)22.4 pc

Question 67

If an extraterrestrial being were to send a signal to Earth immediately to confirm the sighting in 2018 of a nuclear explosion on Earth in July 1945, and we were ready to receive such a message, when would we expect it? (Note to instructors: This question is linked to the previous question.)

A) 2032 C.E.
B) 2127 C.E.
C) 2016 C.E.
D) 2077 C.E.

Question 68

One yard is the same distance as:

A)0.9144 m.
B)1.0936 m.
C)100 cm
D)10^-3 km.

Question 69

The following distance units, arranged in size from smallest to largest, are:

A)km, ly, au, pc.
B)ly, au, pc, km.
C)km, au, ly, pc.
D)au, pc, km, ly.

Question 70

The speed of light is approximately 3 × 10⁸ m/sec. This is the same as:

A)1.34 × 10⁸ mi/hr.
B)3.35 × 10⁸ mi/hr.
C)4.41 × 10⁸ mi/hr.
D)6.71 × 10⁸ mi/hr.

Question 71

How long does it take light to travel from the Sun to Earth? (There are 3.15 x 10⁷ seconds in 1 year.)

A)0.007 seconds
B)9 minutes
C)4 and a half days
D)11 weeks

Question 72

How great a distance is 1 light second, the distance light travels in 1 second?

A)186,000 m
B)300 million m
C)1 au
D)1.76 pc

Question 73

An object on the surface of Earth has a mass of 40 kg. This is the same as:

A)4 × 10⁴ g.
B)3.92 × 10⁵ gs.
C)40 lb.
D)392 lb.

Question 74

If the 40-kg object in the previous problem were taken to the surface of the Moon its mass would be:

A)4 × 10⁴ g.
B)6.53 × 10⁴ g.
C)40 lb.
D)65.3 lb.

Question 75

One foot is the same distance as:

A)3.048 × 10^-7 μm.
B)3.048 × 10⁸ nm.
C)0.621 km.
D)5.28 × 10^-3 mi.

Question 76

An underlying theme of astronomy is that the:

A)fundamental physical laws differ randomly from galaxy to galaxy, but they can be learned for a given galaxy by detailed observation.
B)fundamental physical laws governing the universe change in a predictable way with increasing distance from Earth.
C)universe is a hodgepodge of unrelated things behaving in arbitrary and unexplainable ways.
D)entire universe is governed by a single set of fundamental physical laws.

Question 77

We know the properties of hydrogen atoms well from studying them in laboratories on Earth. A fundamental idea in astronomy is that:

A)a hydrogen atom anywhere else in the universe is the same as it is here.
B)hydrogen atoms change in regular and predictable ways as they get farther from Earth.
C)the characteristics of hydrogen atoms follow different rules in different galaxies, but these can be predicted by studying the properties of each galaxy as a whole.
D)hydrogen atoms are unique to our solar system and the manner in which it was formed.

Question 78

The element helium was discovered (through spectroscopy) in the atmosphere of the Sun before it was discovered in trace amounts on Earth. This was possible because:

A)helium is the simplest element in its atomic structure.
B)the helium on Earth ultimately came from the Sun; thus we know the structure of solar helium must be the same as that of terrestrial helium.
C)all helium atoms in the universe are believed to be fundamentally the same.
D)both Earth and the Sun sweep up helium in their motion through space, so it is not surprising that the helium discovered on the Sun was the same as terrestrial helium.