Deck 3: The Science of Astronomy

Question 1

The Muslim fast of Ramadan occurs

A) on the summer solstice.
B) during the ninth month of a 12-month lunar cycle.
C) on the spring equinox.
D) during a thirteenth month of the Metonic cycle.
E) at the end of the Metonic cycle.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Historians trace the origins of a 24-hour day to

A) the druids of Stonehenge.
B) the ancient Egyptians.
C) the Mayans.
D) the Aztecs.
E) the Babylonian astronomer, Meton.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

He was the first to prove that comets lie beyond Earth's atmosphere.

A) Tycho Brahe
B) Copernicus
C) Kepler
D) Galileo
E) Aristotle

Answer 3

A

Question 4

He discovered what we now call Newton's first law of motion.

A) Tycho Brahe
B) Copernicus
C) Kepler
D) Galileo
E) Ptolemy

Question 5

He developed a system for predicting planetary positions that remained in use for some 1,500 years.

A) Tycho Brahe
B) Copernicus
C) Kepler
D) Galileo
E) Ptolemy

Question 6

The Jewish calendar is kept roughly synchronized with a solar calendar by

A) adding a thirteenth lunar month to 7 out of every 19 years.
B) having a thirteenth month with 5 days each year.
C) skipping a month every 7 out of 19 years.
D) having the first lunar month begin on the spring equinox.
E) having the first lunar month begin on the summer solstice.

Question 7

How did Eratosthenes estimate the size of Earth in 240 B.C.?

A) by observing the duration of a solar eclipse
B) by measuring the size of Earth's shadow on the Moon in a lunar eclipse
C) by comparing the maximum altitude of the Sun in two cities at different latitudes
D) by sending fleets of ships around Earth
E) We don't know how he did it since all his writings were destroyed.

Question 8

The path that led to modern science emerged from ancient civilizations in which part of the world?

A) Central and South America
B) the Mediterranean and the Middle East
C) North America
D) China
E) Southern Asia

Question 9

Why did Ptolemy have the planets orbiting Earth on "circles upon circles" in his model of the universe?

A) to explain why more distant planets take longer to make a circuit through the constellations of the zodiac
B) to explain the fact that planets sometimes appear to move westward, rather than eastward, relative to the stars in our sky
C) to explain why the Greeks were unable to detect stellar parallax
D) To properly account for the varying distances of the planets from Earth
E) To explain why Venus goes through phases as seen from Earth

Question 10

When did Copernicus live?

A) About 5000 years ago
B) About 2000 years ago
C) About 1000 years ago
D) About 500 years ago
E) About 100 years ago

Question 11

The controversial book of this famous person, published in 1543 (the year of his death), suggested that Earth and other planets orbit the Sun.

A) Tycho Brahe
B) Copernicus
C) Kepler
D) Galileo
E) Ptolemy

Question 12

He discovered that Jupiter has moons.

A) Tycho Brahe
B) Aristotle
C) Kepler
D) Galileo
E) Ptolemy

Question 13

Which of the following statements about scientific models is true?

A) A model tries to represent all aspects of nature.
B) A model tries to represent only one aspect of nature.
C) A model can be used to explain and predict real phenomena.
D) All models that explain nature well are correct.
E) All current models are correct.

Question 14

During the Dark Ages in Europe, the scientific work of the ancient Greeks was preserved and further developed primarily by scholars in

A) Baghdad.
B) Greece.
C) Rome.
D) India.
E) China.

Question 15

The Metonic cycle is the

A) 29 1/2-day period of the lunar cycle.
B) 12-month period of a lunar calendar.
C) 19-year period over which the lunar phases occur on about the same dates.
D) 18-year, 11-day period over which the pattern of eclipses repeats.
E) period between successive Easters.

Question 16

At the Sun Dagger in New Mexico, a dagger-shaped beam of sunlight pierces a spiral

A) every day at noon.
B) at noon on the summer solstice.
C) at sunset on the spring equinox.
D) at noon on the day of full moon each month.
E) during the totality of a total solar eclipse.

Question 17

When did Ptolemy live?

A) about 5000 years ago
B) about 2000 years ago
C) about 1000 years ago
D) about 500 years ago
E) about 100 years ago

Question 18

People of central Africa predicted the weather by

A) recording the seasonal changes in average temperature.
B) observing the path of the planets across the sky.
C) observing the length of the lunar cycle.
D) observing the orientation of the crescent moon relative to the horizon.
E) observing the location of the Moon relative to the Sun in the sky.

Question 19

He discovered that the orbits of planets are ellipses.

A) Tycho Brahe
B) Copernicus
C) Kepler
D) Galileo
E) Ptolemy

Question 20

When and where did the Library of Alexandria exist?

A) from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1800 in Greece
B) from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1800 in Egypt
C) From 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Rome
D) from 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Greece
E) from 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Egypt

Question 21

The Earth is instantly replaced in its orbit by a speak of dust. Which statement best describes the subsequent orbital motion of that piece of dust?

A) The dust particle will spiral into the Sun.
B) The dust particle will be ejected from the Solar System.
C) The dust particle will continue in the same orbit as the Earth did, orbiting the Sun in 1 year.
D) The dust particle will move to a smaller orbit and orbit the Sun in less than 1 year.
E) The dust particle will move to a larger orbit and orbit the Sun in more than 1 year.

Question 22

The point along a planet's orbit where it is closest to the Sun is called the orbit's

A) perihelion
B) aphelion
C) eccentricity
D) semi-major axis
E) period

Question 23

The Ptolemaic model of the solar system was useless for predicting planetary positions.

Question 24

Kepler's second law, which states that as a planet moves around its orbit it sweeps out equal areas in equal times, means that

A) a planet travels faster when it is nearer to the Sun and slower when it is farther from the Sun.
B) a planet's period does not depend on the eccentricity of its orbit.
C) planets that are farther from the Sun move at slower average speeds than nearer planets.
D) the period of a planet does not depend on its mass.
E) planets have circular orbits.

Question 25

When did humans first learn that Earth is not the center of the universe?

A) within the past 500 years
B) about 2000 years ago
C) around the time that early humans acquired language
D) We haven't; there is still considerable scientific debate about whether Earth is the center of the universe.

Question 26

What is meant by a scientific paradigm?

A) a conundrum or unexplained set of facts
B) a radical change in scientific thought
C) a generally well established scientific theory or set of theories
D) a pseudoscientific idea
E) a historical theory that has been proved inaccurate

Question 27

Copernicus's model of the solar system gave much better predictions than the model of Ptolemy.

Question 28

Kepler's third law, p² = a³, means that

A) a planet's period does not depend on the eccentricity of its orbit.
B) all orbits with the same semimajor axis have the same period.
C) the period of a planet does not depend on its mass.
D) planets that are farther from the Sun move at slower average speeds than nearer planets.
E) All of the above are correct.

Question 29

One of the "nails in the coffin" for the Earth-centered universe was

A) the retrograde motion of the planets.
B) the phases of the Moon.
C) eclipses of the Sun.
D) Galileo's observation of stars in the Milky Way.
E) Galileo's observations of the moons of Jupiter.

Question 30

When we see Venus in its full phase, what phase would Earth be in as seen by a hypothetical Venetian?

A) full
B) new
C) first quarter
D) third quarter
E) waning crescent

Question 31

The ancient goal of astrology was to

A) understand the origin of Earth.
B) make a more accurate model of the universe.
C) predict the passing of the seasons.
D) predict human events.
E) antagonize astronomers.

Question 32

From Kepler's third law, a hypothetical planet that is twice as far from the Sun as Earth should have a period of

A) 1/2 Earth year.
B) 1 Earth year.
C) 2 Earth years.
D) more than 2 Earth years.
E) It depends on the planet's mass.

Question 33

The names of the seven days of the week are derived from the names of the members of the solar system that are visible to the naked eye.

Question 34

The Polynesian navigators of the South Pacific found their way primarily by observing the position of Polaris in the night sky.

Question 35

Which of the following is the reason for the solar day being longer than a sidereal day?

A) precession of Earth's axis
B) the tilt of Earth's axis
C) the combined effect of the rotation of Earth and its orbit about the Sun
D) Earth year being a non-integer number of Earth days
E) the non-circular orbit of Earth around the Sun

Question 36

Copernicus was the first person to suggest a Sun-centered solar system.

Question 37

The principle of Occam's Razor states that

A) in explaining natural phenomena, the simplest explanation consistent with the observations is to be preferred.
B) no scientific theory, no matter how well tested, can ever be proved absolutely true.
C) scientific explanations may invoke supernatural causes if no other causes are found.
D) while personal biases may influence individual scientists, the process of science itself can uncover these biases.
E) only a model that has survived repeated observational tests deserves to be called a scientific theory.

Question 38

In the Ptolemaic system, Venus should not show phases.

Question 39

From Kepler's third law, an asteroid with an orbital period of 8 years lies at an average distance from the Sun equal to

A) 2 astronomical units.
B) 4 astronomical units.
C) 8 astronomical units.
D) 16 astronomical units.
E) It depends on the asteroid's mass.

Question 40

Which of the following statements about scientific theories is not true?

A) A theory cannot be taken seriously by scientists if it contradicts other theories developed by scientists over the past several hundred years.
B) A theory is a model designed to explain a number of observed facts.
C) If even a single new fact is discovered that contradicts what we expect according to a particular theory, then the theory must be revised or discarded.
D) A theory must make predictions that can be checked by observation or experiment.
E) A theory can never be proved beyond all doubt; we can only hope to collect more and more evidence that might support it.

Question 41

Columbus was the first person to discover that Earth is round.

Question 42

A scientific model must make an observational prediction.

Question 43

The Nature of Astronomical Models: Consider the Aztec structure Templo Mayor described in the text. In what sense can such structures be considered a model of our solar system? How does such a model differ from the models that astronomers use today? Given your answers, to what extent do you think the builders of such ancient structures engaged in a scientific process?

Question 44

Rival Theories: The idea that Newtonian gravitation might be incorrect was only taken seriously by the scientific community when a powerful rival theory, Einstein's Theory of General Relativity, became available in the early part of the 20th century. Consider the role of rival theories with regard to the pseudoscience of astrology. Astrology purports to "explain" human behavior by celestial influences, such as the position of the Sun and stars in the sky. Consider the social science of psychology. Is it more or less successful in explaining human behavior? Give specific examples if you can. Does your answer play any role in regarding astrology as a pseudoscience?

Question 45

How did ancient peoples of central Africa predict the weather?

Question 46

Scientific theories can never be proved true beyond all doubt.

Question 47

Astronomy and astrology were often practiced together in ancient cultures, and astrology played an important role in the historical development of astronomy.

Question 48

Describe what a scientific test of astrology would involve.

Question 49

You are using a piece of string and two tacks to draw ellipses on a piece of paper. How can you draw two ellipses with the same semi-major axes but different eccentricities? How can you draw two ellipses with the same eccentricity but with the semi-major axis of one double the other?

Question 50

Describe how Eratosthenes first measured the size of Earth over 2000 years ago.

Question 51

Galileo found "imperfections" on the Sun in the form of sunspots and "imperfections" on the Moon in the form of mountains and valleys.

Question 52

Why was a knowledge of the stars so important to Polynesians?

Question 53

Science can say nothing about the validity of nonscientific practices that do not make testable predictions.

Question 54

Scientific thinking developed only in the past few decades.

Question 55

Occam's Razor: A hallmark of science is the rejection of supernatural causes to explain natural phenomena. Try to justify this position as another way of including Occam's Razor into the process of science.

Question 56

Describe one major accomplishment for each of the following people: Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Kepler, and Galileo.

Question 57

Observational Tests: Observations are the ultimate test of physical models and their predictions. Both Tycho Brahe and Galileo Galilei made decisive observations that helped distinguish between the geocentric and heliocentric models for the solar system. Compare and contrast the types of observations that Tycho and Galileo gathered. Which do you think was more persuasive to astronomers at the time?
How about to educated members of the public?

Question 58

Describe the Ptolemaic model of the solar system. How did Ptolemy account for the apparent retrograde motion of the planets?

Question 59

It is possible for science as a whole to be objective despite the fact that all individual scientists have personal biases and beliefs.

Question 60

State Kepler's three laws of planetary motion.

Question 61

Which of the following statements expresses what we mean by a scientific theory?

A) An explanation for a physical phenomenon, an explanation that hasn't been tested yet
B) An educated guess
C) A simple model that explains a wide variety of phenomena and that has survived repeated tests

Question 62

The Metonic cycle is

A) used to keep lunar calendars approximately synchronized with solar calendars.
B) used to predict the future orientation of the Earth's axis in space.
C) the ancient Greek name for the cycle of lunar phases that repeats every 29 ¹/₂ days.
D) the 18-year, 11-day period over which the pattern of eclipses repeats.

Question 63

Scientific thinking is ________.

A) based on everyday ideas of observation and trial-and-error experiments
B) completely different from any other type of thinking
C) a difficult process that only a handful of people can do well
D) an ancient mode of thinking first invented in Egypt

Question 64

What do we mean by a geocentric model of the universe?

A) A model designed to explain what we see in the sky while having the Earth located in the center of the universe
B) A model designed to explain what we see in the sky while having the Earth orbit the Sun
C) It is the name given to sphere-shaped models that show all the constellations as they appear in our sky on the celestial sphere.
D) A model of the Milky Way Galaxy that has our solar system located at its center

Question 65

Which of the following claims cannot be tested by science?

A) This drug will cure cancer.
B) The geometry of the universe is curved.
C) Smoking shortens people's lifespans.
D) The Earth was created by God.
E) The Sun goes around the Earth.

Question 66

You want to test how the mass of a ball affects its rate of fall. Which of the following ball drop trials (matched mass and drop heights) would best test this question?

A) Mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m/mass of 0.5 kg, height 10 m
B) Mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m/mass of 5.0 kg, height 20 m
C) Mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m/mass of 5.0 kg, height 10 m
D) Mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m/mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m

Question 67

Identify the falsifiable statement below:

A) The universe was created by God.
B) The Sun is at the center of the solar system.
C) The laws of nature are magnificent and beautiful.
D) President Kennedy's murder was orchestrated by an undetectable shadow government of the United States.

Question 68

The great contribution of Nicholas Copernicus was to ________.

A) create a detailed model of our solar system with the Sun rather than Earth at the center
B) prove that the Earth is not the center of the universe
C) discover the laws of planetary motion
D) discover the law of gravity

Question 69

The ancient Greeks get a lot of attention for their contributions to science because ________.

A) they were the first people known to try to explain nature with models based on reason and mathematics, without resort to the supernatural
B) the books of every other culture were lost in the destruction of the library of Alexandria
C) they were the first people to realize that Earth is a planet orbiting the Sun
D) they were the only ancient culture that kept written records of their astronomical observations

Question 70

Match the accomplishment to the person:

A) Tycho collected data, Newton found elliptical orbits, Kepler explained in terms of physics.
B) Tycho collected data, Kepler found elliptical orbits, Newton explained in terms of physics.
C) Kepler collected data, Tycho found elliptical orbits, Newton explained in terms of physics.

Question 71

Which of the following statements are not falsifiable? Being falsifiable means that, in principle, it can be shown to be false by observations or experiments.

A) The Sun is at the center of the solar system.
B) The observable universe contains about 100 billion galaxies.
C) The Earth is at the center of the solar system.
D) Human beings were created by God.
E) The chemical content of the universe is mostly hydrogen and helium.

Question 72

Which pair of ball-drop experiments will best test whether mass affects the acceleration of gravity? Exp 1. Mass 0.5 kilograms, height 20 meters
Exp 2. Mass 5.0 kilograms, height 20 meters
Exp 3. Mass 0.5 kilograms, height 30 meters

A) Exp 1 and 3
B) Exp 2 and 3
C) Exp 1 and 2

Question 73

Ptolemy was important in the history of astronomy because he ________.

A) developed a model of the solar system that made sufficiently accurate predictions of planetary positions to remain in use for many centuries
B) developed the first scientific model of the universe
C) was the first to create a model of the solar system that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at the center
D) was the first to believe that all orbits are perfect circles

Question 74

What practical value did astronomy offer to ancient civilizations?

A) It helped them keep track of time and seasons, and it was used by some cultures for navigation.
B) It allowed them to predict eclipses with great accuracy.
C) It helped them understand our cosmic origins.
D) It helped them find uses for ancient structures like Stonehenge.

Question 75

The great contribution of Tycho Brahe was to ________.

A) observe planetary positions with sufficient accuracy so that Kepler could later use the data to discover the laws of planetary motion
B) discover four moons orbiting Jupiter, thereby lending strong support to the idea that the Earth is not the center of the universe
C) offer the first detailed model of a Sun-centered solar system, thereby beginning the process of overturning the Earth-centered model of the Greeks
D) discover that planets orbit the Sun in elliptical orbits with varying speed

Question 76

Which of the following statements about an ellipse is not true?

A) The focus of an ellipse is always located precisely at the center of the ellipse.
B) A circle is considered to be a special type of ellipse.
C) The semimajor axis of an ellipse is half the length of the longest line that you can draw across an ellipse.
D) An ellipse with a large eccentricity looks much more elongated (stretched out) than an ellipse with a small eccentricity.

Question 77

What was the Ptolemaic model?

A) An Earth-centered model of planetary motion published by Ptolemy
B) The Earth-centered model of the cosmos in which the Earth was surrounded by seven perfect spheres, one each for the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn
C) The first scientific model to successfully predict solar and lunar eclipses
D) A Sun-centered model of planetary motion published by Ptolemy

Question 78

Which of the following is not one of, nor a direct consequence of, Kepler's Laws?

A) The force of attraction between any two objects decreases with the square of the distance between their centers.
B) As a planet moves around its orbit, it sweeps out equal areas in equal times.
C) The orbit of each planet about the Sun is an ellipse with the Sun at one focus.
D) More distant planets orbit the Sun at slower speeds.

Question 79

Which of the following was not observed by Galileo?

A) Stellar parallax
B) Mountains and valleys on the Moon
C) Four moons orbiting Jupiter
D) Phases of Venus

Question 80

The names of the seven days of the week are based on ________.

A) the names of the seven planets closest to the Sun
B) the seven most prominent constellations in the summer sky
C) the names of prophets in the Bible
D) the seven naked-eye objects that appear to move among the constellations