Deck 1: Getting Started: Science, astronomy, and Being Human

Question 1

Express 4.5 × 10⁴ in everyday language.

A) forty-five hundred
B) forty-five thousand
C) forty-five hundred thousand
D) forty-five million

Answer 1

forty-five thousand

Question 2

(8.0 × 10⁷)× (3.0 × 10²)= :

A) 2.4 × 10⁹
B) 2.4 × 10¹⁰
C) 2.4 × 10¹¹
D) 1.1 × 10²¹

Answer 2

2.4 × 10¹⁰

Question 3

(9.0 × 10¹²)/ (3.0 × 10⁴)= :

A) 3.0 × 10⁸
B) 3.0 × 10⁹
C) 6.0 × 10³
D) 3.0 × 10¹²

Answer 3

3.0 × 10⁸

Question 4

Express 2 × 10 ⁻³ in everyday language.

A) two-thousandths
B) two-hundredths
C) two-tenths
D) one-sixth

Question 5

Sally lives two orders of magnitude farther from your house than April does.If April lives one mile away from you,Sally might live ________ miles away.

A) 2
B) 3
C) 10
D) 100

Question 6

[ (2.0 × 10⁴)× (7.0 × 10³)] + (5.0 × 10⁷)= :

A) 1.9 × 10⁸
B) 6.4 × 10⁷
C) 1.35 × 10¹⁰
D) 7.0 × 10¹⁵

Question 7

(3.3 × 10⁵)+ (2.0 × 10⁴)= :

A) 3.5 × 10⁴
B) 3.5 × 10⁵
C) 5.3 × 10⁵
D) 6.6 × 10⁹

Question 8

Suppose that an ant colony has 3 million ants.Each has a mass of fifteen-hundredths of a gram.What is the total mass of the entire colony of ants?

A) 4.5 × 10³
B) 4.5 × 10⁴
C) 4.5 × 10⁵
D) 4.5 × 10⁶

Question 9

In order to observe the sunrise on the winter solstice from the ancient monument at Newgrange (in Ireland,part of the Northern Hemisphere),you should look:

A) somewhat south of due east.
B) due east.
C) somewhat north of due east.
D) due west.

Question 10

(2.7 × 10⁸)/ (9.0 × 10⁻⁴)= :

A) 3.0 × 10⁷
B) 3.0 × 10⁸
C) 3.0 × 10¹¹
D) 3.0 × 10¹²

Question 11

Express 10,000,000 in standard scientific notation.

A) 1.0 × 10 -7
B) 1.0 × 10⁶
C) 1.0 × 10⁷
D) 10.0 × 10⁷

Question 12

The typical life span of a housefly is about 10⁻² years,while the typical life span of a person is about 10² years.We might say that a housefly lives ________ than a person.

A) four orders of magnitude more
B) four orders of magnitude less
C) four times longer
D) four times shorter

Question 13

(4.0 × 10⁴)× (1.0 × 10⁸)= :

A) 4.0 × 10⁸
B) 5.0 × 10³²
C) 4.0 × 10⁴
D) 4.0 × 10¹²

Question 14

Express 4,020,000,000 in standard scientific notation.

A) 4.02 × 10⁹
B) 40.2 × 10⁸
C) 402 × 10⁷
D) 402 × 10⁹

Question 15

A particular subatomic particle has a radius of three-millionths of a billionth of a meter.This is equivalent to:

A) 3.0 × 10 ^-9
B) 3.0 × 10 ^-13
C) 3.0 × 10 ^-15
D) 3.0 × 10 ^-16

Question 16

Express 0.0003 in standard scientific notation.

A) 3.0 × 10 ^-4
B) 3.0 × 10 ^-3
C) 3.0 × 10⁴
D) 3.0 × 10³

Question 17

The characteristic that most clearly distinguishes modern astronomy from its use in the ancient world is:

A) its accuracy.
B) its relevance.
C) the telescope.
D) the scientific approach.

Question 18

(4.72 × 10¹⁵)- (8.0 × 10¹⁴)= :

A) 3.92 × 10¹
B) 4.64 × 10¹
C) 3.92 × 10¹⁴
D) 3.92 × 10¹⁵

Question 19

At the time of this writing,the population of the United States is about three hundred twenty million,or:

A) 3.2 × 10⁶
B) 3.2 × 10⁷
C) 3.2 × 10⁸
D) 3.2 × 10⁹

Question 20

(4.0 × 10⁸)/ (8.0 × 10⁴)= :

A) 4.0 × 10⁴
B) 5.0 × 10³
C) 5.0 × 10⁴
D) 2.0 × 10³

Question 21

A parsec is a unit of:

A) angle.
B) time.
C) mass.
D) distance.

Question 22

How many orders of magnitude are there between the height of a person (D=10⁰ m)and the diameter of a star (D=10⁹ m)?

A) 4
B) 7
C) 9
D) 10

Question 23

Which of the following was a way in which prehistoric cultures used astronomy?

A) as a mathematical calculating machine
B) for navigation
C) for measuring distances
D) as hunting guides

Question 24

The first steps toward science came with the:

A) discovery of the wheel.
B) invention of mathematics.
C) invention of agriculture.
D) None of the above.

Question 25

Which of the following might correctly characterize the difference in diameter between a grain of interstellar dust and an Earth-like planet?

A) 10²
B) 10^-10
C) 12 orders of magnitude
D) 200 times bigger

Question 26

How much larger is the diameter of a galaxy compared to that of a star?

A) 10¹²
B) 10³
C) 10^-3
D) 10^-12

Question 27

How many orders of magnitude are there between the size of a dog and the size of a subatomic particle?

A) 5
B) 15
C) 25
D) 35

Question 28

Arrange the following objects in order of increasing size:

A) planet, star, galaxy, galaxy cluster, supercluster.
B) planet, galaxy, star, supercluster, galaxy cluster.
C) star, planet, galaxy, galaxy cluster, supercluster.
D) planet, star, supercluster, galaxy cluster, galaxy.

Question 29

Which of the following might be the diameter of a planet?

A) 100 m
B) 10³ m
C) 10⁶ m
D) 10¹⁰ m

Question 30

Which of the following is comparable to the size of an atom?

A) 10^-6 m
B) 10^-9 m
C) 10^-15 m
D) 10^-21 m

Question 31

Scientists refer to a well-developed body of knowledge that has been tested many times in many different ways as a:

A) hypothesis.
B) framework.
C) theory.
D) truth.

Question 32

Which of the following is true of the development of science?

A) Science required the development of mathematics.
B) Science foundation was first formed during the European Renaissance.
C) Science developed in stages, with contributions from many societies.
D) Science arose purely from abstract considerations with little application to everyday life.

Question 33

[ (2.0 × 10⁹)/ (8.0 × 10⁻²)] - (1.0 × 10⁹)= :

A) 1.5 × 10⁶
B) 1.5 × 10⁹
C) 2.4 × 10¹⁰
D) 2.4 × 10¹¹

Question 34

Arrange the following objects in order of increasing size:

A) atom, dust, single-celled organism, subatomic particle.
B) subatomic particle, dust, atom, single-celled organism.
C) atom, subatomic particle, single-celled organism, dust.
D) subatomic particle, atom, dust, single-celled organism.

Question 35

How many orders of magnitude are there between the diameter of a planet like Earth and the typical size of a star like the sun?

A) one
B) two
C) three
D) seven

Question 36

Which of the following is closest to the diameter of our Galaxy?

A) 10²¹ m
B) 10²⁴ m
C) 10²⁷ m
D) 10³⁵ m

Question 37

The entire population of the United States (about 3.0 × 10⁸ people)each spend thirty seconds reading the latest astronomy news.In total,how many hours have people spent learning about the latest advance?

A) 2.5 million
B) 25 million
C) 250 million
D) 2.5 billion

Question 38

How many orders of magnitude are there between the diameter of a planet like Earth and the typical size of a planetary system?

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

Question 39

Everyday materials like wood,water,and air are composed of:

A) dark matter.
B) atoms.
C) dust.
D) neutrinos.

Question 40

How many football fields (with lengths roughly 100 meters)would fit across our solar system?

A) 100 million
B) 1 billion
C) 100 billion
D) 100 trillion

Question 41

What kind of astronomical object is hundreds of millions of times smaller than the Milky Way galaxy?

Question 42

In the simplest form of the scientific method,which of the following correctly describes the sequence in which science proceeds?

A) experiment, hypothesis, observation
B) theory, observation, experiment
C) observation, theory, experiment
D) observation, hypothesis, experiment

Question 43

Suppose a galaxy contains 10 billion stars.During a collision with another galaxy,400 million of those stars are stripped away.How many stars remain inside the first galaxy? Express your answer in standard scientific notation.

Question 44

Science and organized religion:

A) are always at odds.
B) are always in agreement.
C) often share similar motivations.
D) share the same methodology.

Question 45

How many seconds have elapsed since the family Hominidae (including the great apes)first appeared on Earth,20 million years ago? Express your answer in standard scientific notation.(Hint: There are 31.6 million seconds per year.)

Question 46

Sally Scientist is conducting research into the rates at which birds flap their wings (or "flap rate"),which she notices varies between bird species.How might her research best proceed,according to the scientific method?

A) Sally hypothesizes that the flap rate depends upon the bird's weight and constructs a mathematical model describing her theory.
B) Sally hypothesizes that the flap rate depends upon the bird's weight. She then designs an experiment to measure flap rate as a set of birds grow and reports her results.
C) Sally observes dozens of species of birds and records their flap rates and other characteristics. She then measures which characteristics correlate best with flap rate and reports her findings.
D) Sally observes dozens of species of birds and finds the highest flap rate.

Question 47

Which of the following is a necessary part of a good scientific theory?

A) well-tested
B) revolutionary
C) mathematical
D) intuitive

Question 48

A scientific theory is a(n):

A) well-established and well-tested physical explanation.
B) mathematical equation explaining natural phenomena.
C) unproven hypothesis.
D) hypothesis suggested by a single experiment.

Question 49

Which of the following statements uses the word theory in the sense meant by scientists?

A) The astronomer's theory had not yet been tested by experiments.
B) The astronomer's theory had passed so many experimental tests that it had become accepted wisdom throughout the community.
C) The astronomer's theory was an elegant hypothesis.
D) The astronomer's theory was in conflict with the prevailing explanation.

Question 50

On scales of about one-billionth of a meter,what is the fundamental building block of matter?

Question 51

Scientific advances are directly responsible for which of the following problems facing humanity?

A) the depletion of fossil fuels
B) pollution
C) climate change
D) all of the above

Question 52

According to present estimates,the Universe is roughly 14 billion years old,while stars slightly more than 10 times more massive than our Sun live for only 7 million years.How many generations of such stars could there have been over the history of the Universe? Express your answer in standard scientific notation.

Question 53

The distance from one chair to another in a typical classroom is about one meter.By increasing the order of magnitude one step at a time,provide familiar examples for length scales from one meter up to 10⁶ meters.

Question 54

The distance between stars near the Sun is typically about 10¹⁶ meters.How many Earth-like planets (with diameters of about 1 million meters)would fit between stars separated by this distance?

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT likely to be a consequence of climate change?

A) rising sea levels
B) increased solar storms
C) changes in rainfall patterns
D) changes in biological habitats

Question 56

Identify the base,coefficient,and exponent in the number 4.07 × 10⁶.

Question 57

The ancient Newgrange monument's opening pointed toward a point on the horizon somewhat south of due east.Why?

Question 58

Einstein's explanation for gravity has been tested rigorously using several different experimental techniques.Scientists refer to it as a(n):

A) theory.
B) hypothesis.
C) truth.
D) approximation.

Question 59

Pseudoscience refers to:

A) a belief or practice that is made to look scientific but that was not developed through the scientific method.
B) the first phase of the scientific method.
C) scientific theories that have been superseded by more recent explanations.
D) the application of the scientific method to our daily lives.

Question 60

Provide examples of societies that have used astronomy for survival,for creative purposes,and to explain the context of their lives.

Question 61

Arrange the following objects in order of increasing size: superclusters,dust,stars,planets,atoms,galaxies.

Question 62

Why is astrology a pseudoscience?

Question 63

What is the correct order of actions that scientists take in their studies,according to the simple version of the scientific method?

Question 64

Define a scientific theory and provide an example of one.

Question 65

What is the sequence of events in the scientific method,assuming it is working properly and in its simplest form?

Question 66

How many orders of magnitude are there between the size of a proton and the diameter of a star?

Question 67

An ancient astronomer notes that a lunar eclipse occurs just before a massive rainstorm.She tells her family that she believes the next eclipse will also be followed by a storm.When the eclipse arrives,she moves all her belongings into a nearby cavern to keep them dry,but no storm materializes.Has the astronomer made proper use of the scientific method? If not,why not?

Question 68

Sally Scientist would like to choose a birthday gift for her friend Evan Experimenter.Explain how she might use the scientific method to make her choice.

Question 69

A young child notices that a large rock falls faster than a small rock and tells his mother that large rocks always fall faster than small rocks.He gathers a large pile of rocks of varying sizes and compares them,finding that large rocks fall faster than small rocks about 60 percent of the time.Satisfied,he goes inside to play with a toy.Has the child made proper use of the scientific method? If not,why not?

Question 70

Describe a challenge to the human race that has arisen because of the pursuit of science.