Question 1

A(n) ____ is a commonly accepted set of scientific ideas and assumptions.
A) theory
B) paradigm
C) hypothesis
D) natural law
E) model

Accepted Answer

A paradigm is a commonly accepted set of scientific ideas and assumptions. The other options also relate to scientific concepts but do not specifically refer to accepted sets of ideas and assumptions.

Question 2

The book De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium
A) describes how Galileo s observations and Kepler s calculations proved the Copernican theory.
B) describes the construction of Galileo s telescope and his observations.
C) is a dialog written to convince the general public of the merits of the Copernican theory.
D) first described the Copernican theory.
E) describes the Tychonian theory.

Accepted Answer

De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium, written by Nicolaus Copernicus, was the first book to describe the Copernican theory, which placed the sun at the center of the universe rather than the Earth.

Question 3

A(n) ____ is a single conjecture that can be tested.
A) hypothesis
B) paradigm
C) natural law
D) model
E) theory

Accepted Answer

A hypothesis is a proposed explanation or prediction about a phenomenon that can be tested through experimentation or observation. It is a single conjecture or idea that can be either supported or refuted through empirical evidence.

Question 4

The semi major axis of an ellipse is
A) the ratio of the longest diameter of the ellipse to that of the shortest diameter of the ellipse.
B) half the length of the shortest diameter of the ellipse.
C) half the length of the longest diameter of the ellipse.
D) the distance between the two foci of the ellipse.
E) the ratio of the distance between the two foci to the length of half the longest diameter of the ellipse.

Accepted Answer

The semi major axis of an ellipse is half the length of the longest diameter of the ellipse, which is also known as the major axis. Therefore, option C is the correct choice.

Question 5

The Copernican system was no more accurate than the Ptolemaic system in predicting the positions of the planets because ___________just as in the Ptolemaic system.
A) the Copernican system assumed the Earth was at rest at the center.
B) the Copernican system used elliptical planetary orbits
C) the Copernican system used uniform circular motion.
D) the Copernican system assumed all planets orbited the Sun

Accepted Answer

The Copernican system, while correctly placing the Sun at the center of the solar system (contrary to the Earth-centered Ptolemaic system), still used the concept of uniform circular motion for the planets, similar to the Ptolemaic system. This assumption limited its accuracy in predicting planetary positions, as it did not account for the elliptical nature of orbits, which was later described by Johannes Kepler.

Question 6

____ occur when the moon is first or third quarter.
A) Neap tides
B) Spring tides
C) Total solar eclipses
D) Annular eclipses
E) A coppery red moon will

Accepted Answer

Neap tides occur when the moon is first or third quarter, as the gravitational forces of the sun and moon partially cancel out, resulting in less extreme tides. Spring tides, on the other hand, occur during a full or new moon when the gravitational forces of the sun and moon reinforce each other, resulting in higher and lower tides than usual. Total solar eclipses and annular eclipses are not related to the phases of the moon, and a coppery red moon refers to a lunar eclipse, which also does not depend on the moon's phase.

Question 7

Retrograde motion
A) is observable for planets located between Earth and the sun.
B) is observable for planets more distant from the Sun than is Earth.
C) is only observable for the moon.
D) is observable for all planets.
E) none of the above

Accepted Answer

Retrograde motion is the apparent backward motion of a planet as seen from Earth. It occurs when Earth overtakes and passes another planet in their respective orbits around the Sun. Therefore, retrograde motion is observable for planets more distant from the Sun than is Earth. Retrograde motion is the apparent backward motion of a planet in its orbit as observed from Earth. This occurs when Earth catches up to and passes the slower-moving outer planet, making it appear to move in the opposite direction briefly. Therefore, retrograde motion is observable for planets more distant from the Sun than is Earth.

Question 8

A(n) ____ is well supported (observationally and/or experimentally) system of rules and principles that can be applied to a wide variety of circumstances but that is not universally accepted.
A) hypothesis
B) paradigm
C) theory
D) model

Accepted Answer

A theory is a well-supported system of rules and principles that can be applied to various circumstances, but it may not be universally accepted by everyone.

Question 9

Spring tides occur
A) at new moon and first quarter moon.
B) at first quarter and third quarter moons.
C) at new moon and full moon.
D) at third quarter and full moons.
E) at noon and midnight.

Accepted Answer

Spring tides occur at new moon and full moon. At these times, the gravitational forces of both the moon and the sun combine to create extra-high tides.

Question 10

Galileo s telescopic discoveries of mountains on the moon and spots on the sun were controversial because they suggested that the sun and moon
A) were the same kind of object.
B) were not perfect spheres.
C) were inhabited.
D) orbited each other.
E) did not orbit Earth.

Accepted Answer

Galileo's discovery of mountains on the moon and spots on the sun suggested that these celestial bodies were not perfect spheres, which was controversial at the time.

Question 11

A(n) ____ is a small circle whose center is located on the circumference of another larger circle.
A) equant
B) deferent
C) retrograde loop
D) ellipse
E) epicycle

Accepted Answer

A small circle whose center is located on the circumference of another larger circle is called an epicycle. This was a model used in ancient astronomy to explain the apparent retrograde motion of planets. The idea was that planets moved in small circles (epicycles) as they orbited in larger circles (deferents) around the Earth.

Question 12

Galileo s observations of a complete set of phases of Venus proved
A) that Venus orbited the sun.
B) that Earth orbited the sun.
C) that all of the planets orbited the sun.
D) that the moon orbited Earth.
E) that Venus had an atmosphere.

Accepted Answer

While Galileo's observations helped support the idea that all planets orbited the sun, his observations of Venus specifically provided evidence that it orbited the sun rather than the Earth. By observing a complete set of phases of Venus, Galileo was able to show that Venus was sometimes between the Earth and the sun (as evidenced by its phase being a thin crescent) and sometimes on the far side of the sun (as evidenced by its phase being nearly full). This could only happen if Venus was orbiting the sun rather than the Earth.

Question 13

Parallax is
A) the apparent motion of an object due to the motion of the observer.
B) the distance between two foci of an ellipse.
C) the small circle that the planets slid along in Ptolemy s geocentric universe.
D) the circular orbits used in Copernicus heliocentric universe.
E) half the length of the shortest diameter of an ellipse.

Accepted Answer

Parallax refers to the apparent motion of an object due to the motion of the observer. This effect is often used in astronomy to measure the distance of stars and other celestial objects by observing their apparent shift in position as the Earth orbits around the Sun.

Question 14

The geometry of an ellipse is described by two numbers: the ____ which is half the longest diameter of the ellipse and the ____ which tells us the shape of the ellipse.
A) radius, eccentricity
B) radius, deferent
C) semi major axis, deferent
D) semi major axis, epicycle
E) semi major axis, eccentricity

Accepted Answer

The first blank is asking for half of the longest diameter of the ellipse, which is the semi-major axis. The second blank is asking for a characteristic that gives the shape of the ellipse, which is the eccentricity. Therefore, the correct answer is E.

Question 15

Which of the following people did NOT accept a heliocentric model for the universe?
A) Kepler
B) Copernicus
C) Tycho
D) Galileo
E) Newton

Accepted Answer

Tycho Brahe did not accept a heliocentric model for the universe, instead believing in a geo-heliocentric model where the planets revolved around the sun, but the sun and moon still revolved around the Earth.

Question 16

Tycho Brahe s greatest contribution to astronomy was
A) his model of the universe.
B) his telescopic observations.
C) his discovery of three laws of motion.
D) his 20 years of careful observations of the planets.
E) a and b above

Accepted Answer

Tycho Brahe's greatest contribution to astronomy was his 20 years of careful observations of the planets, which were some of the most accurate at the time and were used by Johannes Kepler to formulate his laws of planetary motion. Brahe did not have access to a telescope, but his observations were made with the naked eye and with instruments he designed and built himself. He amassed a wealth of data on the movements of the planets, which Kepler used to develop his three laws of planetary motion. While Brahe did propose a model of the universe, it was based on the geocentric theory rather than the heliocentric theory that would later be championed by Copernicus, Galileo, and others.

Question 17

Ptolemy s model of the universe
A) was heliocentric.
B) included elliptical orbits.
C) contained epicycles.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Accepted Answer

Ptolemy's model of the universe was geocentric, meaning that it placed Earth at the center of the universe. It also included epicycles, or small circles that planets were believed to move in while orbiting Earth. However, it did not include elliptical orbits, which were later proposed by Johannes Kepler.

Question 18

Tycho s universe was the same as the Copernican universe except that
A) Earth did not move.
B) the sun did not move.
C) the moon orbited the sun.
D) the orbits were elliptical with the sun at one focus.
E) the orbits followed uniform circular motion.

Accepted Answer

Tycho's universe was geocentric, meaning that Earth was at the center and did not move. The Copernican universe was heliocentric, with the sun at the center and the planets revolving around it. Therefore, Tycho's universe differed from the Copernican universe in that Earth did not move.

Question 19

____ orbit is one in which an object orbiting Earth has an orbital period equal to the rotation period of Earth.
A) A daily
B) A lunar
C) An epicycle
D) A geosynchronous
E) An open

Accepted Answer

A geosynchronous orbit is one in which an object completes one orbit around Earth in the same amount of time it takes for Earth to rotate once on its axis. This results in the object hovering over the same spot on the Earth's surface, making it ideal for communication and weather satellites.

Question 20

A(n) ____________ is a description of some natural phenomenon that can t be right or wrong. It is merely a convenient way to think about a natural phenomenon.
A) hypothesis
B) paradigm
C) natural law
D) model
E) theory

Accepted Answer

A model is a representation or description of a natural phenomenon that can help us understand or predict its behavior, but it is not a definitive answer and can be refined or revised based on new evidence. Models are commonly used in science, engineering, and other fields to simplify complex systems or processes, make predictions or simulations, or test hypotheses. Some examples of models include physical models (e.g. scale models of buildings or machines), mathematical models (e.g. equations or algorithms that describe a system or process), conceptual models (e.g. diagrams or flow charts that illustrate relationships or interactions), or computer models (e.g. simulations or virtual reality environments). A model is a representation or description of a natural phenomenon that can be used as a tool to understand or predict that phenomenon. It is not meant to be right or wrong, but rather a simplified way of conceptualizing complex natural systems. A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon that can be tested through observation or experimentation, a natural law is a description of a fundamental aspect of nature that has been repeatedly observed and confirmed, a paradigm is a way of understanding a broad set of phenomena within a particular field, and a theory is a well-supported explanation for a range of phenomena, usually with a strong empirical basis.

Quiz 3: The Origin of Modern Astronomy

A(n) ____ is a commonly accepted set of scientific ideas and assumptions.

The book De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium

A(n) ____ is a single conjecture that can be tested.

The semi major axis of an ellipse is

The Copernican system was no more accurate than the Ptolemaic system in predicting the positions of the planets because ___________just as in the Ptolemaic system.

____ occur when the moon is first or third quarter.

Retrograde motion

A(n) ____ is well supported (observationally and/or experimentally) system of rules and principles that can be applied to a wide variety of circumstances but that is not universally accepted.

Spring tides occur

Galileo s telescopic discoveries of mountains on the moon and spots on the sun were controversial because they suggested that the sun and moon

A(n) ____ is a small circle whose center is located on the circumference of another larger circle.

Galileo s observations of a complete set of phases of Venus proved

Parallax is

The geometry of an ellipse is described by two numbers: the which is half the longest diameter of the ellipse and the which tells us the shape of the ellipse.

Which of the following people did NOT accept a heliocentric model for the universe?

Tycho Brahe s greatest contribution to astronomy was

Ptolemy s model of the universe

Tycho s universe was the same as the Copernican universe except that

____ orbit is one in which an object orbiting Earth has an orbital period equal to the rotation period of Earth.

A(n) ____________ is a description of some natural phenomenon that can t be right or wrong. It is merely a convenient way to think about a natural phenomenon.