Question 1

When first proposed, a scientific idea is usually called a
A)hypothesis.
B)law.
C)theory.
D)model.

Accepted Answer

When a scientific idea is first proposed, it is usually called a hypothesis, which is a testable explanation for a natural phenomenon. A hypothesis is a tentative explanation that needs to be tested through further scientific investigation before it can be confirmed or rejected. Laws and theories are based on well-established scientific evidence and have been extensively tested and confirmed, while models are representations or simplifications of complex phenomena that help scientists make predictions and understand how these phenomena work.

Question 2

A year is the time needed for
A)the sun to drift completely around the sky.
B)the moon to drift completely around the sky.
C)the earth to turn completely on its axis.
D)None of the choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

A

Question 3

Relative to the stars, the moon seems to move
A)northward.
B)southward.
C)eastward.
D)westward.

Accepted Answer

The moon moves in an eastward direction relative to the stars due to its orbit around the Earth.

Question 4

The discovery that the planetary orbits are ellipses rather than circles was made by
A)Ptolemy.
B)Copernicus.
C)Kepler.
D)Newton.

Accepted Answer

Kepler discovered that the planetary orbits are ellipses with his three laws of planetary motion.

Question 5

Arrange the following planets in the order of their distance from the sun. 1.Venus
2)Mars
3)Earth
4)Mercury
A)4, 1, 3, 2
B)1, 4, 3, 2
C)2, 3, 1, 4
D)3, 2, 4, 1

Accepted Answer

The answer of Arrange the following planets in the order...

Question 6

The time at which a given star rises above the horizon each night is
A)earlier than the night before.
B)the same as the night before.
C)later than the night before.
D)Any of the choices, depending on which star is involved.

Accepted Answer

The time a given star rises changes throughout the year due to Earth's orbit around the Sun. Each night, stars generally rise about 4 minutes earlier than the night before, reflecting the Earth's progress in its orbit.

Question 7

What distinguishes the scientific method from other ways of looking at the natural world is
A)the eternal truth of its laws and theories.
B)its replacement of existing laws and theories at regular intervals.
C)its reliance on the opinions of expert scientists to decide which laws and theories to believe.
D)its reliance on experiment and observation.

Accepted Answer

The scientific method relies on experimentation and observation to form and test hypotheses, which distinguishes it from other ways of looking at the natural world that do not rely on empirical evidence. The scientific method does not rely on opinions of expert scientists to decide what to believe, and while existing theories may be refined or updated over time, they are not necessarily replaced at regular intervals. The laws and theories of science are also not considered eternal truths, but rather are subject to change based on new evidence and insights.

Question 8

A regularity in observed data or a relationship between different quantities is usually called a
A)hypothesis.
B)law.
C)theory.
D)model.

Accepted Answer

A regularity in observed data or a relationship between different quantities is usually called a law. Laws are descriptive and explain what happens, but they do not necessarily explain why or how it happens.

Question 9

The time needed for a planet to orbit the sun
A)is the same for all planets.
B)depends on the size of the planet.
C)depends on how fast the planet rotates.
D)depends on the average distance of the planet from the sun.

Accepted Answer

The time needed for a planet to orbit the sun, also known as its orbital period, depends on the average distance of the planet from the sun according to Kepler's Third Law. The farther a planet is from the sun, the longer its orbital period will be. The size of the planet and its rotation speed do not affect its orbital period. Therefore, option D is the correct choice.

Question 10

A week is the time needed for
A)the sun to drift completely around the sky.
B)the moon to drift completely around the sky.
C)the earth to turn completely on its axis.
D)None of the choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

A week does not correspond to any specific astronomical event like the sun or moon drifting around the sky or the Earth turning on its axis. The concept of a week is a social construct rather than one based on natural phenomena.

Question 11

Kepler modified
A)the Ptolemaic system.
B)the Copernican system.
C)Newton's law of gravity.
D)the theory of the tides.

Accepted Answer

Kepler modified the Copernican system by proposing that the planets move in elliptical orbits around the sun, rather than circular orbits.

Question 12

Leap years are needed because
A)the earth's orbit is not a perfect circle.
B)the length of the day varies.
C)the length of the year varies.
D)the length of the year is not a whole number of days.

Accepted Answer

The length of the year is not a whole number of days, with the actual length being about 365.2422 days. This is why, every four years, a leap day is added to the calendar to make up for the extra fraction of a day that accumulates each year.

Question 13

The object in the sky that lies very nearly on an extension of the earth's axis is
A)the sun.
B)the moon.
C)Mercury.
D)Polaris.

Accepted Answer

Polaris, also known as the North Star, is located almost directly above the Earth's North Pole and therefore lies very nearly on an extension of the Earth's axis.

Question 14

The period of the earth's orbit around the sun is
A)one day.
B)one week.
C)one month.
D)one year.

Accepted Answer

The period of the earth's orbit around the sun is one year. This means it takes approximately 365.25 days for the earth to complete one full orbit around the sun.

Question 15

In which one or more of the following is the earth assumed to be the center of the universe?
A)the Ptolemaic system
B)the Copernican system
C)Kepler's laws of planetary motion
D)Newton's law of gravity

Accepted Answer

The Ptolemaic system, developed in ancient Greece, assumed that the Earth was the center of the universe and that all other celestial bodies revolved around it. This view was replaced by the Copernican system in the 16th century, which placed the Sun at the center of the universe. Kepler's laws of planetary motion and Newton's law of gravity both describe the motions of celestial bodies, but they do not assume the Earth is the center.

Question 16

The ongoing evolution of living things
A)is one of the basic concepts of biology.
B)is one of the basic concepts of Intelligent Design.
C)has no basis in observation.
D)is in conflict with all religions.

Accepted Answer

The ongoing evolution of living things is a fundamental concept in biology, supported by observation and evidence. It is the theory that living things change over time in response to environmental pressures, leading to the development of new species.

Question 17

Scientific theories
A)must be constantly reviewed to see whether they are in accord with new experimental observations.
B)represent guesses that have not yet been compared with observational data.
C)are summaries of particular experiments.
D)are laws of nature not subject to revision.

Accepted Answer

Scientific theories are not guesses, but rather they are explanations that have been supported by repeated observations and experiments. They are subject to revision as new data or experimental observations come to light. Scientific laws are descriptions of natural phenomena, but even they can be refined or revised based on new evidence.

Question 18

A day is the time needed for
A)the sun to drift completely around the sky.
B)the moon to drift completely around the sky.
C)the earth to turn completely on its axis.
D)None of the choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

A day is defined as the time it takes for the earth to complete one rotation on its axis. So, the correct option is C. The other options are not correct as they refer to the movement of other celestial objects but not specifically related to defining a day.

Question 19

A planet not visible to the naked eye is
A)Mars.
B)Venus.
C)Mercury.
D)Neptune.

Accepted Answer

Neptune is not visible to the naked eye, whereas Mars, Venus, and Mercury can all be seen without the aid of a telescope.

Question 20

A constellation is
A)an especially bright star.
B)an apparent pattern of stars in the sky.
C)a group of stars close together in space.
D)a group of planets close together in space.

Accepted Answer

A constellation is an apparent pattern of stars in the sky. It is a group of stars that appear to be close together from our perspective on Earth, but they may actually be very far apart in space.

Quiz 1: The Scientific Method

When first proposed, a scientific idea is usually called a

A year is the time needed for

Relative to the stars, the moon seems to move

The discovery that the planetary orbits are ellipses rather than circles was made by

Arrange the following planets in the order of their distance from the sun. 1.Venus 2) Mars 3) Earth 4) Mercury

The time at which a given star rises above the horizon each night is

What distinguishes the scientific method from other ways of looking at the natural world is

A regularity in observed data or a relationship between different quantities is usually called a

The time needed for a planet to orbit the sun

A week is the time needed for

Kepler modified

Leap years are needed because

The object in the sky that lies very nearly on an extension of the earth's axis is

The period of the earth's orbit around the sun is

In which one or more of the following is the earth assumed to be the center of the universe?

The ongoing evolution of living things

Scientific theories

A day is the time needed for

A planet not visible to the naked eye is

A constellation is