MidTerm 02

In the spectra lab activity you were able to see __________ when electricity was passed through a glass tube containing a low-density gas.

a. a molecular spectra b. an emission spectra c. an absorption spectra d. a continuous spectra

In the spectra lab activity you were able to see __________ when electricity was passed through a glass tube containing a low-density gas.

a. a molecular spectra b. an emission spectra c. an absorption spectra d. a continuous spectra

b.

Which of the following statements about X rays and infrared is NOT true?

a. X rays have shorter wavelengths than infrared light. b. X rays have higher frequency than infrared light. c. X rays travel through space faster than infrared light. d. X rays and infrared light are both forms of light, or electromagnetic radiation. e. X ray's photons have higher energy than infrared photons.

c.

The difference between infrared light and visible light is that __________.

a. visible light moves faster b. visible light has a shorter wavelength c. visible light has a longer wavelength d. infrared light moves faster

b.

An emission spectrum looks like a __________.

a. smooth rainbow of colors b. smooth rainbow of colors with a few dark gaps in it c. few narrow bright lines of specific colors

c.

Which list of types of light is in order from longest to shortest wavelength?

a. radio waves, infrared light, visible light, x rays b. visible light, x rays, infrared light, radio waves c. x rays, visible light, infrared light, radio waves

a.

Which has more energy, red photon or blue photon?

a. red b. blue

b.

An absorption spectrum is __________.

a. a smooth rainbow of colors without breaks b. mostly dark with colors at a few specific wavelengths c. a smooth rainbow of colors with darker bands at specific wavelengths d. also called a blackbody spectrum

c.

A dense light source emits light. As the temperature of the light source increases, the light it emits becomes __________.

a. redder and dimmer b. redder and brighter c. bluer and dimmer d. bluer and brighter

d.

An atom contains an electron in the first excited state (so the electron is in the first orbit farther out than the ground state). When the electron moves to the ground state (the smallest orbit), it __________.

a. never emits light b. always emits light, but different colors at different times c. always emits the same color of light d. sometimes emits light and sometimes does not

c.

The spectrum of hydrogen includes lines that are red and teal (blue-green). The teal lines come about when:

a. an electron drops between orbits with a greater energy difference than the energy of a red photon. b. the hydrogen is at very low temperatures. c. an electron rises between orbits with a less energy difference than the energy of a red photon. d. the hydrogen is at very high temperatures.

a.

In which case is the atom absorbing light with the greatest energy?

a. An electron drops one energy level. b. An electron jumps one energy level. c. An electron drops three energy levels. d. An electron jumps three energy levels.

d.

In which case is the atom emitting the reddest light?

a. An electron drops one energy level. b. An electron jumps one energy level. c. An electron drops three energy levels. d. An electron jumps three energy levels.

a.

You are designing a telescope to use from the roof of Hagen Hall. Which wavelength of light should you NOT design the telescope to use?

a. radio b. X-ray c. visible light

b.

Which of the choices below is NOT something that can be directly measured by studying the spectrum of a single object (like a planet)?

a. The temperature of the planet. b. The mass of a planet. c. The elements a planet is made of.

b.

Which of the following is NOT as reason why an astronomer would use a bigger telescope?

a. To capture more light from an astronomical object. b. To magnify the astronomical object. c. To see more detail in an astronomical object.

b.

Which of the following is property of a star that doesn't depend on the position of the star in space?

a. luminosity b. brightness c. distance (from Earth to Star)

a.

Imagine you are looking at a light bulb that has some brightness. If the light bulb was then moved three times as far away from you, the brightness becomes __________.

a. less by only a small amount b. 1/3 its original brightness c. less than 1/3 its original brightness d. brightness doesn't change with distance from the light source

c.

Which of the following is NOT an observed pattern of motion in our solar system?

a. Most planetary orbits lie nearly in the same plane. b. All planets orbit the Sun in the same direction. c. Most planets orbit the Sun at the same speed. d. Almost all moons orbit their planet's rotation. e. Most planets rotate about their axes in the same direction in which they orbit.

c.

The large objects in the solar system (Sun, planets, and large moons) tend to rotate in __________.

a. all in different directions b. the same direction c. alternating directions

b.

The eight planets in the solar system all lie in nearly the same plane and orbit in the same direction. This is believed to be the case because __________.

a. the original solar nebula collapsed into a spinning disk and that spin is continuing in the motions of the current planets b. Jupiter's gravity pulled all the other planets to the plane of its orbit c. the planets formed in a spherical distribution and then their mutual gravitational attraction pulled them in to a flat distribution d. the Sun's magnetic field pulled the solar nebula into a disk e. of chance; planets around other stars actually show nondisklike distributions

a.

Why are the inner planets made of denser materials than the outer planets?

a. The Sun's gravity pulled denser materials toward the inner part of the solar nebula, while lighter gasses escaped more easily. b. In the inner part of the nebula only metals and rocks were able to condense because of the high temperatures, whereas the more abundant hydrogen compounds (ices) were only able to condense in the cooler outer regions. c. Denser materials were heavier and sank to the center of the nebula. d. In the beginning, when the protoplanetary disk was spinning faster, centrifugal forces flung the lighter materials toward the outer parts of the solar nebula. e. When the solar nebula formed a disk, materials naturally segregated into bands, and in our particular solar system the denser materials settled nearer the Sun while lighter materials are found in the outer part.

b.

According to nebular theory, what are asteroids and comets?

a. They are the shattered remains of collisions between planets. b. They are chunks of rock or ice that condensed long after the planets and moons had formed. c. They are chunks of rock or ice that were expelled from planets by volcanoes. d. They are leftover chunks of rock and ice that never accreted into planets.

e.

The terrestrial planets, which are composed primarily of rock, are located __________.

a. in the outer solar system (far from the Sun) b. in the inner solar system (close to the Sun) c. some in the inner solar system, some in the outer solar system

b.

How common are disks of dust and gas found around young stars?

a. very common b. very uncommon c. never

a.

One difference between the terrestrial planets and the Jovian planets is size; another is:

a. age b. composition c. direction of revolution around the Sun

b.

Why do asteroids and comets differ in composition?

a. Comets are much larger than asteroids. b. Asteroids and comets formed at different times. c. Asteroids formed much closer to the Sun than comets. d. Comets formed much closer to the Sun than asteroids.

c.

Which of the statements below best describes the extrasolar planetary systems discovered so far by scientists?

a. No pattern has been observed in other planetary systems. b. Other planetary systems are mostly like ours, with small planets close to the star and large planets far away. c. Many other planetary systems have large planets close to the central star.

c.

Suppose the Sun had been twice as hot, so that the temperature of each planet as it was forming was twice as large. We would expect Jupiter would have turned out to be __________ it is now.

a. about the same mass as b. much less massive than c. much more massive than

b.

Which of the following is NOT due to plate tectonics?

a. earthquakes b. mountain ranges c. volcanoes d. canyons

d.

If the interior of the Earth was much cooler than it actually is, the amount of geological activity would __________.

a. be unchanged b. increase significantly c. decrease significantly

c.

If Earth's moons were moved to Mercury's orbit, so that it was 1/3 as far from the Sun and its surface temperature got to 350F (176C), the amount of geological activity would __________.

a. be unchanged b. increase significantly c. decreased significantly

a.

Which of the following contributions to the formation of Earth's magnetic field?

a. Earth's core is composed of iron. b. Earth has a fluid outer iron core. c. Earth spins on its axis once every 24 hours. d. All of the above.

d.

If the Earth's magnetic field weakened, what would be the most likely effect onto the Earth's surface?

a. Volcanoes would be less intense. b. There would be less erosion, since storms would be weaker. c. There would be more hurricanes due to the magnetic field's effect on the atmosphere. d. Nothing. There would be no significant change to the surface of the Earth.

d.

High tides occur twice daily because:

a. the Moon passes overhead twice during a typical day. b. opposite sides of the Earth (i.e. closest to and farthest from the moon) experience high tide at the same time. c. Moon causes one high tide and the Sun another, so there are two of them during a typical 24 hour period. d. We are not sure why.

b.

Mercury and Mars are geologically dead worlds whereas Venus and Earth are not. This is likely because Earth and Venus:

a. are chemically very different from the other terrestrial planets. b. possess magnetic fields whereas Mars are Mercury do not. c. are too large for their interiors to have completely cooled off yet, whereas the interiors of Mars and Mercury have cooled more. d. All of the above. e. Both (b) and (c).

c.

Which of a terrestrial planet's fundamental properties has the greatest effect on its level of volcanic and tectonic activity?

a. distance from the Sun b. rotation rate c. atmospheric composition d. size e. number of moons

d.

Of the planets Mercury, Venus, and Earth, which has the most extensive impact craters?

a. Mercury b. Venus c. Earth

a.