Intro to the Universe - ASTR1000 - Comprehensive Final Study Guide

The largest planet in the solar system is?

Jupiter

The planet closest to the sun is?

Mercury

Copernicus proposed which of the following as a hypothesis in the early 1500's?

a). Geocentrism

b). Heliocentrism

c). The Big Bang Model

d). Protestantism

Heliocentrism

Which of the following is NOT true about Tycho Brahe

a). He had a pet Moose

b). He was a Danish Court Astronomer

c). He took very precise measurements of the position of the planets in the sky.

d). He was a student of Galileo.

d). He was a student of Galileo (He was NOT)!

When the following returned to the skies in 1759 as predicted, it confirmed Heliocentrism and, thus, finally ended Geocentric Theory.

a). Eris and Dysnomia

b). Jupiter

c). Halley's Comet

d). Pluto

c). Halley's Comet

Which of the following is the smallest?

a). A person

b). The Earth

c). A proton

d). The Local Group

c). A Proton

Which of the following is the largest?

a). A Person

b). The Earth

c). A proton

d). The Local Group

d). The Local Group

An order of Magnitude is which of the following?

a). A factor of 2.

b). A difference of 100%

c). A factor of 10

d). Any big difference

c). A factor of 10

Which of the following is not an working assumption that one must adopt to perform science?

a). Only things which can be measured are real.

b). We can make imperfect observations that contain real information about the universe.

c). The universe is real and independent of us.

d). The universe follows a set of self-consistent rules.

a). Only things which can be measured are real.

It is possible to make scientific arguments regarding the existence of God.

a). True

b). False

b). false

In principle, what is the highest authority in science?

a). Scientific Tectbooks

b). Reality and Data.

c). The National Science Foundation

d). The Supreme Court

b). Reality and Data.

A scientific law is generally superior to a theory.

a). True

b). False

b). False

Even though Einstein's theory of General Relativity is superior to Newton's Universal Theory of Gravitation, we still teach Newton's theory in Introductory Physics since it is good enough and it is simpler to use.

a). True

b). False

a). True

Which of the following models, should one use in planning a trip to Mars?

a). The Flat Earth

b). Ptolemaic Geocenttrism

c). Copernican Heliocentrism

d). Big Bang Cosmology

c). Copernican Heliocentrism

Which of the following is considered a basic branch of science?

a). Biology

b). Archeology

c). Geology

d). Paleontology

a). Biology

Which of the following is NOT a required property of scientific hypotheses.

a). We can deduce predictions.

b). These predictions are falsifiable

c). Tests of these predictions are reproducible

d). All of these predictions are always exactly right.

d). All of these predictions are always exactly right.

Astronomy is a composite branch of science that combines elements from all three basic branches.

a). True

b). False

a). True

By which of the following methods do we measure the distance to the moon?

a). A giant tape measure

b). By using a standard candle.

c). By LASER reflection.

d). Through the use of Kepler's Second Law.

c). By LASER reflection.

An object with which of the following relative magnitudes appears to be the brightest?

a). m = +5

b). m = +1

c). m = 0

d). m= -2

d). m= -2

Which of the following methods is used to measure the distance to the nearest star systems?

a). RADAR reflection.

b). LASER Reflection

c). Parallax

d). Rutherford Scattering

c). Parallax

Which of the following is Standard Candle?

a). Parallax

b). Hubble Red Shift

c). Cephied Variables

d). Large Asteroids

c). Cephied Variables

Which of the following is used at the greatest distances?

a). Parallax

b). Hubble Red Shifts

c). Cephied Variables

d). Large Asteroids

b). Hubble Red Shifts

Which of the following is not a standard candle based method?

a). Supernovae Type Ia

b). The Tully Fisher relationship

c). Parallax

d). Star Cluster Fitting

c). Parallax

The age of the Earth accepted by the European Enlightenment was:

a). A few thousand years

b). Infinite

c). 20 days

d). 1,972,949,1224 years as of 2024

b). Infinite

The age of the earth as believed in Europe prior to the European Enlightenment was:

a). A Few Thousand years

b). Infinite

c). 20 days

d). 1,972,949,124 years (as of 2024)

a). A Few Thousand years

Benoit de Maillet used which method to attempt to measure the age of the Earth?

a). Radioactive Decay

b). Precision Swiss-made clocks.

c). Decline of Sea Level

d). Lunar Orbits

c). Decline of Sea Level

Radiocarbon dating is used to date the Earth.

a). True

b). False

b). False

Which of the following fields used methods that primarily predict relatively short ages (10s of millions of years) for the Earth?

a). Physics and Astronomy

b). Biology and Geology

a). Physics and Astronomy

Which of the following fields predict relatively long ages for the Earth (100s of millions or billions of years)?

a). Physics and Astronomy

b). Biology and Geology

b). Biology and Geology

How old is the Earth and the Solar System?

a). 40 million years

b). 20 Minutes

c). 4.55 +/- 0.05 Ga

d). 100,000 years

c). 4.55 +/- 0.05 Ga

Which of the Following is NOT a reason to use Potassium-Argon Dating.

a). The method is relatively inexpensive

b). Potassium is very common.

c). The half-life of 40K is over 1 Billion years--sufficiently log for use in measuring the age of the Earth

d). This method allows one to measure the original amount of the daughter product directly.

d). This method allows one to measure the original amount of the daughter product directly.

Which of the following is NOT true of Isochron dating.

a). This method allows the direct measurement of the original amount of the daughter product.

b). This method is relatively inexpensive.

c). This method provides a built-in consistency check.

d). This method works through the use of ratios.

b). This method is relatively inexpensive.

What are the three particle that make up ordinary matter?

a). Neutrinos, charm and bottom

b). Electron, up, and down

c). Up, down and top

d). Electron, muon, and tauon

b). Electron, up, and down

Which of the following is an electron?

a). Lepton

b). Meson

c). Baryon

d). Boson

a). Lepton

Which of the following is a Baryon?

a). Electron

b). Photon

c). Proton

d). Muon

c). Proton

Which is the most common element in the universe?

a). Hydrogen

b). Helium

c). Iron

d). Gold

a). Hydrogen

Which is the second most common element in the universe (though rare on Earth)?

a). Hydrogen

b). Helium

c). Oxygen

d). Gold

b). Helium

The photon is a Boson and is related to which of the 4 fundamental forces?

a). The Electromagnetic Force

b). Gravity

c). The Strong Force

d). The Weak Force

a). The Electromagnetic Force

Which of the following fundamental forces have infinite range?

a). The Strong and the weak forces

b). The electromagnetic and gravitational forces

c). The elastic force

d). None of the above

b). The electromagnetic and gravitational forces

Which of the following is NOT true of the Higgs Boson?

a). It has 0 spin

b). It has no electric charge

c). It has no color charge

d). It has no mass

d). It has no mass

True or False: Longer wavelength light (electromagnetic radiation) has a lower frequency than shorter wavelength light.

a). True

b). False

a). True

Which of the following do we measure using a blackbody spectrum

a). Weight or Mass

b). Pressure

c). Temperature

d). Electrical Charge

c). Temperature

Which of the following can we measure using an Absorption Spectrum

a). Mass or Weight

b). Pressure

c). Shape

d). Chemical Composition

d). Chemical Composition

Which of the following do we measure using Doppler Shifts within spectra?

a). Weight or Mass

b). Speed away from or towards us.

c). Hypercharge

d). Age

b). Speed away from or towards us.

When we point an ultraviolet telescope at nearby galaxies, what does it primarily see?

a). Old, redder stars.

b). Gas and dust clouds.

c). White dwarfs.

d). Young, large stars.

d). Young, large stars.

Why is an understanding of gravity central to understanding cosmology?

a). It has a very short range.

b). It has infinite range and is always attractive.

c). There are roughly equal amounts of positive and negative mass

d). Stars produce almost all of their energy from gravitational interactions.

b). It has infinite range and is always attractive.

What is the name of Einstein's theory of gravity?

a). The Law of Gravitation

b). Action at a distance

c). General Relativity

d). Quantum Chromodynamics

c). General Relativity

What is the effect of including the cosmological constant in Einstein's equation for General Relativity?

a). It has no actual effect.

b). The cosmological constant provides a negative gravity or a repulsive force and could counter gravitational attraction.

c). It causes the doppler shift.

d). It makes General Relativity the same as Newton' Laws.

b). The cosmological constant provides a negative gravity or a repulsive force and could counter gravitational attraction.

In the Steady State Model, which of the following is true?

a). The universe is not actually real

b). The universe is static.

c). The Universe is infinite in age and continuously expanding.

d). The universe is finite in age.

c). The Universe is infinite in age and continuously expanding.

Which of the following is NOT true regarding the primordial atom model?

a). The theory was ridiculed by Sir Frederick Hoyle, who referred to it as the "Big Bang"

b). Traced back in time--all matter must have started at one point.

c). The universe is finite in age.

d). The universe is infinite in age.

d). The universe is infinite in age.

What is the temperature of the Cosmic Microwave Background.

a). Absolute Zero

b). 2.7 K

c). Room Temperature

d). 5800 K

b). 2.7 K

Which model/theory is consistent with the Cosmic Microwave Background

a). The Steady State Model of Sir Frederick Hoyle

b). The Primordial Atom model (i.e. the Big Bang Model) of Georges Lemaitre.

b). The Primordial Atom model (i.e. the Big Bang Model) of Georges Lemaitre.

Which of the following occurred first?

a). The surface of last Neutrino Scattering

b). Electroweak Separation

c). The Planck Time

d). Baryogenisis

c). The Planck Time

What is the temperature of the Cosmic Microwave Background?

a). Absolute Zero

b). 2.7 K

c). Room Temperature

d). 5800 K

b). 2.7 K

Which of the following does not provide evidence for the Big Bang

a). The Hubble expansion

b). Primordial Nucleosynthesis

c). The Cosmic Microwave Background

d). The color of the sun

d). The color of the sun

After Primordial Nucleosynthesis, which three elements exist?

a). Hydrogen, Helium and Lithium

b). Oxygen, Carbon, and Nitrogen

c). Iron, Cobalt, and Nickel

d). Adamantium, Mythril, and Orichalcum.

a). Hydrogen, Helium and Lithium

Roughly how long after time T=0 did the Cosmic Microwave Background occur?

a). 1 second

b). 1 minute

c). 10 minutes

d). A few hundred thousand years.

d). A few hundred thousand years.

What is the location of the Big Bag?

a). In the direction of the Aquarius constellation

b). At all points in space.

c). In the direction of the Leo constellation.

d). Eastward

b). At all points in space.

In Euclidian space, the angles of a triangle add up to:

a). 180 degrees

b). More than 180 degrees

c). Less than 180 degrees

d). Exactly 57.23 degrees

a). 180 degrees

Which of the following problems for the Big Bang would NOT be solved by inflation?

a). The Horizon Problem

b). The Flatness Problem

c). The Time Problem

d). The Cosmic Microwave Background.

c). The Time Problem

Roughly what propor- tion of the contents of universe is visible?

a). None Whatsoever

b). 0.04%.

c). Roughly 75%

d). 200%

0.04%.

Roughly what propor- tion of the contents of universe is made of matter?

a). 0%

b). Roughly 25%

c). Roughly 75%

d). 100%

b). Roughly 25%

Which of the following is NOT information that can be determined from the Cosmic Microwave Background?

a). The overall shape of space.

b). The present temperature of the universe.

c). The velocity of the earth relative to the rest frame of the universe.

d). The distance between the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxies.

d). The distance between the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxies.

Which of the following are or have been considered possible forms of exotic dark matter? Select all that are correct.

a). Axions

b). WIMPs

c). Chronitons

d). Dilithium

a). Axions

b). WIMPs

d). Dilithium

Which component of the universe is the largest?

a). Matter

b). Normal Energy

c). Dark or Vacuum energy

d). Visible Matter

c). Dark or Vacuum energy

A supernova Type Ia involves the explosion o what type of object?

a). A neutron star.

b). A white dwarf

c). A large massive star

d). A normal star like the sun

b). A white dwarf

Vacuum Energy is caused by the continuous creation and annihilation of which of the following?

a). Virtual Particles

b). Real WIMPS

c). MaCHOs

d). Black Holes

a). Virtual Particles

The original prediction for the cosmological constant was

a). Absurdly large (~10^120)

b). Very very small

c). Negative

d), Exactly 1

a). Absurdly large (~10^120)

Dark Energy, also called vacuum energy, makes up approximately what proportion of the universe?

a). 1%

b). 10%

c). 25%

d). 75%

d). 75%

Which of the following was predicted by Maxwell's Theory of Electromagnetism which contradicts Newton's Mechanics?

a). Radio Waves

b). An absolute speed for electromagnetic radiation including light.

c). All things are naturally at rest unless a force acts upon them.

d). F = ma

b). An absolute speed for electromagnetic radiation including light.

The Michelson-Morley Interferometry Experiment attempted to measure which of the following?

a). The speed of light.

b). Einstein's field equation.

c). The speed of the Earth through the Æther.

d). The intensity of the sun.

c). The speed of the Earth through the Æther.

Which of the following is the major philosophical underpinning of Einstein's relativity theories?

a). The rules of the universe may change based upon on's point of view.

b). Everything is relative--there are no absolutes and nothing is invariant.

c). All frames of reference, i.e. all points of view, are equivalent because the same rules apply everywhere.

d). The natural state of all things is at rest unless a force acts upon them.

c). All frames of reference, i.e. all points of view, are equivalent because the same rules apply everywhere.

Which of the following would not be an effect of falling into a black hole?

a). Significant changes in geometry

b). Massive tidal forces

c). Large amounts of high energy radiation due to the blueshift of infalling light (including the CMB)

d). Rapid freezing.

d). Rapid freezing.

Which type of Black Hole could theoretically allow one to pass through to "the other side"?

a). A Schwarzschild or uncharged non-spinning black hole

b). A Kerr or uncharged spinning black hole.

c). A Blue field black hole

d). The Cosmic Microwave Background

b). A Kerr or uncharged spinning black hole.

What happens at a singularity?

a). The curvature and density become infinite.

b). All matter approaches absolute zero.

c). The speed of light becomes infinite.

d). Time turns into matter.

a). The curvature and density become infinite.

In order to just reach escape velocity, the total energy (Gravitational + Kinetic) of an object needs to be?

a). Negative

b). Zero

c). Positive

d). Infinite

b). Zero

Which of the following describes General Rel- ativity?

a). It is a geometric Theory

b). It is an Action at a distance theory

c). It describes electromagnetism

d). It was developed by Isaac Newton

a). It is a geometric Theory

Which of the following is true regarding the Event Horizon of a black hole?

a). It is an energy field.

b). Light may travel through it in either direction

c). It is a force field

d). It is a location in space

d). It is a location in space

Roughly, what is the speed of light in vacuum?

a). 0

b). 70 mph

c). Light cannot travel through a vacuum

d). 186,000 miles/second or 1 ft/nanosecond

d). 186,000 miles/second or 1 ft/nanosecond

If someone traveling at half the speed of light towards you shines a light at you, how fast would that light signal appear to be travel- ing to you?

a). 0

b). 70 mph

c). Half the speed of light.

d). The full speed of light.

d). The full speed of light.

In your own frame of reference, how fast are you traveling?

a). 0 (You are at rest)

b). 70 mph

c). Different speeds depending upon circumstances

d). 186,000 miles/second

a). 0 (You are at rest)

When we look at a black hole with a telescope, what we are actually seeing is?

a). Electromagnetic radiation from its accretion disc.

b). Its event horizon

c). The singularity

d). Nothing: Black holes are invisible.

a). Electromagnetic radiation from its accretion disc.

True or False: We can easily see and have seen Hawking radiation.

False

What is the source of Hawking radiation?

a). One half of a virtual pair of particles escaping whilst the other falls through the black hole's event horizon.

b). A Black hole's accretion disc.

c). he singularity

d). Stephen Hawking

a). One half of a virtual pair of particles escaping whilst the other falls through the black hole's event horizon.

Which of the following describes a gravitational wave?

a). A Large Pulse of Neutrons

b). Waves of distortions in space and time.

c). Another term for electromagnetic waves

d). A disproven concept from the time of Aristotle.

b). Waves of distortions in space and time.

Our present gravitational wave observatories detect gravitation waves at which frequencies?

a). Typical Audio frequencies (100 -500 Hz)

b). Ultrasonic frequencies (20,000 - 100,000 Hz)

c). Gigahertz

d). 0 Hz

a). Typical Audio frequencies (100 -500 Hz)

Which of the following types of collisions has not been seen by gravitational wave observatories?

a). The collision of two neutron stars.

b). The collision of two black holes.

c). The collision of two white dwarfs.

c). The collision of two white dwarfs.

Which of the following is not considered a star?

a). A Brown Dwarf

b). A White Dwarf

c). A neutron star

d). The Sun

a). A Brown Dwarf

The positions of stars in the sky can be used for the following:

a). Understanding logarithms

b). Celestial navigation

c). Understanding the electromagnetic force.

d). Understanding nuclear forces.

b). Celestial navigation

The proper motion of a star across the sky is:

a). Motion which can be normalized to 1 rather than to the Dirac Delta function.

b). Apparent changes in position due to the motion of the earth around the sun.

c). The apparent motion of all stars around Polaris due to the rotation of the earth.

d). Changes in the stars position relative to other stars due to the star's actual transverse motion relative to the earth.

d). Changes in the stars position relative to other stars due to the star's actual transverse motion relative to the earth.

What will be the final state of our sun?

a). A White Dwarf

b). A Black Hole

c). Neutron Star

d). A Supernova Explosion

a). A White Dwarf

At present, which type of star is our sun?

a). A White Dwarf

b). A Main Sequence Star

c). A Red Giant

c). A Black Hole

b). A Main Sequence Star

Roughly how much more time does the sun have before it finally runs out of fuel?

a). Between 6 and 7 billion years

b). Around 137 million years

c). More than 1 trillion years

d). About 20 minutes

a). Between 6 and 7 billion years

Which of the following elements is the most common?

a). Hydrogen

b). Helium

c). Oxygen

d). Uranium

a). Hydrogen

Which of the following elements is the second most common in the universe?

a). Hydrogen

b). Helium

c). Oxygen

d). Uranium

b). Helium

Which of the following is the third most common element in the solar system?

a). Hydrogen

b). Helium

c). Oxygen

d). Uranium

c). Oxygen

What is the main fuel burned by the sun?

a). Helium (He)

b). Hydrogen (H or p)

c). Uranium

d). Lithium

e). Coal

b). Hydrogen (H or p)

Which of the following is always the second reaction in direct proton-proton burning?

a). p + p --> d + e^+ ev

b). d + p --> ^3He = y

c). ^12C + p --> ^13N + y

d). ^238U --> ^234Th + (alpha particle)

b). d + p --> ^3He = y

Which type of star is the sun?

a). Yellow Giant

b). White or Red Dwarf

c). Main Sequence

d). Secondary Sequence

c). Main Sequence

In p-p Chain I, two 3He nuclei react to form 4He and two protons. In chains II and III, what does the 3He nuclei react with?

a). 4^He

b). 7^Li

c). 238^U

d). 56^Fe

e). 1^H

a). 4^He