Mastering Astronomy Final Exam Review
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213 Terms
The asteroid belt is located ________.
between the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
between the orbits of Earth and Mars
beyond the orbit of Neptune
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
What is a protostar?
a star in its final stage of life
a star that is still in the process of forming
an intermediate-mass star
a star that has planets
a star that is still in the process of forming
Compared to the distance between Earth and Mars, the distance between Jupiter and Saturn is ________.
much larger
much smaller
about the same
just slightly less
much larger
The overall result of the proton-proton chain is ________.
4 H becomes 1 He + energy
6 H becomes 1 He + energy
p + p becomes 2H + energy
individual protons are joined into long chains of protons
4 H becomes 1 He + energy
What is the most abundant molecule in interstellar clouds besides molecular hydrogen?
methane
ammonia
water
carbon monoxide
molecular helium
carbon monoxide
Which of the following is furthest from the Sun?
Pluto
a comet in the Kuiper belt
a comet in the Oort cloud
an asteroid in the asteroid belt
Neptune
a comet in the Oort cloud
How does the diameter of the disk of Milky Way Galaxy compare to its thickness?
The diameter is about 10 times as great as the thickness.
The diameter is about 100 times as great as the thickness.
The diameter and thickness are roughly equal.
The diameter is about 100,000 times as great as the thickness.
The diameter is about 100 times as great as the thickness.
Current estimates place the age of the universe at about ________.
10 billion years
4 1/2 billion years
14 billion years
10 million years
14 billion years
Which of statement below about black holes is not true?
If you watch someone else fall into a black hole, you will never see him (or her) cross the event horizon; you'll only see him fade from view as the light he emits or reflects becomes more and more redshifted.
Although we are not 100% certain that black holes exist, we have strong observational evidence in favor of their existence.
If you fell into a black hole, you would experience time to be running normally as you plunged rapidly across the event horizon.
A spaceship passing near a 10 solar mass black hole is much more likely to be destroyed than a spaceship passing at the same distance from the center of a 10 solar mass main-sequence star.
A spaceship passing near a 10 solar mass black hole is much more likely to be destroyed than a spaceship passing at the same distance from the center of a 10 solar mass main-sequence star.
Although the entire universe may be much larger than our observable universe, we can see only within our observable universe. The "boundary" of our observable universe is called ________.
the Big Bang
the lookback time
the Hubble Deep Field
the cosmological horizon
the cosmological horizon
The jovian planets in our solar system are ________.
Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto
Pluto and Eris
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
Where is our solar system located within the Milky Way Galaxy?
in the halo of the galaxy
roughly halfway between the center and the edge of the visible disk of the galaxy
at the far edge of the galaxy's visible disk
very near the center of the galaxy
roughly halfway between the center and the edge of the visible disk of the galaxy
How does the interstellar medium affect our view of most of the galaxy?
It prevents us from seeing most of the galactic disk with visible and ultraviolet light.
It has no effect on visible-light observations, but prevents us from studying the galactic center with radio waves or X-rays.
It produces so much visible light that it blocks our view of anything beyond it.
It absorbs all wavelengths of light
It prevents us from seeing most of the galactic disk with visible and ultraviolet light.
What do we mean by inflation?
a sudden expansion of the universe driven by the energy released when the strong and electroweak forces froze out from the GUT force
the photons released when electrons and protons first combined, forming the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation
the sudden release of photons when particles and antiparticles annihilate each other
the expansion of universe starting with the instant after the Big Bang
the rapid expansion of the universe, driven by white dwarf supernova, that we still observe today
a sudden expansion of the universe driven by the energy released when the strong and electroweak forces froze out from the GUT force
What is the transit method of finding extrasolar planets?
monitoring a star to detect periodic dips in its brightness from the planet passing in front of the star
measuring the spectrum of the star for a periodic variation in its Doppler shift
observing a star during the rare occasion of another star passing directly in front of it; slight changes in how the light is bent by gravity can indicate the presence of planets around the closer star
monitoring a star to detect periodic dips in its brightness from the planet passing behind the star
monitoring a star to detect periodic dips in its brightness from the planet passing in front of the star
Dark matter is inferred to exist because:
we see lots of dark patches in the sky.
it explains how the expansion of the universe can be accelerating.
we can observe its gravitational influence on visible matter.
we can observe its gravitational influence on visible matter.
If you see Polaris directly overhead at midnight, you must be at
the South Pole.
the North Pole.
the equator.
the Tropic of Cancer
the North Pole.
Which of the following lists the planets of our solar system in the correct order from closest to farthest from the Sun?
Earth, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus
Mercury, Earth, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
A neutron star is ________.
an object that will ultimately become a black hole
the remains of a star that died by expelling its outer layers in a planetary nebula
a star made mostly of elements with high atomic mass numbers, so that they have lots of neutrons
the remains of a star that died in a massive star supernova (if no black hole were created)
the remains of a star that died in a massive star supernova (if no black hole were created)
Which of the following best summarizes what we mean by dark matter?
matter that we have identified from its gravitational effects but that we cannot see in any wavelength of light
matter for which we have theoretical reason to think it exists, but no observational evidence for its existence
matter that may inhabit dark areas of the cosmos where we see nothing at all
matter consisting of black holes
matter that we have identified from its gravitational effects but that we cannot see in any wavelength of light
What evidence suggests that life was common on Earth within a billion years of its formation?
Life must have formed early in order to produce the variety of lifeforms seen today.
Rocks older than 3.85 billion years with the carbon-12 to carbon-13 ratio typical of living organisms
3.5 billion year old rock structures formed by microbes called stromatolites
Life must have formed early in order to produce the variety of lifeforms seen today. And 3.5 billion year old rock structures formed by microbes called stromatolites.
Rocks older than 3.85 billion years with the carbon-12 to carbon-13 ratio typical of living organisms and 3.5 billion year old rock structures formed by microbes called stromatolites
Rocks older than 3.85 billion years with the carbon-12 to carbon-13 ratio typical of living organisms and 3.5 billion year old rock structures formed by microbes called stromatolites
Which statement about accretion disks is not true?
The gas in the inner parts of the disk is hotter than the gas in the outer parts of the disk.
The gas in the inner parts of the disk travels faster than the gas in the outer parts of the disk.
The primary factor determining whether a white dwarf has an accretion disk is the white dwarf's mass.
Accretion disks are made primarily of hydrogen and helium gas.
The primary factor determining whether a white dwarf has an accretion disk is the white dwarf's mass.
Why is the nucleosynthesis era so important in determining the chemical composition of the universe?
We can observe spectra from this era to determine what the primordial mix of the elements was at the beginning of the universe.
We can study the processes that occurred during the nucleosynthesis era to determine how most of the elements in the universe were created.
By knowing how much matter was created during the nucleosynthesis era, we can determine whether the universe is open or closed.
All the elements except hydrogen were produced in the nucleosynthesis era.
Except for a small amount of elements heavier than helium produced later by stars, the chemical composition of the universe is the same now as at the end of the nucleosynthesis era.
Except for a small amount of elements heavier than helium produced later by stars, the chemical composition of the universe is the same now as at the end of the nucleosynthesis era.
Which forms of light are lower in energy and frequency than the light that our eyes can see?
infrared and radio
visible light
ultraviolet and X-rays
infrared and ultraviolet
infrared and radio
What two physical processes balance each other to create the condition known as gravitational equilibrium in stars?
gravitational force and outward pressure
the strong force and the weak force
the strong force and the electromagnetic force
gravitational force and surface tension
gravitational force and outward pressure
If the Sun's core suddenly shrank a little bit, what would happen in the Sun?
The core would heat up, causing it to radiate so much energy that it would shrink even more.
The core would cool off and continue to shrink as its density increased.
The core would heat up, fusion rates would increase, the core would re-expand.
The density of the core would decrease, causing the core to cool off and expand.
The core would heat up, fusion rates would increase, the core would re-expand.
Why is Newton's version of Kepler's third law so useful to astronomers?
It tells us that more-distant planets orbit the Sun more slowly.
It can be used to determine the masses of many distant objects.
It explains why objects spin faster when they shrink in size.
It allows us to calculate distances to distant objects
It can be used to determine the masses of many distant objects.
What is a magnetosphere?
the region in a planet's atmosphere in which auroras occur
a region of space around a planet in which the planet's
magnetic field can trap charged particles
the layer of a planet in which its magnetic field is generated
the uppermost layer of any planetary atmosphere
a region of space around a planet in which the planet's magnetic field can trap charged particles
Suppose you find a meteorite made almost entirely of metal. According to current science, which of the following statements must be true?
Radiometric dating will show the age of your meteorite to date to the formation of our solar system.
Your meteorite is a fragment of an object from the Kuiper belt.
Your meteorite was blasted off the surface of Mars by an impact.
Your meteorite is a fragment from the core of a large asteroid that shattered in a collision
Your meteorite is a fragment from the core of a large asteroid that shattered in a collision
The number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy is approximately ________.
a few hundred billion
a few hundred
a few hundred thousand
a few hundred million
a few hundred billion
He discovered that the orbits of planets are ellipses.
Galileo
Ptolemy
Tycho Brahe
Copernicus
Kepler
Kepler
Has Polaris always been the "North Star"?
No, because the Earth's axis slowly changes the direction it points.
No, because the Milky Way blocked our line of site to it for a long time.
Yes, because the stars are unchanging.
No, because it is a young star that only formed a few hundred years ago.
No, because the Earth's axis slowly changes the direction it points.
Suppose that Earth's atmosphere had no greenhouse gases. Then Earth's average surface temperature would be ________.
slightly cooler, but still above freezing
about the same as it is now
slightly warmer, but still well below the boiling point of water
well below the freezing point of water
well below the freezing point of water
What was the Ptolemaic model?
the first scientific model to successfully predict solar and lunar eclipses
an Earth-centered model of planetary motion published by Ptolemy
a Sun-centered model of planetary motion published by Ptolemy
the Earth-centered model of the cosmos in which the Earth was surrounded by seven perfect spheres, one each for the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn
an Earth-centered model of planetary motion published by Ptolemy
What kinds of atomic nuclei formed during the nucleosynthesis era?
roughly equal amounts of hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, and boron
hydrogen, helium and trace amounts of lithium, beryllium, and boron
essentially all of the chemical elements, except for those
heavier than uranium
only helium
only hydrogen
hydrogen, helium and trace amounts of lithium, beryllium, and boron
If we could see our own galaxy from 2 million light-years away, it would appear ________.
as a flattened disk with a central bulge and spiral arms
to fill the sky with widely spaced stars
like a single, dim star
as a faintly glowing band of light stretching all the way around the sky
as a flattened disk with a central bulge and spiral arms
Rank the five terrestrial worlds in order of size from smallest to largest.
Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth
Mercury, Moon, Venus, Earth, Mars
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Mars
Moon, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
Mercury, Moon, Mars, Earth, Venus
Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth
Which of the following correctly describes how the process of gravitational contraction can make a star hot?
Heat is generated when gravity contracts because gravity is an inverse square law force.
When a star contracts in size, gravitational potential energy is converted to thermal energy.
Gravitational contraction involves the generation of heat by chemical reactions, much like the burning of coal.
Gravitational contraction involves nuclear fusion, which generates a lot of heat
When a star contracts in size, gravitational potential energy is converted to thermal energy.
In essence, the Kepler mission searched for extrasolar planets by ________.
monitoring stars for slight dimming that might occur as unseen planets pass in front of them
identifying spectral lines that look like what we expect to see from a planet rather than a star
observing a star carefully enough to notice that it is experiencing a gravitational tug caused by an unseen planet
obtaining high-resolution photographs of other star systems
monitoring stars for slight dimming that might occur as unseen planets pass in front of them
Why is a 1 solar-mass red giant more luminous than a 1 solar-mass main sequence star?
The red giant is more massive.
The red giant's surface is hotter.
The red giant has a hotter core.
Fusion reactions are producing energy at a greater rate in the red giant.
Fusion reactions are producing energy at a greater rate in the red giant.
Which of the following statements about degeneracy pressure is not true?
Degeneracy pressure can arise only from interactions among electrons.
Degeneracy pressure can continue to support an object against gravitational collapse even if the object becomes extremely cold.
Degeneracy pressure arises from a quantum mechanical effect that we don't notice in our daily lives.
Black holes form when gravity overcomes neutron degeneracy pressure.
Degeneracy pressure can arise only from interactions among electrons.
What makes the North Star, Polaris, special?
It is the star straight overhead.
It is the brightest star in the sky.
It is the star directly on your northern horizon.
It can be used to determine your longitude on Earth.
It appears very near the north celestial pole.
It appears very near the north celestial pole.
Why is the sky blue (on Earth)?
because deep space is blue in color
because molecules scatter blue light more effectively than red light
because the Sun emits mostly blue light
because molecules scatter red light more effectively than blue light
No one knows-this is one of the great mysteries of science
because molecules scatter blue light more effectively than red light
Early in the history of the universe, the universe was
hotter.
colder.
the same temperature it is now.
hotter
Which of these star clusters is oldest?
a cluster whose brightest main-sequence stars are white
a cluster whose brightest main-sequence stars are yellow
a cluster containing stars of all colors
a cluster whose brightest main-sequence stars are yellow
Why do virtually all the galaxies in the universe appear to be moving away from our own?
because we are located near where the Big Bang happened
because observers in all galaxies see a similar phenomenon due to the universe's expansion
because we are located near the center of the universe
because observers in all galaxies see a similar phenomenon due to the universe's expansion
How do asteroids differ from comets?
Asteroids are made of icy material. Comets are made of rocky material.
Asteroids and comets are both made of rocky and icy material, but asteroids are larger in size than comets.
Asteroids are made of rocky material. Comets are made of icy material.
Asteroids and comets are both made of rocky and icy material, but asteroids are smaller in size than comets.
Asteroids are made of rocky material. Comets are made of icy material.
Based on current estimates of the value of Hubble's constant, how old is the universe?
more than 20 billion years old
15 to 20 billion years old
12 to 15 billion years old
8 to 12 billion years old
4 to 8 billion years old
12 to 15 billion years old
The more massive a white dwarf, the ________.
higher its temperature
larger its radius
higher its luminosity
smaller its radius
smaller its radius
He discovered that Jupiter has moons.
Tycho Brahe
Kepler
Aristotle
Galileo
Ptolemy
Galileo
How can astronomers measure the period of a planet's orbit?
by measuring the time between peaks in the star's velocity curve
by measuring the time between repeated transits
by timing the cycle of small changes in a stars position on the sky
all of the above
all of the above
The terrestrial planets in our solar system are ________.
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
Pluto and Eris
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
What affects the average orbital speed of a star in our galaxy?
the star's mass and the mass of the galaxy
the mass and age of the star
the mass of the galaxy inside its orbit and the size of its orbit
the mass and age of the galaxy
the mass of the galaxy inside its orbit and the size of its orbit
The spectra of most galaxies show redshifts. This means that their spectral lines ________.
have wavelengths that are shorter than normal
have wavelengths that are longer than normal
always are in the red part of the visible spectrum
have a higher intensity in the red part of the spectrum
have wavelengths that are longer than normal
Which of the following statements is not true?
Objects in the Oort cloud contain large proportions of ice.
Objects in the Kuiper belt are made mostly of rock and metal.
Objects in the asteroid belt and Kuiper belt orbit the Sun in nearly the same plane as the planets, but objects in the
Oort cloud do not.
Objects in the asteroid belt are made mostly of rock and metal.
Objects in the Kuiper belt are made mostly of rock and metal.
The energy attributed to an object by virtue of its motion is known as ________.
radiative energy
mass-energy
potential energy
kinetic energy
kinetic energy
Overall, Jupiter's composition is most like that of ________.
Earth
a comet
an asteroid
the Sun
the Sun
If we could put all the asteroids together, their total mass would be ________.
about the mass of Earth
much less than the mass of any terrestrial planet
about the mass of Mercury
greater than the mass of Earth but less than the mass of Jupiter
much less than the mass of any terrestrial planet
What are the appropriate units for the Sun's luminosity?
Newtons
Joules
Kilograms
Watts
Watts
When the ultraviolet light from hot stars in very distant galaxies finally reaches us, it arrives at Earth in the form of
visible light.
X rays.
slightly more energetic ultraviolet light.
visible light.
Galaxies formed from tiny density perturbations that formed prior to the inflationary period.
True
False
True
The two most important processes in heating the interiors of the terrestrial worlds are ________.
(1) heat from convection; (2) heat from thermal radiation
(1) heat deposited by the process of formation; (2) heat released by radioactive decay
(1) volcanism; (2) tectonics
(1) heat deposited by the process of formation; (2) heat that came from the gravitational potential energy of incoming planetesimals
(1) heat deposited by the process of formation; (2) heat released by radioactive decay
How did oxygen (O2) get into Earth's atmosphere?
It was released by life through the process of photosynthesis.
It was outgassed from volcanoes.
It was captured from the solar nebula.
It came from chemical reactions with surface rocks.
It was released by life through the process of photosynthesis.
What do we mean when we say that the universe is expanding?
Average distances between galaxies are increasing with time.
The statement is not meant to be literal; rather, it means that our knowledge of the universe is growing.
Everything in the universe is gradually growing in size.
Within galaxies, average distances between star systems are increasing with time.
Average distances between galaxies are increasing with time.
The white dwarf that remains when our Sun dies will be mostly made of ________.
neutrons
hydrogen
helium
carbon
carbon
Where would a brown dwarf be located on an H-R diagram?
below and to the right of the lowest part of the main sequence
above and to the left of the highest part of the main sequence
in the lower left corner of the H-R diagram
in the upper right corner of the H-R diagram
below and to the right of the lowest part of the main sequence
Which of the following correctly describes the concept of galactic recycling?
Life is continuously being spread from star to star in the Milky Way.
New galaxies are continuously being formed out of gas ejected from a previous generation of galaxies.
In the formation of a star, no matter is wasted as all excess material ends up recycled into planets.
Stars near the center of the Milky Way are continually recycled to the outskirts of the disk by their orbital motion.
New stars are continuously being formed in the Milky Way out of gas that has been ejected from a previous generation of stars.
New stars are continuously being formed in the Milky Way out of gas that has been ejected from a previous generation of stars.
Which planet, other than Earth, has visible water ice on it?
Jupiter
Mars
the Moon
Venus
Mercury
Mars
Why do we call dark matter "dark"?
It emits no visible light.
It emits no or very little radiation of any wavelength.
It blocks out the light of stars in a galaxy.
We cannot detect the type of radiation that it emits.
It emits no or very little radiation of any wavelength.
What is nuclear fusion?
the process of turning matter into pure energy
the process of splitting nuclei to produce energy
the process of combining lightweight nuclei to make heavier nuclei
an explosion caused by putting together two volatile chemicals
a process that only occurs in bombs
the process of combining lightweight nuclei to make heavier nuclei
When we say that the Sun is a ball of plasma, we mean that ________.
the Sun is made of material that acts like a liquid acts on Earth
the Sun consists of gas in which many or most of the atoms
are ionized (missing electrons)
the Sun is roughly the same color as blood
the Sun is made of atoms and molecules
the Sun consists of gas in which many or most of the atoms are ionized (missing electrons)
Based on observations of the universal expansion, the age of the universe is about ________.
14 billion years
14 trillion years
14,000 years
14 million years
14 billion years
The Cassini mission to Saturn consists of ________.
an orbiter that orbits Saturn and a probe that descended to the surface of Titan
an orbiter that orbits Saturn and a probe that descended into Saturn's atmosphere
a spacecraft that orbits Saturn and a sample return mission that landed on Titan, scooped up a surface sample, and will return it to Earth
a large spacecraft that flew by Saturn on its way to other planets
an orbiter that orbits Saturn and a probe that descended to the surface of Titan
Why are relatively few details known about the life that existed on Earth prior to a few hundred million years ago?
Many rocks have been transformed by high heat and pressure, destroying any fossils they contained.
Older rocks are more rare than younger rocks because of geologic processes like subduction.
Nearly all life at that time was microscopic, making it much more difficult to identify.
All of the above
All of the above
Gasoline is useful in cars because it has
kinetic energy.
chemical potential energy.
electrical potential energy.
gravitational potential energy.
radiative energy.
chemical potential energy.
Suppose there were no solar wind. How would the appearance of a comet in our inner solar system be different?
It would not have a nucleus.
It would not have a coma.
It would be much brighter in appearance.
It would have only one tail instead of two.
It would have only one tail instead of two.
In the context of planetary geology, what do we mean by outgassing?
the loss of atmospheric gas to outer space
another name for a volcanic eruption
the release by volcanism of gases that had been trapped in a planetary interior
the evaporation of water that adds water vapor (a gas) to an atmosphere
the release by volcanism of gases that had been trapped in a planetary interior
Which of the following is not considered crucial for life to exist on some world?
liquid water
a source of energy that can be used by life
a source of nutrients
an atmosphere
an atmosphere
Which of the following statements about constellations is false?
Most constellations will be unrecognizable hundreds of years from now.
Some constellations can be seen in both the winter and summer.
There are only 88 official constellations.
Some constellations can be seen from both the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
It is possible to see all the constellations from Earth's equator.
Most constellations will be unrecognizable hundreds of years from now.
Which direction do a comet's dust and plasma tails point?
perpendicular to the ecliptic plane
straight behind the comet in its orbit
generally away from the Sun
always almost due north
generally away from the Sun
Which moon has a thick atmosphere made mostly of nitrogen?
Europa
Ganymede
Triton
Titan
Titan
Which of the following best explains why many jovian moons have been more geologically active than the Moon or Mercury?
The jovian moons probably have far more internal heat generated by radioactive decay than do the Moon or Mercury.
The jovian moons are considerably larger than the Moon and Mercury and therefore have retained much more internal heat.
Because of their greater distances from the Sun, the jovian moons receive much less heat from the Sun.
Jovian moons are made mostly of ice that can melt or deform at lower temperatures than can the rock and metal that make up the Moon and Mercury
Jovian moons are made mostly of ice that can melt or deform at lower temperatures than can the rock and metal that make up the Moon and Mercury
Two stars with about the same mass are found to have transiting planets with similar semi-major axes. Star 1 exhibits a Doppler shift twice as large as Star 2. What can we determine about these two systems?
The planet around Star 2 is more massive than the planet around Star 1.
The planet around Star 1 has a thicker atmosphere than the planet around Star 2.
The planet around Star 1 is more massive than the planet around Star 2.
The planet around Star 2 has a thicker atmosphere than the planet around Star 1
The planet around Star 1 is more massive than the planet around Star 2.
What evidence suggests that most of the mass of the Milky Way is in the form of dark matter?
Although dark matter emits no visible light, we have detected its radio emissions.
The orbital speeds of stars far from the galactic center are surprisingly high.
Our view of distant galaxies is often obscured by dark blotches, which are presumably made of dark matter.
Theoretical models of galaxy formation suggest that a galaxy cannot form unless it has at least 10 times as much matter as we see in the Milky Way disk.
The orbital speeds of stars far from the galactic center are surprisingly high.
Astronomers now classify Pluto as really just a large member of
the asteroid belt.
the Oort cloud.
the moon system around Neptune.
the Kuiper belt.
an extrasolar planetary system.
the Kuiper belt.
What would happen if the Sun suddenly became a black hole without changing its mass?
Earth would gradually spiral into the black hole.
The black hole would quickly suck in the Earth.
Earth's orbit would not change.
Earth's orbit would not change.
All stars spend approximately the same amount of time on the main sequence.
True
False
False
Most stars on the main sequence fuse hydrogen into helium in their cores, but some do not.
True
False
False
Suppose we use a baseball to represent Earth. On this scale, the other terrestrial worlds (Mercury, Venus, the Moon, and Mars) would range in size approximately from that of ________.
a golf ball to a beach ball
a golf ball to a baseball
a dust speck to a golf ball
a dust speck to a basketball
a golf ball to a baseball
An icy leftover planetesimal orbiting the Sun is
a comet.
a meteor.
a meteorite.
an asteroid.
possibly any of the above
a comet.
What are scientists' best guess(es) for the requirement(s) of life?
liquid water
energy to fuel the activities of life
a source of materials (nutrients)
all of the above
all of the above
The following statements are all true. Which one counts as an "exception to the rule" in being unusual for our solar system?
Saturn has no solid surface.
Venus does not have a moon.
The diameter of Earth's Moon is about 1/4 that of Earth.
Jupiter has a very small axis tilt.
The diameter of Earth's Moon is about 1/4 that of Earth.
In the formula E = mc2, what does E represent?
the radiative energy carried by light
the electric field produced by a charge
the gravitational potential energy of an object held above the ground
the kinetic energy of a moving object
the mass-energy, or potential energy stored in an object's mass
the mass-energy, or potential energy stored in an object's mass
The planet in our solar system with the highest average surface temperature is ________.
Neptune
Earth
Mercury
Venus
Venus
Why did the era of nucleosynthesis end?
The temperature of the universe became too low.
Too many heavy elements were produced.
The density of the universe became too low.
Neutrinos carried off too much energy.
The density of the universe became too low.
The point directly over your head is called ________.
the meridian
the zenith
the north celestial pole
the North Star
the zenith
What are the Magellanic Clouds?
star-forming clouds found in the constellation Orion
two nebulae located in the disk of the Milky Way galaxy and visible only from the Southern Hemisphere
two small galaxies that orbit the Milky Way Galaxy
the clouds of dust and gas found interspersed in many places throughout the Milky Way Galaxy
two small galaxies that orbit the Milky Way Galaxy
Suppose we had a device that allowed us to see Earth's interior. If we looked at a typical region of the mantle, what would we see happening?
Not much-on human time scales, the mantle looks like solid rock.
hot molten rock rising upward throughout the mantle and cool, solid rock falling downward
a rapid, up and down churning of the material in the mantle
dense metals falling downward while low-density rock rises upward
Not much-on human time scales, the mantle looks like solid rock.
How does the strength of Jupiter's magnetic field compare to that of Earth's magnetic field?
Jupiter's magnetic field is about twice as strong as Earth's.
Jupiter's magnetic field strength is about the same as Earth's.
Jupiter's magnetic field is about 20,000 times as strong as Earth's.
Jupiter's magnetic field is much weaker than Earth's.
Jupiter's magnetic field is about 20,000 times as strong as Earth's.
Which of the following statements does not use the term light-year in an appropriate way?
The Milky Way Galaxy is about 100,000 light-years in diameter.
It's about 4 light-years from here to Alpha Centauri.
It will take the Voyager spacecraft about 20,000 years to travel just 1 light-year.
A light-year is about 10 trillion kilometers.
It will take me light-years to complete this homework assignment.
It will take me light-years to complete this homework assignment.
Note 
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