Astro 001 final

all the exams plus extra

Our sun is a star T/F

true

Your horizon is a/an imaginary plane that extends from your observing location of Earth out of the stars

imaginary

T/F: in the southern hemisphere, December is a summer month

true

How would you say this number in words
600,000,000

six hundred million

Is September 21st a solstice, or an equinox?

equinox

Image 1: Which of the objects above is smallest in physical size? (regardless of the size of the picture)

B

The sun shines because it is

hot

Which chemical elements are involved in the main fusion reaction in our sun?

Hydrogen and helium

How often do new moons happen?

once every month

Image 2: Which of the above diagrams best represents the earth's orbit around the sun, as it would appear in a top-down view?

D

Why do we see the Moon go through different phases?

We see more or less of the lit up half of the moon, depending on the moon's position in its orbit relative to the angle of incoming sunlight

Consider the following discussion between two students about the definition of light-years:
Student 1: I think I get light years. They are a unit of distance, like miles or kilometers.
Student 2: I disagree. Just look at the word. It has "years in it". It must be a unit of time, like seconds or days. But sure it can be a unit of distance because you sometimes hear that such-and-such astronomical objects are "five hundred light years away" for example. So it can be a unit of distance or time, depending on the situation.
Which student is correct?

only student 1 is correct

You live in State College. Let's say you go outside on May 1 and note the position of the Sun in the sky at noon - when it reaches its highest point during the day. Then you go out again one month later (in June) and again not the position of the Sun in the sky at noon. In June, how will the Sun's noontime position compare to its noontime position the previous month?

it will be higher

If earth's orbit were changed to be a perfect circle (constant distance to the Sun), seasons would be...

same as now. (hot summers, cold winters)

What time is the waxing crescent moon high overhead?

3pm

Match the order of the three objects with how they are physically lined up during the two types of eclipses (non-to-scale)
Sun Moon earth:
Moon Earth Sun:
Earth Sun Moon:
Earth Sun Moon:

Solar eclipse
Lunar eclipse
neither

If you are in the continental U.S. , when does the Sun reach zenith in your sky?

never

Why don't eclipses happen every month?

because the moon's orbit is not quite in the same plane as the Earth's orbit, so most months the moon is too high or too low

If Earth's axis of rotation were tilted at 45 degrees (instead of it current 23 degrees), how would seasons in PA (middle latitude) be?

More extreme. Hotter summers and colder winters

Choose the best match for each statement: revolve, rotate, or both.
The sun does this:

both

Choose the best match for each statement: revolve, rotate, or both.
the earth does this:

both

Choose the best match for each statement: revolve, rotate, or both.
this is a synonym for orbit:

revolve

Choose the best match for each statement: revolve, rotate, or both.
this is a synonym for "spin" (on its own center axis)

rotate

Consider the following discussion between two students about the cause of the phases of the Moon.
Student 1: The phase of the Moon depends on how the Moon, sun, and Earth are aligned with one another. During some alignments, only a small portion of the Moon's surface will receive light from the Sun, in which case we would see a crescent, Moon.
Student 2: I disagree. The Moon would always get the same amount of sunlight; it is just that in some alignments Earth casts a larger shadow on the Moon. that's why the Moon isn't always a full moon.
Which students are correct if either?

neither; both are wrong

If you use one-half (0.5) of a liter of gasoline per day driving, how many liters will you use in 14 days?

7

Image 3: Imagine you are standing in the Northern hemisphere, like the observer in the figure above. Looking directly West, you see a star near the horizon. Which star at which position could it be?

Star A at position 2

You build an accurate scale model of the Taj Mahal from legos. The real Taj Mahal in India is about 70 meters tall. Your scale model of it is 7 inches tall.

Next, you want to build a lego model of the Shanghai Tower, using the same scaling factor as before so you can accurately compare their relative heights. The real Shanghai tower in China is about 0.6 kilometers tall. How many inches tall should the shanghai tower be in your lego model?

60 inches

You drive 20 miles, and it takes you 30 minutes. What was your average speed in miles per hour (mph)?

40 mph

image 3: you observe a star rising due east. When this star reaches its highest position above the horizon, where will it be?

high in the southern sky

image 4: How long will it be before star D returns to its same position?

24 hours

Image 4: If we took a time lapse photograph of stars, they would make streaks, or "star trails" on the photo along the dashed lines. What actually causes the star to make these trails?

the Earth slowly spins on its axis

image 4: Where on Earth would an observer have to be to see this view of the sky?

middle latitude, between equator and pole

image 4: Which star if any spends the LEAST number of hours above the horizon over the course of 24 hours

A

Image 4: How long will it be before star A returns to its same position?

24 hours

Image 4: Which direction are the star trails path going as time proceeds

counter clock wise

If the exchange rate between Euros and U.S. dollars were 1.2 Euro = 1.0 USD ($1.00), how much would 1.0 Euros be worth in U.S. dollars?

$0.83

Match each statement with whether it describes astronomy, astrology, or both
Which is the topic of this class?

astronomy

Match each statement with whether it describes astronomy, astrology, or both
Which has to do with stars and constellations?

both

Match each statement with whether it describes astronomy, astrology, or both
Which is tantamount to fraud?

astrology

Match each statement with whether it describes astronomy, astrology, or both
Which is a field of science?

astronomy

Image 5: During which phase could a solar eclipse happen?

1

Image 5: Which phase would be high overhead at midnight?

full

Image 5/6: which position corresponds to the moon phase pictured here? (its one of the 'quarter' phases)

7

Image 5: Which is a gibbous phase?

4

Image 5: Which position represents the full moon?

5

For an observer at these three different latitude regions on Earth, how much time is there between when a star rises and when it sets?
equator

12 hours

For an observer at these three different latitude regions on Earth, how much time is there between when a star rises and when it sets?
pole

star never sets

For an observer at these three different latitude regions on Earth, how much time is there between when a star rises and when it sets?
middle latitude

it depends on the star

If you could type a 1,200 words in 2 hours, what would be your average typing rate in words per minute?

10

image 7: which statement below is NOT supported by the points shown on the graph above?
A: The U.S. is roughly average in chocolate consumption and Nobel prizes per person
B: All countries shown have people who eat at least some chocolate.
C: Countries that eat more chocolate per person also tend to win more Nobel prizes per person, though correlation does not necessarily imply causation.
D: The U.S. eats more chocolate per person than Finland
E: China and Japan do not eat very much chocolate per person

D: The U.S. eats more chocolate per person than Finland

Image 8: Two students are having the following discussion regarding at what position(s) star B rises and sets (if any), from the figure above:
Student 1: the diagram shows that Star B is as low as it will get when it is just above the northern horizon at B3. So Star B never does below the horizon
Student 2: Locations B2 and B4 are on my horizon because they are rising and setting just like A2 and A4.
Which student(s) is correct if either?

Only student 1 is correct

The sun (a low-mass Main Sequence star) will eventually form which of the following?

a red giant

Which of the following is not part of the electromagnetic spectrum?
radio waves, gamma rays, infrared light, sound waves, ultraviolet light, microwaves, x rays

sound waves

The greenhouse effect is ____ global warming.

a necessary precursor for

What color would the coolest stars appear to your eye?

red

Pluto is a/an

a Kuiper belt object

Image 9: Match each description below to one of the five objects (A-E) marked on the graph above. Each object is either a star or used to be a star. The letters may be used more than once.
Which object has already lost its outer layers?

D

Image 9: Match each description below to one of the five objects (A-E) marked on the graph above. Each object is either a star or used to be a star. The letters may be used more than once.
Which object will one day be (but is not yet) a red supergiant

A

Image 9: Match each description below to one of the five objects (A-E) marked on the graph above. Each object is either a star or used to be a star. The letters may be used more than once.
Which object is currently undergoing no nuclear fusion whatsoever?

D

Image 9: Match each description below to one of the five objects (A-E) marked on the graph above. Each object is either a star or used to be a star. The letters may be used more than once.
Which sequence star has the most mass?

A

Image 9: Match each description below to one of the five objects (A-E) marked on the graph above. Each object is either a star or used to be a star. The letters may be used more than once.
Which object is a star most like out Sun is right now?

B

Image 9: Match each description below to one of the five objects (A-E) marked on the graph above. Each object is either a star or used to be a star. The letters may be used more than once.
Which object has the smallest radius?

D

Image 10: The figure above shows an HR diagram with point A-E that represent various stages in stellar evolution for the lives of stars. Note that only stars B, C, and D are the main sequence stars.
Put in order from earliest to latest, the three stages in the life of a low-mass star without a companion. Omit the stages shown on the diagram that do not apply. The first one is done for you.
Earliest: D
Next: E
Latest: A
Two of the letters were not used. Why? Those are not realistic locations on the graph
E
A
those correspond to high mass stars, not low

E
A
those correspond to high mass stars, not low

Which of the following pieces of information is possible to ascertain from the spectrum of an object?

- it's chemical composition
- what type of matter it is: dense and opaque, or diffuse gas
- whether it's moving toward or away
- its temperature

Consider the following discussion between two students about the different properties of light:
Student 1: I think I get how light works. If you look at the chart of the electromagnetic spectrum, it shows that light with a higher frequency will also have a long wavelength. but it all has the same speed.
Student 2: I disagree. If one type of light has a lot of energy and a high frequency it will have a faster speed than light that has a lower energy and a low frequency.
Which student is right, if either?

neither; both are wrong

An X ray has a wavelength of 10^-10 meters. What is its frequency?

3 x 10^18 Hz

Image 11: Refer to the spectra of two stars above. Which star is hotter: star A or star B?

Star A

Consider the following student debate about what "weightlessness" means
Student 1: The sensation of weightlessness occurs when an object is in freefall. That means that gravity is the only force acting on it. Since there is no surface for it to be resting on and pushing back up against gravity pulling down, the object couldn't feel its own weight.
Student 2: Weightlessness occurs because there is very little gravity in space. Even though the gravity is technically not zero, above the Earth's atmosphere it is negligibly small. That's why astronauts in the space station cannot feel their weight. The higher they go, the less of their weight they would feel.
Student 3: Weightlessness only occurs when there is no net force on an object at all. This is not actually possible in real life; everyone on or near Earth always has some net force on them at all times, even the astronauts. However, the pressurized suits and shuttle cabins give astronauts an experience similar to weightlessness, where they feel an equal force pushing on them from all sides. All those forces nearly cancel.
Which student is most correct?

student 1

Consider the following debate between two students regarding the relationship between parallax angle and the distance we measure to a star.
Student 1: the farther away a star is, the less it seems to shift due to parallax. That means the smaller we would measure for its parallax angle. So distance and parallax angle are inversely related.
Student 2: If the distance to the star is more than 1 parsec, then the parallax angle must be more than 1 arcsecond. So a star that is many parsecs away will have a large parallax angle.
Which student is right, if either?

Student 1

Imagine our solar system is moving in the Milky Way toward a group of three stars. Star X is a blue star that is slightly closer to us than the other three. Star Y is a yellow star that is halfway between Stars X and Y. Which of these stars, if any, will give off light that appears to be redshifted?

none of the three stars

Frequency and energy are

directly proportional

Two stars, Omega and Zappa, have the same luminosity. Omega has a larger radius. which star is cooler?

Omega is cooler

What marks the end of every star's main sequence lifetime?

it runs out of hydrogen in the core

Which of the following determines the color of light?

its frequency

Image 12: The grey blobs on the graph above encompass just where our solar system planets would appear on the graph. Each region includes at least two planets. Which region would include only jupiter and saturn?

B

Star Beta has a parallax angle of 100 arcseconds. Therefore the distance to Star Beta is

0.01 parsecs

Image 13: Consider these pictures of the three types of spectra, labeled A, B, and C:
Now consider these graph of the three types of spectra, labeled 1, 2, and 3. These numbers do not necessarily match the numbers we gave these three types of spectra in our lecture notes.
Match the picture (number) with the corresponding graph (letter) for each type of spectrum. Each option is used once.

A:3
B:1
C:2

A solid object has a temperature of 290K. At what wavelength does its thermal spectrum peak? 1 x 10?m (what number goes in the exponent?)

-5

T/F: An Astronomical Unit is larger than a parsec

false

Jupiters average distance from the Sun is 5 AU, while Earth's average distance from the Sun is 1 A. Moreover, Jupiters mass is about 300 times larger than earth. Therefore, compared to the Sun's gravitational force on the Earth, the Sun's gravitational force on Jupiter is

12 times stronger

Of low or high mass stars, identify which ones are hotter?

high mass stars

Of low or high mass stars, identify which ones fuse H to He faster?

high mass stars

Of low or high mass stars, identify which ones live longer?

low mass stars

Of low or high mass stars, identify which ones fuse heavier elements during their life?

high mass stars

Of low or high mass stars, identify which ones go through a planetary nebula phase?

low mass stars

Indicate whether each statement is describing the asteroid belt only

both

Indicate whether each statement is describing the asteroid belt only, the Kuiper belt only, or both the asteroid belt and Kuiper belt.
Contains many small rock bodies, each orbiting the sun

both

Indicate whether each statement is describing the asteroid belt only, the Kuiper belt only, or both the asteroid belt and Kuiper belt.
located outside the orbit of Neptune

Kuiper belt

Indicate whether each statement is describing the asteroid belt only, the Kuiper belt only, or both the asteroid belt and Kuiper belt.
located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter

Asteroid belt

Indicate whether each statement is describing the asteroid belt only, the Kuiper belt only, or both the asteroid belt and Kuiper belt.
mostly empty space

both

Indicate whether each description best matches a comet only, a meteor only, or both comets and meteors.
Can be visible in the sky for many weeks

comet

Indicate whether each description best matches a comet only, a meteor only, or both comets and meteors.
looks like a streak of light in a photograph of the sky

both

Indicate whether each description best matches a comet only, a meteor only, or both comets and meteors.
looks bright because of reflected sunlight

comet

Indicate whether each description best matches a comet only, a meteor only, or both comets and meteors.
only visible when passing through Earth's atmosphere

meteor

Indicate whether each description best matches a comet only, a meteor only, or both comets and meteors.
typically several AU away from the Earth when you see it

comet

Indicate whether each descriptor better fits with jovian or terrestrial planets.
larger planets

jovian

Indicate whether each descriptor better fits with jovian or terrestrial planets.
higher density

terrestrial

Indicate whether each descriptor better fits with jovian or terrestrial planets.
more moons

Jovian

Indicate whether each descriptor better fits with jovian or terrestrial planets.
has rings

jovian

Image 14: The figure below shows a spaceprobe and five planets (A-E). The motion of the spaceprobe is indicated by the arrow. The spaceprobe is continuously broadcasting a radio signal in all directions. For each planet, indicate whether the signal it receives will be significantly redshifted, significantly blueshifted, or not Doppler shifted. Each answer option is used at least once.
A

redshifted