The Cosmic Perspective Fundamentals 2e: CH. 1-3

Which of the following correctly lists our "cosmic address" from smallest to largest?

Earth, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe

How old is the Universe

14 billion years

An astronomical unit (AU) is

the average distance from the earth to the sun

The further away a star, the larger its parallax angle

False

Why do all galaxies beyond the Local group appear to be moving away from us

The Universe is expanding

What did Galileo observe through his primitive telescope

Mountains and craters on the Moon, sunspots, Jupiter's four largest moons, phases of moons

making observations and conducting experiments that dispelled scientific objections to the Sun-centered model.

When an electron in an atom jumps from a higher energy level to a lower energy level, it

emits a photon of a specific frequency

True/False The angular size of venus looks smallest to us when its phase is full

TRUE

Which Danish astronomer made very accurate observation of the positions of the planets over many years before the invention of the telescope

Tycho Brahe

True/False The Ptolemaic model was quite good at predicting planetary positions

True

True/False The phases of the Moon are caused by Earth's shadow falling on the Moon

False: the phase of the moon depends on its position relative to the sun as it orbits the earth.

Suppose you see a crescent moon; how much of the Moon's entire surface (the full glove of the Moon) is illuminated by the Sun?

Half

Why were ancient peoples unable to observe stellar parallax?

they did not have the ability to measure very small angles

Earth

Size: The ball from the tip of a ballpoint pen

Sun

Size: grapefruit

Use the same scale model where the Sun is the size of a grapefruit. Which object and position would correspond to the correct location for the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri?

Another grapefruit in Los Angeles, California

On a scale where the Sun is about the size of a grapefruit and the Earth is about 15 meters away, how far away are the nearest stars besides the Sun?

about the distance across the United States

True/False Refracting telescopes use lenses

True

When does the angular size of Venus look the smallest

When it is full

Latitude on the earth is analogous to what on the celestial sphere?

Declination

True/False xray photons have more energy therefore they travel faster than visbile light photons

false

According to newtons theory of gravitation if you triple the distance between two objects then the graitational force between them will

Decrese by a factor of 3. inverse square law

Newtons second law of motion tells us that the net force applied to an object equals its

It is directly proportional

A light-year is

A) the time it takes light to reach the nearest star.
B) the time it takes light to travel around the Sun.
C) about 10 trillion kilometers.

C) about 10 trillion kilometers.

If you are on the equator which way is the Polaris star?

To the north. it lies on the axis of the earth

What is the frequency of a wave

the cycles per second

The star Antares is 604 light-years away. If it explodes tonight,

A) we won't know about it for another 604 years.
B) we'll know because it will be brighter than the full Moon.
C) we'll know because debris from the explosion will rain down on us from space.

A) we won't know about it for another 604 years.

Could we see a galaxy that is 20 billion light-years away?

A) Yes, if we had a big enough telescope.
B) No, because a galaxy could not possibly be that far away.
C) No, because it would be beyond the bounds of our observable universe.

C) No, because it would be beyond the bounds of our observable universe.

If we represent the solar system on a scale that allows us to walk from the Sun to Pluto in a few minutes, then

A) the planets are microscopic and the stars are millions of miles away.
B) the planets are the size of basketballs and the nearest stars are a few miles away.
C) the planets are marble size or smaller and the nearest stars are thousands of miles away.

C) the planets are marble size or smaller and the nearest stars are thousands of miles away.

The number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy is roughly

A) 100 billion
B) 100,000
C) 100 million

A) 100 billion

When we say the universe is expanding, we mean that

A) everything in the universe is growing in size.
B) the average distance between galaxies is growing with time.
C) the number of stars in the universe is growing with time.

B) the average distance between galaxies is growing with time.

We are "star stuff" in the sense that

A) we are made of elements that were produced in stars.
B) our bodies have the same chemical composition as stars.
C) we are born, live, and die, just like stars.

A) we are made of elements that were produced in stars.

The age of our solar system is about

A) the same as the age of the universe.
B) 3/4 of the age of the universe.
C) 1/3 of the age of the universe.

C) 1/3 of the age of the universe.

The event that triggered the change in Pluto's status from planet to dwarf planet was the discovery that

A) it has a comet-like composition of ice and rock.
B) it is not the largest object in its region of the solar system.
C) it is smaller than the planet Mercury.

B) it is not the largest object in its region of the solar system.

In winter, Earth's axis points toward the star Polaris. In spring,

A) the axis points toward the Sun.
B) the axis also points toward Polaris.
C) the axis points toward Vega.

B) the axis also points toward Polaris.

We can be sure that variations in Earth's distance from the Sun are not the cause of the seasons, because

A) if distance were responsible for the seasons, both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres would have summer at the same time.
B) if distance were responsible for the seasons, seasonal temperature changes would be much more extreme.
C) Earth is always exactly the same distance from the Sun.

A) if distance were responsible for the seasons, both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres would have summer at the same time.

Two stars that are in the same constellation

A) must both have been discovered at about the same time.
B) may actually be very far away from each other.
C) must both be part of the same cluster of stars in space.

B) may actually be very far away from each other.

Suppose you see a crescent moon; how much of the Moon's entire surface (the full globe of the Moon) is in daylight?

A) half
B) one eighth
C) one quarter

A) half

One week after full moon, the Moon's phase is

A) first quarter.
B) third quarter.
C) new.

B) third quarter.

The fact that we always see the same face of the Moon tell us that

A) the Moon looks the same on both sides.
B) the Moon's rotation period is the same as its orbital period.
C) the Moon does not rotate.

B) the Moon's rotation period is the same as its orbital period.

The reason we do not have a solar eclipse at every new moon is that

A) the Moon's orbit is inclined relative to Earth's orbit around the Sun.
B) a solar eclipse can occur only at full moon.
C) the nodes of the Moon's orbit gradually move around the orbit.

A) the Moon's orbit is inclined relative to Earth's orbit around the Sun.

If there is going to be a total lunar eclipse tonight, then you know that the Moon's phase is

A) full.
B) new.
C) first or third quarter.

A) full.

When we see Saturn going through a period of apparent retrograde motion, it means that

A) Saturn is temporarily moving backward in its orbit around the Sun.
B) Earth is passing Saturn in its orbit, with both planets on the same side of the Sun.
C) Saturn and Earth must be on opposite sides of the Sun.

B) Earth is passing Saturn in its orbit, with both planets on the same side of the Sun.

Which of the following best describes why the Greeks rejected the correct explanation for apparent retrograde motion?

A) They predicted that if Earth orbited the Sun, then stellar parallax should occur, but they could not detect this parallax.
B) They did not realize that planets sometimes appear to move backward relative to the constellations.
C) They never even considered the possibility that Earth could orbit the Sun.

A) They predicted that if Earth orbited the Sun, then stellar parallax should occur, but they could not detect this parallax.

A geocentric model of the universe is

A) any model that places the Sun at the center of the universe.
B) any model that has Earth as a planet orbiting the Sun.
C) any model that places Earth at the center of the universe.

C) any model that places Earth at the center of the universe.

In Ptolemy's geocentric model, the retrograde motion of a planet occurs when

A) Earth is about to pass the planet in its orbit around the Sun.
B) the planet is aligned with the Moon in our sky.
C) the planet actually goes backward in its orbit around Earth.

C) the planet actually goes backward in its orbit around Earth.

Tycho Brahe's contribution to astronomy included

A) proving that Earth orbits the Sun.
B) collecting data that enabled Kepler to discover the laws of planetary motion.
C) inventing the telescope.

B) collecting data that enabled Kepler to discover the laws of planetary motion.

Kepler made a major break from ancient beliefs when he

A) decided to look for a system that could explain actual observations.
B) realized that gravity holds the planets in their orbits.
C) abandoned circular orbits in favor of elliptical orbits

C) abandoned circular orbits in favor of elliptical orbits

Earth is closer to the Sun in January than in July. Therefore, in accord with Kepler's second law,

A) Earth travels faster in its orbit around the Sun in July than in January.
B) Earth travels faster in its orbit around the Sun in January than in July.
C) it is summer in January and winter in July.

B) Earth travels faster in its orbit around the Sun in January than in July.

According to Kepler's third law,

A) Mercury travels fastest in the part of its orbit in which it is closest to the Sun.
B) all the planets have elliptical orbits.
C) Jupiter orbits the Sun at a faster speed than Saturn.

C) Jupiter orbits the Sun at a faster speed than Saturn.

Which of the following is not true about scientific progress?

A) Science progresses through the creation and testing of models of nature.
B) Science avoids explanations that invoke the supernatural.
C) Science advances only through strict application of the scientific method.

C) Science advances only through strict application of the scientific method.

Which of the following is not true about a scientific theory?

A) A theory is essentially an educated guess.
B) Even the strongest theories can never be proved true beyond all doubt.
C) A theory must explain a wide range of observations or experiments.

A) A theory is essentially an educated guess.

When Einstein's theory of gravity (general relativity) gained acceptance, it demonstrated that Newton's theory had been

A) incomplete.
B) really only a guess.
C) wrong.

A) incomplete.