Miscellaneous
Shortly after the Big Bang, the chemical composition of the universe was...
a. about equal amounts of all the elements.
b. hydrogen only.
c. about the same as it is today.
d. almost entirely hydrogen and helium.
d. almost entirely hydrogen and helium.
What is a molecule?
a. a particle that is part of an atomic nucleus
b. a form of an atom that has more or less neutrons than normal
c. a group of two or more atoms bound together
d. an atom that has lost or gained an electron so that it is electrically charged
e. the smallest known particle in nature
c. a group of two or more atoms bound together
The energy attributed to an object by virtue of its motion is known as...
a. mass-energy
b. potential energy
c. radiative energy
d. kinetic energy
d. kinetic energy
Photons behave like...
a. both waves and particles
b. waves
c. neither waves nor particles
d. particles
a. both waves and particles
How many arcseconds are in 1 arcminute?
a. 60
b. 360
c. 3,600
d. 100
e. 10,000
a. 60
What is meant by a hypothesis?
a. a pseudoscientific idea
b. a confirmed explanation for a natural phenomenon
c. a tentative explanation for a phenomenon that can be tested with observations or experiments
d. a natural phenomenon that requires explanation
e. a historical theory that has been proved inaccurate
c. a tentative explanation for a phenomenon that can be tested with observations or experiments
What is nuclear fusion?
a. the process of combining lightweight nuclei to make heavier nuclei
b. an explosion caused by putting together two volatile chemicals
c. the process of turning matter into pure energy
d. the process of splitting nuclei to produce energy
e. a process that only occurs in bombs
a. the process of combining lightweight nuclei to make heavier nuclei
Choose the answer that fills in the three blanks in the correct order: Earth rotates once each ________, Earth orbits the Sun once each ________, and the Moon orbits Earth about once each ________.
a. year, day, month
b. hour, day, month
c. day, year, week
d. day, year, month
e. hour, day, year
d. day, year, month
If you want to see the image formed by a telescope, you should place your eye at the location of the telescope's...
a. Cassegrain
b. primary mirror
c. focus
d. secondary mirror
e. central hole in the primary mirror
c. focus
What does temperature measure?
a. the total amount of heat in a substance
b. the total potential energy of particles in a substance
c. the average mass of particles in a substance
d. the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance
d. the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance
What do we mean by a geocentric model of the universe?
a. It is the name given to sphere-shaped models that show all the constellations as they appear in our sky on the celestial sphere.
b. a model of the Milky Way Galaxy that has our solar system located at its center
c. a model designed to explain what we see in the sky while having the Earth located in the center of the universe
d. a model designed to explain what we see in the sky while having the Earth orbit the Sun
c. a model designed to explain what we see in the sky while having the Earth located in the center of the universe
An atom that has fewer electrons than protons is called a(n)...
a. plasma
b. solid
c. molecule
d. ion
d. ion
Consider how the Moon moves through the Solar System and complete the following sentence. The Moon orbits the Sun....
a. once a year
b. once a day
c. once a month
a. once a year
Grass appears green because...
a. it reflects green light and absorbs other colors.
b. it absorbs green light and emits other colors.
c. it transmits green light and emits other colors.
d. it emits green light and absorbs other colors.
a. it reflects green light and absorbs other colors.
Which of the following stars has the hottest surface temperature?
a. the blue star
b. the orange star
c. the red star
d. the yellow star
a. the blue star
Which of the following has your "cosmic address" in the correct order?
a. you, Earth, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe
b. you, Earth, solar system, Local Group, Local Supercluster, Milky Way Galaxy, universe
c. you, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, solar system, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe
d. you, Earth, Local Group, Local Supercluster, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, universe
e. you, Earth, solar system, Local Group, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Supercluster, universe
a. you, Earth, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Local Supercluster, universe
Consider an atom of carbon in which the nucleus contains six protons and seven neutrons. What is its atomic number and atomic mass number?
a. atomic number = 6; atomic mass number = 7
b. atomic number = 13; atomic mass number = 6
c. atomic number = 6; atomic mass number = 13
d. atomic number = 7; atomic mass number = 13
c. atomic number = 6; atomic mass number = 13
From the fact that virtually every galaxy is moving away from us and more distant galaxies are moving away from us at a faster rate than closer ones, we conclude that...
a. we are located at the center of the universe.
b. the universe is shrinking.
c. the Milky Way Galaxy is expanding.
d. even nearby galaxies will eventually be moving faster than the speed of light.
e. the universe is expanding.
e. the universe is expanding.
What do astronomers mean by light pollution?
a. Light pollution refers to pollution caused by light industry as opposed to heavy industry.
b. Light pollution refers to the lights that must be used inside major observatories and that make it difficult for astronomers' eyes to adapt to darkness.
c. Light pollution refers to light used for human activities that brightens the sky and hinders astronomical observations.
d. Light pollution is another name for sunlight, which makes it impossible to see stars in the daytime.
e. Light pollution refers to harmful gases emitted by common street lights.
c. Light pollution refers to light used for human activities that brightens the sky and hinders astronomical observations.
What does angular resolution measure?
a. the number of electromagnetic waves captured by an image
b. the brightness of an image
c. the angular size of the smallest features that the telescope can see
d. the size of an image
c. the angular size of the smallest features that the telescope can see
Suppose we look at two distant galaxies: Galaxy 1 is twice as far away as Galaxy 2. In that case...
a. we are seeing Galaxy 1 as it looked at a later time in the history of the universe than Galaxy 2.
b. we are seeing Galaxy 1 as it looked at an earlier time in the history of the universe than Galaxy 2.
c. we can't say anything about these galaxies except for their distances.
b. we are seeing Galaxy 1 as it looked at an earlier time in the history of the universe than Galaxy 2.
From shortest to longest wavelength, which of the following correctly orders the different categories of electromagnetic radiation?
a. infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma rays, radio
b. gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, radio
c. gamma rays, x-rays, visible light, ultraviolet, infrared, radio
d. radio, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma rays
b. gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, radio
What happens during the apparent retrograde motion of a planet?
a. The planet rises in the west and sets in the east.
b. The planet moves backward in its orbit around the Sun.
c. The planet moves through constellations that are not part of the zodiac.
d. The planet appears to move westward with respect to the stars over a period of weeks to months.
e. The planet moves backward through the sky over the course of a night.
d. The planet appears to move westward with respect to the stars over a period of weeks to months.
What is the best reason to put a visible-light telescope in space instead of on the ground?
a. The telescope is above the atmosphere so the light does not get distorted by turbulent air.
b. It is easier to launch very large space telescopes into space than to find places for them on the ground.
c. A space telescope is closer to the source of the light, so it can make a clearer image.
d. Space telescopes are not affected by earthquakes.
a. The telescope is above the atmosphere so the light does not get distorted by turbulent air.
What is the angular resolution of the human eye?
a. about 1 degree
b. about 1 arcsecond (1/3600 of a degree)
c. about 1 milliarcsecond
d. about 1 arcminute, or 1/60 of a degree
d. about 1 arcminute, or 1/60 of a degree