Origins of the Universe
Scientists infer that the universe began approximately
(a) 1.0 billion years ago
(b) 3.3 billion years ago
(c) 8.2 billion years ago
(d) 13.7 billion years ago
(d) 13.7 billion years ago
The Milky Way galaxy is best described as...
A) a type of solar system
B) a constellation visible to everyone on Earth
C) a region in space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
D) a spiral-shaped formation composed of billions of stars
D) a spiral-shaped formation composed of billions of stars
Which statement best describes the geocentric model of our solar system?
A) All planets revolve around the Sun.
B) The Earth is located at the center of the model.
C) All planets except the Earth revolve around the Sun.
D) The Sun is located at the center of the model.
B) The Earth is located at the center of the model.
Which star has a higher luminosity and a lower temperature than the Sun?
A) Rigel
B) Barnard’s Star
C) Alpha Centauri
D) Aldebaran
D) Aldebaran
The Sun's position in space is best described as the approximate center of
A) a constellation
B) the universe
C) the Milky Way galaxy
D) our solar system
D) our solar system
A major piece of evidence supporting the Big Bang theory is the observation that wavelengths of light from stars in distant galaxies show a
A) redshift, appearing to be shorter
B) redshift, appearing to be longer
C) blueshift, appearing to be shorter
D) blueshift, appearing to be longer
B) redshift, appearing to be longer
Which statement best describes how galaxies generally move?
A) Galaxies do not move.
B) Galaxies move away from one another.
C) Galaxies move randomly.
D) Galaxies move toward one another
B) Galaxies move away from one another.
Compared to the periods of revolution and periods of rotation of the terrestrial planets, how are the periods of revolution and periods of rotation for the Jovian planets different?
Period of Revolution is longer
Period of Rotation is shorter
Compared with our Sun, the star Betelgeuse is:
A) smaller, hotter, and less luminous
B) smaller, cooler, and more luminous
C) larger, hotter, and less luminous
D) larger, cooler, and more luminous
D) larger, cooler, and more luminous
A light year is
A) the distance traveled by light in one year
B) the distance the Earth moves in one year
C) the time it takes light to go once around the Earth's orbit
D) the time it takes light to travel one year
A) the distance traveled by light in one year
Compared to light from from a stationary source at the same point, light from an object moving toward you is
A) brighter
B) bluer
C) redder
D) unchanged in both color and brightness
B) bluer
Earth, the Sun, and billions of stars are contained within...
(A) a single constellation
(B) the Milky Way galaxy
(C) the solar system
(D) a giant cloud of gas
(B) the Milky Way galaxy
Which planet's orbital shape would be most similar to Jupiter's orbital shape?
A) Venus
B) Uranus
C) Mercury
D) Neptune
B) Uranus
Which process combines lighter elements into heavier elements and produces energy within the Sun and other stars?
(A) fusion
(B) insolation
(C) conduction
(D) radioactive decay
A) fusion
The star Algol is estimated to have approximately the same luminosity as the star Aldebaran approximately the same temperature as the Rigel. Algol is best classified as a
A) main sequence star
B) red giant star
C) white dwarf star
D) red dwarf star
A) main sequence star
The more that the spectral lines of a star are shifted to the red end of the spectrum
A) the larger it is.
B) the faster it is rotating
C) the hotter it is
D) the faster it is moving away from us
D) the faster it is moving away from us
Which sequence correctly lists the relative sizes from smallest to largest?
A) our solar system, universe, Milky Way Galaxy
B) our solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, universe
C) Milky Way Galaxy, our solar system, universe
D) Milky Way Galaxy, universe, our solar system
B) our solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, universe
The terrestrial planets differ from the Jovian planets because the terrestrial planets are
(a) less dense and larger
(b) more dense and larger
(c) less dense and smaller
(d) more dense and smaller
(d) more dense and smaller
Measurements indicate that a certain star has a very high luminosity (100,000 times that of our sun) and yet has a temperature that is cooler than the sun. What can you conclude about this observation?
A) It could be a main sequence star.
B) It may be quite large.
C) This is a typical characteristic of stars.
D) There must be an error in measurement.
B) It may be quite large.
Earth and our solar system are
A) older than the universe
B) the same age as the universe
C) younger than the universe
C) younger than the universe
Background radiation detected in space is believed to be evidence that
A) the Universe is contracting
B) the Universe began with a primeval explosion
C) all matter in the Universe is stationary
D) galaxies are evenly spaced throughout the Universe
B) the Universe began with a primeval explosion
The theory that the universe is expanding is supported by the
A) blue shift of light from distant galaxies
B) red shift of light from distant galaxies
C) nuclear fusion occurring in the Sun
D) radioactive decay occurring in the Sun
B) red shift of light from distant galaxies
Why is the surface of Mercury covered with meteor impact craters, while Earth’s surface has relatively few craters?
(a) Mercury is larger than Earth, so it gets hit with more meteors.
(b) Mercury is an older planet, so it has a longer history of meteor impacts.
(c) Earth’s hydrosphere and atmosphere destroyed or buried most meteor impact sites.
(d) Earth’s less dense water surface attracts fewer meteors.
(c) Earth’s hydrosphere and atmosphere destroyed or buried most meteor impact sites.
The life-cycle path followed by a star is determined by the star’s initial...
A) mass and size
B) temperature and origin
C) luminosity and color
D) luminosity and structure
A) mass and size
The impacts of large asteroids on Earth are inferred to be associated with
A) free oxygen entering Earth’s atmosphere
B) seafloor spreading
C) the creation of subduction zones
D) global climatic changes
D) global climatic changes