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
Compare the orbital speed of Venus to the orbital speed of Mercury and Earth.
Venus travels slower than Mercury but faster than Earth.
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
The Hubble Space Telescope is closer to the the Earth than the Moon is. Therefore, the orbital period of the Hubble Space Telescope must be _______________ than the orbital period of the Moon.
a) greater
b) less
b) less
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
What are sunspots?
a) Regions of warmer areas on the surface of the sun
b) Regions of cooler areas on the surface of the sun
c) Regions of nuclear fission within the core of the sun
d) Regions of oxygen within the corona
b) Regions of cooler areas on the surface of the sun
Compared to Earth's solar system, the universe is inferred to be
A) younger and larger
B) younger and smaller
C) older and larger
D) older and smaller
C) older and larger
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
Describe the process of nuclear fusion.
Smaller elements are combined to make larger elements.
The number of sunspot changes each year, occurring in approximately _____ year cycles.
a) 5
b) 7
c) 11
d) 27.3
C) 11
Background radiation detected in space is believed to be evidence that
A) the Universe is contracting
B) the Universe began with multiple explosions occurring at the same time.
C) every star and galaxy were created at the same time
D) the Universe began as a super dense point that released a huge amount of energy in all directions
D) the Universe began as a super dense point that released a huge amount of energy in all directions
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
What is Kepler's Second Law?
The closer a planet is to the sun, the faster it moves in its orbit and vice versa.
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
How do sunspots effect Earth's climate?
Many sunspots = warmer climate
Fewer sunspots = cooler climate