Astronomy 100 Midterm Study Guide Class > Astronomy 100 Midterm Study Guide > Flashcards

Astronomy 100 Midterm Study Guide Flashcards

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1
Q

A theory in science is a guess about what might be true. True or False?

A

TRUE

A theory is a foundational concept in scientific inquiry.

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2
Q

Once a theory is proved in science, scientists stop testing it. True or False?

A

FALSE

Scientific theories are continually tested and refined.

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3
Q

The sun is a part of: The Universe, The Solar System, The Milky Way Galaxy, All of the Above.

A

All of the Above

The sun is integral to all these astronomical structures.

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4
Q

A light-year is a measurement of: Speed, Mass, Time, or Distance?

A

Distance

A light-year measures how far light travels in one year.

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5
Q

The average distance from Earth to the Moon is 384,000 km. At 800 km/h, it would take how many hours to reach the Moon?

A

480 hours

This is equivalent to 20 days.

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6
Q

The Celestial sphere is not an actual object in the sky. True or False?

A

TRUE

The celestial sphere is a conceptual model used in astronomy.

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7
Q

The phases of the Moon are caused by the relative position of Earth, the Moon, and the Sun. True or False?

A

TRUE

This alignment affects how we see the Moon’s illuminated portion.

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8
Q

Which stars we see at night depend on: Earth’s location in orbit, the time of the observation, the motion of the stars, or our location on Earth?

A
  • Earth’s location in orbit
  • The time of the observation
  • The motion of the stars relative to one another
  • Our location on Earth

All these factors influence star visibility.

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9
Q

You see the Moon rising just as the Sun is setting. What phase is it in?

A

Full Moon

This phase occurs when the Moon is opposite the Sun in the sky.

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10
Q

On the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, the sun is located on the celestial equator. True or False?

A

TRUE

During equinoxes, day and night are approximately equal in length.

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11
Q

We always see the same side of the Moon because: When the other side of the moon is facing towards us, it is unlit, the moon does not rotate on its axis, none of these options, or the moon rotates once each revolution?

A

The moon rotates once each revolution

This synchronous rotation is why we see the same side.

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12
Q

On what day of the year are you flying if you experience the longest day in the Southern Hemisphere and the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere?

A

June 21

This date marks the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.

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13
Q

Earth is 1 astronomical unit from the Sun. Light covers that distance in 8.3 minutes. How long does it take for light to get to Venus from the Sun?

A

4.2 minutes

Venus is 0.7 astronomical units from the Sun.

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14
Q

Approximately, what is the sun’s declination in late September?

A

0°

This is when the sun is directly over the equator.

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15
Q

Stars near the north and south celestial poles appear to move in: Parabolas, Ellipses, Arcs, or Circles?

A

Circles

This is due to the Earth’s rotation.

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16
Q

Which observation provides the best evidence that Earth revolves around the Sun?

A

Different star constellations are seen from Earth at different times of the year

This change supports the heliocentric model.

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17
Q

Solar Eclipses occur during which lunar phase?

A

New

The Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun.

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18
Q

Can an observer in Sao Paulo, Brazil at -23.5° latitude see the North Celestial Pole?

A

No

The North Celestial Pole is below the horizon at this latitude.

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19
Q

Which component of the Celestial/Equatorial Coordinate system is considered the celestial longitude?

A

Right Ascension; Hours

Right Ascension is measured in hours, minutes, and seconds.

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20
Q

If Earth had an axial tilt of 9°, at what latitudes would the new Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn be located?

A
  • Tropic of Cancer: 9° N
  • Tropic of Capricorn: 9° S

These latitudes mark the limits of the sun’s zenith.

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21
Q

Blue light has a longer wavelength than red light. True or False?

A

FALSE

Red light has a longer wavelength than blue light.

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22
Q

Which of the following is not a property of waves?

A

Mass

Waves are characterized by wavelength, frequency, and speed.

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23
Q

Which region of the electromagnetic spectrum has the lowest-energy light?

A

Radio

Radio waves have the longest wavelengths and lowest energy.

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24
Q

The advantage of an interferometer is that:

A

The resolution is dramatically increased

Interferometers combine light from multiple sources to enhance detail.

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25
If the wavelength of a beam of light were halved, how would that affect the **frequency**?
The frequency would be two times larger ## Footnote Frequency and wavelength are inversely related.
26
You are tuned to 768 on AM radio. What is the **wavelength** of the radio signal?
0.39 km ## Footnote Wavelength can be calculated using the speed of light and frequency.
27
Many amateur astronomers start with a 4-inch telescope and then graduate to a 32-inch telescope. By what factor does the **light-gathering power** increase?
16 times ## Footnote Light-gathering power is proportional to the area of the aperture.
28
Suppose that a telescope has a resolution of 1.5 arc seconds at a wavelength of 300 nm. What is its resolution at 600 nm?
1.5 arc seconds ## Footnote Resolution is primarily dependent on the telescope's design.
29
What wavelength of radiation has photons of energy 6.09x10-19 J?
4.04 x 10-7 nm ## Footnote This can be calculated using Planck's equation.
30
You are always at rest in your own **reference frame**. True or False?
TRUE ## Footnote This is a principle of relativity.
31
Kepler’s second law implies that:
planets move fastest when they are closest to the Sun ## Footnote This law describes the speed of planets in elliptical orbits.
32
If a car can go from 0 to 100 km/h in only 2.0 seconds, this car’s **acceleration** is about:
50 km/h/s ## Footnote Acceleration is calculated as the change in speed over time.
33
Imagine that you drop four objects, all the size of a bowling ball, off the Empire State Building. Neglecting air resistance, in what order do they reach the ground?
None of the above (They all reach the ground at the same time) ## Footnote All objects fall at the same rate in a vacuum.
34
Weight refers to the force of gravity acting on mass. If your mass is 85 kg, your weight on Earth is 830 N. What would be your approximate mass and weight on Mars?
mass = 85 kg; weight = 310 N ## Footnote Weight is calculated using Mars' gravitational acceleration.
35
Imagine a planet moving in a perfectly circular orbit around the sun. Is this planet experiencing **acceleration**?
Yes, because it is changing its direction of motion all the time ## Footnote Acceleration occurs even if speed remains constant.
36
The average distance of Uranus from the Sun is about 19 times Earth's distance. The Sun's gravitational force on Uranus is _______ than on Earth.
361 times weaker ## Footnote Gravitational force decreases with the square of the distance.
37
When light enters a medium from space, it: speeds up, changes frequency, travels at the same speed, or slows down?
it slows down ## Footnote Light travels slower in denser media.
38
Which period has the largest **semimajor axis**?
a planet with a period of 2 Earth Years ## Footnote Kepler's laws relate period and distance.
39
Flybynite Airlines takes 3 hours to fly from Baltimore to Denver at a speed of 800 km/h. If speed is reduced to 600 km/h, how long will it take?
4 hours ## Footnote Time increases with reduced speed.
40
Newton's second law of motion states that:
the acceleration of an object is proportional to the net force acting on it ## Footnote This law is fundamental to understanding motion.
41
The current atmospheres of the terrestrial planets were formed when the planets formed. True or False?
FALSE ## Footnote Atmospheres can change over time due to various factors.
42
The **Stratosphere** is where most of the weather happens. True or False?
FALSE ## Footnote Most weather occurs in the Troposphere.
43
Venus is hot and Mars is cold primarily because:
Venus has a much thicker atmosphere ## Footnote The greenhouse effect on Venus traps heat.
44
What were the causes of climate (non-anthropogenic) change in the past? (Select All that Apply)
* orbit and tilt change * volcanic activity and asteroids * continents and oceans rearranging * change in greenhouse gas levels ## Footnote These factors have historically influenced Earth's climate.
45
Gravity and Angular Momentum are both important in the formation of planetary systems. True or False?
TRUE ## Footnote These forces govern the dynamics of planetary formation.
46
The direction of revolution in the plane of the solar system was determined by:
The direction of rotation of the original cloud ## Footnote This rotation influenced the orbits of planets.
47
Clumps grow into **planetesimals** by:
* gravitationally pulling in other clumps * colliding with other clumps ## Footnote These processes are essential in planet formation.
48
What indicates when a **protostar** is considered a star?
hydrogen fusion begins ## Footnote This marks the transition from protostar to main sequence star.
49
Compared to a similar star at rest, the light received from a star moving away from us is:
shifted to longer wavelengths ## Footnote This phenomenon is known as redshift.
50
As a star is moving away from Earth with a radial velocity of 4.2 x 10^5 m/s, what is the observed wavelength of an iron line in this star's spectrum in nm?
515.06 nm ## Footnote This can be calculated using the Doppler effect.
51
Suppose there is a planet with a mass of 3 x 10^25 kg, a diameter of 2.16 x 10^7 m, and a temperature of 600 K. What is the **flux** from a square meter of its surface (W/m2)?
0.00 W/m2 ## Footnote This requires calculations based on the Stefan-Boltzmann law.
52
What is an **exoplanet**?
A planet outside of our solar system ## Footnote Exoplanets are often discovered through various observational methods.
53
Refracting **Telescopes** use:
lenses ## Footnote These telescopes bend light to form images.
54
If the Moon were 2 times closer to Earth than it is now, the gravitational force between Earth and the Moon would be:
4 times stronger ## Footnote Gravitational force increases with the square of the distance decrease.
55
What marks the transition from protostar to star?
hydrogen fusion begins ## Footnote This is a key event in stellar evolution.
56
Convection in the **troposphere** causes weather on Earth.
TRUE ## Footnote The troposphere is where weather phenomena occur.
57
Which of the following planets has **rings**?
Uranus ## Footnote Uranus, along with Saturn, Jupiter, and Neptune, has a ring system.
58
At which latitude is the Sun directly overhead on certain days of the year?
23.5° ## Footnote This latitude corresponds to the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn.
59
How many times stronger is the force of a gold ball compared to a wood ball if both are suspended 1 meter apart?
* 2 times stronger * 4 times stronger * 8 times stronger * 16 times stronger ## Footnote This question assesses the understanding of gravitational force and mass.
60
What marks the transition from **protostar** to **star**?
* The star begins to rotate * Hydrogen fusion begins * The star first becomes luminous * The star becomes hot enough to ionize hydrogen ## Footnote The transition involves significant changes in the star's internal processes.
61
Convection in the ________ causes weather on earth.
troposphere ## Footnote The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere where weather occurs.
62
Which of the following planets has **rings**?
* Uranus * None of the Above ## Footnote Venus and Mercury do not have rings.
63
At which latitude is the Sun directly overhead on certain days of the year?
* 23.5° ## Footnote This latitude corresponds to the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn during solstices.
64
The solar system contains
* Planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, one star ## Footnote This describes the main components of our solar system.
65
How does the force of the gold ball on the wood ball compare to the force of the wood ball on the gold ball?
* Both forces are the same ## Footnote According to Newton's third law of motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
66
Do planets affect the motion of the stars they orbit?
* No, it is the other way around, stars make the planets go around in orbits ## Footnote Stars exert a much stronger gravitational influence on planets.
67
A lunar eclipse occurs when _____ shadow falls on ______.
* The Sun’s; Earth ## Footnote This occurs when the Earth is positioned between the Sun and the Moon.
68
Which component of the Celestial/Equatorial Coordinate system is considered the **celestial latitude**?
Declination; Degrees ## Footnote Declination is analogous to latitude on Earth.
69
Compared to your mass on Earth, on the Moon your mass would be
the same, mass doesn’t change ## Footnote Mass is a measure of the amount of matter and does not change with location.
70
Molecular Clouds collapse because of
* Gravity ## Footnote Gravity plays a crucial role in the formation of stars from molecular clouds.
71
When an electron moves from a higher energy level in an atom to a lower energy level, ________ is emitted.
a photon is emitted ## Footnote This process is fundamental to the emission spectra of elements.
72
As a star becomes hotter, it also becomes ________ and __________.
* more luminous; bluer ## Footnote Hotter stars emit more energy and shift towards the blue end of the spectrum.
73
Which planet has the **smallest atmosphere**?
Mercury ## Footnote Mercury has a very thin atmosphere compared to other planets.
74
If the wavelength of a beam of light were doubled, how would that affect the **frequency**?
* The frequency would be 2 times smaller ## Footnote Frequency and wavelength are inversely related.
75
Because angular momentum is conserved, an ice skater who throws her arms out will
* rotate more slowly ## Footnote This is due to the conservation of angular momentum.
76
Self-Gravity is
the gravitational interaction of all parts of a body ## Footnote It is crucial in the formation and stability of celestial bodies.
77
On the Summer Solstice in June, the Sun will be directly above _______ and all locations south of ________ will experience darkness all day.
* The Tropic of Cancer; the Arctic Circle ## Footnote This phenomenon occurs due to the tilt of the Earth's axis.
78
Which is an **anthropogenic** (human) cause of climate change?
* fossil fuels ## Footnote Human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, significantly contribute to climate change.
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