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AST 101 rio salado
midterm exam study cards
88
Astronomy
Undergraduate 1
07/29/2013

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Term
All stars appear as points of light, because
Definition
They are so far away
Term
The average distance from Earth to the Sun is
Definition
1 astronomical unit (AU)
Term
The light year is a unit of
Definition
Distance
Term
In the scientific method, a hypothesis
Definition
Must be tested through observation
Term
An observer on the earth's North Pole would find
Definition
Polaris directly overhead
Term
The seasons on Earth are the result of
Definition
The tilt in Earth's axis and its motion around the Sun
Term
Which of the following phenomena is a result of Earth's rotation on its axis?
Definition
The rising and setting of the Sun
Term
The winter solstice occurs when the Sun
Definition
Is at its lowest position at noon, when viewed by northern hemisphere observers
Term
The phases of the moon are the result of the
Definition
Motion of the moon around the earth and the relative positions of the moon, Earth, and Sun
Term
When the moon is located between Earth and the Sun, the phase of the moon as seen from Earth is
Definition
New
Term
The circular shape of Earth's shadow on the moon led early astronomers to conclude that
Definition
The earth is a sphere.
Term
Eclipses of the Sun can occur only when the phase of the moon is
Definition
New
Term
Eratosthenes' method for determining the circumference of the earth was based on the observation of
Definition
The Sun at two different locations
Term
A planet in retrograde motion
Definition
Shifts westward temporarily with respect to the stars
Term
To account for some of the observed retrograde motion of the planets, Ptolemy's geocentric model required that the planets move in
Definition
Small circles called epicycles
Term
The Copernican heliocentric model explains retrograde motion by
Definition
Earth motion passing the planet
Term
The major contribution made by Copernicus that revolutionized the model of the heavens was
Definition
The Sun is the center about which the planets and Earth move.
Term
The success of Tycho Brahe is attributed to his ability to
Definition
Make accurate observations with large and well-constructed instruments.
Term
The Copernican model did not work perfectly, because it specified
Definition
The planets move in uniform circular motions.
Term
As discovered by Kepler, a planet moves in elliptical orbits and moves fastest in its orbit when it is
Definition
Closest to the Sun
Term
Galileo's observations of the gibbous phase of Venus proved that
Definition
Venus went around the Sun, not Earth.
Term
The observations of Galileo eventually led scientists to conclude that the
Definition
It was produced by nuclear fusion in stars.
Term
What is the ecliptic plane?
Definition
The plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun.
Term
If the moon is setting at 6 a.m., the phase of the moon must be
Definition
Full
Term
Which of the following statements about parallax is not true?
Definition
The technique of stellar parallax was used by Hubble to determine that the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is about 2 million light years away.
Term
Suppose you are facing north and you see the Big Dipper close to your northern horizon with Polaris (and the Little Dipper) above it. Where will you see the Big Dipper in six hours?
Definition
To the right of Polaris; this is, 90 degrees counterclockwise from its current position
Term
How does Earth's varying distance from the Sun affect the seasons?
Definition
It doesn't; Earth's orbital distance plays no obvious role in the seasons.
Term
The names of the seven days of the week are based on
Definition
The seven naked-eye objects that appear to move among constellations
Term
Jupiter emits
Definition
More infrared radiation than it receives from the Sun
Term
The belts and bands of Jupiter are the result of atmospheric features that have been
Definition
Stretched and elongated as a result of Jupiter's rapid rotation
Term
The Great Red Spot on Jupiter is best described as
Definition
A massive storm system in the upper atmosphere
Term
Saturn and Jupiter have noticeable equatorial bulges due to
Definition
Their rapid rotation and liquid interiors
Term
The ring system of Saturn consists of
Definition
Small particles of ice and rock
Term
The rings of Saturn occupy a region near the planet where
Definition
Tidal forces would break a large satellite apart
Term
The low average densities of Jupiter and Saturn compared to Earth suggest what?
Definition
They contain large quantities of light elements, such as hydrogen and helium.
Term
What makes some astronomers think that Uranus was hit by a large body early in its history?
Definition
It moves nearly at right angles to the orbital plane.
Term
Planet Uranus appears blue because of
Definition
Methane absorbing red light
Term
The satellite system of Neptune is unique because
Definition
The satellites' orbits are peculiar, as if they were disturbed long ago.
Term
The small size and mass of Pluto was determined by observations of what?
Definition
Its moon, Charon
Term
The orbit of Pluto is
Definition
So elongated that the planet sometimes moves closer to the Sun than Neptune
Term
Why isn't Pluto considered a Jovian planet?
Definition
Its mass and radius are small, and it lacks a thick atmosphere.
Term
Which planet has the highest average surface temperature and why?
Definition
Venus, because of its dense carbon dioxide atmosphere
Term
Which is the densest planet in the solar system?
Definition
Earth
Term
Which of the following is not a characteristic of the outer planets?
Definition
They have very few, if any, satellites.
Term
What are the main constituents of the Jovian planets?
Definition
Hydrogen and helium
Term
The terrestrial planet cores contain mostly metal because
Definition
Metals sank to the center during a time when the interiors were molten throughout.
Term
What kind of surface features may result from tectonics?
Definition
All of the above
Term
From center to surface, which of the following correctly lists the interior layers of a terrestrial world?
Definition
Core, mantle, crust
Term
Why does the moon have a layer of powdery "soil" on its surface?
Definition
It is the result of countless tiny impacts by small particles striking the moon.
Term
What atmospheric constituent is responsible for the blue color of Uranus and Neptune?
Definition
Methane
Term
An icy leftover planetesimals orbiting the Sun is
Definition
A comet
Term
What characteristic distinguishes a meteorite from a terrestrial rock?
Definition
All of the above
Term
The asteroid belt is located
Definition
Between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
Term
Why isn't there a planet where the asteroid belt is located?
Definition
Gravitational tugs from Jupiter prevented material from collecting together to form a planet.
Term
Why is the sky blue on Earth?
Definition
Because gas molecules in the atmosphere scatter blue light more effectively than red light
Term
Many scientists suspect that Venus has a stronger and thicker lithosphere than Earth. If this is true, which of the following could explain it?
Definition
Venus has a much stronger greenhouse effect than Earth.
Term
Which moon is considered likely to have a deep, subsurface ocean of liquid water?
Definition
Europa
Term
Kirkwood gaps in the asteroid belt are caused by
Definition
Orbital resonances with Jupiter
Term
When Newton said that gravitation was universal, he meant that
Definition
It was a property of all matter in the universe.
Term
According to Newton's law of universal gravitation, if the distance between two objects increases, the force of gravity between them will
Definition
Decrease
Term
A satellite launched into an orbit about the earth, far above the effects of the atmosphere and not acted upon by an outside force, will
Definition
Continue to orbit Earth
Term
What fundamental law of nature explains why planets move by Kepler's laws?
Definition
Universal gravitation
Term
The light from the center of a star passing through its cooler and thinner atmosphere produces a(n) __________ spectrum.
Definition
Absorption (dark-line)
Term
An astronomer finds that the visible spectrum of a mysterious object shows bright emission lines. What can the astronomer conclude about the source?
Definition
It is a hot, relatively tenuous gas.
Term
If two stars are the same size, but different temperatures, then the hotter star is
Definition
Bluer and brighter
Term
Which of the following stellar properties can be determined from a star's spectrum?
Definition
All of the above
Term
Place the following forms of electromagnetic radiation in order of decreasing wavelength, starting with the longest.
Infrared
Ultraviolet
Radio waves
Visible
X-rays
Definition
3, 1, 4, 2, 5
Term
The chemical element found in greatest abundance in all normal stars is
Definition
Hydrogen
Term
If a line in a star's spectrum shifts toward the red end of the spectrum, the star is
Definition
Moving away
Term
The main reason to increase the size of an optical telescope located on Earth is to improve
Definition
Light-gathering power
Term
The main advantage of space telescopes is they allow astronomers to
Definition
Observe in wavelengths that cannot be observed from Earth
Term
By linking several radio telescopes together electronically to create an interferometer, astronomers can
Definition
Observe details better
Term
Which of the following telescopes must be above Earth's atmosphere?
Definition
An X-ray telescope
Term
As long as an object is not gaining or losing mass, a net force on the object will cause a change in
Definition
Velocity
Term
At which lunar phase(s) are tides most pronounced (e.g. the highest high tides)?
Definition
Both new and full moons
Term
Why do astronomers need different telescopes designed to observe across the electromagnetic spectrum.
Definition
Photons of different energy behave differently and require different collection strategies.
Term
How does the light collecting power of an 8-meter telescope compare to that of a 2-meter telescope?
Definition
The 8-meter telescope has 16 times the light-collecting area of the 2-meter telescope.
Term
The spectra of most galaxies show redshifts. This means that their spectral lines
Definition
Have wavelengths that are longer than normal
Term
Suppose the Sun shrank in size but its mass remained the same. What would happen to the orbit of Earth?
Definition
Earth's orbit would be unaffected.
Term
The mass of Jupiter can be calculated by
Definition
Measuring the orbital period and distance of Jupiter's orbit around the Sun
Term
Which of the following observations indicated that conditions on Mars might have been suitable for life in the past?
Definition
There are dried-up riverbeds on Mars
Term
Some astronomers suggest that, rather than being a planet, Pluto is just a large member of
Definition
The Kuiper belt
Term
Where did the elements heavier than hydrogen and helium come from?
Definition
They were produced inside stars.
Term
Why did the solar nebula flatten into a disk?
Definition
It flattened as a natural consequence of collisions between particles in the nebula, changing random motions into more orderly ones.
Term
Which of the following is the origin of almost all the large moons around the Jovian planets?
Definition
They were formed by condensation and accretion in a disk of gas around the planet.
Term
Which of the following puzzles in the solar system cannot be explained by a giant impact event?
Definition
The orbit of Triton in the opposite direction to Neptune's rotation
Term
Approximately how many other planetary systems have been discovered to date?
Definition
One hundred
Term
The astrometric technique of planet detection works best for
Definition
Massive planets around nearby stars
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