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Astronomy Exam III
n/a
50
Astronomy
Undergraduate 1
05/04/2012

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Cards

Term
Pop I
Definition
The sun belongs to what population of stars
Term
critical density
Definition
the precise density marking the dividing line between a universe that has enough mass to contract again and a universe that will continue to expand forever
Term
74 km/sec/Mpc
Definition
The value of the Hubble parameter is closest to
Term
the rotation curve it flat
Definition
We know the galaxy has a massive halo because
Term
it has no spiral arms
Definition
How does a lenticular galaxy differ from a spiral galaxy?
Term
you
Definition
baryonic matter is
Term
using Cephied variables
Definition
what is the most accurate way to determine the distance to a nearby galaxy
Term
interstellar dust reflects more blue light than red light
Definition
Why are reflection nebulae blue?
Term
3 minutes
Definition
Approx. how long did the era of nucleosynthesis last?
Term
by gravity
Definition
how is the energy that powers radio galaxies, quasars, and other active galactic nuclei produced?
Term
all elements besides hydrogen and helium
Definition
what do astronomers consider heavy elements?
Term
quasar
Definition
the extremely bright center of a distant galaxy, though to be powered by a massive black hole
Term
Pop I
Definition
which population of stars have the highest metalicity
Term
about 10 light-hours across
Definition
if an object doubles its luminosity in 10 hours, how large can the emitting source of light be
Term
red
Definition
emission nebulae are what color
Term
we don't know! - but we call it dark energy
Definition
what might be causing the universe to accelerate
Term
receding faster
Definition
according to the Hubble law, a galaxy that is farther away will be
Term
their gravity is strong enough to hold them together against the expansion of the universe
Definition
Why isn;t space expanding within systems such as our solar system or the Milky Way?
Term
The motions of the gas and starsat the center indicate that it contains a million solar masses within a region about 1 parsec across
Definition
What evidence supports the theory that there is ablack hole at the center of our galaxy?
Term
mostly from the big bang, with a small contribution from stellar nucleosynthesis
Definition
helium mostly originates from
Term
the predominance of matter over antimatter
Definition
THIS is not one of the primary observations aupporting the Big Bang model
Term
The light from the galaxy as it was 100 million years ago and it is redshifted
Definition
I observe a galaxy that is 100 million light-years away: what do I see?
Term
the galaxy cluster to which the Milky Way belongs
Definition
The Local Group is
Term
they may have had rocky planets around them
Definition
THIS cannot be true of the very first stars formed in the universe
Term
230 million years
Definition
Approximately how long does it take the Sun to orbit the Milky Way Galaxy?
Term
Big Bang
Definition
The cosmological model that best fits the observations of the universe is the ___ model
Term
trigonometric parallax, spectroscopic parallax, Cepheid variables, Type Ia supernovae
Definition
List the techniques used to determine distance from closest to farthest
Term
dimmer and redder
Definition
Interstellar extinction makes stars appear
Term
Andromeda galaxy
Definition
the nearest large spiral galaxy
Term
13.7 billion years old
Definition
According to the big bang theory, the universe is how old?
Term
the agent causing the universal expansion to accelerate
Definition
what is meant by "dark energy?"
Term
isotropic and homogeneous
Definition
The Cosmological Principle says that on the large scale, the universe is
Term
Cephieds are pulsating variable stars
Definition
Why are Cehpeid variables important?
Term
Hubble's Law
Definition
The recession velocity of a galaxy is directly proportional to its distance from us
Term
3C 273
Definition
An example of a quasar is
Term
the measurements show that the expansion is accelerating, rather than slowing under the influence of gravity
Definition
Recent measurements of expansion rate of the universe reveal that the expansion rate oftheu niverse is doing something astronomers did not expect. What is that?
Term
everywhere
Definition
according to the big bang theory, the center from which everything is expanding is
Term
100,000 light-years
Definition
What is the diameter of the disk of the Milky Way?
Term
True
Definition
T/F The larger the value of Hubble's constant, the more rapid the expansion of the universe and hence the younger the universe.
Term
True
Definition
T/F If inflation really occurred, then our observable is only a tiny portion of the entire universe born in the big bang.
Term
false
Definition
T/F the sun is located at the edge of the galaxy, approximately 50,000 light-years from the galactic center
Term
false
Definition
T/F If we learn that is universe is a recollapsing unvierse, it will mean that the universe is presently contracting, rather than expanding as generally believed
Term
true
Definition
T/F although it is difficult to tell from our vantage point inside the galaxy, astronomers suspect that the milky way is a barred spiral
Term
true
Definition
the observed composition of ordinary matter in the universe - roughly 75% hydrogen and 25% helium - closely matches theoretical predictions based on the big bang model
Term
false
Definition
T/F the star-gas-star cycle will continue foreber because stars are continually recycling gas
Term
true
Definition
T/F most of the current star formation in the milky way occurs in the spiral arms
Term
false
Definition
T/F quasars radiate most of their ebergy as radio emission
Term
true
Definition
T/F galaxy mergers takes hundreds of millions of years to complete
Term
false
Definition
T/F massive-star supernovae and white-dwarf supernovae work equally well as standard candles for measuring cosmic distances
Term
true
Definition
T/F almost all elements heavier than hydrogen and helium were made of stars and supernovae
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