MSU ISP 205 FINAL ACTUAL EXAM
PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+ Multiple
Choice100+
1. Which of the following is not a property of a scientific hypothesis?
a) It must be testable
b) It must be falsifiable
c) It must be proven absolutely true
d) It must make predictions
Answer: c
Rationale: Science does not claim absolute proof; hypotheses are supported or refuted by
evidence.
2. What is the approximate age of the universe?
a) 4.5 billion years
b) 13.8 billion years
c) 100 billion years
d) 6000 years
Answer: b
Rationale: Cosmic microwave background and expansion rate give ~13.8 Gyr.
3. A light-year is a measure of:
a) Time
b) Speed
c) Distance
d) Brightness
Answer: c
Rationale: Distance light travels in one year.
4. Which of the following photons has the highest energy?
a) Radio
b) Infrared
, c) Ultraviolet
d) X-ray
Answer: d
Rationale: Energy ∝ frequency; X-rays have higher frequency than UV, IR, radio.
5. According to Newton’s law of gravitation, if you double the distance between two
objects, the gravitational force becomes:
a) Twice as strong
b) Half as strong
c) One-quarter as strong
d) Four times as strong
Answer: c
*Rationale: Inverse square law – force ∝ 1/r².*
6. Which of the following is not a type of electromagnetic radiation?
a) Gamma rays
b) Sound waves
c) Microwaves
d) Visible light
Answer: b
Rationale: Sound requires a medium; EM radiation does not.
7. The Doppler effect for light from a receding source causes:
a) Blueshift
b) Redshift
c) No change
d) Increase in intensity
Answer: b
Rationale: Receding → wavelengths stretched → redshift.
8. Which planet has the most extreme greenhouse effect?
a) Mars
b) Earth
c) Venus
d) Jupiter
Answer: c
Rationale: Thick CO₂ atmosphere traps heat, surface ~467°C.
9. The main reason Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet is:
a) It is too small
b) It has not cleared its orbital neighborhood
, c) It has a moon
d) It orbits backwards
Answer: b
Rationale: IAU definition – must clear orbit around the Sun.
10. What process powers the Sun?
a) Chemical burning
b) Nuclear fission
c) Nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium
d) Gravitational contraction
Answer: c
Rationale: Proton-proton chain releases energy.
11. A star’s luminosity depends on:
a) Mass only
b) Temperature only
c) Radius and temperature
d) Distance from Earth
Answer: c
*Rationale: L = 4πR²σT⁴.*
12. Which of the following stellar spectral types is hottest?
a) O
b) B
c) G
d) M
Answer: a
Rationale: O stars (30,000–50,000 K) hottest; M coolest.
13. A star with parallax angle 0.1 arcseconds is at a distance of:
a) 0.1 pc
b) 1 pc
c) 10 pc
d) 100 pc
Answer: c
*Rationale: d(pc) = 1/p(arcsec).*
14. What is the final remnant of a very massive star (>25 M☉) after a supernova?
a) White dwarf
b) Neutron star
PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+ Multiple
Choice100+
1. Which of the following is not a property of a scientific hypothesis?
a) It must be testable
b) It must be falsifiable
c) It must be proven absolutely true
d) It must make predictions
Answer: c
Rationale: Science does not claim absolute proof; hypotheses are supported or refuted by
evidence.
2. What is the approximate age of the universe?
a) 4.5 billion years
b) 13.8 billion years
c) 100 billion years
d) 6000 years
Answer: b
Rationale: Cosmic microwave background and expansion rate give ~13.8 Gyr.
3. A light-year is a measure of:
a) Time
b) Speed
c) Distance
d) Brightness
Answer: c
Rationale: Distance light travels in one year.
4. Which of the following photons has the highest energy?
a) Radio
b) Infrared
, c) Ultraviolet
d) X-ray
Answer: d
Rationale: Energy ∝ frequency; X-rays have higher frequency than UV, IR, radio.
5. According to Newton’s law of gravitation, if you double the distance between two
objects, the gravitational force becomes:
a) Twice as strong
b) Half as strong
c) One-quarter as strong
d) Four times as strong
Answer: c
*Rationale: Inverse square law – force ∝ 1/r².*
6. Which of the following is not a type of electromagnetic radiation?
a) Gamma rays
b) Sound waves
c) Microwaves
d) Visible light
Answer: b
Rationale: Sound requires a medium; EM radiation does not.
7. The Doppler effect for light from a receding source causes:
a) Blueshift
b) Redshift
c) No change
d) Increase in intensity
Answer: b
Rationale: Receding → wavelengths stretched → redshift.
8. Which planet has the most extreme greenhouse effect?
a) Mars
b) Earth
c) Venus
d) Jupiter
Answer: c
Rationale: Thick CO₂ atmosphere traps heat, surface ~467°C.
9. The main reason Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet is:
a) It is too small
b) It has not cleared its orbital neighborhood
, c) It has a moon
d) It orbits backwards
Answer: b
Rationale: IAU definition – must clear orbit around the Sun.
10. What process powers the Sun?
a) Chemical burning
b) Nuclear fission
c) Nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium
d) Gravitational contraction
Answer: c
Rationale: Proton-proton chain releases energy.
11. A star’s luminosity depends on:
a) Mass only
b) Temperature only
c) Radius and temperature
d) Distance from Earth
Answer: c
*Rationale: L = 4πR²σT⁴.*
12. Which of the following stellar spectral types is hottest?
a) O
b) B
c) G
d) M
Answer: a
Rationale: O stars (30,000–50,000 K) hottest; M coolest.
13. A star with parallax angle 0.1 arcseconds is at a distance of:
a) 0.1 pc
b) 1 pc
c) 10 pc
d) 100 pc
Answer: c
*Rationale: d(pc) = 1/p(arcsec).*
14. What is the final remnant of a very massive star (>25 M☉) after a supernova?
a) White dwarf
b) Neutron star
