ASTRO 101 EXAM 1 UNIVERSITY OF
MICHIGAN TEST BANK 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
1. A hypothesis is an explanation for a natural phenomenon. Which of the
following statements about hypotheses is FALSE?
o A) A hypothesis must be testable in a way that is replicable.
o B) A hypothesis is an explanation for a natural phenomenon.
o C) A hypothesis should be created when the outcome for its test is known.
o D) A hypothesis is an educated guess about why something happens.
Answer: C. A hypothesis must be proposed before its test, not after the
outcome is known.
2. Because astronomers typically cannot weigh, touch, or smell the objects
they study, astronomy is usually a ______ science, not an ______ science.
Answer: observational, experimental.
3. Classify the following as a fact, law, or hypothesis: "The ashes from a
campfire weigh less than the wood from which they were produced
because fire causes atoms to weigh less."
Answer: hypothesis.
4. On the scale of the cosmic calendar (compressing the universe's history into
1 year), how long have human civilizations existed?
Answer: Just a few seconds.
5. According to our modern understanding, where did the elements that
make up our planet and our bodies originally come from?
Answer: The Big Bang produced hydrogen and helium, which are the base
for all other elements constructed inside stars.
, 🌍 The Earth, the Moon, and the Sky
6. What causes the seasons on Earth?
Answer: The tilt of Earth's axis.
7. What are the summer and winter solstices?
Answer: They mark when the Northern Hemisphere receives its most direct
sunlight (summer) and its least direct sunlight (winter).
8. What are the spring and fall equinoxes?
Answer: They are when both hemispheres receive equal and direct
sunlight.
9. Why do we see phases of the Moon?
Answer: Half the Moon is lit by the Sun, and half is in shadow. The moon's
appearance to us is determined by the relative positions of the Sun, Moon,
and Earth.
10. What causes a lunar eclipse?
Answer: When the Earth blocks the Sun's light from reaching the moon.
11. A solar eclipse can only occur at what moon phase?
Answer: New moon⏤a lunar eclipse at full moon.
12. We see only one face of the Moon because:
Answer: The Moon rotates exactly once for each orbit around Earth.
Celestial Motions & Gravitation
13. An observer is located at the North Pole. Which part of the celestial
sphere would be above the horizon?
Answer: The north celestial pole.
14. Which statement about light-years is correct?
o A) One light-year is faster than one mile per hour.
o B) It takes billions of light-years to cross the Milky Way.
o C) A light-year is a measurement of how many years a source of light will
last.
,o D) The nearest star to our sun is about four light-years away.
Answer: D.
15. If the Earth were twice as far from the Sun, the gravitational force
attracting Earth to the Sun would be:
Answer: One-quarter as strong.
16. Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion states:
Answer: As a planet moves around its orbit, it sweeps out equal areas in
equal times.
17. According to Newton's third law, to make a rocket turn left, you must:
Answer: Fire an engine that shoots out gas to the right.
18. If we double the wavelength of a given photon, its energy will:
Answer: Be cut in half.
19. A new planet with an avg. orbital distance of a=4 AU has a period of:
Answer: 8 years (using Kepler's third law: a³ = p²).
🔭 Observational Astronomy & Light
20. Stars appear to rise and set because of:
Answer: Earth's rotation.
21. Why do the constellations we see depend on the time of year?
Answer: The time of year determines the location of the Sun and the point
of the celestial sphere visible at night.
22. Compared to a microwave (f₁), an X-ray (f₂) travels:
Answer: At the same speed (speed of light is constant).
23. The resolution of a telescope refers to:
Answer: The smallest angle over which two distinct stars can be identified
as separate points.
24. A certain star's emission line has a rest wavelength of 600 nm. If we
observe it at 660 nm, the redshift indicates that the star is moving:
Answer: Away from Earth at approximately 3 × 10⁷ m/s.
, 25. The largest moon of Pluto is …
A) Ceres
B) Charon
C) Haumea
D) Makemake
E) Ganymede
Answer: B) Charon
26. Which of these bodies is not considered a dwarf planet?
A) Pluto
B) Haumea
C) Eris
D) Vega
E) Makemake
Answer: D) Vega
27. How many meters are in 100,000 kilometers?
A) 1 × 10⁴ meters
B) 1 × 10⁵ meters
C) 1 × 10⁶ meters
D) 1 × 10⁷ meters
E) 1 × 10⁸ meters
Answer: E) 1 × 10⁸ meters
MICHIGAN TEST BANK 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
1. A hypothesis is an explanation for a natural phenomenon. Which of the
following statements about hypotheses is FALSE?
o A) A hypothesis must be testable in a way that is replicable.
o B) A hypothesis is an explanation for a natural phenomenon.
o C) A hypothesis should be created when the outcome for its test is known.
o D) A hypothesis is an educated guess about why something happens.
Answer: C. A hypothesis must be proposed before its test, not after the
outcome is known.
2. Because astronomers typically cannot weigh, touch, or smell the objects
they study, astronomy is usually a ______ science, not an ______ science.
Answer: observational, experimental.
3. Classify the following as a fact, law, or hypothesis: "The ashes from a
campfire weigh less than the wood from which they were produced
because fire causes atoms to weigh less."
Answer: hypothesis.
4. On the scale of the cosmic calendar (compressing the universe's history into
1 year), how long have human civilizations existed?
Answer: Just a few seconds.
5. According to our modern understanding, where did the elements that
make up our planet and our bodies originally come from?
Answer: The Big Bang produced hydrogen and helium, which are the base
for all other elements constructed inside stars.
, 🌍 The Earth, the Moon, and the Sky
6. What causes the seasons on Earth?
Answer: The tilt of Earth's axis.
7. What are the summer and winter solstices?
Answer: They mark when the Northern Hemisphere receives its most direct
sunlight (summer) and its least direct sunlight (winter).
8. What are the spring and fall equinoxes?
Answer: They are when both hemispheres receive equal and direct
sunlight.
9. Why do we see phases of the Moon?
Answer: Half the Moon is lit by the Sun, and half is in shadow. The moon's
appearance to us is determined by the relative positions of the Sun, Moon,
and Earth.
10. What causes a lunar eclipse?
Answer: When the Earth blocks the Sun's light from reaching the moon.
11. A solar eclipse can only occur at what moon phase?
Answer: New moon⏤a lunar eclipse at full moon.
12. We see only one face of the Moon because:
Answer: The Moon rotates exactly once for each orbit around Earth.
Celestial Motions & Gravitation
13. An observer is located at the North Pole. Which part of the celestial
sphere would be above the horizon?
Answer: The north celestial pole.
14. Which statement about light-years is correct?
o A) One light-year is faster than one mile per hour.
o B) It takes billions of light-years to cross the Milky Way.
o C) A light-year is a measurement of how many years a source of light will
last.
,o D) The nearest star to our sun is about four light-years away.
Answer: D.
15. If the Earth were twice as far from the Sun, the gravitational force
attracting Earth to the Sun would be:
Answer: One-quarter as strong.
16. Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion states:
Answer: As a planet moves around its orbit, it sweeps out equal areas in
equal times.
17. According to Newton's third law, to make a rocket turn left, you must:
Answer: Fire an engine that shoots out gas to the right.
18. If we double the wavelength of a given photon, its energy will:
Answer: Be cut in half.
19. A new planet with an avg. orbital distance of a=4 AU has a period of:
Answer: 8 years (using Kepler's third law: a³ = p²).
🔭 Observational Astronomy & Light
20. Stars appear to rise and set because of:
Answer: Earth's rotation.
21. Why do the constellations we see depend on the time of year?
Answer: The time of year determines the location of the Sun and the point
of the celestial sphere visible at night.
22. Compared to a microwave (f₁), an X-ray (f₂) travels:
Answer: At the same speed (speed of light is constant).
23. The resolution of a telescope refers to:
Answer: The smallest angle over which two distinct stars can be identified
as separate points.
24. A certain star's emission line has a rest wavelength of 600 nm. If we
observe it at 660 nm, the redshift indicates that the star is moving:
Answer: Away from Earth at approximately 3 × 10⁷ m/s.
, 25. The largest moon of Pluto is …
A) Ceres
B) Charon
C) Haumea
D) Makemake
E) Ganymede
Answer: B) Charon
26. Which of these bodies is not considered a dwarf planet?
A) Pluto
B) Haumea
C) Eris
D) Vega
E) Makemake
Answer: D) Vega
27. How many meters are in 100,000 kilometers?
A) 1 × 10⁴ meters
B) 1 × 10⁵ meters
C) 1 × 10⁶ meters
D) 1 × 10⁷ meters
E) 1 × 10⁸ meters
Answer: E) 1 × 10⁸ meters
