ASTRO 1 EXAM 1 PSU FINAL PAPER 2026
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS GRADED A+
⩥ Which of the following objects have a dark/black sky, even in the
daytime? Answer: both the Moon and Mercury
⩥ Which of the following is the largest distance? Answer: the distance
from Jupiter to Saturn
⩥ Where on the Venn diagram, above, does the clue "Tail always points
away from the Sun" belong? Answer: C
⩥ Which of the following is NOT required in order to classify a Solar
System object as a planet (instead of a dwarf planet)? Answer: It must be
larger than all of the moons in the Solar System
⩥ Which of the following planets looks the most like the Earth's Moon?
Answer: Mercury
⩥ Which is NOT a characteristic of a comet? Answer: most orbit the Sun
in between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
,⩥ Which of the following is the cause of an aurora? Answer: Solar wind
particles that hit the atmosphere of a planet
⩥ Newtons first Law of Motion Answer: An object at rest, or in motion
in a straight line at a constant speed, will remain in that state unless
acted upon by a force.
⩥ Newtons second Law of Motion Answer: The acceleration of a body
due to a force will be in the same direction as the force, with a
magnitude inversely proportional to its mass.Or: the magnitude of force
necessary to produce a certain acceleration on a body will be directly
proportional to its mass — a higher mass requires greater force.(This is
usually written as F = ma, or Force = mass x acceleration).
Force = mass x acceleration • (A smaller mass will move faster, if the
same force is applied to it.)
⩥ Newtons Third Law of Motion Answer: Third Law: For every action,
there is an equal and opposite reaction.
⩥ The First Law describes inertia — Answer: the tendency of an object
at rest to remain at rest, or of a moving object to continue moving. When
one applies a force to an object, it causes the object to accelerate (the
Second Law), which may be a deceleration (negative acceleration)
depending on the direction in which the force is applied. In addition to
,causing acceleration (positive or negative), an applied force may alter
the direction of motion of the target object.
⩥ For reference, "1 AU" (astronomical unit) is about Answer: 150
million kilometers (93 million miles)
⩥ Moon phases result from changes in the relative positions of Answer:
the Moon
the Earth, or a viewer on the Earth's surface
the Sun
⩥ A "Full Moon" occurs when Answer: the Earth lies in a direct line
between the Sun and the Moon
⩥ A "New Moon" occurs when Answer: the Moon lies directly between
the Earth and the Sun
⩥ First Quarter Answer: Mid-way between a New Moon and a Full
Moon
⩥ After the Full Moon, mid-way to the next New Moon, is the Answer:
"Third (or Last) Quarter" Moon.
, ⩥ solar eclipse Answer: can occur during the Moon's "New" phase,
when the Moon lies in (or nearest to) a direct line between the Sun and
the Earth (or a certain location on the Earth's surface).
⩥ Mars has two natural satellites: Answer: Phobos and Deimos
⩥ Phobos Answer: Phobos' fast orbit means it circles the planet three
times a day
⩥ Deimos Answer: orbits much farther from Mars, and is slowly drifting
away from the planet over time.
⩥ constellation Answer: a region in the sky - the night sky is divided
into 88 official constellations
⩥ asterism Answer: A shape traced out in the sky by imagining
connecting lines between stars is not a constellation but an....
he classic "Big Dipper" is an asterism made by a subset of the stars in
the asterism "Ursa Major"
⩥ Which constellations are visible on a given night depends on Answer:
the time of year and the viewer's location.
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS GRADED A+
⩥ Which of the following objects have a dark/black sky, even in the
daytime? Answer: both the Moon and Mercury
⩥ Which of the following is the largest distance? Answer: the distance
from Jupiter to Saturn
⩥ Where on the Venn diagram, above, does the clue "Tail always points
away from the Sun" belong? Answer: C
⩥ Which of the following is NOT required in order to classify a Solar
System object as a planet (instead of a dwarf planet)? Answer: It must be
larger than all of the moons in the Solar System
⩥ Which of the following planets looks the most like the Earth's Moon?
Answer: Mercury
⩥ Which is NOT a characteristic of a comet? Answer: most orbit the Sun
in between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
,⩥ Which of the following is the cause of an aurora? Answer: Solar wind
particles that hit the atmosphere of a planet
⩥ Newtons first Law of Motion Answer: An object at rest, or in motion
in a straight line at a constant speed, will remain in that state unless
acted upon by a force.
⩥ Newtons second Law of Motion Answer: The acceleration of a body
due to a force will be in the same direction as the force, with a
magnitude inversely proportional to its mass.Or: the magnitude of force
necessary to produce a certain acceleration on a body will be directly
proportional to its mass — a higher mass requires greater force.(This is
usually written as F = ma, or Force = mass x acceleration).
Force = mass x acceleration • (A smaller mass will move faster, if the
same force is applied to it.)
⩥ Newtons Third Law of Motion Answer: Third Law: For every action,
there is an equal and opposite reaction.
⩥ The First Law describes inertia — Answer: the tendency of an object
at rest to remain at rest, or of a moving object to continue moving. When
one applies a force to an object, it causes the object to accelerate (the
Second Law), which may be a deceleration (negative acceleration)
depending on the direction in which the force is applied. In addition to
,causing acceleration (positive or negative), an applied force may alter
the direction of motion of the target object.
⩥ For reference, "1 AU" (astronomical unit) is about Answer: 150
million kilometers (93 million miles)
⩥ Moon phases result from changes in the relative positions of Answer:
the Moon
the Earth, or a viewer on the Earth's surface
the Sun
⩥ A "Full Moon" occurs when Answer: the Earth lies in a direct line
between the Sun and the Moon
⩥ A "New Moon" occurs when Answer: the Moon lies directly between
the Earth and the Sun
⩥ First Quarter Answer: Mid-way between a New Moon and a Full
Moon
⩥ After the Full Moon, mid-way to the next New Moon, is the Answer:
"Third (or Last) Quarter" Moon.
, ⩥ solar eclipse Answer: can occur during the Moon's "New" phase,
when the Moon lies in (or nearest to) a direct line between the Sun and
the Earth (or a certain location on the Earth's surface).
⩥ Mars has two natural satellites: Answer: Phobos and Deimos
⩥ Phobos Answer: Phobos' fast orbit means it circles the planet three
times a day
⩥ Deimos Answer: orbits much farther from Mars, and is slowly drifting
away from the planet over time.
⩥ constellation Answer: a region in the sky - the night sky is divided
into 88 official constellations
⩥ asterism Answer: A shape traced out in the sky by imagining
connecting lines between stars is not a constellation but an....
he classic "Big Dipper" is an asterism made by a subset of the stars in
the asterism "Ursa Major"
⩥ Which constellations are visible on a given night depends on Answer:
the time of year and the viewer's location.
