ASTRO TEST BANK EXAM SOLVED #6
If a planet is seeing its Moon in the New Phase right now, in what phase would the
planet appear to be when viewed from its Moon?
A. Third Quarter Planet
B. New Planet
C. First Quarter Planet
D. Full Planet
E. You can't see the planet from its Moon. - correct answer d. Full Planet
What is the reason for the seasons on Earth?
A. Earth is closest to the Sun in July, farthest from the Sun in January
B. Earth is tilted with respect to the Sun by about 23.5 degrees
C. Earth orbits the Sun more slowly in winter, faster in summer
D. Earth rotates more slowly in the winter, faster in the summer
E. Earth's Moon blocks more sunlight from reaching Earth in winter than in summer -
correct answer b. Earth is tilted with respect to the Sun by about 23.5 degrees
As compared to a cool star, a hotter star emits:
A. Shorter wavelength, lower frequency, redder color
B. Shorter wavelength, higher frequency, redder color
C. Shorter wavelength, lower frequency, bluer color
D. Shorter wavelength, higher frequency, bluer color
E. Longer wavelength, higher frequency, bluer color - correct answer d. Shorter
wavelength, higher frequency, bluer color
At approximately what time does the third quarter Moon rise?
A. 9pm
B. 6pm
C. Noon
D. 6am
E. Midnight - correct answer e. Midnight
The electrons in a cloud of hydrogen gas are making the transition from excited states
to the ground state. What does the spectrum of this cloud of gas look like?
A. It will be completely black at all wavelengths
B. It will be bright at every wavelength, giving off some radio waves, some visible light,
and x-rays
C. It will consist of a few bright emission lines at very specific wavelengths
D. It will be bright as most color, but with some dark absorption lines at very specific
wavelengths
E. It will be identical to the spectrum of the Sun - correct answer c. It will consist of a few
bright emission lines at very specific wavelengths
If Earth had its orbit changed so that all points along its orbit was always the same
distance from the Sun (circular orbit), how would this affect the seasons on Earth?
,A. Longer than they are now
B. Reversed in order (winter, fall, summer, spring)
C. The same as they are now
D. There would no longer be seasons
E. Shorter than they are now - correct answer c. The same as they are now
I detect a star giving off more ultraviolet light than green light. What property of the star
can I estimate with this information?
A. Its chemical composition
B. Its temperature
C. Its density
D. Its age
E. Its distance from Earth - correct answer b. Its temperature
What do you expect the spectrum of an object that is 1,000,000 Kelvin to be like?
A. It should peak at violet wavelengths
B. It should give off less total light than the Sun
C. It should peak at radio wavelengths
D. It should give off about 10 times more total light than the Sun
E. It should peak at X-ray wavelengths - correct answer e. It should peak at X-ray
wavelengths
What time of the year is it dark all day (and night) at the South pole?
A. June
B. Never
C. December
D. September
E. March - correct answer a. June
A planet with its rotation axis tilted by 40 degrees relative to its orbital plane around its
star would:
A. Have dark all the time on the South pole during its winter
B. Have shorter days and nights than those of Earth
C. Have longer years than those of Earth
D. Have longer days and nights than those of Earth
E. Have dark all the time on the North pole during its summer - correct answer a. Have
dark all the time on the South pole during its winter
The planets are seen in the Zodiac constellations because:
A. They reach the zenith at noon during the fall equinox
B. They orbit the Earth just like the Sun does
C. They orbit the Sun in the same plane as the Earth does
D. They reach the meridian at noon during the summer solstice
E. They reach the zenith at noon during the summer solstice - correct answer c. They
orbit the Sun in the same plane as the Earth does
,What makes a transition from a higher energy state to a lower energy state when a
photon is emitted by an atom?
A. Electron
B. Proton
C. Photon
D. Graviton
E. Neutron - correct answer a. Electron
Which of the following is FALSE?
A. Light, radio, ultraviolet, and gamma rays are all forms of electromagnetic radiation
B. Emission spectra are characterized by narrow, bright lines of different colors
C. An absorption spectrum appears as a continuous spectrum interrupted by a series of
dark lines
D. The energy of a photon is inversely proportional to the wavelength of the radiation
E. The wavelengths of the emission lines produced by an element are different from the
wavelengths of an absorption line producers by the same element - correct answer e.
The wavelengths of the emission lines produced by an element are different from the
wavelengths of an absorption line producers by the same element
One of the lines of Hydrogen has a wavelength of 121.6 nm. If a cloud of Hydrogen gas
is moving TOWARDS us at 200km/s, what will we detect?
A. An emission line in the cloud's spectrum with a wavelength shorter than 121.6 nm
B. An emission line in the cloud's spectrum with a wavelength longer than 121.6 nm
C. An emission line in the cloud's spectrum with a wavelength of exactly 121.6 nm
D. This cloud will not emit a spectrum at all
E. A continuous spectrum with an absorption line at exactly 121.6 nm - correct answer
a. An emission line in the cloud's spectrum with a wavelength shorter than 121.6 nm
Why does light come in different colors?
A. Differences in the wavelength
B. It travels at different speeds
C. Warping of space it travels through
D. Differences in intensity of radiation
E. Bending of light in space - correct answer a. Differences in the wavelength
Say you are in the bottom of Happy Valley. How does the force of gravity compare to
what it would be on to of Mount Nittany?
A. Two times less in Happy Valley than on Mount Nittany
B. Two times greater in Happy Valley than on Mount Nittany
C. Slightly greater in Happy Valley than on Mount Nittany
D. Exactly equal in Happy Valley and on Mount Nittany
E. Slightly less in Happy Valley than on Mount Nittany - correct answer c. Slightly
greater in Happy Valley than on Mount Nittany
What kind of telescope would have to be put in space to be effective?
A. Optical
, B. Radio
C. Reflecting
D. X-ray
E. Refracting - correct answer d. X-ray
Dark lines in an absorption spectrum represent:
A. Particular energies of light coming from a distant object that are absorbed by material
in between
B. Flaws in the telescope and spectroscopes that astronomers use to measure spectra
C. Hotter regions in the object that is emitting the spectrum
D. Regions where light travels more slowly and is not able to reach us
E. Photons emitted when an electron jumps from a higher to a lower energy level -
correct answer a. Particular energies of light coming from a distant object that are
absorbed by material in between
If the mass of the Sun were cut in half, how would the force between the Sun and the
Earth change?
A. It would decrease by a factor of two
B. It would quadruple
C. It would double
D. It would remain unchanged
E. It would decrease by a factor of four - correct answer a. It would decrease by a factor
of two
In what way does a 30 meter telescope outperform a 10 meter telescope?
A. The images of the 30 meter are 9 times brighter than those of a 10 meter
B. The images of the 30 meter are 3 times brighter than those of a 10 meter
C. All objects observed by the 30 meter telescope will appear larger than those of the
10 meter
D. The 30 meter can observe light with a wavelength 3 times longer than that of the 10
meter
E. The images of the 30 meter are 1/3rd as large as those of a 10 meter - correct
answer a. The images of the 30 meter are 9 times brighter than those of a 10 meter
On a planet whose Moon is in the same orbital plane as the planet's orbit around its
star, how often will solar eclipses occur?
A. Twice every orbit of its moon (twice a month)
B. Once every orbit of the planet around its Sun (its year)
C. Twice every rotation of the planet (twice a day)
D. Once every orbit of its moon (its month)
E. Once every rotation of the planet (its day) - correct answer d. Once every orbit of its
moon (its month)
Say that our Moon was Full on May 1, 2007. When was the next First Quarter phase
after that Full Moon?
A. May 15
If a planet is seeing its Moon in the New Phase right now, in what phase would the
planet appear to be when viewed from its Moon?
A. Third Quarter Planet
B. New Planet
C. First Quarter Planet
D. Full Planet
E. You can't see the planet from its Moon. - correct answer d. Full Planet
What is the reason for the seasons on Earth?
A. Earth is closest to the Sun in July, farthest from the Sun in January
B. Earth is tilted with respect to the Sun by about 23.5 degrees
C. Earth orbits the Sun more slowly in winter, faster in summer
D. Earth rotates more slowly in the winter, faster in the summer
E. Earth's Moon blocks more sunlight from reaching Earth in winter than in summer -
correct answer b. Earth is tilted with respect to the Sun by about 23.5 degrees
As compared to a cool star, a hotter star emits:
A. Shorter wavelength, lower frequency, redder color
B. Shorter wavelength, higher frequency, redder color
C. Shorter wavelength, lower frequency, bluer color
D. Shorter wavelength, higher frequency, bluer color
E. Longer wavelength, higher frequency, bluer color - correct answer d. Shorter
wavelength, higher frequency, bluer color
At approximately what time does the third quarter Moon rise?
A. 9pm
B. 6pm
C. Noon
D. 6am
E. Midnight - correct answer e. Midnight
The electrons in a cloud of hydrogen gas are making the transition from excited states
to the ground state. What does the spectrum of this cloud of gas look like?
A. It will be completely black at all wavelengths
B. It will be bright at every wavelength, giving off some radio waves, some visible light,
and x-rays
C. It will consist of a few bright emission lines at very specific wavelengths
D. It will be bright as most color, but with some dark absorption lines at very specific
wavelengths
E. It will be identical to the spectrum of the Sun - correct answer c. It will consist of a few
bright emission lines at very specific wavelengths
If Earth had its orbit changed so that all points along its orbit was always the same
distance from the Sun (circular orbit), how would this affect the seasons on Earth?
,A. Longer than they are now
B. Reversed in order (winter, fall, summer, spring)
C. The same as they are now
D. There would no longer be seasons
E. Shorter than they are now - correct answer c. The same as they are now
I detect a star giving off more ultraviolet light than green light. What property of the star
can I estimate with this information?
A. Its chemical composition
B. Its temperature
C. Its density
D. Its age
E. Its distance from Earth - correct answer b. Its temperature
What do you expect the spectrum of an object that is 1,000,000 Kelvin to be like?
A. It should peak at violet wavelengths
B. It should give off less total light than the Sun
C. It should peak at radio wavelengths
D. It should give off about 10 times more total light than the Sun
E. It should peak at X-ray wavelengths - correct answer e. It should peak at X-ray
wavelengths
What time of the year is it dark all day (and night) at the South pole?
A. June
B. Never
C. December
D. September
E. March - correct answer a. June
A planet with its rotation axis tilted by 40 degrees relative to its orbital plane around its
star would:
A. Have dark all the time on the South pole during its winter
B. Have shorter days and nights than those of Earth
C. Have longer years than those of Earth
D. Have longer days and nights than those of Earth
E. Have dark all the time on the North pole during its summer - correct answer a. Have
dark all the time on the South pole during its winter
The planets are seen in the Zodiac constellations because:
A. They reach the zenith at noon during the fall equinox
B. They orbit the Earth just like the Sun does
C. They orbit the Sun in the same plane as the Earth does
D. They reach the meridian at noon during the summer solstice
E. They reach the zenith at noon during the summer solstice - correct answer c. They
orbit the Sun in the same plane as the Earth does
,What makes a transition from a higher energy state to a lower energy state when a
photon is emitted by an atom?
A. Electron
B. Proton
C. Photon
D. Graviton
E. Neutron - correct answer a. Electron
Which of the following is FALSE?
A. Light, radio, ultraviolet, and gamma rays are all forms of electromagnetic radiation
B. Emission spectra are characterized by narrow, bright lines of different colors
C. An absorption spectrum appears as a continuous spectrum interrupted by a series of
dark lines
D. The energy of a photon is inversely proportional to the wavelength of the radiation
E. The wavelengths of the emission lines produced by an element are different from the
wavelengths of an absorption line producers by the same element - correct answer e.
The wavelengths of the emission lines produced by an element are different from the
wavelengths of an absorption line producers by the same element
One of the lines of Hydrogen has a wavelength of 121.6 nm. If a cloud of Hydrogen gas
is moving TOWARDS us at 200km/s, what will we detect?
A. An emission line in the cloud's spectrum with a wavelength shorter than 121.6 nm
B. An emission line in the cloud's spectrum with a wavelength longer than 121.6 nm
C. An emission line in the cloud's spectrum with a wavelength of exactly 121.6 nm
D. This cloud will not emit a spectrum at all
E. A continuous spectrum with an absorption line at exactly 121.6 nm - correct answer
a. An emission line in the cloud's spectrum with a wavelength shorter than 121.6 nm
Why does light come in different colors?
A. Differences in the wavelength
B. It travels at different speeds
C. Warping of space it travels through
D. Differences in intensity of radiation
E. Bending of light in space - correct answer a. Differences in the wavelength
Say you are in the bottom of Happy Valley. How does the force of gravity compare to
what it would be on to of Mount Nittany?
A. Two times less in Happy Valley than on Mount Nittany
B. Two times greater in Happy Valley than on Mount Nittany
C. Slightly greater in Happy Valley than on Mount Nittany
D. Exactly equal in Happy Valley and on Mount Nittany
E. Slightly less in Happy Valley than on Mount Nittany - correct answer c. Slightly
greater in Happy Valley than on Mount Nittany
What kind of telescope would have to be put in space to be effective?
A. Optical
, B. Radio
C. Reflecting
D. X-ray
E. Refracting - correct answer d. X-ray
Dark lines in an absorption spectrum represent:
A. Particular energies of light coming from a distant object that are absorbed by material
in between
B. Flaws in the telescope and spectroscopes that astronomers use to measure spectra
C. Hotter regions in the object that is emitting the spectrum
D. Regions where light travels more slowly and is not able to reach us
E. Photons emitted when an electron jumps from a higher to a lower energy level -
correct answer a. Particular energies of light coming from a distant object that are
absorbed by material in between
If the mass of the Sun were cut in half, how would the force between the Sun and the
Earth change?
A. It would decrease by a factor of two
B. It would quadruple
C. It would double
D. It would remain unchanged
E. It would decrease by a factor of four - correct answer a. It would decrease by a factor
of two
In what way does a 30 meter telescope outperform a 10 meter telescope?
A. The images of the 30 meter are 9 times brighter than those of a 10 meter
B. The images of the 30 meter are 3 times brighter than those of a 10 meter
C. All objects observed by the 30 meter telescope will appear larger than those of the
10 meter
D. The 30 meter can observe light with a wavelength 3 times longer than that of the 10
meter
E. The images of the 30 meter are 1/3rd as large as those of a 10 meter - correct
answer a. The images of the 30 meter are 9 times brighter than those of a 10 meter
On a planet whose Moon is in the same orbital plane as the planet's orbit around its
star, how often will solar eclipses occur?
A. Twice every orbit of its moon (twice a month)
B. Once every orbit of the planet around its Sun (its year)
C. Twice every rotation of the planet (twice a day)
D. Once every orbit of its moon (its month)
E. Once every rotation of the planet (its day) - correct answer d. Once every orbit of its
moon (its month)
Say that our Moon was Full on May 1, 2007. When was the next First Quarter phase
after that Full Moon?
A. May 15
