Astronomy 101 Midterm Exam
||Newest Update With Questions And
Correct Answers
Suppose you are in an elevator that is traveling upward at constant speed. How does
your weight compare to your normal weight on the ground? -CORRECT ANSWER It is
the same.
Suppose you have a 100-watt light bulb that you leave turned on for one minute. How
much energy does it use? -CORRECT ANSWER 6,000 joules.
Which of the following conditions lead you to see an absorption line spectrum from a
cloud of gas in interstellar space? -CORRECT ANSWER The cloud is cool and lies
between you and a hot star.
Why are astronauts weightless in the Space Station? -CORRECT ANSWER The
Space Station is constantly in free-fall around the Earth.
Gamma rays have a very small ______. -CORRECT ANSWER wavelength
Which of the following is not a major reason why astronomers would like an observatory
on the far side of the Moon? -CORRECT ANSWER Telescopes on the Moon could see
objects in all parts of the sky equally well, whereas telescopes on Earth can see only
portions of the sky that depend on their latitude.
Which of the following represents a case in which you are not accelerating? -CORRECT
ANSWER Driving in a straight line at 60 miles per hour.
Suppose the planet Uranus were much brighter in the sky, so that it was as easily
visible to the naked eye as Jupiter or Saturn. What would most likely be true in that
case? -CORRECT ANSWER A week would have eight days instead of seven.
Which of the following has your "cosmic address" in the correct order? -CORRECT
ANSWER You, Earth, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Local
Supercluster, universe.
A net force acting on an object will always cause a change in the object's _________. -
CORRECT ANSWER momentum
Imagine another solar system, with a star more massive than the Sun. Suppose a
planet with the same mass as Earth orbits at a distance of 1 AU from the star. How
, would the planet's year (orbital period) compare to Earth's year? -CORRECT ANSWER
The planet's year would be shorter than Earth's.
Which planet has the most extreme seasons? -CORRECT ANSWER Uranus
What is true about Scientific Theory? -CORRECT ANSWER A scientific theory cannot
be accepted until it has been proven true beyond all doubt.
Suppose you kick a soccer ball straight up to a height of 10 meters. Which of the
following is true about the gravitational potential energy of the ball during its flight? -
CORRECT ANSWER The ball's gravitational potential energy is greatest at the instant
when the ball is at its highest point.
When we look at an object that is 1,000 light-years away we see it _________. -
CORRECT ANSWER as it was 1,000 years ago
Which of the following telescopes would benefit most from adaptive optics? -CORRECT
ANSWER The Keck I telescope on Mauna Kea.
Which of the following is not consistent with the major hallmarks of science? -
CORRECT ANSWER Science consists of proven theories that are understood to be
true explanations of reality.
How did the Ptolemaic model explain the apparent retrograde motion of the planets? -
CORRECT ANSWER The planets moved along small circles that moved on larger
circles around the Earth.
Suppose you use the Southern Cross to determine that the south celestial pole appears
40 degrees above your horizon. Then you must be located at _________. -CORRECT
ANSWER latitude 40 degrees south
What is not true about motion in the universe? -CORRECT ANSWER The mysterious
dark matter is the fastest-moving material in the universe.
The angular separation of two stars is 0.1 arcseconds and you photograph them with a
telescope that has an angular resolution of 1 arcsecond. What will you see? -
CORRECT ANSWER The photo will seem to show only one star rather than two.
Venus has a higher average surface temperature than Mercury. Why? -CORRECT
ANSWER Because its surface is heated by an extreme greenhouse effect.
You observe a full moon rising at sunset. What will you see at midnight? -CORRECT
ANSWER A full moon high in the sky.
||Newest Update With Questions And
Correct Answers
Suppose you are in an elevator that is traveling upward at constant speed. How does
your weight compare to your normal weight on the ground? -CORRECT ANSWER It is
the same.
Suppose you have a 100-watt light bulb that you leave turned on for one minute. How
much energy does it use? -CORRECT ANSWER 6,000 joules.
Which of the following conditions lead you to see an absorption line spectrum from a
cloud of gas in interstellar space? -CORRECT ANSWER The cloud is cool and lies
between you and a hot star.
Why are astronauts weightless in the Space Station? -CORRECT ANSWER The
Space Station is constantly in free-fall around the Earth.
Gamma rays have a very small ______. -CORRECT ANSWER wavelength
Which of the following is not a major reason why astronomers would like an observatory
on the far side of the Moon? -CORRECT ANSWER Telescopes on the Moon could see
objects in all parts of the sky equally well, whereas telescopes on Earth can see only
portions of the sky that depend on their latitude.
Which of the following represents a case in which you are not accelerating? -CORRECT
ANSWER Driving in a straight line at 60 miles per hour.
Suppose the planet Uranus were much brighter in the sky, so that it was as easily
visible to the naked eye as Jupiter or Saturn. What would most likely be true in that
case? -CORRECT ANSWER A week would have eight days instead of seven.
Which of the following has your "cosmic address" in the correct order? -CORRECT
ANSWER You, Earth, solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Local
Supercluster, universe.
A net force acting on an object will always cause a change in the object's _________. -
CORRECT ANSWER momentum
Imagine another solar system, with a star more massive than the Sun. Suppose a
planet with the same mass as Earth orbits at a distance of 1 AU from the star. How
, would the planet's year (orbital period) compare to Earth's year? -CORRECT ANSWER
The planet's year would be shorter than Earth's.
Which planet has the most extreme seasons? -CORRECT ANSWER Uranus
What is true about Scientific Theory? -CORRECT ANSWER A scientific theory cannot
be accepted until it has been proven true beyond all doubt.
Suppose you kick a soccer ball straight up to a height of 10 meters. Which of the
following is true about the gravitational potential energy of the ball during its flight? -
CORRECT ANSWER The ball's gravitational potential energy is greatest at the instant
when the ball is at its highest point.
When we look at an object that is 1,000 light-years away we see it _________. -
CORRECT ANSWER as it was 1,000 years ago
Which of the following telescopes would benefit most from adaptive optics? -CORRECT
ANSWER The Keck I telescope on Mauna Kea.
Which of the following is not consistent with the major hallmarks of science? -
CORRECT ANSWER Science consists of proven theories that are understood to be
true explanations of reality.
How did the Ptolemaic model explain the apparent retrograde motion of the planets? -
CORRECT ANSWER The planets moved along small circles that moved on larger
circles around the Earth.
Suppose you use the Southern Cross to determine that the south celestial pole appears
40 degrees above your horizon. Then you must be located at _________. -CORRECT
ANSWER latitude 40 degrees south
What is not true about motion in the universe? -CORRECT ANSWER The mysterious
dark matter is the fastest-moving material in the universe.
The angular separation of two stars is 0.1 arcseconds and you photograph them with a
telescope that has an angular resolution of 1 arcsecond. What will you see? -
CORRECT ANSWER The photo will seem to show only one star rather than two.
Venus has a higher average surface temperature than Mercury. Why? -CORRECT
ANSWER Because its surface is heated by an extreme greenhouse effect.
You observe a full moon rising at sunset. What will you see at midnight? -CORRECT
ANSWER A full moon high in the sky.
