ASTR 1000 Unit 1 Exam Questions and Answers Already Passed
Based on the current scientific evidence, what is the current age of the universe in years? You
must be within 10% of the currently accepted value. - Answers 13.8000 Gyr
Match the terms with the descriptions provided. Note that some terms are used more than once.
A Rotation
B Astronomical Unit
C Light Year
D Orbit
The average distance between the Earth and the Sun.
Approximately 150 million kilometers.
The distance that light can travel in one year.
Earth's ______ is what primarily determines the length of a day.
Approximately 9.46 trillion kilometers.
Earth's ______ is what determines the length of a year.
The motion of one object around another due to gravity.
The spinning of an object around its axis. - Answers B, B, C, A, C, D, D, A
Match the terms with the descriptions provided. Note that some terms are used more than once.
A Galaxy
B Supercluster
C Star
D Group or Cluster
E Observable Universe
The Milky Way is one of these.
A gigantic region of space where groups of galaxies are packed more closely than elsewhere in
,the Universe. Possibly the largest structures in the Universe.
A large glowing ball of gas that generates heat and light through nuclear fusion in its core.
A great island of stars (from a few 100 million to a trillion), dust and gas that are held together
by gravity and move around a common center.
A collection of galaxies (dozens to hundreds) bound together by gravity.
Everything that can, in principle, be seen from Earth.
The Sun is one of these. - Answers A, B, C, A, D, E, C
What is your cosmic address? After "OH, USA," what is the order that you would list the
following six items (from 1 to 6) so they are in the correct cosmic order? - Answers 5: Local
Supercluster
3: Milky Way
2: Solar System
6: Universe
4: Local Group
1: Earth
On the scale of the cosmic calendar, in which the history of the universe is compressed into 1
year, approximately how long has human civilization existed (i.e., since ancient Egypt)?.
A) About a month
B) About a week
C) About half the year
D) A few hours
E) Less than a minute - Answers E) Less than a minute
Why was there such a long period between when the universe began and when the Earth formed?
A) Because it took time for earlier generations of stars to produce the heavier elements (carbon,
oxygen, nitrogen, etc.) that make up the Earth.
, B) Because it took that long for the universe to expand enough for there to be room for the Earth.
C) Because it took that long for the first stars to form.
D) Because the formation of planets is extremely rare and it took that long to catch a lucky
break and form a planet.
E) Trick question: the Earth formed very shortly after the Big Bang. - Answers A) Because it took
time for earlier generations of stars to produce the heavier elements (carbon, oxygen, nitrogen,
etc.) that make up the Earth.
Identify the following statements about cosmic space as either TRUE or FALSE.
There are certain very large regions of the universe where there are few to no galaxies. These
are known as voids.
Our Sun is very close to the center of the Milky Way Galaxy.
The Milky Way is a relatively large galaxy in our Local Group of a few dozen galaxies.
As the universe continues to expand, our galaxy gets larger and even distances in our solar
system get larger.
Some of the individual stars we see in the night sky are very close to the center of the Milky
Way galaxy. - Answers T, F, T, F, F
Identify the following statements about cosmic time as either TRUE or FALSE.
The Sun formed first, and then billions of years later the Earth formed.
The Big Bang was the beginning of the expansion of the universe.
Since the Big Bang is a theory there is no actual evidence for it.
When we look at a galaxy that is 750,000 light years away, we see it as it was 750,000 years
ago.
Our Sun is one of the first generation of stars to form in the Milky Way. - Answers F, T, F, T, F
The Earth is made mostly of metals and rocks. Where did this material come from?
A) It was made by our Sun.
Based on the current scientific evidence, what is the current age of the universe in years? You
must be within 10% of the currently accepted value. - Answers 13.8000 Gyr
Match the terms with the descriptions provided. Note that some terms are used more than once.
A Rotation
B Astronomical Unit
C Light Year
D Orbit
The average distance between the Earth and the Sun.
Approximately 150 million kilometers.
The distance that light can travel in one year.
Earth's ______ is what primarily determines the length of a day.
Approximately 9.46 trillion kilometers.
Earth's ______ is what determines the length of a year.
The motion of one object around another due to gravity.
The spinning of an object around its axis. - Answers B, B, C, A, C, D, D, A
Match the terms with the descriptions provided. Note that some terms are used more than once.
A Galaxy
B Supercluster
C Star
D Group or Cluster
E Observable Universe
The Milky Way is one of these.
A gigantic region of space where groups of galaxies are packed more closely than elsewhere in
,the Universe. Possibly the largest structures in the Universe.
A large glowing ball of gas that generates heat and light through nuclear fusion in its core.
A great island of stars (from a few 100 million to a trillion), dust and gas that are held together
by gravity and move around a common center.
A collection of galaxies (dozens to hundreds) bound together by gravity.
Everything that can, in principle, be seen from Earth.
The Sun is one of these. - Answers A, B, C, A, D, E, C
What is your cosmic address? After "OH, USA," what is the order that you would list the
following six items (from 1 to 6) so they are in the correct cosmic order? - Answers 5: Local
Supercluster
3: Milky Way
2: Solar System
6: Universe
4: Local Group
1: Earth
On the scale of the cosmic calendar, in which the history of the universe is compressed into 1
year, approximately how long has human civilization existed (i.e., since ancient Egypt)?.
A) About a month
B) About a week
C) About half the year
D) A few hours
E) Less than a minute - Answers E) Less than a minute
Why was there such a long period between when the universe began and when the Earth formed?
A) Because it took time for earlier generations of stars to produce the heavier elements (carbon,
oxygen, nitrogen, etc.) that make up the Earth.
, B) Because it took that long for the universe to expand enough for there to be room for the Earth.
C) Because it took that long for the first stars to form.
D) Because the formation of planets is extremely rare and it took that long to catch a lucky
break and form a planet.
E) Trick question: the Earth formed very shortly after the Big Bang. - Answers A) Because it took
time for earlier generations of stars to produce the heavier elements (carbon, oxygen, nitrogen,
etc.) that make up the Earth.
Identify the following statements about cosmic space as either TRUE or FALSE.
There are certain very large regions of the universe where there are few to no galaxies. These
are known as voids.
Our Sun is very close to the center of the Milky Way Galaxy.
The Milky Way is a relatively large galaxy in our Local Group of a few dozen galaxies.
As the universe continues to expand, our galaxy gets larger and even distances in our solar
system get larger.
Some of the individual stars we see in the night sky are very close to the center of the Milky
Way galaxy. - Answers T, F, T, F, F
Identify the following statements about cosmic time as either TRUE or FALSE.
The Sun formed first, and then billions of years later the Earth formed.
The Big Bang was the beginning of the expansion of the universe.
Since the Big Bang is a theory there is no actual evidence for it.
When we look at a galaxy that is 750,000 light years away, we see it as it was 750,000 years
ago.
Our Sun is one of the first generation of stars to form in the Milky Way. - Answers F, T, F, T, F
The Earth is made mostly of metals and rocks. Where did this material come from?
A) It was made by our Sun.
