ASTR 1504 1514 Astronomy Exploring the Universe Midterm Exam 1 1 Is there any location on Earth where the entire sky is potentially visible within a 24 hour period ignoring the fact that most stars can t be seen if it is daytime A There is no position on the Earth where it is possible to see the entire sky in one daily rotation of the Earth B At a latitude of either 45 degrees North or South C At the equator D At either the north or south pole 2 A crucial component of a scientific theory is that it is able to be tested by observations and thus proven true or false A True B False 3 Constellations are arbitrary groupings of stars in the sky A True B False 4 The seasons on Earth are caused by the change in distance between the Sun and Earth A True B False 5 The ecliptic plane is defined by the motion of which object in the sky A the Moon B the Sun C Polaris D the stars 6 If you go out at exactly 9 P M each evening over the course of one month the position of a given star will move westward by tens of degrees What causes this motion A The Earths rotation on its axis B The revolution of the Earth around the Sun C The revolution of the Moon around the Earth D The revolution of the Sun around the Earth 7 The Moon undergoes synchronous rotation and as a consequence the A rotational period of the Moon equals the orbital period of the Moon around the Earth B rotational period of the Moon equals the rotational period of the Earth C rotational period of the Moon equals the orbital period of the Earth around the Sun D Moon does not rotate as it orbits the Earth 8 If tonight the Moon is in the waxing gibbous phase in three days the Moon will most likely be in the A new phase B full phase C third quarter phase D first quarter phase 9 During which lunar phase do solar eclipses occur A New B First quarter C Full D Third quarter 10 When the Earth catches up to a slower moving outer planet and passes it in its orbit like a faster runner overtakes a slower runner in an outside lane the planet A exhibits retrograde motion B slows down because it feels the Earths gravitational pull C decreases in brightness as it passes through the Earths shadow D moves into a more elliptical orbit 11 If the Sun is located at one focus of Earths elliptical orbit what is at the other focus A Earth B The Moon C Nothing D This is a trick question An ellipse has only one focus 12 Which of the following is TRUE about a comet that is on an elliptical orbit around the Sun A The comets speed is greatest when it is farthest from the Sun B The comets speed is greatest when it is nearest the Sun C This comets speed is zero D The comets speed is constant because its mass and the Suns mass stay approximately the same 13 What force holds planets in their orbits A Air resistance B Friction C Electromagnetic D Gravity 14 In which of the following situations would the object be experiencing an unbalanced force A A truck at rest B An car moving at constant speed turning a corner C A rocket moving at a constant speed straight up away from the Earth D A car moving at a constant speed towards the right 15 Once two objects are far enough away from each other they no longer exert any gravitational attraction on each other A True B False 16 A radio photon travels more slowly than a gamma ray photon in vacuum A True B False 17 The energy of a photon is inversely proportional to its wavelength A True B False 18 The angular resolution of a ground based telescope is usually set by A diffraction B refraction C the focal length D atmospheric seeing 19 How do the wavelength and frequency of red light compare to the wavelength and frequency of blue light A Red light has a longer wavelength and higher frequency than those of blue light B Red light has a longer wavelength and lower frequency than those of blue light C Red light has a shorter wavelength and higher frequency than those of blue light D Red light has a shorter wavelength and lower frequency than those of blue light 20 What causes molecular clouds to collapse A Conservation of charge B Self gravity C Thermal energy D Radiation 21 What happens to the gravitational energy of gas as it falls toward and eventually hits the accretion disk surrounding a protostar A It is converted into thermal energy heating the disk B It is converted into light energy giving off a flash of light upon impact C It is converted into potential energy as the gas plows through the disk and comes out the other side D It simply dissipates 22 What sets the temperature of the pocket of gas in a protoplanetary disk A Its distance from the forming star B How much gravitational energy was converted to heat C How much radiation from the forming star shines on the gas D All of the above 23 Current technology is sensitive enough to detect some extra solar planets by a dip in brightness of the parent star as the planets pass between us and it A True B False 24 The angular momentum of a planet depends on its mass and its distance from the Sun A True B False 25 Ocean tides on Earth are caused only by the Moon A True B False 26 Which of the following is NOT a factor that helps explain Earths lack of craters compared to the Moon A Wind erosion B Larger atmosphere C Higher density interior D Tectonic Activities 27 Earths innermost core is solid not liquid because A the core temperature is too low to melt iron B differentiation caused all of the heavy solid material to sink to the bottom while Earth was forming C all the liquid has moved up into the mantle via convection D the pressure is too high for a liquid state 28 You discover an Earth like planet around another star but the planet has twice the mass of Earth What would you NOT expect to see A A highly cratered surface B An atmosphere C Volcanoes and tectonic plates D Erosion and weathering 29 A visible light photon has a frequency of 6 1014 Hz If this photons energy is equivalent to 1 penny what is the energy of an X ray photon at 6 1019 Hz A 10 dollar B 100 dollars C 1000 dollars D None of the above 30 The wifi signal is a kind of light A FALSE B TRUE 31 If mass and energy are conserved in an isolated system what other quantities need to be conserved A Angular Momentum B Momentum C Both 32 …