ASTR 1504 1514 Astronomy Exploring the Universe Midterm Exam 1 1 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 2 Constellations are arbitrary groupings of stars in the sky A True B False 3 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 4 The seasons on Earth are caused by the change in distance between the Sun and Earth A True B False 5 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 6 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 7 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 8 During which lunar phase do solar eclipses occur A New B First quarter C Full D Third quarter 9 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 10 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 11 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 12 What force holds planets in their orbits A Air resistance B Friction C Electromagnetic D Gravity 13 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 14 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 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 The energy of a photon is inversely proportional to its wavelength A True B False 17 A radio photon travels more slowly than a gamma ray photon in vacuum A True B False 18 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 19 The angular resolution of a ground based telescope is usually set by A diffraction B refraction C the focal length D atmospheric seeing 20 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 21 What causes molecular clouds to collapse A Conservation of charge B Self gravity C Thermal energy D Radiation 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 Ocean tides on Earth are caused only by the Moon A True B False 25 The angular momentum of a planet depends on its mass and its distance from the Sun 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 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 28 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 29 The wifi signal is a kind of light A FALSE B TRUE 30 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 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 …