ASTR 1504/1514: Astronomy: Exploring the UniverseMidterm Exam 11. A crucial component of a scientific theory is that it is able to be tested by observationsand thus proven true or false.• A: True• B: False2. Constellations are arbitrary groupings of stars in the sky.• A: True• B: False3. Is there any location on Earth where the entire sky is potentially visible within a 24hour period (ignoring the fact that most stars can’t be seen if it is daytime)?• A: There is no position on t h e Earth where it is possible to see the entire sky inone 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 pole4. The seasons on Earth are caused by the change in distance between the Sun and Earth.• A: True• B: False5. If you go out at exactly 9 P.M. each evening over the course of one month, the positionof 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 Earth6. The ecliptic plane is defined by the motion of which object in the sky.• A: the Moon• B: the Sun• C: Polaris• D: the stars7. If tonight the Moon is in the waxing gibbous phase, in three days the Moon will mostlikely be in the:• A: new phase• B: full phase• C: third quarter phase• D: first quarter phase8. During which lunar phase do solar eclipses occur?• A: New• B: First quarter• C: Full• D: Third quarter9. The Moon undergoes synchronous rotation, and as a consequence the:• A: rotational period of the Moon equals the orbital period of the Moon aroundthe Earth• B: rotational period of the Moon equals the rotati on a l period of the Earth• C: rotational period of the Moon equ al s the or b i t al period of th e Earth ar oundthe Sun• D: Moon does not rotat e as it orbits the Earth10. If the Sun i s located at one focus of Earths elliptical or bit, 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 p a sses it in its orbitlike a faster runner overtakes a sl ower runn er in an outsid e lane, the plan et :• 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 orbit12. What force holds planets in their orbits?• A: Air resistance• B: Friction• C: Electromagnetic• D: Gravity13. In which of the following situations would the object be experiencing an unbalancedforce?• A: A truck at rest• B: An car moving at constant speed turni n g 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 right14. Which o f the following is TRUE about a comet that is on an elliptical orbit aroundthe 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 a n d the Suns mass stay ap-proximately the same.15. Once two objects are far enough away from each other, they no longer exert anygravitational attraction on each other.• A: True• B: False16. The energy of a ph ot o n is inversely proportional to its wavelength.• A: True• B: False17. A r ad i o ph ot on tr avels more slowly than a gamma ray photon in vacuum.• A: True• B: False18. How do the wavelength and fr equency of red light compare to the wavelength andfrequency of blue light?• A: Red light has a lo n ge r wavelength and higher frequency than those of bluelight.• B: Red light has a longer wavelength and lower frequency th an those of blue light.• C: Red light has a shorter wavelength and higher frequency than those of bluelight.• D: Red light has a shorter wavelength and lower frequency than those of b luelight.19. The angular resolution of a ground-based telescope is usually set by:• A: diffraction• B: refraction• C: the focal length• D: atmospheric seeing20. What happens to the gravitational energy of gas as it falls toward and eventually hitsthe accretion disk surrounding a protostar?• A: It is converted into thermal energy, heat i n g th e disk.• B: It is converted into light energy, g iv i n g off a flash of light upon impact.• C: It is converted into potential energy as the gas plows through th e disk an dcomes out the o t h er sid e.• D: It simply dissipates.21. What causes molecular clouds to collapse?• A: Conservation of charge• B: Self-gravity• C: Thermal energy• D: Radiation22. 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 above23. Current technology is sensitive enough to detect some extra-solar planets by a dip inbrightness of the parent star as th e plan et s pass between us and it.• A: True• B: False24. Ocean tides on Earth are caused only by the Moon.• A: True• B: False25. The angular momentum of a planet depends on its mass and its distance from the Sun.• A: True• B: False26. Which of the following is NOT a factor that helps explain Earths lack of craters com-pared to the Moon?• A: Wind erosion• B: Larger atmosphere• C: Higher density interior• D: Tectonic Activities27. You discover an Earth-like planet aroun d another star, but t h e planet has twice themass of Ear t h . What would you NOT expect to see?• A: A highly cratered surface.• B: An atmosphere.• C: Volcanoes and tecton i c plat es.• D: Erosion and weathering.28. Earths innermost core is solid, not liquid, because:• A: the core temperature is too low to melt iron• B: d i ffer entiation caused all of th e heavy, solid material to sin k to the bottomwhile Earth was forming• C: all the liquid has moved up into the mantle via convection• D: the pressure is too high for a liquid state29. The wifi signal is a ki n d of light.• A: FALSE• B: TRUE30. A visible light photon has a frequency of 6×1014Hz. If this pho to n s ener gy i s equivalentto 1 penny, what is t h e energy of an