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Sample Test

 Chapter 03

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1) People of central Africa predicted the weather by
A) observing the orientation of the crescent moon relative to the horizon.
B) observing the location of the Moon relative to the Sun in the sky.
C) recording the seasonal changes in average temperature.
D) observing the length of the lunar cycle.
E) observing the path of the planets across the sky.
1)
2) Historians trace the origins of a 24-hour day to
A) the Aztecs.
B) the Mayans.
C) the ancient Egyptians.
D) the Babylonian astronomer, Meton.
E) the druids of Stonehenge.
2)
3) At the Sun Dagger in New Mexico, a dagger-shaped beam of sunlight pierces a spiral
A) every day at noon.
B) at noon on the day of full moon each month.
C) at noon on the summer solstice.
D) at sunset on the spring equinox.
E) during the totality of a total solar eclipse.
3)
4) The Muslim fast of Ramadan occurs
A) at the end of the Metonic cycle.
B) on the summer solstice.
C) during the ninth month of a 12-month lunar cycle.
D) on the spring equinox.
E) during a thirteenth month of the Metonic cycle.
4)
5) The Metonic cycle is the
A) period between successive Easters.
B) 19-year period over which the lunar phases occur on about the same dates.
C) 12-month period of a lunar calendar.
D) 29 1/2-day period of the lunar cycle.
E) 18-year, 11-day period over which the pattern of eclipses repeats.
5)
6) The Jewish calendar is kept roughly synchronized with a solar calendar by
A) having a thirteenth month with 5 days each year.
B) having the first lunar month begin on the summer solstice.
C) adding a thirteenth lunar month to 7 out of every 19 years.
D) having the first lunar month begin on the spring equinox.
E) skipping a month every 7 out of 19 years.
6)
7) The path that led to modern science emerged from ancient civilizations in which part of the world?
A) Central and South America
B) North America
C) the Mediterranean and the Middle East
D) Southern Asia
E) China
7)
1
8) When and where did the Library of Alexandria exist?
A) from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1800 in Greece
B) from 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Egypt
C) from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1800 in Egypt
D) from 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Greece
E) from 300 B.C. to A.D. 400 in Rome
8)
9) How did Eratosthenes estimate the size of Earth in 240 B.C.?
A) by measuring the size of Earth’s shadow on the Moon in a lunar eclipse
B) by comparing the maximum altitude of the Sun in two cities at different latitudes
C) by sending fleets of ships around Earth
D) by observing the duration of a solar eclipse
E) We don’t know how he did it since all his writings were destroyed.
9)
10) Which of the following statements about scientific models is true?
A) All models that explain nature well are correct.
B) A model can be used to explain and predict real phenomena.
C) A model tries to represent all aspects of nature.
D) A model tries to represent only one aspect of nature.
E) All current models are correct.
10)
11) When did Ptolemy live?
A) about 2000 years ago
B) about 5000 years ago
C) about 100 years ago
D) about 500 years ago
E) about 1000 years ago
11)
12) Why did Ptolemy have the planets orbiting Earth on “circles upon circles” in his model of the
universe?
A) to explain why the Greeks were unable to detect stellar parallax
B) to properly account for the varying distances of the planets from Earth
C) to explain the fact that planets sometimes appear to move westward, rather than eastward,
relative to the stars in our sky
D) to explain why Venus goes through phases as seen from Earth
E) to explain why more distant planets take longer to make a circuit through the constellations
of the zodiac
12)
13) During the Dark Ages in Europe, the scientific work of the ancient Greeks was preserved and
further developed primarily by scholars in
A) Greece. B) Rome. C) Baghdad. D) China. E) India.
13)
14) The controversial book of this famous person, published in 1543 (the year of his death), suggested
that Earth and other planets orbit the Sun.
A) Ptolemy
B) Galileo
C) Tycho Brahe
D) Copernicus
E) Kepler
14)
2
15) He developed a system for predicting planetary positions that remained in use for some 1,500
years.
A) Tycho Brahe
B) Galileo
C) Ptolemy
D) Copernicus
E) Kepler
15)
16) He was the first to prove that comets lie beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
A) Galileo
B) Kepler
C) Aristotle
D) Tycho Brahe
E) Copernicus
16)
17) He discovered that the orbits of planets are ellipses.
A) Ptolemy
B) Galileo
C) Tycho Brahe
D) Copernicus
E) Kepler
17)
18) He discovered that Jupiter has moons.
A) Tycho Brahe
B) Galileo
C) Ptolemy
D) Kepler
E) Aristotle
18)
19) He discovered what we now call Newton’s first law of motion.
A) Copernicus
B) Tycho Brahe
C) Kepler
D) Ptolemy
E) Galileo
19)
20) When did Copernicus live?
A) about 100 years ago
B) about 5000 years ago
C) about 2000 years ago
D) about 500 years ago
E) about 1000 years ago
20)
21) One of the “nails in the coffin” for the Earth-centered universe was
A) Galileo’s observations of the moons of Jupiter.
B) the retrograde motion of the planets.
C) the phases of the Moon.
D) eclipses of the Sun.
E) Galileo’s observation of stars in the Milky Way.
21)
3
22) When we see Venus in its full phase, what phase would Earth be in as seen by a hypothetical
Venetian?
A) waning crescent
B) third quarter
C) first quarter
D) new
E) full
22)
23) Kepler’s third law, p2 = a3, means that
A) a planet’s period does not depend on the eccentricity of its orbit.
B) the period of a planet does not depend on its mass.
C) planets that are farther from the Sun move at slower average speeds than nearer planets.
D) all orbits with the same semimajor axis have the same period.
E) All of the above are correct.
23)
24) From Kepler’s third law, a hypothetical planet that is twice as far from the Sun as Earth should
have a period of
A) more than 2 Earth years.
B) 1/2 Earth year.
C) 2 Earth years.
D) 1 Earth year.
E) It depends on the planet’s mass.
24)
25) From Kepler’s third law, an asteroid with an orbital period of 8 years lies at an average distance
from the Sun equal to
A) 4 astronomical units.
B) 8 astronomical units.
C) 16 astronomical units.
D) 2 astronomical units.
E) It depends on the asteroid’s mass.
25)
26) Kepler’s second law, which states that as a planet moves around its orbit it sweeps out equal areas
in equal times, means that
A) a planet travels faster when it is nearer to the Sun and slower when it is farther from the Sun.
B) a planet’s period does not depend on the eccentricity of its orbit.
C) planets have circular orbits.
D) the period of a planet does not depend on its mass.
E) planets that are farther from the Sun move at slower average speeds than nearer planets.
26)
27) The Earth is instantly replaced in its orbit by a speck of dust. Which statement best describes the
subsequent orbital motion of that piece of dust?
A) The dust particle will continue in the same orbit as the Earth did, orbiting the Sun in 1 year.
B) The dust particle will move to a larger orbit and orbit the Sun in more than 1 year.
C) The dust particle will spiral into the Sun.
D) The dust particle will move to a smaller orbit and orbit the Sun in less than 1 year.
E) The dust particle will be ejected from the Solar System.
27)
4
28) The point along a planet’s orbit where it is closest to the Sun is called the orbit’s
A) perihelion.
B) period.
C) eccentricity.
D) aphelion.
E) semi-major axis.
28)
29) What is meant by a scientific paradigm?
A) a radical change in scientific thought
B) a pseudoscientific idea
C) a conundrum, or unexplained set of facts
D) a historical theory that has been proved inaccurate
E) a generally well-established scientific theory or set of theories
29)
30) The principle of Occam’s Razor states that
A) in explaining natural phenomena, the simplest explanation consistent with the observations
is to be preferred.
B) only a model that has survived repeated observational tests deserves to be called a scientific
theory.
C) while personal biases may influence individual scientists, the process of science itself can
uncover these biases.
D) no scientific theory, no matter how well tested, can ever be proved absolutely true.
E) scientific explanations may invoke supernatural causes if no other causes are found.
30)
31) Which of the following statements about scientific theories is not true?
A) A theory can never be proved beyond all doubt; we can only hope to collect more and more
evidence that might support it.
B) If even a single new fact is discovered that contradicts what we expect according to a
particular theory, then the theory must be revised or discarded.
C) A theory must make predictions that can be checked by observation or experiment.
D) A theory is a model designed to explain a number of observed facts.
E) A theory cannot be taken seriously by scientists if it contradicts other theories developed by
scientists over the past several hundred years.
31)
32) The ancient goal of astrology was to
A) predict human events.
B) antagonize astronomers.
C) make a more accurate model of the universe.
D) predict the passing of the seasons.
E) understand the origin of Earth.
32)
33) When did humans first learn that Earth is not the center of the universe?
A) about 2000 years ago
B) around the time that early humans acquired language
C) within the past 500 years
D) We haven’t; there is still considerable scientific debate about whether Earth is the center of
the universe.
33)
5
34) Which of the following is the reason for the solar day being longer than a sidereal day?
A) precession of Earth’s axis
B) the non-circular orbit of Earth around the Sun
C) the combined effect of the rotation of Earth and its orbit about the Sun
D) Earth year being a non-integer number of Earth days
E) the tilt of Earth’s axis
34)
35) In the Ptolemaic model of the solar system, Venus should exhibit which of the following phases?
A) new B) crescent C) full D) A and B E) B and C
35)
36) Galileo observed which of the following phases of Venus?
A) full
B) gibbous
C) crescent
D) new
E) all of the above
36)
37) Which of the following statements about Kepler’s laws is false?
A) Kepler’s laws explain why planets with larger semi-major axes have much longer orbital
periods.
B) Kepler’s second law implies that when planets are closer to the sun, they move faster.
C) Kepler’s laws provide mathematical descriptions of the motion of the planets.
D) Kepler’s first law states that planetary orbits are shaped as ellipses.
37)
38) Why did Tycho conclude that the Sun revolves around the Earth?
A) He did not conclude that the Sun revolves around the Earth.
B) Long-held tradition prevented him from even considering the idea.
C) He could not detect the parallax of stars expected if the Earth revolves around the Sun.
D) He incorrectly measured the distance to the Sun and concluded it was in a low orbit around
the Earth.
38)
39) What discoveries or further ideas were most critical for Copernicus’ hypothesis that the planets
orbit the sun to be promoted to a theory?
A) observation of Venus’ phases
B) observation of sunspots
C) observation of the moons of Jupiter
D) A and B
E) A and C
39)
40) Which of the following critical features of the heliocentric model leads to Venus exhibiting a full
range of phases?
A) Venus passes on the far-side of the sun from the Earth’s perspective.
B) When Venus is closer to the Sun, it moves faster.
C) Venus physically distorts from a sphere as it orbits the sun.
40)
41) What led Kepler to abandon circular orbits and his discovery that planetary orbits are ellipses?
A) the observation of a comet moving on a highly eccentric orbit
B) a deviation between observed and model values that was much larger than the observation
uncertainties
C) a desire to gain prestige by using a more complicated model
41)
6
TRUE/FALSE. Write ‘T’ if the statement is true and ‘F’ if the statement is false.
42) The names of the seven days of the week are derived from the names of the members of the solar
system that are visible to the naked eye.
42)
43) The Polynesian navigators of the South Pacific found their way primarily by observing the position
of Polaris in the night sky.
43)
44) The Ptolemaic model of the solar system was useless for predicting planetary positions. 44)
45) Copernicus was the first person to suggest a Sun-centered solar system. 45)
46) Copernicus’s model of the solar system gave much better predictions than the model of Ptolemy. 46)
47) In the Ptolemaic system, Venus should not show phases. 47)
48) Galileo found “imperfections” on the Sun in the form of sunspots and “imperfections” on the Moon
in the form of mountains and valleys.
48)
49) It is possible for science as a whole to be objective despite the fact that all individual scientists have
personal biases and beliefs.
49)
50) Scientific thinking developed only in the past few decades. 50)
51) Scientific theories can never be proved true beyond all doubt. 51)
52) A scientific model must make an observational prediction. 52)
53) Astronomy and astrology were often practiced together in ancient cultures, and astrology played
an important role in the historical development of astronomy.
53)
54) Science can say nothing about the validity of nonscientific practices that do not make testable
predictions.
54)
55) Columbus was the first person to discover that Earth is round. 55)
56) Tycho used his high accuracy observations to conclude that the Earth revolves around the sun. 56)
57) Kepler developed his model of elliptical orbits because of an 8-arcminute discrepancy between
observations and a model of planetary motion with circular orbits.
57)
ESSAY. Write your answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet of paper.
58) The Nature of Astronomical Models: Consider the Aztec structure Templo Mayor described in the text. In what
sense can such structures be considered a model of our solar system? How does such a model differ from the
models that astronomers use today? Given your answers, to what extent do you think the builders of such
ancient structures engaged in a scientific process?
7
59) Rival Theories: The idea that Newtonian gravitation might be incorrect was only taken seriously by the scientific
community when a powerful rival theory, Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, became available in the early
part of the 20th century. Consider the role of rival theories with regard to the pseudoscience of astrology.
Astrology purports to “explain” human behavior by celestial influences, such as the position of the Sun and
stars in the sky. Consider the social science of psychology. Is it more or less successful in explaining human
behavior? Give specific examples if you can. Does your answer play any role in regarding astrology as a
pseudoscience?
60) Occam’s Razor: A hallmark of science is the rejection of supernatural causes to explain natural phenomena. Try
to justify this position as another way of including Occam’s Razor into the process of science.
61) Observational Tests: Observations are the ultimate test of physical models and their predictions. Both Tycho
Brahe and Galileo Galilei made decisive observations that helped distinguish between the geocentric and
heliocentric models for the solar system. Compare and contrast the types of observations that Tycho and
Galileo gathered. Which do you think was more persuasive to astronomers at the time? How about to educated
members of the public?
62) A historical science: Scientists in many fields can test their hypotheses by proposing and carrying out
experiments in which they can change variables in a controlled fashion. Astronomers, however, cannot adjust
the properties of the objects they study. In what sense, then, can astronomers still conduct experiments?
63) The practice of science: In what ways does the modern practice of science establish positive feedback (see table 3.2)
to encourage further discoveries? Can you identify elements of the historical accounts of Copernicus, Tycho,
Kepler, and Galileo that provide an example of positive feedback?
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
64) How did ancient peoples of central Africa predict the weather? 64)
65) Why was a knowledge of the stars so important to Polynesians? 65)
66) Describe how Eratosthenes first measured the size of Earth over 2000 years ago. 66)
67) Describe the Ptolemaic model of the solar system. How did Ptolemy account for the
apparent retrograde motion of the planets?
67)
68) Describe one major accomplishment for each of the following people: Copernicus, Tycho
Brahe, Kepler, and Galileo.
68)
69) State Kepler’s three laws of planetary motion. 69)
70) You are using a piece of string and two tacks to draw ellipses on a piece of paper. How can
you draw two ellipses with the same semi-major axes but different eccentricities? How
can you draw two ellipses with the same eccentricity but with the semi-major axis of one
double the other?
70)
71) Describe what a scientific test of astrology would involve. 71)
8
72) Suppose that an ancient civilization had built a stone structure 6000 years ago to point
towards a bright star as it rose. Would that structure still point at that star today? If not,
why not, and what information would archaeoastronomers need to figure out which star
the structure pointed at?
72)
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
73) Which of the following claims cannot be tested by science?
A) This drug will cure cancer.
B) Smoking shortens people’s lifespans.
C) The Sun goes around the Earth.
D) The Earth was created by God.
E) The geometry of the universe is curved.
73)
74) Which of the following statements expresses what we mean by a scientific theory?
A) an educated guess
B) an explanation for a physical phenomenon, an explanation that hasn’t been tested yet
C) a simple model that explains a wide variety of phenomena and that has survived repeated
tests
74)
75) Match the accomplishment to the person.
A) Tycho collected data, Newton found elliptical orbits, Kepler explained in terms of physics.
B) Kepler collected data, Tycho found elliptical orbits, Newton explained in terms of physics.
C) Tycho collected data, Kepler found elliptical orbits, Newton explained in terms of physics.
75)
76) Identify the falsifiable statement below.
A) The Sun is at the center of the solar system.
B) President Kennedy’s murder was orchestrated by an undetectable shadow government of
the United States.
C) The laws of nature are magnificent and beautiful.
D) The universe was created by God.
76)
77) Which of the following statements are not falsifiable? Being falsifiable means that, in principle, it
can be shown to be false by observations or experiments.
A) The observable universe contains about 100 billion galaxies.
B) The Sun is at the center of the solar system.
C) The Earth is at the center of the solar system.
D) The chemical content of the universe is mostly hydrogen and helium.
E) Human beings were created by God.
77)
78) Which pair of ball-drop experiments will best test whether mass affects the acceleration of gravity?
Exp 1. Mass 0.5 kilograms, height 20 meters
Exp 2. Mass 5.0 kilograms, height 20 meters
Exp 3. Mass 0.5 kilograms, height 30 meters
A) Exp 1 and 2 B) Exp 2 and 3 C) Exp 1 and 3
78)
9
79) You want to test how the mass of a ball affects its rate of fall. Which of the following ball drop trials
(matched mass and drop heights) would best test this question?
A) mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m/mass of 5.0 kg, height 20 m
B) mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m/mass of 5.0 kg, height 10 m
C) mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m/mass of 0.5 kg, height 10 m
D) mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m/mass of 0.5 kg, height 20 m
79)
80) What practical value did astronomy offer to ancient civilizations?
A) It helped them understand our cosmic origins.
B) It helped them find uses for ancient structures like Stonehenge.
C) It helped them keep track of time and seasons, and it was used by some cultures for
navigation.
D) It allowed them to predict eclipses with great accuracy.
80)
81) Scientific thinking is ________.
A) based on everyday ideas of observation and trial-and-error experiments
B) a difficult process that only a handful of people can do well
C) completely different from any other type of thinking
D) an ancient mode of thinking first invented in Egypt
81)
82) The names of the seven days of the week are based on ________.
A) the names of prophets in the Bible
B) the seven most prominent constellations in the summer sky
C) the seven naked-eye objects that appear to move among the constellations
D) the names of the seven planets closest to the Sun
82)
83) The Metonic cycle is
A) the 18-year, 11-day period over which the pattern of eclipses repeats.
B) used to keep lunar calendars approximately synchronized with solar calendars.
C) used to predict the future orientation of the Earth’s axis in space.
D) the ancient Greek name for the cycle of lunar phases that repeats every 29 1/2 days.
83)
84) Ptolemy was important in the history of astronomy because he ________.
A) was the first to believe that all orbits are perfect circles
B) developed the first scientific model of the universe
C) developed a model of the solar system that made sufficiently accurate predictions of
planetary positions to remain in use for many centuries
D) was the first to create a model of the solar system that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at
the center
84)
85) The ancient Greeks get a lot of attention for their contributions to science because ________.
A) they were the only ancient culture that kept written records of their astronomical
observations
B) they were the first people known to try to explain nature with models based on reason and
mathematics, without resort to the supernatural
C) the books of every other culture were lost in the destruction of the library of Alexandria
D) they were the first people to realize that Earth is a planet orbiting the Sun
85)
10
86) What do we mean by a geocentric model of the universe?
A) a model designed to explain what we see in the sky while having the Earth located in the
center of the universe
B) a model of the Milky Way Galaxy that has our solar system located at its center
C) the name given to sphere-shaped models that show all the constellations as they appear in
our sky on the celestial sphere
D) a model designed to explain what we see in the sky while having the Earth orbit the Sun
86)
87) What was the Ptolemaic model?
A) the Earth-centered model of the cosmos in which the Earth was surrounded by seven perfect
spheres, one each for the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn
B) a Sun-centered model of planetary motion published by Ptolemy
C) an Earth-centered model of planetary motion published by Ptolemy
D) the first scientific model to successfully predict solar and lunar eclipses
87)
88) The great contribution of Nicholas Copernicus was to ________.
A) create a detailed model of our solar system with the Sun rather than Earth at the center
B) discover the law of gravity
C) discover the laws of planetary motion
D) prove that the Earth is not the center of the universe
88)
89) The great contribution of Tycho Brahe was to ________.
A) discover that planets orbit the Sun in elliptical orbits with varying speed
B) offer the first detailed model of a Sun-centered solar system, thereby beginning the process
of overturning the Earth-centered model of the Greeks
C) observe planetary positions with sufficient accuracy so that Kepler could later use the data to
discover the laws of planetary motion
D) discover four moons orbiting Jupiter, thereby lending strong support to the idea that the
Earth is not the center of the universe
89)
90) Which of the following was not observed by Galileo?
A) four moons orbiting Jupiter B) stellar parallax
C) phases of Venus D) mountains and valleys on the Moon
90)
91) Which of the following statements about an ellipse is not true?
A) A circle is considered to be a special type of ellipse.
B) An ellipse with a large eccentricity looks much more elongated (stretched out) than an ellipse
with a small eccentricity.
C) The focus of an ellipse is always located precisely at the center of the ellipse.
D) The semimajor axis of an ellipse is half the length of the longest line that you can draw across
an ellipse.
91)
92) Which of the following is not one of, nor a direct consequence of, Kepler’s Laws?
A) The orbit of each planet about the Sun is an ellipse with the Sun at one focus.
B) More distant planets orbit the Sun at slower speeds.
C) The force of attraction between any two objects decreases with the square of the distance
between their centers.
D) As a planet moves around its orbit, it sweeps out equal areas in equal times.
92)
11
93) Scientific models are used to ________.
A) make miniature representations of the universe
B) make specific predictions that can be tested through observations or experiments
C) prove that past paradigms no longer hold true
D) present the scale of the solar system to the general public
93)
94) In science, a broad idea that has been repeatedly verified so as to give scientists great confidence
that it represents reality is called ________.
A) a hypothesis B) a paradigm
C) a theory D) a Ptolemaic model
94)
95) 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. Which one of the following statements would most likely be true in
that case?
A) Its slow motion through the sky would have led it to be named after the Goddess of
Procrastination.
B) A week would have eight days instead of seven.
C) The discovery that the Earth is a planet going around the Sun would have come hundreds of
years earlier.
D) Its gravity would cause the tides to be much higher than they actually are.
E) Its brightness would make it possible to read by starlight at night.
95)
96) How does a 12-month lunar calendar differ from our 12-month solar calendar?
A) It has about 11 fewer days.
B) It uses a 23-hour rather than a 24-hour day.
C) Its new year always occurs in February instead of on January 1.
D) It does not have seasons.
96)
97) Which of the following best describes a set of conditions under which archaeoastronomers would
conclude that an ancient structure was used for astronomical purposes?
A) The structure has the same dome shape as modern astronomical observatories.
B) The structure has 29 straight lines pointing out from a center, just like there are 29 days in the
lunar cycle.
C) They find that, looking out from the center of the building, there are two windows that align
with the rise and set points of two bright stars.
D) The structure has holes in the ceiling that allow viewing the passage of constellations that
figure prominently in the culture’s folklore, and many other structures built by the same
culture have ceiling holes placed in the same way.
97)
98) How did the Ptolemaic model explain the apparent retrograde motion of the planets?
A) The planets sometimes stopped moving and then reversed to move backward along their
circular orbits.
B) The planets moved along small circles that moved on larger circles around the Earth.
C) The planets resided on giant spheres that sometimes turned clockwise and sometimes turned
counterclockwise.
D) The model showed that apparent retrograde motion occurs as Earth passes by another planet
in its orbit of the Sun.
98)
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99) When Copernicus first created his Sun-centered model of the universe, it did not lead to
substantially better predictions of planetary positions than the Ptolemaic model. Why not?
A) Copernicus misjudged the distances between the planets.
B) Copernicus placed the planets in the wrong order going outward from the Sun.
C) Copernicus used perfect circles for the orbits of the planets.
D) Copernicus placed the Sun at the center, but did not realize that the Moon orbits the Earth.
99)
100) Earth is farthest from the Sun in July and closest to the Sun in January. During which Northern
Hemisphere season is Earth moving fastest in its orbit?
A) winter B) fall C) summer D) spring
100)
101) According to Kepler’s third law (p2 = a3), how does a planet’s mass affect its orbit around the Sun?
A) More massive planets orbit the Sun at higher average speed.
B) More massive planets must have more circular orbits.
C) A planet’s mass has no effect on its orbit around the Sun.
D) A more massive planet must have a larger semimajor axis.
101)
102) All the following statements are true. Which one follows directly from Kepler’s third law (p2 = a3)?
A) Venus takes longer to rotate than it does to orbit the Sun.
B) Venus is more massive than Mercury.
C) Venus has a thicker atmosphere than Mercury.
D) Venus orbits the Sun at a slower average speed than Mercury.
102)
103) Suppose a comet orbits the Sun on a highly eccentric orbit with an average (semimajor axis)
distance of 1 AU. How long does it take to complete each orbit, and how do we know?
A) Each orbit takes about 1 year, which we know from Kepler’s third law.
B) It depends on the eccentricity of the orbit, as described by Kepler’s first law.
C) Each orbit should take about 2 years, because the eccentricity is so large.
D) It depends on the eccentricity of the orbit, as described by Kepler’s second law.
103)
104) Galileo challenged the idea that objects in the heavens were perfect by ________.
A) showing that heavy objects fall at the same rate as lighter objects
B) proving Kepler’s laws were correct
C) inventing the telescope
D) observing sunspots on the Sun and mountains on the Moon
104)
105) Galileo observed all of the following. Which observation offered direct proof of a planet orbiting
the Sun?
A) four moons of Jupiter
B) phases of Venus
C) patterns of shadow and sunlight near the dividing line between the light and dark portions
of the Moon’s face
D) The Milky Way is composed of many individual stars.
105)
106) Which of the following is not consistent with the major hallmarks of science?
A) Science progresses through the creation and testing of models that explain observation as
simply as possible.
B) Science consists of proven theories that are understood to be true explanations of reality.
C) Scientific explanations should be based solely on natural causes.
D) A scientific model must make testable predictions.
106)
13
107) Which of the following is not part of a good scientific theory?
A) A scientific theory must explain a wide variety of phenomena observed in the natural world.
B) A scientific theory should be based on natural processes and should not invoke the
supernatural or divine.
C) A scientific theory cannot be accepted until it has been proven true beyond all doubt.
D) A scientific theory must make testable predictions that, if found to be incorrect, could lead to
its own modification or demise.
107)
108) Only one of the statements below uses the term theory in its correct, scientific sense. Which one?
A) I have a new theory about the cause of earthquakes, and I plan to start testing it soon.
B) I wrote a theory that is 152 pages long.
C) Einstein’s theory of relativity has been tested and verified thousands of times.
D) Evolution is only a theory, so there’s no reason to think it really happened.
108)
109) Imagine for a moment that despite all the evidence, Earth actually is not rotating and orbiting the
Sun. Which of these hypothetical observations (none of them are real) would be inconsistent with
our Sun-centered view of the solar system?
A) We discover that the universe is actually contracting, not expanding.
B) We discover an Earth-sized planet orbiting the Sun beyond the orbit of Pluto.
C) We find that we are unable to measure any parallax for a distant galaxy.
D) We discover a small planet beyond Saturn that rises in the west and sets in the east each day.
109)
110) With which of the following observations could Tycho have demonstrated that a comet must be a
celestial phenomenon? (Note: you may want to review Ch. 2)
A) from the comet causing a full solar eclipse across much of Europe
B) parallax measurements from observing it from two locations on Earth
C) measuring changes in its brightness over time
110)
111) What advantage did Tycho have compared to other astronomical observers of his time?
A) He had access to a new and improved type of observatory.
B) He had access to telescopes.
C) Tycho was clearly much smarter.
111)
14
Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED31
1) A
2) C
3) C
4) C
5) B
6) C
7) C
8) B
9) B
10) B
11) A
12) C
13) C
14) D
15) C
16) D
17) E
18) B
19) E
20) D
21) A
22) E
23) E
24) A
25) A
26) A
27) A
28) A
29) E
30) A
31) E
32) A
33) C
34) C
35) D
36) E
37) A
38) C
39) E
40) A
41) B
42) TRUE
43) FALSE
44) FALSE
45) FALSE
46) FALSE
47) FALSE
48) TRUE
49) TRUE
50) FALSE