Question 1
When a main-sequence star has exhausted the fuel in the inner region, it becomes a:
black hole.
red giant.
protosun.
white dwarf.
Question 2
Which of the following is a FALSE statement?
Stars that appear the brightest are of the first magnitude, while the faintest stars visible to the unaided eye are of the sixth magnitude.
Most stars have such small parallax shifts that accurate measurement is always possible.
Stellar parallax is the extremely slight back-and-forth shifting in the apparent position of a nearby star due to the orbital motion of the Earth.
Emission nebulae are gaseous masses that consist largely of hydrogen.
Question 3
According to the Ptolemaic (Greek) model of the universe, how many "heavenly" bodies could be observed wandering along the background of stars?
One
Nine
Five
Seven
Question 4
Which theory held that the Earth was a sphere that stayed motionless at the center of the universe?
Heliocentric
Geocentric
Big Bang
Stationary
Question 5
The discovery that the universe appears to be expanding led to a widely accepted theory called:
the Big Bang.
Hubble's Law.
Einstein's Law.
the Doppler Effect.
Question 6
The spherical shell around the solar system that produces comets, which rarely have orbits that bring them to the inner solar system, is called the:
Belt of Orion.
Planetesimals.
Regolithic Belt.
Oort Cloud.
Question 7
One of the most common units used to express stellar distance is the:
mile.
kilometer.
light-year.
parsec.
Question 8
The theory that describes the formation of our solar system is the:
Big Bang Theory.
Heliocentric Theory.
Nebular Theory.
Solar Evolution Theory.
Question 9
Carbonaceous chondrites:
are fossilized meteorites from the Carboniferous Period.
contain simple amino acids.
contain fossilized archaebacteria.
become 'fizzy' when submerged in water.
Question 10
The largest known volcano in the solar system is __________.
Mauna Loa on Earth
Vulcan on Venus
Solfatara on Jupiter
Olympus Mons on Mars
Question 11
How do we calculate or determine the distances to stars? What units do we use and what are the limitations (if any) of the method used for such calculations?
Question 12
Compare and contrast the atmospheres of Jovian planets and the atmospheres of terrestrial planets. Why are the components of Jovian atmospheres so different from those of terrestrial planets?