ASTRONOMY FINAL QUIZ (30 pts)
To complete this assignment : print out this page, answer the questions,
and turn it in to your TA.
1. The Metric System is
a. any system involving physical units
b. the international system of units that uses
prefix multipliers
c. the American system of units that uses prefix
multipliers
2. Scientific notation is
a. a method of writing very large or small numbers
based on powers of 2
b. a system of letters and symbols used to represent
physical quantities
c. a method of writing very large or small numbers
based on powers of 10
3. Which distance measure is the smallest?
a. kilometer (km)
b. astronomical unit (AU)
c. light year (ly)
4. The celestial sphere is
a. an imaginary distant sphere of celestial objects
that surrounds the Earth
b. the boundary of the Universe
c. an imaginary distant sphere of celestial objects
that surrounds our Galaxy
5. A constellation is
a. any group of celestial objects that forms a
pattern or shape
b. any group of stars that forms a pattern or
shape as seen from Earth
c. any group of stars that forms a pattern or
shape as seen from outerspace
6. What is another name for the North Star?
a. Little Dipper
b. Big Dipper
c. Polaris
7. The Earth takes how long to rotate on its axis?
a. 12 hours
b. 24 hours
c. 365 days
8. It takes _____ for the Earth to make one revolution of the Sun.
a. 1 day
b. 30 days
c. 365 days
9. We observe phases of the Moon because
a. the Earth casts a shadow on the Moon
b. the Moon's light source varies in brightness
c. the Earth-Moon-Sun geometry changes as the Moon
orbits Earth
10. Why do we have seasons?
a. the Earth's tilt causes variation in the amount
of Earth that can receive direct sunlight
b. the Earth is closer to the Sun in summer and
farther away in winter
c. the Earth's tilt causes it to move closer to
and farther away from the Sun at different times of year
11. Who first explained the law of gravity?
a. Galileo Galilei
b. Johannes Kepler
c. Isaac Newton
12. The gravitational acceleration on Earth (in meters per second squared)
is
a. 8.91
b. 1.61
c. 9.81
13. Who is considered the first to propose a heliocentric (Sun-centered)
Solar System?
a. Galileo Galilei
b. Nicolaus Copernicus
c. Johannes Kepler
14. One of Kepler's laws of planetary motion states that
a. the planets orbit the Earth in elliptical orbits
b. the planets orbit the Sun in circular orbits
c. the planets orbit the Sun in elliptical orbits
15. Who is considered the 'inventor' of the telescope?
a. Isaac Newton
b. Johannes Kepler
c. Galileo Galilei
16. The Sun generates energy via the nuclear fusion of __________ into __________.
a. hydrogen ; helium
b. helium; hydrogen
c. hydrogen ; oxygen
17. The average distance between the Earth and Sun is
a. 1 million miles
b. 100 million miles
c. 100 thousand miles
18. Sunspots are
a. dents in the Sun's atmosphere caused by space
debris crashing into the Sun
b. an optical illusion caused by trying to observe
the Sun's harmful rays
c. areas in Sun's atmosphere that appear darker
because of their lower temperature
19. How many planets are in our Solar System?
a. 10
b. 9
c. 6
20. Which is the correct order, starting with the planet closest to the
Sun?
a. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
b. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
c. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
Neptune, Uranus, Pluto
21. The terrestrial planets are small and __________ , but the Jovian planets
are large and __________.
a. gaseous; rocky
b. rocky ; gaseous
c. rocky ; ringed
22. Which are the largest and smallest planets in our Solar System?
a. Saturn; Mercury
b. Jupiter; Mercury
c. Jupiter; Pluto
23. The Bohr model is
a. an atomic model with an uncharged nucleus
b. an atomic model with a charged nucleus surrounded
by electrons
c. an atomic model explaining how electrons inhabit
space
24. Scientists can study the __________ of light to determine the composition
of a planet or star.
a. wavelength
b. intensity
c. speed
25. The apparent brightness of a star is measured in units called
a. magnitudes
b. fluxes
c. Kelvins
26. What is the name of our Galaxy?
a. Andromeda Galaxy
b. Big Dipper
c. Milky Way Galaxy
27. A light year is a measure of
a. how far light can travel in one year
b. the constant speed at which light travels through
the Universe
c. how long it takes light to travel the Universe
28. Which distance measure is the largest?
a. astronomical unit (AU)
b. parsec (pc)
c. light year (ly)
29. Our Galaxy is _____ times the size of our Solar System.
a. 2
b. 150 million
c. 10,000
30. Our Galaxy is classified as
a. spiral
b. elliptical
c. irregular