Download Set 3 AStronomy questions

Astronomy Set 3
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What is the most common term for the celestial phenomenon
that
causes a comet's tail in our solar system to point away from the Sun?
ANSWER: THE SOLAR WIND
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the BEST description of our Sun:
W) a cool large star similar to Proxima Centauri
X) a small-sized star about 6 billion years old
Y) a mid-sized yellow dwarf star
Z) a large-sized red giant about 4.7 billion years old
ANSWER: Y) A MID-SIZED YELLOW DWARF STAR
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is NOT true:
W) most of the meteorites that have been found have a high iron content
X) a bolometer is used to measure the energy output of the Sun
Y) the celestial coordinate analogous to latitude is called ascension
Z) sunlight reflecting off the Earth is called Earthshine
ANSWER: Y) THE CELESTIAL COORDINATE ANALOGOUS TO LATITUDE IS CALLED
ASCENSION
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following BEST describes the zenith:
W) the point in the sky that is at 180 degrees of inclination to the horizon
X) 90 degrees opposite to the nadir
Y) the opposite position on the ecliptic to an observer
Z) the point on the celestial sphere directly overhead of an observer
ANSWER: Z) THE POINT ON THE CELESTIAL SPHERE DIRECTLY OVERHEAD OF AN
OBSERVER
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What is the Latin-derived term for the relatively smooth lunar
plains that are areas of the Moon that appear dark as viewed from Earth?
ANSWER: MARE (ACCEPT: MARIA)
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What planet has the greatest variation in temperature over a
single one of its planetary days?
ANSWER: MERCURY
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Our Sun is a:
W) A-type star
X) B-type star
Y) G-type star
Z) K-type star
ANSWER: Y) G-TYPE STAR
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What element was first discovered through spectroscopic
analysis
of the Sun?
ANSWER: HELIUM
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple choice Main sequence stars are found in a region on the H-R diagram
that is oriented on the diagram from:
W) upper left to lower left
X) upper left to lower right
Y) upper right to lower left
Z) upper right to lower right
ANSWER: X) UPPER LEFT TO LOWER RIGHT
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the BEST explanation for why the
Northern Hemisphere’s summer occurs when the Sun is not the closest to Earth in Earth’s orbit
around the Sun:
W) the Sun’s rays are made of mostly neutrinos that have such small mass that distance does
not
matter
X) the Sun emits different amounts of energy at different times of the year
Y) the Sun’s rays strike the Northern Hemisphere more directly in summer
Z) because of precession
ANSWER: Y) THE SUN’S RAYS STRIKE THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE MORE
DIRECTLY IN SUMMER
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What scientific term is given to the apparent path of the Sun
around the celestial sphere?
ANSWER: THE ECLIPTIC
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer The local group is a collection of what type of astronomical
bodies?
ANSWER: GALAXIES
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice At about 10 PM in late summer of 2006, an observer at about
35 degrees north latitude would most likely see the stars Altair, Deneb and Vega in which of the
following places in the sky:
W) low in the east
X) low in the west
Y) about half way up in the northern sky
Z) almost directly overhead
ANSWER: Z) ALMOST DIRECTLY OVERHEAD
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What is the most common astronomical term for the interval of
time between two successive passages of the Sun through the vernal equinox?
ANSWER: TROPICAL YEAR (ACCEPT: SOLAR YEAR)
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following can you estimate BEST if you know
the color of a star:
W) luminosity
X) elemental makeup
Y) temperature
Z) mass
ANSWER: Y) TEMPERATURE
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is closest to the maximum apparent
brightness of the brightest star in the night sky from anywhere on Earth:
W) –15
X) –1.5
Y) 4.5
Z) 6
ANSWER: X) –1.5
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is NOT true:
W) Vega is part of the summer triangle
X) the Seven Sisters is a star cluster
Y) Cassiopeia is a constellation generally shaped like a W
Z) cosmic rays are electromagnetic radiation of very high energies
ANSWER: Z) COSMIC RAYS ARE ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF VERY HIGH
ENERGIES
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Short Answer The north magnetic pole of the Sun reverses every so many
years.
How many years does it take for one complete cycle for the Sun to return to its original state or
what
might be looked at as two reversals?
ANSWER: 22
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following would have a Widmanstätten Pattern:
W) meteorite
X) comet
Y) planet
Z) constellation
ANSWER: W) METEORITE
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the BEST description of the H-R
Diagram:
W) it plots apparent brightness versus age
X) it plots luminosity versus surface temperature with highest temperatures on the right
Y) it plots luminosity versus surface temperature with highest temperatures on the left
Z) it plots apparent magnitude versus average stellar temperature
ANSWER: Y) IT PLOTS LUMINOSITY VERSUS SURFACE TEMPERATURE WITH
HIGHEST TEMPERATURES ON THE LEFT
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following constellations are circumpolar for
people in North America and are found on opposite sides and close to Polaris:
W) Cassiopeia and Ursa Major
X) Orion and Leo
Y) Aquarius and Capricorn
Z) Leo and Sagittarius
ANSWER: W) CASSIOPEIA AND URSA MAJOR
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What is the astronomical distance at which a star would have a
parallax of 1 arcsecond?
ANSWER: PARSEC
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the MOST common term for a
galaxy that is emitting a large amount of radiation from a black hole at its center:
W) bright galaxy
X) luminous galaxy
Y) active galaxy
Z) event galaxy
ANSWER: Y) ACTIVE GALAXY
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple choice Stars in the spectral class A would have a surface temperature
of about:
W) 5,000 K
X) 10,000 K
Y) 15,000 K
Z) 20,000 K
ANSWER: X) 10,000 K
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is LEAST accurate:
W) at the equator, stars appear to rise and set vertically
X) all Mira stars are Red Giants
Y) right ascension is analogous to longitude
Z) the Earth is closest to the Sun during December
ANSWER: Z) THE EARTH IS CLOSEST TO THE SUN DURING DECEMBER
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the MOST commonly accepted
reason as to why the planet Uranus rotates on its side:
W) it oscillates in its rotation orientation over thousands of years
X) it captured four of its moons early in its development which radically affected its primordial
disk
rotation
Y) it was once struck by a massive object
Z) because of its orbital position and low density it was susceptible to a wide variety of axial
rotational possibilities
ANSWER: Y) IT WAS ONCE STRUCK BY A MASSIVE OBJECT
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Multiple choice A star is found to have a surface temperature of 20,000
kelvin.
Which of the following spectral types is it most likely to be:
W) A
X) F
Y) G
Z) O
ANSWER: Z) O
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What is the astronomical term for a planet’s orbital point that is
closest to the Sun?
ANSWER: PERIHELION
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is NOT true:
W) the rotation of the Sun’s surface is faster at the equator than at the poles
X) the apparent magnitude of an RR Lyrae depends most on its distance from the Earth
Y) Venus appears its largest to nighttime observers when it is in its full phase
Z) a star’s light curve typically plots brightness verses time
ANSWER: Y) VENUS APPEARS ITS LARGEST TO NIGHTTIME OBSERVERS WHEN IT IS
IN ITS FULL PHASE
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following techniques would you most directly be
using if you were analyzing a Balmer and Lyman series:
W) astrolabe measurements
X) spectroscopy
Y) nuclear fission
Z) bolometric analysis
ANSWER: X) SPECTROSCOPY
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Short Answer With reference to the Sun’s position in the sky, when does a full
Moon set?
ANSWER: WHEN THE SUN RISES
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Short Answer In a Newtonian telescope, how many degrees is the secondary
mirror tilted in reference to the primary?
ANSWER: 45
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What planet is never more than 28º from the Sun in the evening
sky?
ANSWER: MERCURY
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice At 8:00 AM in early August of 2006 in New York, the Moon
could be seen low in the western sky. What phase was it most likely in:
W) waxing crescent
X) just past new
Y) a few days past full
Z) first quarter
ANSWER: Y) A FEW DAYS PAST FULL
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following sets of constellations would be found
nearest the ecliptic to an observer in mid-northern latitudes:
W) Leo, Virgo, and Scorpius
X) Pisces, Aries, and Draco
Y) Cancer, Gemini, and Cassiopeia
Z) Taurus, Ursa Minor, and Pisces
ANSWER: W) LEO, VIRGO, AND SCORPIUS
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following will MOST likely occur if the Earth
crosses the orbit of a comet:
W) a meteor shower could be seen from Earth
X) an asteroid will likely strike the Earth
Y) red sprites and bolides will be seen both day and night
Z) the Earth would temporarily lose its Van Allen belts
ANSWER: W) A METEOR SHOWER COULD BE SEEN FROM EARTH
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following BEST describes the location of the
heliosphere:
W) the region that extends a few thousand kilometers outside of the Sun’s corona
X) the region that extends from the Sun’s corona to the end of the solar system
Y) the region that extends from the Sun’s core to the end of the solar system
Z) the region of the expanding solar wind between the sun and the heliopause
ANSWER: Z) THE REGION OF THE EXPANDING SOLAR WIND BETWEEN THE SUN
AND THE HELIOPAUSE
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following BEST describes the position of the
first quarter Moon to an observer in northern mid-latitudes on a clear summer night just after
sunset:
W) rising in the east
X) setting in the west
Y) high in the south
Z) unable to be seen
ANSWER: Y) HIGH IN THE SOUTH
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer At how many parsecs is a star’s absolute magnitude the same as
its apparent magnitude?
ANSWER: 10
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer A photon of only a certain wavelength is able to be absorbed
only by an electron at a specific energy level of an atom. This is the basis of what commonly
used
astronomical technique?
ANSWER: SPECTROSCOPY (ACCEPT: ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY)
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the MAIN advantage of space-based
telescopes over typical ground-based telescopes:
W) they are not affected by radiation
X) their mirrors can be any size because of zero gravity
Y) they are cheaper to maintain
Z) they experience no atmospheric distortion
ANSWER: Z) THEY EXPERIENCE NO ATMOSPHERIC DISTORTION
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the BEST evidence that globular
clusters are composed of mostly old stars:
W) most of their stars have a low metal content
X) most of their stars are population one stars
Y) most of the stars have a very high mass
Z) most of their stars are white dwarfs
ANSWER: W) MOST OF THEIR STARS HAVE A LOW METAL CONTENT
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice The Schmidt telescope would BEST be considered:
W) an advanced adaptive optics telescope with x-ray detection capabilities
X) a wide field telescope
Y) a radio telescope
Z) an orbital x-ray telescope
ANSWER: X) A WIDE FIELD TELESCOPE
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is NOT true:
W) the planet Venus has a high albedo
X) a gnomon is a very simple astronomical instrument
Y) the Moon is found at over 10 degrees north of the ecliptic in a lunar standstill year
Z) carbon is probably the fourth most common element in the universe
ANSWER: Y) THE MOON IS FOUND AT OVER 10 DEGREES NORTH OF THE ECLIPTIC
IN A LUNAR STANDSTILL YEAR
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer Which one of the following 4 planets has the smallest orbital
eccentricity: Mercury; Jupiter; Venus; Saturn
ANSWER: VENUS
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer Arrange the following 3 objects from LEAST to MOST in their
maximum apparent brightness: Sirius; Mars; Jupiter
ANSWER: SIRIUS; JUPITER; MARS
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following was the primary instrument used to
gather 5 to 35 micrometer spectra data from the Deep Impact mission:
W) Chandra X-ray observatory
X) Arecibo radio telescope
Y) Hubble gamma-ray telescope
Z) Spitzer infrared spectrograph
ANSWER: Z) SPITZER INFRARED SPECTROGRAPH
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple choice By what multiple does the brightness of two stars differ with
apparent magnitudes of –3 and +4:
W) 2.5
X) 25
Y) 250
Z) 625
ANSWER: Z) 625
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is LEAST accurate:
W) recent evidence suggests a subsurface salty ocean is present on the Moon Europa
X) spiral galaxies are actively forming stars
Y) Earth’s aphelion occurs on the summer solstice
Z) Julian days are often used as the time reference on light curves of stars
ANSWER: Y) EARTH’S APHELION OCCURS ON THE SUMMER SOLSTICE
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice What would happen in the mid-northern latitudes if the tilt of
the Earth’s axis decreased by 15 degrees:
W) warmer summers and warmer winters
X) cooler summers and cooler winters
Y) cooler summers and warmer winters
Z) colder summers and colder winters
ANSWER: Y) COOLER SUMMERS AND WARMER WINTERS
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer A stargazer looks at Orion and sees a reddish star called
Betelgeuse. The redness is because the star is what type of star?
ANSWER: A RED GIANT
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What is the MOST common name for the celestial objects that
are called stars but since they are low mass objects of less than 0.08 solar masses they cannot
undergo fusion?
ANSWER: BROWN DWARFS
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice All the stars of the Pleiades open cluster have:
W) the same luminosities
X) the same surface temperatures
Y) very similar chemical compositions
Z) the same apparent magnitudes
ANSWER: Y) VERY SIMILAR CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice When binary stars are made of a main sequence star and a
compact white dwarf, as long as the white dwarf’s mass remains below 1.4 solar masses then
the gas
falling into the white dwarf is believed to often result in a:
W) supernova
X) nova
Y) pulsar
Z) quasar
ANSWER: X) NOVA
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice In what area of the sky would the planet Venus be MOST
likely to be seen a few hours after sunset from mid-northern latitudes:
W) low in the western sky
X) high in the southern sky
Y) directly overhead
Z) high in the northern sky
ANSWER: W) LOW IN THE WESTERN SKY
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Short Answer How many degrees along the meridian is the nadir from the
zenith?
ANSWER: 180
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What astronomical constant has the value of 70 kilometers per
second per megaparsec?
ANSWER: HUBBLE CONSTANT (ACCEPT: HUBBLE)
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer Order the following 3 celestial objects from the one with the
LEAST number of impact craters to the MOST: Earth’s Moon; Earth; Venus
ANSWER: EARTH; VENUS; EARTH’S MOON
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Recent analysis of Cassini spacecraft data has provided
convincing evidence that Saturn’s Moon Titan has:
W) large seas of liquid water
X) methane lakes on its surface
Y) a moon of its own
Z) a large active volcano
ANSWER: X) METHANE LAKES ON ITS SURFACE
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the next stage in the evolution of a
single star after the red giant stage:
W) white dwarf
X) red dwarf
Y) planetary nebula
Z) nova
ANSWER: Y) PLANETARY NEBULA
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Microlensing is BEST explained by which of the following
theories or laws:
W) Quantum theory
X) General Relativity
Y) Kirchhoff’s laws
Z) Maxwell’s law
ANSWER: X) GENERAL RELATIVITY
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is a type of telescope technology that
uses mirrors whose shapes can be deformed:
W) Schmidt optics
X) redundant interfermetric optics
Y) CCD optics
Z) adaptive optics
ANSWER: Z) ADAPTIVE OPTICS
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer Name all of the following 4 celestial objects that are typically
considered minor planets: Ceres; Titan; Mercury; Juno
ANSWER: CERES AND JUNO
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer How many times as great will light-gathering power of a
reflector telescope be if the radius of its primary mirror is doubled?
ANSWER: 4
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is LEAST accurate:
W) magnetic fields can be strongly amplified when 2 neutron stars merge
X) Saturn’s moon Titan has been found to have large dunes
Y) hydrogen and nitrogen isotopes have been found in organic matter of primitive meteorites
Z) interplanetary dust particles are typically nitrogen-rich and carbon-poor
ANSWER: Z) INTERPLANETARY DUST PARTICLES ARE TYPICALLY NITROGEN-RICH
AND CARBON-POOR
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is LEAST accurate:
W) the imaginary north-south line that passes through the zenith on the celestial sphere is the
meridian
X) Kirkwood gaps are gaps in the main asteroid belt caused by the gravitational effects of Mars
Y) Population TWO stars are composed mostly of hydrogen and helium
Z) a negative sign indicates the celestial coordinate is in the southern hemisphere
ANSWER: X) KIRKWOOD GAPS ARE GAPS IN THE MAIN ASTEROID BELT CAUSED BY
THE GRAVITATIONAL EFFECTS OF MARS
TOSS-UP
12) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following was the primary instrument used to
gather 5 to 35 micrometer spectra data from the Deep Impact mission:
W) Chandra X-ray observatory
X) Arecibo radio telescope
Y) Hubble gamma-ray telescope
Z) Spitzer infrared spectrograph
ANSWER: Z) SPITZER INFRARED SPECTROGRAPH
BONUS
12) ASTRONOMY Multiple choice By what multiple does the brightness of two stars differ with
apparent magnitudes of –3 and +4:
W) 2.5
X) 25
Y) 250
Z) 625
ANSWER: Z) 625
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Short Answer If the temperature of an object is doubled, and all other things
remain the same, how many times as fast will it radiate energy?
ANSWER: 16 (ACCEPT: 24
)
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Short Answer How many sidereal minutes are in 4 sidereal hours?
ANSWER: 240
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer Name all of the following 4 objects that would NOT be found
on Earth: meteors; craters; asteroid impact remnants; bolides
ANSWER: METEORS; BOLIDES
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer For someone standing at 22° North latitude, how many degrees
above the horizon will the north celestial pole be?
ANSWER: 22
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is LEAST accurate:
W) magnetic fields can be strongly amplified when 2 neutron stars merge
X) Saturn’s moon Titan has been found to have large dunes
Y) hydrogen and nitrogen isotopes have been found in organic matter of primitive meteorites
Z) interplanetary dust particles are typically nitrogen-rich and carbon-poor
ANSWER: Z) INTERPLANETARY DUST PARTICLES ARE TYPICALLY NITROGEN-RICH
AND CARBON-POOR
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is LEAST accurate:
W) the imaginary north-south line that passes through the zenith on the celestial sphere is the
meridian
X) Kirkwood gaps are gaps in the main asteroid belt caused by the gravitational effects of Mars
Y) Population TWO stars are composed mostly of hydrogen and helium
Z) a negative sign indicates the celestial coordinate is in the southern hemisphere
ANSWER: X) KIRKWOOD GAPS ARE GAPS IN THE MAIN ASTEROID BELT CAUSED BY
THE GRAVITATIONAL EFFECTS OF MARS
TOSS-UP
12) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following was the primary instrument used to
gather 5 to 35 micrometer spectra data from the Deep Impact mission:
W) Chandra X-ray observatory
X) Arecibo radio telescope
Y) Hubble gamma-ray telescope
Z) Spitzer infrared spectrograph
ANSWER: Z) SPITZER INFRARED SPECTROGRAPH
BONUS
12) ASTRONOMY Multiple choice By what multiple does the brightness of two stars differ with
apparent magnitudes of –3 and +4:
W) 2.5
X) 25
Y) 250
Z) 625
ANSWER: Z) 625
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Short Answer If the temperature of an object is doubled, and all other things
remain the same, how many times as fast will it radiate energy?
ANSWER: 16 (ACCEPT: 24
)
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Short Answer How many sidereal minutes are in 4 sidereal hours?
ANSWER: 240
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer Name all of the following 4 objects that would NOT be found
on Earth: meteors; craters; asteroid impact remnants; bolides
ANSWER: METEORS; BOLIDES
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer For someone standing at 22° North latitude, how many degrees
above the horizon will the north celestial pole be?
ANSWER: 22
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice If an astronomer photographed a massive cloud of ionized
hydrogen in space that was emitting all of the Balmer wavelengths, what color would it typically
appear to us:
W) white
X) green
Y) pink
Z) blue
ANSWER: Y) PINK
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following was discovered in the 1600’s about
Venus that was strong evidence that the planets orbited the Sun:
W) Venus’s cloud cover reverses its direction in the sky at certain times of the year
X) Venus has phases varying from crescent to full
Y) Venus has an axial motion opposite to that of the Earth
Z) Venus is the brightest planet in the sky only part of the year
ANSWER: X) VENUS HAS PHASES VARYING FROM CRESCENT TO FULL
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple choice According to the location in the H-R diagram, which of the
following stars has the highest absolute visual magnitude and is also the hottest:
W) one located in the upper left of the diagram
X) one located in the upper right of the diagram
Y) one located in the lower left of the diagram
Z) one located in the lower right of the diagram
ANSWER: W) ONE LOCATED IN THE UPPER LEFT OF THE DIAGRAM
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What is the MOST common scientific term for the specific
spectral line-splitting effect resulting when atoms absorb or emit radiation in the presence of a
magnetic field?
ANSWER: ZEEMAN EFFECT
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What is the most common astronomical term for the
geometrical
configuration where Venus is between the Earth and the Sun?
ANSWER: INFERIOR CONJUNCTION
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer How many degrees of arc are in 4 hours and 20 minutes of right
ascension?
ANSWER: 65 DEGREES
(Solution: 15 degrees per hour)
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the BEST explanation of why
Population One stars have a high metal content:
W) old stars lose their metals as they age
X) old stars convert their metals to non-metals
Y) young stars acquire metals when they form from previous stars that created the metals
Z) all stars accumulate metals early in their development
ANSWER: Y) YOUNG STARS ACQUIRE METALS WHEN THEY FORM FROM PREVIOUS
STARS THAT CREATED THE METALS
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the BEST description of the
composition of our Sun:
W) 71% hydrogen, 27% helium, and 2% other
X) 80% hydrogen, 19% helium, and 1% other
Y) 90% hydrogen, 9% helium, and 1% other
Z) 99% hydrogen, 1% helium
ANSWER: W) 71% HYDROGEN, 27% HELIUM, AND 2% OTHER
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the BEST reason why the Sun’s
corona primarily emits x-rays:
W) it has a high-strength magnetic field
X) it is where most of the neutrinos escape to outer space
Y) it is a convecting zone
Z) it is very hot
ANSWER: Z) IT IS VERY HOT
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is a spacecraft that is stationed to
continuously observe the Sun:
W) Chandra
X) Hubble
Y) SOHO (read as: so-ho)
Z) Galileo 3
ANSWER: Y) SOHO
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer In what region of the electromagnetic spectrum is a supernova
most commonly detected?
ANSWER: ULTRAVIOLET (ACCEPT: UV)
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer What are the 3 general layers of the Sun’s atmosphere from
INNERMOST to OUTERMOST?
ANSWER: PHOTOSPHERE; CHROMOSPHERE; CORONA
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is TRUE:
W) the far side of the Moon from Earth has more large maria than the near side
X) the next sunspot minimum is expected in 2008
Y) the declination of the Sun during the winter solstice is 23.5 degrees north
Z) B-type stars have strong absorption lines for neutral helium
ANSWER: Z) B-TYPE STARS HAVE STRONG ABSORPTION LINES FOR NEUTRAL
HELIUM
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is the BEST description of a Cepheid
variable star:
W) a pulsating variable varying in brightness in a very regular time period of 1 to 50 days
X) a short pulsating variable with a very regular period of 1 to 4 minutes
Y) a binary star system with an eclipsing partner
Z) a small k-type star with a very regular period of 1 to 3 weeks
ANSWER: W) A PULSATING VARIABLE VARYING IN BRIGHTNESS IN A VERY
REGULAR TIME PERIOD OF 1 TO 50 DAYS
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple choice Which of the following is LEAST accurate:
W) the Sun’s corona is hotter than both the photosphere and the chromosphere
X) the Crab nebula is a remnant of a supernova that collapsed in the year 1054
Y) equinoxes are points on the celestial sphere where the celestial equator is intersected by the
ecliptic
Z) epicycles were employed by Ptolemy to explain retrograde motion in planets
ANSWER: X) THE CRAB NEBULA IS A REMNANT OF A SUPERNOVA THAT
COLLAPSED IN THE YEAR 1054
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following is LEAST likely true about gamma
ray bursts:
W) they are extremely powerful emissions of energy
X) they are probably often associated with black holes
Y) they probably result from a neutron star merging with a black hole
Z) they typically last less than a hundredth of a second
ANSWER: Z) THEY TYPICALLY LAST LESS THAN A HUNDREDTH OF A SECOND
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer The abundance of what element in T-Tauri stars is the best
indication that they are young stars?
ANSWER: LITHIUM
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer Name all of the following instruments that have been used to
help understand the critical density of our universe: COBE; WMAP; BOOMERANG
ANSWER: COBE; WMAP; BOOMERANG (ACCEPT: ALL)
TOSS-UP
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple Choice Which of the following MOST directly predicts that the
maximum mass possible for a white dwarf is about 1.4-times that of the Sun:
W) the Hubble constant
X) the Chandrasekhar limit (read as: chan-dra-SAY-kar)
Y) General Relativity
Z) the Fornax theorem
ANSWER: X) THE CHANDRASEKHAR LIMIT
BONUS
7) ASTRONOMY Multiple choice Which of the following is illustrated on Maunder’s diagram:
W) sunspot activity
X) stellar luminosity
Y) cometary periods
Z) planetary orbital periods
ANSWER: W) SUNSPOT ACTIVITY
TOSS-UP
11) MATH Short Answer Differentiate and simplify the following with respect to x: y = x e
ANSWER:
x
ex
2
BONUS
11) MATH Short Answer For a triangle whose side b = 6 and c = 8 and the angle formed by those
sides is 45º, find the area of the triangle, to the nearest whole number:
ANSWER: 17
(Solution: K = ½ bc sin A; = ½ (6)(8)(0.707) = 16.97 = 17)
TOSS-UP
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple choice In the first step of the proton-proton chain, when two protons
come together one of the protons remains as a proton and the other:
W) is annihilated
X) turns into a neutron
Y) turns into a negatron
Z) also remains as a proton
ANSWER: X) TURNS INTO A NEUTRON
BONUS
14) ASTRONOMY Multiple choice In the second step of the proton-proton chain, which of the
following occurs:
W) a proton combines with deuterium to produce helium-3 and a gamma ray is emitted
X) a neutron combines with deuterium to produce helium-3 and a neutrino is emitted
Y) a proton combines with deuterium to produce helium-3 and a neutrino ray is emitted
Z) a neutron combines with deuterium to produce helium-2 and a positron is emitted
ANSWER: W) A PROTON COMBINES WITH DEUTERIUM TO PRODUCE HELIUM-3 AND
A GAMMA RAY IS EMITTED
TOSS-UP
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer Order the following 3 stars from the one that will undergo
fusion for the SHORTEST time to the LONGEST: red dwarf; our Sun; large mass o-type star
ANSWER: LARGE MASS O-TYPE STAR; OUR SUN; RED DWARF
BONUS
21) ASTRONOMY Short Answer If a stellar body’s surface is 5,000 kelvin, what is its peak
emission of electromagnetic radiation, in nanometers?
ANSWER: 580
(Solution: Wien’s Law T = 2.9 × 10-3 m.k/λ ! 0.005×106 = 2.9 × 10-3 m / 580 × 10-9
m = 580nm)