AST 1002
Test 1, Fall 2004
QQ 1 The Sun is a member of which galaxy?
AA S 1 (1) the Milky Way  
(2) the Andromeda Galaxy
(3) the Local Group
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA

QQ 2 Which of the following is defined as "a body orbiting a 
planet?"
AA S 1 (1) a moon or satellite  
(2) a minor planet or asteroid  
(3) a comet  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 3 Which of the Earth's motions is responsible for the Sun's 
apparent motion around the ecliptic?
AA S 1 (1) revolution around the Sun  
(2)  rotation around its axis  
(3) precession of its axis  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 4 The "raisin-cake" analogy is supposed to help one to understand 
that 
AA S 1 (1) the Universe is not just expanding from our location but 
is expanding overall, with no one place being special    
(2) as one looks out into space one is looking back in time as well  
(3) the first chemical elements were "baked" in the intense heat 
of the Big Bang  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 5 At latitude 30 degrees North, longitude 82 degrees West the 
altitude of the North Celestial Pole is 
AA S 1 (1) 30 degrees 
(2) 90 degrees minus the observer's latitude, or 60 degrees  
(3) the observer's longitude, 82 degrees  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 6 The circle that is the Sun's apparent path around the 
celestial sphere is the 
AA S 1 (1) ecliptic  
(2) celestial equator  
(3) celestial meridian  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 7 The Sun is farthest to the north of the celestial equator 
at the time of the 
AA S 1 (1) summer solstice  
(2) equinoxes  
(3) winter solstice  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 8 The approximate date of the vernal equinox is 
AA S 1 (1) Mar. 21  
(2) Dec. 21  
(3) June 21  
(4) Sept. 21  
(5) NVA  

QQ 9 The Moon's phase between third or last quarter and new is 
AA S 1 (1) waning crescent
(2) waxing crescent  
(3) waning gibbous
(4) waxing gibbous  
(5) NVA  

QQ 10 The third or last quarter Moon should rise at approximately 
AA S 1 (1) midnight
(2) sunrise  
(3) sunset  
(4) noon
(5) NVA  

QQ 11 The completely dark part of the Moon's shadow is called the 
AA S 1 (1) umbra  
(2) penumbra  
(3) path of totality  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 12 A total lunar eclipse can only occur when the Moon is 
AA S 1 (1) at the full phase and near a node  
(2) at the new phase and near a node    
(3) at one of the nodes regardless of phase  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 13 Which of the following is an inferior planet?
AA S 1 (1) Mercury
(2) Earth  
(3) Mars  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 14 At which configuration is an inferior planet closest to Earth 
in space?
AA S 1 (1) inferior conjunction  
(2) opposition  
(3) greatest elongation  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 15 What is a superior planet's phase when it is between 
opposition and conjunction?  
AA S 1 (1) gibbous  
(2) crescent  
(3) "half" (like the quarter Moon)
(4) full  
(5) NVA  

QQ 16 Heat is really a form of which kind of energy?
AA S 1 (1) kinetic (energy of motion)  
(2) potential (stored energy)  
(3) radiative  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 17 Which temperature scale do we have to use in talking 
about radiation?  
AA S 1 (1) Kelvin or Absolute  
(2) Celsius or Centigrade  
(3) Fahrenheit 
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 18 The chemical element that an atom belongs to is determined 
by its 
AA S 1 (1) atomic number  
(2) atomic mass/weight  
(3) number of energy levels  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 19 Which phase of matter has a fixed size (volume) and a 
fixed shape?
AA S 1 (1) solid  
(2) liquid  
(3) gas  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 20 The lowest energy level in an atom or molecule is the one 
termed the 
AA S 1 (1) ground level  
(2) ionization level  
(3) excitation level  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 21 According to Newton's First Law of Motion, the natural 
state of motion of a body -- if no outside force is acting on 
it -- is
AA S 1 (1) constant velocity  
(2) constant speed 
(3) constant non-zero acceleration  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 22 If a light (low-mass) object and a heavy (high-mass) object 
are both acted on by the same amount of force, which one will 
have the larger acceleration?
AA S 1 (1) the light one  
(2) the heavy one  
(3) they will have exactly the same acceleration  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 23 Centripetal force is 
AA S 1 (1) the amount of force towards the center necessary 
to maintain an object in uniform circular motion  
(2) the amount of force outwards from the center caused by an 
object's motion in a circle  
(3) the attractive force we know as gravitation  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 24 Conservation of orbital angular momentum implies that a 
planet will have the lowest orbital speed when it is at 
AA S 1 (1) aphelion  
(2) perihelion  
(3) midway between perihelion and aphelion  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 25 The critical speed needed for an object to escape the Earth's 
(or another body's) gravity completely is termed the 
AA S 1 (1) parabolic or escape velocity  
(2) circular or orbital velocity  
(3) hyperbolic or warp velocity  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 26 Newton's generalization of Kepler's Third (Harmonic) Law 
is very important because it is used to estimate 
AA S 1 (1) the masses of astronomical bodies  
(2) the orbital periods of astronomical bodies  
(3) the semimajor axes of the orbits of astronomical bodies  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 27 The tidal force due to the Moon at the point on the 
opposite side of the Earth from the Moon is directed towards 
AA S 1 (1) the direction opposite the center of the Moon
(2) the center of the Earth  
(3) the center of the Moon  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 28 As a result of tidal friction in the Earth-Moon system, 
AA S 1 (1) the Earth's rotation is slowing and the Moon's 
orbit is expanding  
(2) the Earth's rotation is speeding up and the Moon's orbit is 
expanding  
(3) the Earth's rotation is speeding up and the Moon's orbit is 
shrinking  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 29 The type of electromagnetic radiation having the highest 
frequency is 
AA S 1 (1) gamma rays 
(2) radio waves  
(3) violet light  
(4) ultraviolet radiation  
(5) NVA  

QQ 30 The color of visible light having the shortest wavelength is 
AA S 1 (1) violet  
(2) red  
(3) blue  
(4) yellow  
(5) NVA  

QQ 31 The type of source having an absorption-line spectrum is 
AA S 1 (1) a cool, thin (low-density) gas in front of a 
continuous-spectrum source  
(2) a thin (low-density) gas  
(3) a glowing solid, liquid, or thick (high-density) gas  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA  

QQ 32 The tides that occur when the Moon is at the quarter 
phases are called 
AA S 1 (1) neap tides
(2) spring tides
(3) ebb tides
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 33 The process of giving a bound electron enough energy to 
completely remove it from an atom or ion is called 
AA S 1 (1) ionization  
(2) dissociation
(3) excitation  
(4) NVA
(5) NVA  

QQ 34 Suppose there is a planet having the same mass as the 
Earth but only half as large (radius=half the Earth's).  Its 
surface gravity is 
AA S 1 (1) greater than Earth's
(2) equal to earth's
(3) less than Earth's
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

                     [END OF TEST]