AST 1002
Test 1, Spring 2005
QQ 1 The Milky Way is a 
AA S 1 (1) galaxy
(2) planet
(3) nebula
(4) supercluster
(5) NVA

QQ 2 A moon or satellite is a body that orbits around 
AA S 1 (1) a planet
(2) the Sun
(3) another moon or satellite
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 3 The term nucleosynthesis refers to 
AA S 1 (1) the conversion of nuclei from one chemical element 
to another, as inside stars or in the Big Bang
(2) chemical reactions involving nuclei, such as combustion
(3) the formation of the nuclei (central regions) of galaxies
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 4 It is sometimes said that the Universe itself is kind 
of like a time machine.  This is because 
AA S 1 (1) the time it takes light to reach us allows us 
to "look back" in time and see galaxies as they were when that 
light was originally given off
(2) there are "wormholes" scattered throughout the Universe 
that allow us to travel backwards in time
(3) according to modern theories of physics time can run 
either forward or backward
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 5 Which of the Earth's three motions causes the Sun, Moon, 
planets and (some) stars to rise and set about once a day?
AA S 1 (1) rotation around its axis
(2) revolution around the Sun
(3) precession of its rotation axis in a big circle over a 
26,000-year period
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 6 The Solar System 
AA S 1 (1) orbits the center of the Milky Way at a distance 
of about 28,000 light-years
(2) is situated almost exactly at the center of the Milky Way
(3) is wandering randomly around inside the Local Group
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 7 We believe that the galaxies are generally moving away from
us (the Milky Way) with speeds that increase with increasing 
distance because the Universe is expanding.  The reason that we 
reject the idea that there was a gigantic explosion and we are 
located where it happened is because of historical experience 
and something called the cosmological principle.  What 
is this principle?
AA S 1 (1) that the Universe looks generally the same to all 
observers at a given cosmic time, wherever they are
(2) that the Universe looks generally the same to all observers 
at all cosmic times, wherever they are
(3) that in our Universe there can be no gigantic explosions 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 8 The circle that is located on the celestial sphere midway 
between the two celestial poles is the 
AA S 1 (1) celestial equator
(2) ecliptic
(3) celestial meridian
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 9 If you're at latitude 30 degrees south, then 
AA S 1 (1) the south celestial pole's altitude is 30 degrees
(2) the north celestial pole's altitude is 30 degrees
(3) the south celestial pole's altitude is ($90 - 30 = 60$ 
degrees
(4) the north celestial pole's altitude is ($90 - 30 = 60$
degrees
(5) NVA

QQ 10 The point on the ecliptic where the Sun is farthest 
south is the 
AA S 1 (1) winter solstice
(2) summer solstice
(3) vernal equinox
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 11 The Sun passes through the vernal equinox around the date 
AA S 1 (1) Mar. 21
(2) June 21
(3) Sept. 21
(4) Dec. 21
(5) NVA

QQ 12 The Moon's phase just before it is at new is 
AA S 1 (1) waning crescent
(2) waxing crescent
(3) waning gibbous
(4) full
(5) NVA

QQ 13 The first quarter Moon should set around 
AA S 1 (1) midnight
(2) noon
(3) 6 am
(4) 6 pm
(5) NVA

QQ 14 In order for a total solar eclipse to occur, the Moon 
must be at which phase?
AA S 1 (1) new
(2) full
(3) first or third/last quarter
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 15 The partly dark part of the Moon's shadow is the 
AA S 1 (1) penumbra
(2) umbra
(3) peninsula
(4) umbrella
(5) NVA

QQ 16 The eclipse seasons, when eclipses are possible, occur 
whenever
AA S 1 (1) the Sun lies on or near the Moon's line of nodes
(2) the Moon is at new or full phase
(3) the Moon is at one of its nodes
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 17 Which of the following is a superior planet?
AA S 1 (1) Mars
(2) Earth
(3) Venus
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 18 The configuration at which an inferior planet is farthest 
east of the Sun in the sky (and visible as an evening star) is 
AA S 1 (1) greatest eastern elongation
(2) greatest western elongation
(3) inferior conjunction
(4) superior conjunction
(5) NVA

QQ 19 Temperature is a number associated with 
AA S 1 (1) the average kinetic energy of a collection of 
atoms/molecules
(2) the total kinetic energy of a collection of atoms/molecules
(3) the average potential energy of atoms/molecules
(4) NVA(5) NVA

QQ 20 The phase of matter in which the atoms or molecules are 
loosely bound together, so that they take up a fixed volume but 
are free to flow and thus have no fixed shape, is 
AA S 1 (1) liquid
(2) solid
(3) gas
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 21 The chemical properties of an atom are determined by its
AA S 1 (1) number of protons
(2) number of neutrons
(3) number of protons plus number of neutrons
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 22 The innermost possible electron orbit in the hydrogen atom is 
the one that is associated with 
AA S 1 (1) the ground state of the atom
(2) ionization
(3) excitation
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 23 According to Newton's first law of motion, an object moving at
constant velocity is being acted on by 
AA S 1 (1) no net external force
(2) a constant non-zero external force
(3) a centrifugal force
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 24 The force required to keep an object moving in a circle at 
constant speed (amount and direction, not kind such as gravity) 
is called 
AA S 1 (1) centripetal force
(2) centrifugal force
(3) circular force
(4) NVA

QQ 25 The gravitational force of one body on another depends on the 
AA S 1 (1) product of their masses
(2) sum of their masses
(3) inverse square of the sum of their masses
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 26 A planet that has the same mass as Earth but is half as large 
(in radius) will have a surface gravity that is 
AA S 1 (1) greaterthan Earth's
(2) less than Earth's 
(3) the same as Earth's
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 27 The shape of a planet's elliptical orbit is given by its 
AA S 1 (1) eccentricity
(2) semimajor axis
(3) semiminor axis
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 28 A planet moves fastest in its orbit at 
(1) perihelion
(2) aphelion
(3) the two points midway between perihelion and aphelion
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 29 Which of the following is not a closed, periodic orbit?
AA S 1 (1) parabola
(2) ellipse
(3) circle
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 30 The critical velocity for a satellite to go into Earth 
orbit is termed
AA S 1 (1) circular or orbital velocity
(2) parabolic or escape velocity
(3) hyperbolic or warp velocity
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 31 Newton's revision of Kepler's Harmonic Law is very important 
in astronomy because it can be used to find 
AA S 1 (1) masses of bodies 
(2) orbital periods of bodies
(3) semimajor axes of bodies' orbits
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 32 The tidal force due to the Moon on the side of the Earth 
facing away from the Moon is in the direction 
AA S 1 (1) away from the Moon
(2) towards the Moon
(3) at a right angle to the direction of the Moon
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 33 The tides at the time of new and full Moon are called 
AA S 1 (1) spring tides
(2) neap tides
(3) flood tides
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 34 Sometime a few billion years in the future, if nothing 
else happens to prevent it, tidal friction in the Earth-Moon 
system will cause 
AA S 1 (1) the Earth's rotation to speed up and the Moon's orbit 
to shrink until the Moon hits the Earth
(2) the Earth's rotation to slow down and the Moon's orbit to 
expand
(3) the Earth's rotation to slow down and the Moon's orbit to 
shrink until the Moon hits the Earth 
(4) the Earth's rotation to speed up and the Moon's orbit to 
expand
(5) NVA