AST 1002
Test 2, Fall 2004
QQ 1 Chromatic aberration is 
AA S 1 (1) refraction of different wavelengths or colors of 
light by a lens to different focal points
(2) refraction or reflection of light rays to a focus at 
different distances from a lens or mirror that has a 
spherical surface, depending on whether the ray hits near 
the center or the edge
(3) refraction or reflection of rays that come into the telescope 
at an angle to the axis to form a comma-shaped image instead of 
a round one
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 2 The type of telescope which has a primary mirror that reflects 
light to a flat secondary mirror at the front and from there 
out to the side is the 
AA S 1 (1) Newtonian reflector
(2) Cassegrain reflector 
(3) prime-focus reflector
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 3 The instrument attached to a telescope that spreads out the 
light from a source according to its wavelength and 
photographs the resulting spectrum is the 
AA S 1 (1) spectrograph
(2) photometer
(3) micrograph
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 4 In which region of the electromagnetic spectrum is the Earth's 
atmosphere least transparent?
AA S 1 (1) X-ray
(2) radio wave 
(3) visible light 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 5 As one goes from visible light to the radio region of the 
electromagnetic spectrum (increasing wavelength) the ideal resolution 
or resolving power of a telescope of given aperture (size) as 
determined by diffraction 
AA S 1 (1) decreases  
(2) increases  
(3) doesn't change  
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 6 Which of the following is characteristic of jovian planets?
AA S 1 (1) low mean (average) density 
(2) slow rotation rate (long period)
(3) few or no moons/satellites
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 7 The region of the Solar System slightly beyond Neptune's orbit 
(30-100 AU) where there seem to be a number of icy bodies is called 
the 
AA S 1 (1) Kuiper Belt  
(2) Oort Cloud  
(3) Asteroid Belt  
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 8 According to the binary or close encounter hypothesis, the 
planets formed from 
AA S 1 (1) a blob or filament pulled out of the Sun by tidal forces from 
a star that passed very close  
(2) a disk formed by the central concentration of a nebula 
that contracted and spun faster and faster until it became 
unstable  
(3) volcanic eruptions on the Sun that ejected them  
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 9 Which of the following is considered a refractory substance in 
the context of the condensation sequence?
AA S 1 (1) silicate rock  
(2) water (a hydrogen compound)  
(3) hydrogen gas
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 10 The Moon is believed to have formed 
AA S 1 (1) from material blasted out of Earth by the impact of 
a Mars-sized planetesimal  
(2) in a different part of the Solar System from the Earth and 
then was captured  
(3) from material spun off from Earth when it spun faster and 
became unstable  
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 11 The process by which metals were concentrated in the Earth's 
core and rock in the mantle is known as 
AA S 1 (1) differentiation  
(2) convection  
(3) thermal escape  
(4) NVA  
(5) NVA

QQ 12 Which of the following is not a good way to search 
for other planetary systems at present?
AA S 1 (1) look for a faint spot of light near a star
(2) look for an orbital Doppler shift in a star's spectrum  
(3) look for a dip in the brightness of a star caused by a 
planet transiting  
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 13 Which of the following makes it easier for a gas to 
leave a planet's atmosphere in the thermal escape process?
AA S 1 (1) high temperature
(2) high escape velocity
(3) rapid rotation
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 14 Which planet has the weakest greenhouse effect?
AA S 1 (1) Mars
(2) Earth  
(3) Venus
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 15 The interior of Uranus is believed to consist of 
AA S 1 (1) a rock and metal inner core, an outer core of hydrogen 
compounds, and an outer gaseous molecular hydrogen zone
(2) a rock and metal core, then a liquid metallic 
hydrogen zone, a liquid molecular hydrogen zone, and an 
outer gaseous zone, mainly hydrogen  
(3) an ice inner core, a metal outer core, then a rock 
mantle and a gaseous atmosphere  
(4) NVA 
(5) NVA

QQ 16 The heat that drives Io's volcanic activity is 
AA S 1 (1) supplied by tidal heating  
(2) left over from when it formed  
(3) produced by radioactivity in its interior  
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 17 Which of the Solar System's large moons has an 
atmosphere?
AA S 1 (1) Titan, large moon of Saturn  
(2) Ganymede, largest moon of Jupiter  
(3) Triton, largest moon of Neptune  
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 18 The small ringlets in Saturn's ring system are maintained by 
AA S 1 (1) small shepherd satellites
(2) resonances with Mimas, one of Saturn's moons  
(3) resonances with Jupiter  
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 19 Synchrotron radiation is 
AA S 1 (1) non-thermal radiation produced by relativistic 
electrons moving in a magnetic field
(2) thermal radiation from a solid object
(3) emission-line radiation generated by ions
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 20 According to Wien's Law, a so-called ideal radiator will have a 
peak wavelength that is 
AA S 1 (1) inversely proportional to the Kelvin temperature
(2) directly proportional to the Celsius or Centigrade temperature
(3) directly proportional to the Kelvin temperature to the 
fourth power, i.e. T^4
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 21 According to the Stefan-Boltzmann Law, a so-called 
ideal radiator will have a total energy output per second 
over all wavelengths that depends only on its 
AA S 1 (1) temperature and surface area 
(2) temperature 
(3) mass 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 22 Emission of a photon by an atom can occur when an electron 
inside the atom 
AA S 1 (1) jumps from a higher energy level to a lower one
(2) jumps from a lower energy level to a higher one
(3) jumps out of the atom altogether
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 23 The Balmer absorption lines of the element hydrogen are 
produced by electrons moving between energy levels above 
the ground level.  Which of the following processes causes 
the lines to become stronger as the temperature goes higher?
AA S 1 (1) excitation
(2) ionization
(3) de-excitation
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 24 The energy levels for He II (singly ionized helium) are 
AA S 1 (1) similar to those for H I, neutral hydrogen, because 
both have just one electron
(2) very similar to those for He I, neutral helium, because 
both have two electrons
(3) very similar to those for He I, neutral helium, because 
the nuclei are identical
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 25 Molecules have which kind(s) of energy levels?
AA S 1 (1) electronic, vibrational, and rotational
(2) electronic and vibrational
(3) electronic and rotational 
(4) electronic only, like atoms
(5) NVA

QQ 26 If a source of electromagnetic radiation is approaching 
the observer, the wavelength of the radiation observed will
AA S 1 (1) become shorter ("blueshift")
(2) become longer ("redshift")
(3) not change
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 27 The radial velocity of an approaching source is by 
definition 
AA S 1 (1) negative
(2) positive
(3) positive or negative depending on which way the observer 
is moving
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 28 Which object is the least geologically active 
at the present time?
AA S 1 (1) Mercury  
(2) Mars
(3) the Earth  
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 29 The extra energy radiated by Saturn (in addition 
to what it gets from the Sun) is believed to 
be 
AA S 1 (1) supplied by helium "rain" falling inside 
and converting gravitational potential energy into heat
push of the pressure difference  
(2) left over from when it formed as heat resulting 
from conversion of gravitational potential energy
(3) produced by nuclear fusion at its center 
(4) NVA 
(5) NVA

QQ 30 The Earth's and Jupiter's magnetic fields are 
compressed on the side facing the Sun by 
AA S 1 (1) the solar wind  
(2) solar radiation pressure  
(3) the solar magnetic field  
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

QQ 31 Which of the following is a terrestrial planet?
AA S 1 (1) Mars
(2) Neptune
(3) Pluto
(4) NVA
(5) NVA