ASTRON 1F03 - Assignment 1 - J
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School
McMaster University *
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Course
1F03
Subject
Astronomy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
Pages
4
Uploaded by AgentOxide24020
Astronomy 1F03 Assignment 1
1.
Artificial Intelligence Generated Multiple Choice Questions
A) The generative AI used was ChatGPT version 3.5 (https://chat.openai.com/)
B) Prompt used: “Create 5 multiple choice questions with 4 different answers, with only one
being correct. The topic of each question should be about ellipses in the astronomy
field”.
C) Response: “Certainly! Here are five multiple-choice questions about ellipses in the field
of astronomy:
What is the shape of Earth's orbit around the Sun?
a) Circle
b) Triangle
c) Ellipse
d) Square
e) Pentagon
(Correct Answer: c) Ellipse
Johannes Kepler's first law of planetary motion states that planets move in orbits that are
shaped like:
a) Parabolas6
b) Hyperbolas
c) Circles
d) Ellipses
e) Straight lines
(Correct Answer: d) Ellipses
The point in an elliptical orbit closest to the central body (e.g., the Sun) is called:
a) Apoapsis
b) Periapsis
c) Aphelion
d) Equinox
e) Nadir
(Correct Answer: b) Periapsis
Which of the following parameters determines the size of an ellipse in an astronomical context?
a) Eccentricity
b) Longitude
c) Inclination
d) Altitude
e) Mass
(Correct Answer: a) Eccentricity
When a comet approaches the Sun and its orbit becomes more elongated, what property of the
ellipse changes?
a) Semimajor axis
b) Semiminor axis
c) Eccentricity
d) Apoapsis
e) Inclination
(Correct Answer: c) Eccentricity”.
D) The answers given by the AI were all correct and all the incorrect answers were wrong
as well. Questions 1 and 2 had the same answers and questions 4 and 5 also had the
same answers, which makes solving them easier since the pairs of questions relate to
each other. Question 3 and 5 used terminology that was not used in class but
nonetheless, it is still correct. There is no ambiguity in the set of questions. I would rate
questions 1,2,3, and 4 all at an easy level that would be appropriate for the class but
most likely as first week questions and nothing more. I would rate question 5 as medium
to hard since you need to understand a bit more about ellipses to get the correct answer
and you have to read the question carefully. If you do not know that the semi-major axis
and the semi-minor axis stays constant when it is only elongated, then answers a,b and
d may also seem correct. Question 5 is also suitable for class.
2. Diving Deeper into Astronomy with Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence used: ChatGPT (
https://chat.openai.com
) and ChatSonic
(
https://app.writesonic.com
).
Prompt
: Why does a solar eclipse typically last for just a few minutes, while a lunar eclipse can
last for hours? What factors contribute to this difference in duration? Keep the response to
around 100 words
ChatGPT response:
A solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes because the Moon's shadow on Earth is relatively small
and moves quickly due to the Moon's rapid orbit. In contrast, a lunar eclipse occurs when the
Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a much larger shadow that takes longer
to traverse the Moon's surface. Additionally, Earth's atmosphere refracts and scatters sunlight,
allowing some to reach the Moon during a lunar eclipse, prolonging the event. These factors
result in the brief duration of a solar eclipse, typically minutes, and the extended duration of a
lunar eclipse, often lasting hours.
ChatSonic response:
The duration of a solar eclipse is relatively short, typically lasting just a few minutes, while a
lunar eclipse can last for hours. This difference in duration is due to several factors. Firstly,
during a solar eclipse, the moon's shadow is much smaller than the Earth's shadow during a
lunar eclipse. This means that the path of totality, where the sun is completely blocked, is
narrow and only lasts for a short period. Additionally, the Earth's rotation contributes to the
limited duration of a solar eclipse. As the Earth spins, the moon's shadow moves across the
Earth's surface, resulting in a brief window of totality for any given location. Lastly, the distance
between the Earth and the moon also affects the duration of a solar eclipse. When the moon is
closer to the Earth, totality can last longer. These factors combined explain why solar eclipses
are shorter in duration compared to lunar eclipses
A) Response Analysis:
Differences & Similarities
1. ChatGPT mentions the Moon’s fast orbit and how its fast moving shadow is a reason for the
short duration of a solar eclipse. ChatSonic focuses more on the size of the shadow the moon
casts.
2. ChatSonic goes into greater detail on solar eclipses. It mentions the path of totality and
relates that to the shadow size of the moon, while ChatGPT keeps to a simpler answer.
3. ChatGPT mentions Earth’s atmosphere and how it refracts and scatters sunlight and how that
prolongs the event. ChatSonic does not go into much detail on lunar eclipses and answers the
question by discussing how solar eclipses differ from lunar eclipses, rather than describing both
like ChatGPT.
4. Both AI models mention that the size of the shadow is a key factor for a short solar eclipse.
5. One big difference I noticed was the length that each response was. ChatGPT kept its
response. To less than 100 words, while ChatSonic was at 150 words for its response. These
extra 50 words make a big difference in the detail that can be added to the response, which is
unfair when comparing how each artificial intelligence performs.
B) Response Analysis
Both of the artificial intelligence models are correct when cross referencing with the notes from
the lecture and from the
National Weather Service
(
https://www.weather.gov/fsd/suneclipse#:~:text=Unlike%20solar%20eclipses%2C%20a%20tot
al,umbral%20shadow%20on%20the%20Moon
). The response from ChatSonic was not
necessarily more correct, but it did provide more detail which makes it easier to understand.
This very well could be unfair since ChatSonic provided a response with 50 more words than
was asked of it.
C) Connecting to Class
ChatSonic and ChatGPT both mentioned solar and lunar eclipses, as well as the shadows cast
which can be found on slides 1,4 and 5 in section 4.7. ChatSonic also mentioned totality paths
which are found on slide 7 and 12 of section 4.7.
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