Week 2 Practice Questions: Foundations of Astronomy 1

PRACTICE QUESTIONS: WEEK 2 Astronomy Today, 9e (Chaisson/McMillan) Chapter 1 Charting the Heavens: The Foundations of Astronomy True/False Questions 1) It was Aristotle who used the scientific method to show the Earth was a sphere. Section Ref: 1.2 2) Scientific theories are proven by use of the scientific method. Section Ref: 1.2 3) An accepted scientific theory could still be proven wrong. Section Ref: 1.2 4) Constellations are close clusters of stars, all at about the same distance from the Sun. Section Ref: 1.3 5) From the South Pole, Polaris would appear directly overhead. Section Ref: 1.3 6) From the North Pole, Polaris would appear directly overhead. Section Ref: 1.3 7) Only at the equator are all the stars visible over the course of the year. Section Ref: 1.3 8) Over the course of a night, Polaris moves less than any other visible star in the sky. Section Ref: 1.3 9) There are 3,600 arc seconds in a degree. Section Ref: 1.4 10) At apogee, the Moon is at its farthest from Earth and thus appears smaller than normal. Because of this it can produce only annular solar eclipses, but not total solar eclipses. Section Ref: 1.5 11) If a star rises about 9 PM tonight, and with the sidereal day being four minutes less than the solar one, then in a month it will rise about 7 PM. Section Ref: 1.5 12) From Earth, the Sun and Moon have about the same angular diameter. Section Ref: 1.5 13) The full Moon rises around sunrise, and sets around sunset. Section Ref: 1.5

14) From full Moon to third quarter Moon takes about a week. Section Ref: 1.5 15) The first quarter Moon will rise about noon, and set about midnight. Section Ref: 1.5 16) As it orbits the Earth, the Moon appears to move eastward about its own diameter every hour. Section Ref: 1.5 Multiple Choice Questions 1) Modern scientific theories are NOT: A) testable. B) continuously tested. C) simple. D) perfect. E) elegant. Section Ref: 1.2 2) An effective theory must: A) have been proven. B) must have been around for centuries or longer. C) be continuously tested. D) include mathematical formulae. Section Ref: 1.2 3) Aristotle's hypothesis was that: A) lunar eclipses were created by our shadow. B) only a spherical Earth would always cast a circular shadow on the Moon. C) lunar eclipses would have to happen every full Moon. D) the Sun lay at the center of the planet orbits. E) the Moon orbited the Earth. Section Ref: 1.2 4) Testing is important to developing: A) an idea. B) a hypothesis. C) a theory. D) myths. Section Ref: 1.2

5) Into how many constellations is the celestial sphere divided? A) 12 B) 44 C) 57 D) 88 E) 110 Section Ref: 1.3 6) What are constellations? A) groups of galaxies gravitationally bound and close together in the sky B) groups of stars making an apparent pattern in the celestial sphere C) groups of stars gravitationally bound and appearing close together in the sky D) ancient story boards, useless to modern astronomers E) apparent groupings of stars and planets visible on a given evening Section Ref: 1.3 7) Where on Earth would you be if Polaris were at your zenith? A) North Pole B) Arctic Circle C) Tropic of Cancer D) Equator E) It lies overhead everywhere on Earth. Section Ref: 1.3 8) Where on Earth can you observe all the stars in the sky over an entire year? A) North Pole B) Arctic Circle C) Tropic of Cancer D) Equator E) Everyone on Earth can see the whole sky. Section Ref: 1.3 9) Why did early civilizations observe constellations? A) only for religious reasons B) for practical reasons, such as navigation and helping to determine seasons C) only for recreational reasons D) only to predict a person's destiny Section Ref: 1.3 10) The stars appear to be attached to a sphere that surrounds the Earth and rotates above, causing the apparent rising and setting of the stars. This is called the: A) cosmos. B) universe. C) Sun. D) celestial sphere. E) constellations. Section Ref: 1.3

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11) While watching a star, you see it moves 15 degrees across the sky. How long have you been watching it? A) 1 hour B) 3 hours C) 15 minutes D) 15 seconds E) 1 minute Section Ref: 1.4

12) This diagram explains: A) the difference between solar time and sidereal time. B) precession. C) the solar day's relation to the Moon. D) the sidereal day's relation to the seasons. E) the reason for the solstices. Section Ref: 1.4, Fig. 1.13

13) How long is the precession cycle? A) 1 day B) 29.5 days C) 365.24 days D) 18 years, 11.3 days E) 26,000 years Section Ref: 1.4 14) The place the Sun stops its northward motion along the ecliptic is the: A) equator. B) prime meridian. C) summer solstice. D) vernal equinox. E) node of the ecliptic. Section Ref: 1.4 15) The places where the Sun crosses the equator are called the: A) annalemmas. B) prime meridians. C) zeniths. D) equinoxes. E) solstices. Section Ref: 1.4 16) Seasons on Earth are primarily caused by: A) the distance from the Earth to the Sun. B) the tilt of the Earth's rotational axis. C) the tilt of the Earth's magnetic axis. D) the precession of the Earth's rotational axis. E) the dates of the solstices and equinoxes. Section Ref: 1.4 17) From a location in the United States of America, a star is observed to be rising due East. Where will this star be located 6 hours later? A) directly overhead B) high in the northern sky C) high in the southern sky D) setting due West E) The location of the star cannot be determined from the information given. Section Ref: 1.4 18) Which statement about the ecliptic is FALSE? A) The Sun appears to move about a degree per day eastward along it. B) It is tilted 23.5 degrees with respect to the equator. C) The year is marked by the Sun's return to the same place along it. D) The Moon can never leave it, but moves twelve times faster than the Sun. E) The major planets stay close to it, but not always on it. Section Ref: 1.4

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19) You note that a particular star is directly overhead. It will be directly overhead again in: A) 1 hour. B) 12 hours. C) 23 hours 56 minutes. D) 24 hours. E) 24 hours 4 minutes. Section Ref: 1.4 20) That Polaris will not always be the pole star is due to: A) the sidereal day being shorter than the solar day. B) precession shifting the celestial pole. C) the Moon following the ecliptic, instead of the equator. D) the Earth's revolution being slightly less than exactly 365.25 days. E) the Solar winds blowing the Earth farther away from the Sun. Section Ref: 1.4 21) What celestial line is a product of the Earth's orbit around the Sun? A) Ecliptic B) Prime Meridian C) Equator D) Galactic Plane E) Analemma Section Ref: 1.4 22) If your astrological sign is Aries, the Sun should be in the constellation Aries on your birthday. The dates, according to astrological tradition, during which the Sun is in the constellation Aries are March 21 to April 20th. In which constellation is the Sun actually in, during this time period? A) Aquarius B) Pisces C) Aries D) Taurus E) Gemini Section Ref: 1.4 23) Where would you be if the Sun sets for six continuous months, beginning on September 23rd? A) North Pole B) Arctic Circle C) Equator D) Antarctic Circle E) South Pole Section Ref: 1.4

24) The constellations of the zodiac fall along: A) the ecliptic. B) the celestial equator. C) lines of longitude. D) lines of latitude. Section Ref: 1.4 25) When the Sun rises, it is located in the constellation Gemini. When the Sun sets later that same day, it will be: A) in the constellation Aries. B) in the constellation Taurus. C) in the constellation Gemini. D) in the constellation Cancer. E) in the constellation Leo. Section Ref: 1.4 26) Which statement about the length of a day is FALSE? A) At the North Pole, the day lasts six months, then six months of night. B) At the equator, every day is twelve hours long, then twelve hours of night. C) For the United States, June 21st will be the longest day. D) The solar day is four minutes longer than the sidereal one. E) The sidereal day includes both the Earth's rotation and revolution around the Sun. Section Ref: 1.4 27) If Taurus is now rising at sunset, which constellation will rise at sunset next month? A) Scorpius B) Aquarius C) Gemini D) Aries E) Pisces Section Ref: 1.4 28) The angular size of an object depends on which two quantities? A) the object's actual size and its mass B) the object's distance from us and its brightness C) the object's actual size and its distance from us D) the objects brightness and its mass Section Ref: 1.6 29) A solar eclipse can only happen during a: A) new Moon. B) solstice. C) first quarter Moon. D) full Moon. E) perihelion passage of the Sun. Section Ref: 1.5

30) A lunar eclipse can only happen during a: A) new Moon. B) equinox. C) full Moon. D) perigee. E) aphelion. Section Ref: 1.5 31) What conditions are necessary for an annular solar eclipse? A) new Moon on equator at perigee B) full Moon on ecliptic at perihelion C) new Moon on ecliptic at perigee D) new Moon on equator at apogee E) new Moon on ecliptic at apogee Section Ref: 1.6 32) The new Moon happens about once a month, and is often described as happening when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth. Why isn't there an eclipse during every new Moon? A) The apparent size of the Moon is only occasionally large enough to block the Sun. B) The Moon is not actually directly between the Earth and the Sun during the new Moon because its orbit is tilted relative to the ecliptic plane. C) The Moon is not actually directly between the Earth and the Sun during the new Moon because its orbit is tilted relative to the celestial equator. D) The Moon can only block the Sun when it is furthest away from Earth, and most new Moons happen when the Moon is at another place on its orbit. Section Ref: 1.6 33) What conditions are necessary for a total solar eclipse? A) new Moon on ecliptic near perigee B) full Moon on ecliptic near aphelion C) new Moon on equator at perigee D) full Moon on equator at perigee E) new Moon on ecliptic near aphelion Section Ref: 1.5 34) What conditions are necessary for a partial solar eclipse? A) new Moon on ecliptic, with us in the penumbral shadow B) full Moon on equator, with us in the umbral shadow C) new Moon at perigee D) full Moon at apogee E) first or third quarter Moon at a node Section Ref: 1.5

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35) Some type of solar eclipse will happen about: A) every month at new Moon. B) every week at full Moon. C) every month at full Moon. D) approximately every six months at new Moon. E) every year at new Moon. Section Ref: 1.5 Fill-in-the-Blank Questions 1) A(n) ________ is a framework of ideas and assumption used to explain some set of observations and make predictions about the real world. Section Ref: 1.2 2) If a theory is testable, its underlying ________ and its ________ can be exposed to experimental verification. Section Ref: 1.2 3) Astronomical objects are viewed against the background of the ________. Section Ref: 1.3 4) The celestial sphere appears to move fastest above the ________. Section Ref: 1.3 5) The Sun's lowest position in the sky occurs at the ________. Section Ref: 1.4 6) The two days when the Sun rises due east and sets due west are the ________. Section Ref: 1.4 7) The four extra minutes in the solar day are due to our ________ around the Sun. Section Ref: 1.4 Short Answer Questions 1) How far above or below the ecliptic can the Sun move? Section Ref: 1.4 2) Which is longer, the sidereal or solar day? By how much? Section Ref: 1.4 3) How far above and below the celestial equator can the Sun move? Section Ref: 1.4

4) If intending to teach his students the constellations by season, why would an astronomy instructor be advised to always assign the stars in the current western sky at the beginning of Section Ref: 1.4 5) What is the ecliptic? Section Ref: 1.4 6) Why are some solar eclipses total, and others annular? Section Ref: 1.5 Essay Questions 1) How did Aristotle apply the scientific method to lunar eclipses? Section Ref: 1.2 2) Of all visible objects in the celestial sphere, which appears to move the least? Why? Section Ref: 1.3 3) What is the significance of the zodiacal signs, and why can all twelve not be seen on a given night? Section Ref: 1.4 4) Why are summers hotter than winters? Relate this to the Sun's position in the celestial sphere and the length of the days. Section Ref: 1.4 5) What are some observable consequences of the Earth's revolution around the Sun in relation to the zodiacal constellations? Section Ref: 1.4 6) Why can many more people witness a total lunar eclipse than a total solar eclipse? Section Ref: 1.5 7) On April 8, 2005, observers off New Zealand observe an annular eclipse at sunrise, and those in Columbia see an annular eclipse at sunset. Yet in the middle of the path, off the Galapagos Islands, cruise ships are advertising that they will show their guests a total solar eclipse. How can this be possible? Section Ref: 1.6

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