32_Milky_Way_Scales_Compiled_Questions_v2

Astronomy Assessment and TPS Questions: Milky Way Scales Answer the following two questions using the image at right, which represents the Milky Way Galaxy. 1. Approximately how far is it from the white circle to the center of the Milky Way Galaxy? a. 1,000 light years b. 10,000 light years c. 25,000 light years d. 100,000 light years e. 500,000 light years 2. Approximately how large is the diameter of the white dot? a. 1,000 light years b. 10,000 light years c. 50,000 light years d. 100,000 light years e. 500,000 light years 3. How would you describe our Sun’s approximate location in the Milky Way Galaxy? a. At the farthest location in the disk of the galaxy away from the white dot b. In the center of the white dot c. Halfway between the white dot and the bulge d. Halfway between the white dot and the closest outer edge of the galaxy 4. How do we know where we are in the disk of the Milky Way Galaxy? a. by measuring the redshift of stars in the galaxy b. by determining how much dark mater exists in the galaxy c. by measuring the size and speed of the spiral density wave in the disk d. by determining the distribution of globular clusters in the halo 5. Imagine that you simultaneously receive the satellite transmission of two pictures of two people that live on planets orbiting two different stars. Each image shows the people at their 21 st birthday parties. Consider the following possible interpretations that could be made from your observations. Which do you think is the most plausible interpretation? a. Both people are the same age but at different distances from you. b. The people are actually different ages but at the same distance from you. c. The person that is closer to you is actually the older of the two people. d. The person that is farther from you is actually the older of the two people. Center for Astronomy Education University of Arizona

6. Spiral density waves are used to explain which one of the following? (Choose all that apply) a. the location and shape of the arms in the disk of spiral galaxies b. the location of the maximum in the distribution of globular cluster of stars in the halo of the galaxy c. that the rotation speeds of objects in Milky Way are approximately the same throughout the disk and halo d. the formation of stars in the disk of spiral galaxies e. that spiral galaxies slowly evolve into elliptical galaxies 7. Which of the following rankings is correct for the size (width) of the following objects from smallest to largest ? a. star, planet, solar system, galaxy, universe b. planet, star, galaxy, solar system, universe c. solar system, planet, star, galaxy, universe d. planet, star, solar system, galaxy, universe e. star, solar system, planet, galaxy, universe 8. Listed below are several astronomical objects (1-6). Which is the correct ranking for the diameter of these objects, from largest to smallest? 1. Neptune 2. a one-solar-mass white dwarf 3. a three-solar-mass neutron star 4. Mercury 5. M5 spectral type main sequence star 6. a ten-solar-mass black hole a. 6>3>2>5>1>4 b. 5>1>4>2>3>6 c. 3=6>2>5>1>4 d. 1>4>6>3>2>5 e. 5>1>2>4>3>6 9. Listed below are several astronomical objects (1-6). Which is the correct ranking for the mass of these objects, from largest to smallest? 1. Neptune 2. a one solar mass white dwarf 3. a typical neutron star 4. Earth 5. K5 spectral type main sequence star 6. the typical black hole a. 3>6>2>5>1>4 b. 5>6>2>3>1>4 c. 6>3>2>5>1>4 d. 2>5>3>6>4>1 e. 6>3>2>5>4>1 Center for Astronomy Education University of Arizona

12. Which of the following correctly ranks locations from closest to Earth to farthest from Earth ? a. the Sun, the edge of our solar system, the nearby star Alpha Centauri, far edge of Milky Way galaxy, near side of Andromeda Galaxy b. the nearby star Alpha Centauri, the Sun, edge of our solar system, near side of Andromeda Galaxy, far edge of Milky Way galaxy c. the edge of our solar system, the Sun, the nearby star Alpha Centauri, far edge of Milky Way galaxy, near side of Andromeda Galaxy d. the Sun, the nearby star Alpha Centauri, edge of our solar system, near side of Andromeda Galaxy, far edge of Milky Way galaxy e. the Sun, the edge of our solar system, the nearby star Alpha Centauri, near side of Andromeda Galaxy, far edge of Milky Way galaxy 13. The distance from the Sun to the most distant location at the edge of the disk of the Milky Way Galaxy is approximately: a. 25,000 ly b. 50,000 ly c. 75,000 ly d. 100,000 ly 14. Imagine that you could travel at the speed of light. Starting from Earth, how long would it take you to travel to the center of the Milky Way Galaxy? a. It would happen in an instant. b. 25 years c. 250 years d. 2,500 years e. 25,000 years 15. Which is a greater length, the radius of a ball or its diameter? a. diameter b. radius c. they are the same length 16. A light-year is a unit of ___________. a. time b. distance c. both a and b 17. How thick is the disk of the Milky Way Galaxy? a. 1,000 light years b. 10,000 light years c. 25,000 light years d. 50,000 light years e. 100,000 light years Center for Astronomy Education University of Arizona

18. How long will it take for the light from the center of the bulge in the Milky Way Galaxy to get to the Sun? a. 1,000 light-years b. 10,000 light-years c. 25,000 light-years d. 50,000 light-years e. 100,000 light-years 19. The diameter of Galaxy X is 1500 light-years. How does X’s size compare to the size of the Milky Way? a. It is smaller. b. It is bigger. c. It is the same size. 20. The diameter of Galaxy Traxoline is 30,000 light-years. Traxoline is closest in size to: a. the radius of the Milky Way Galaxy. b. the diameter of the Milky Way Galaxy. c. the distance from the center of the Milky Way Galaxy to the Sun. d. the thickness of the disk of the Milky Way Galaxy. 21. If a light signal is sent from the far edge of the Milky Way Galaxy, how long will the light take to reach us? a. 25,000 years b. 50,000 years c. 75,000 years d. 100,000 years 22. Galaxy Gamma has a diameter of 25,000 light-years. How many Galaxy Gammas could fit across the Milky Way Galaxy? a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4 e. Gamma Galaxy is bigger than the Milky Way. 23. Star Z is inside the Milky Way Galaxy. It is 10,000 light-years from the outer edge of the galaxy. Which is closer to the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, Star Z or the Sun? a. Star Z b. The Sun c. They are the same distance from the center of the galaxy. Center for Astronomy Education University of Arizona

c. 45,000 light-years d. 75,000 light-years e. 95,000 light-years 29. Using the diagram above, approximately how far is Nebula A from Nebula B? a. 100,000 ly b. 75,000 ly c. 50,000 ly d. 25,000 ly 30. Using the diagram above, approximately how long would it take for a photon of light to travel from Nebula A to Nebula B? a. 100,000 years b. 75,000 years c. 50,000 years d. 25,000 years e. There is insufficient information to answer. 31. Using the diagram above, if Nebula A and Nebula B are both 2 light-years across, are the circles representing them in the picture the right size? a. Yes b. No, they are too small c. No, they are too big Center for Astronomy Education University of Arizona Nebula A Nebula B Milky Way Galaxy

32. Above are images representing an average star and a spiral galaxy. How would the star be best represented in the image of the galaxy? a. As a tiny dot b. As a medium sized circle c. As a large circle d. It would not be visible on this scale. Star Distance from Yellow Star Q 50 ly R 50,000 ly Center for Astronomy Education University of Arizona A B C Milky Way Galaxy

c. 150,000 years d. 225,000 years e. 300,000 years 38. What does the distribution of globular clusters in our galaxy tell us? a. We can estimate where we are located in the galaxy’s disk based on where the majority of globular clusters are concentrated within the halo. b. They tell us the relative age of our galaxy because the stars are all very old and mostly red. c. We are able to estimate how many stars are in our galaxy because the number of globular clusters is spread evenly throughout the halo, which surrounds the disk. d. We can determine where active star formation is occurring in our galaxy because the globular clusters are mainly centered around the spiral arms. 39. Planet A is located 15,000 light-years from the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. Planet B is located 5,000 light-years from the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy. If inhabitants of Planet A sent a radio transmission out into space, what is the shortest possible time it would take for the inhabitants of Planet B to receive the signal? a. 10,000 years a. 20,000 years b. 30,000 years c. 50,000 years d. 60,000 years 40. Planet A is located 15,000 light-years from the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. Planet B is located 5,000 light-years from the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy. If inhabitants of Planet A sent a radio transmission out into space, what is the longest possible time it would take for the inhabitants of Planet B to receive the signal? a. 20,000 years b. 30,000 years c. 40,000 years d. 60,000 years e. 70,000 years 41. If you observe a variety of main sequence stars 40,000 light-years away from our location in the Milky Way, where would you expect them to be located? a. In the bulge of the Milky Way Galaxy b. In the central bulge of a nearby dwarf galaxy c. In the disk of the Milky Way Galaxy d. In the halo of the Andromeda Galaxy 42. The Andromeda Galaxy is 2,500,000 light-years away from the Milky Way Galaxy. How many Milky Way Galaxies could you fit between the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy? a. 2.5 Center for Astronomy Education University of Arizona

b. 25 c. 250 d. 2500 Center for Astronomy Education University of Arizona