Some More Final Exam Review Questions
Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3
1. Another way of writing 100 × 107 is A) 1 billion B) 100 million C) 1 million D) 10 thousand E) 10 billion
2. An arcsecond is a measure of A) length along a circle B) angle.
C) the time between oscillations of a standard clock. D) the time between successive orbital positions.
3. One arcsecond is equal to
A) 1/3600 degree.B) 1/60 of a full circle. C) 1/60 degree D) 1/3600 of a full circle. E) 3600 degrees
4. If you are on the equator at equinox, how many degrees does the Sun subtend during the daytime?
A) 180 arcsecondsB) 90 degreesC) 180 degrees D) 1/3600 degreesE) 270 degrees
5. The average distance from Earth to the Sun, 149,600,000 km, can be written in scientific notation as
A) 1.496 × 1012m. B) 1.496 × 106 m.C) 1.496 × 1011m. D) 1.496 × 107m. E) 1.496 × 10-11 m
6. What is 200 billion divided by 20 million?A) 10 x 104 B) 10 x 103C) 10 x 10-3 D) 1 x 10-2 E) 100
7. What is another way of writing 100 nm? A) 10 x 10-7 m B) 10 x 10-9 m C) 1 x 10-7 m D) 1 m E) 1 mm
8. One astronomical unit is defined as the
A) distance traveled by light in one year. B) mean distance between the Sun and the Earth.
C) distance traveled by light in one parsec. D) distance traveled by one astronaut at the speed of light.
E) distance from which Earth-Sun distance will subtend an angle of one arcsecond.
9. At what time of the year in the northern hemisphere will the Sunbe closest to your zenith near noon?
A) SpringB) SummerC) FallD) WinterE) All days of the year
10. At what time of year and where would you need to be so that the Sun never set?
A) December, near the north poleB) March, near the south poleC) June, near the north pole
D) June, near the south poleE) March or September near Equator
12. What is a solar day?
A) The average time it takes for the Sun to repeat its position in the sky
B) The average time it takes for the Sun to rise and set as viewed from the Moon
C) The average time it takes for a constellation to repeat its position in the sky
D) The time it take the Sun to rotate on its axis
E) A day when there is an eclipse of the Sun
13. What is a sidereal day?
A) The average time it takes for the Sun to repeat its position in the sky
B) The average time it takes for the Sun to rise and set as viewed from the Moon
C) The average time it takes for a constellation to repeat its position in the sky
D) The time it takesthe Sun to rotate on its axis
E) A day when there is an eclipse of the Sun
14. If the Earth spun on its axis much faster than its current rate, what would happen to the difference between a sidereal day and a solar day?
A) it would not change B) it would become very smallC) it would become very large
15. If the universal time is 11:00 in New York, what is the universal time in California?
A) 2:00B) noonC) 3:00D) 8:00E) 11:00
16. At what approximate time will you first be able to see the new moon?
A) midday B) sunset C) noon D) midnight E) sunrise
17. How long is the Moon visible during the daytime?
A) neverB) always C) the answer depends on the phase of the Moon
D) 18 hoursE) 23 hours 56 minutes
18. How often does a person on the north pole see a full moon?
A) Never B) Once per month C) Twice per month D) The Moon is always full E) At new moon
19. How often does a person on the equator see a full moon?
A) Never B) Once per month C) Twice per month D) The Moon is always full E) At new moon
20. Which of the following best describes the Ptolemic model?
A) Sun-centered, with planets moving in circles around it. B) Earth-centered, with epicyclic planetary orbits.
C) Sun-centered, with elliptical planetary orbits. D) Sun-centered, with epicyclic planetary orbits.
E) Earth-centered, with Sun, Moon, and planets moving in ellipses in the sky.
21. What principle states that when two theories describe the same phenomena equally accurately, choose the simpler theory? A)The law of least action B) The theory of gravitation C) Kepler’s third law
D)Newton’s second law E) Occam's Razor
22. What was Tycho Brahe attempting to determine using parallax?
A) He was attempting to show that planets executed retrograde motion.
B) He was attempting to determine if the solar system was geocentric or heliocentric.
C) He was attempting to measure the rotation rate of Venus.
D) He was attempting to determine the period of rotation of Jupiter’s moons.
E) He was attempting to measure the speed of light.
23. If the mass of the Earth was twice as large but its radius was the same, what would happen to your mass and weight? A) Your mass and weight would both increase.
B) Your mass and weight would both be unchanged.
C) Your mass would decrease and your weight would be the same.
D) Your mass would increase and your weight would be the same.
E) Your mass would be the same and your weight would increase.
24. If the mass of the Earth was twice as large and its radius was the same, what would its density be?
A) Its density would be the sameB) Its density would be one quarter of its current value
C) Its density would be one half of its current valueD) Its density would be one eighth of its current value
E) Its density would be twice its current value
25. If you drop an object near the Earth's surface it will have an acceleration of 9.8 m/s2. If you drop an object that weighs twice as much, its acceleration will be
A) 4.9 m/s2.B) zeroC) 19.6 m/s2D) more than 19.6 m/s2.E) 9.8 m/s2.
26. If a person is standing on a scale that reads 180 pounds, with what force is the scale pushing on the person? A) more than 180 pounds, provided the scale is heavier than 180 pounds B) 9.8 pounds
C) less than 180 pounds, provided the scale is lighter than 180 poundsD) zero
E) 180 pounds
27. In Newton's law of universal gravitation, F = GMm/R2, what does R represent?
A) The average radius of the two masses, M and m.B) The average mass (M+m)/2
C) The radius of the larger massD) The radius of the smaller mass
E) The separation distance between the centers of the two masses, M and m
28. Suppose the Sun was twice as massive as it is now. The gravitational force of the Sun on Earth would be
A) Twice as much, according to Newton’s law of gravitation
B) Twice as much, according to Kepler’s law of gravitation
C) Half as much, according to Newton’s law of gravitation
D) Half as much, according to Kepler’s law of gravitation
E) The same, according to Newton’s second law
29. Which one of the following statements is true?
A) Visible light takes up only a very small part of the total range of wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum.
B) Visible light takes up most (but not all) of the total range of wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum.
C) Visible light takes up all of the electromagnetic spectrum.
D) Visible light is not part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
E) Visible light travels faster than electromagnetic radiation.
30. What is the frequency of electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength is 300 nanometers?
A) 300cycles per second B) 300 nanoseconds C) 1015 Hz D) 10-15 HzE) 1015 seconds
31. Why is the Kelvin scale used?
A) It represents something physical: zero Kelvin represents the temperature when water freezes.
B) It represents something physical: zero Kelvin represents the temperature when atoms stop moving.
C) It is an arbitrary scale that remains in use for historical reasons.
D) It represents the mass a planet must have in order to remain heated as a result of tidal forces.
E) It represents an ideal scale that gives the same numerical value of mass and weight.
32. After passing through a lens, the frequency of a light beam is ______than what it was before it passed through the lens? A) the same as B) higher C) lower D) twice as large E) half as much
33. From an observer on Earth, how much time elapses between successive Moonrises?
A) about 1 synodic month B) about 1 day C) about 1 sidereal month
D) 365.25 daysE) more than 365.25 days
34. If you lived near the equator of the Moon, how often would the Sun rise?
A) 365 times each year B)once each year C)never
D) about once per monthE) about four times per month
35. If the Earth orbited the Sun in a perfect circle with a radius of 1 AU, how would the seasons change?
A) The seasons would not change significantlyB) The seasons would last twice as long
C) The seasons would last half as longD) Winter in the northern hemisphere would be warmer
E) Summer would occur at the same time in the northern and southern hemispheres
36. What is the terminator on Earth?
A) A linejoining the north and south poles, passing through the international date line
B) A linebetween the near and far sides of Earth
C) A linebetween the solar-illuminated and dark hemispheres
D)A line separating the northern and southern hemispheres
E) A line that outlines the state governed by A. Schwarzenegger
37. In Figure 1, the Moon appears to block out the Sun. How often does this happen?
A) Once per month B) Once per year C) Twice per month D) less than once per month E) At new moon
38. Which of the following is an appropriate caption for Figure 1?
A) The top image is a total eclipse of the Sun and the bottom image is an annular eclipse of the Sun
B) The top image is a partial eclipse of the Sun and the bottom image is a total eclipse of the Sun
C) The top and bottom images show the Moon as it passes through Earth’s shadow
D) The top and bottom images show the Earth as it passes through the Sun’s shadow
E) The top image is from an observer at the equator looking toward the Sunand the bottom image is from an observer at the north pole
39. In Figure 1, why does the Moon completely cover the Sun in the top image while only partially covering the Sun in the bottom image?
A) The top image was taken during June while the bottom image was taken during December
B) The top image was taken during December while the bottom image was taken during June
C) The top image was taken when the Moon was closer to Earth
D) The top image was taken when the Moon was farther from Earth
E) The top image was taken from on top of a mountain
40. What are two features of Earth that shields us from the influence of the Sun?
A) Its atmosphere, which absorbs radiation, and its magnetic field, which absorbs the solar wind
B) Its atmosphere, which absorbs radiation, and its magnetic field, which deflects the solar wind
C) Its oceans, which serve as a reservoir of CO2, and its ozone layer which absorbs visible light
D) Its oceans, which serve as a reservoir of CO2, and its atmosphere, which traps greenhouse gasses
E) Its interior, which absorbs energy, and its atmosphere, which traps greenhouse gasses
41. About how many times will Mercury rotate with respect to the distant stars in two sidereal orbital periods? (Mercury has an orbital period of 88 days and a rotation period of 58 days.)
A) 0.5 times B) 1.0 times C) 88 times D) 1.5 times E) 3.0 times
42. If a planet has an orbital period of 1,000 days and a rotational period of 0.01 days, about how many times will it rotate on its axis over the course of its year?
A) 1,000 timesB) 10,000 timesC) 10 times D) 100 timesE) 100,000 times
43. What is a solar transit of Mercury?
A) The time it takes Mercury to orbit the SunB) The time it takes Mercury to rotate on its axis
C) The passing of Mercury in front of the SunD) The passing of Mercury behind the Sun
E) The passing of Mercury in front of Venus
44. How often does a solar transit of Jupiter occur?
A) NeverB) Once every time Jupiter orbits the SunC) Once per month
D) Once every 365.25 daysE) When a moon passes behind it as viewed from the Earth.
45. When viewed from Earth, the apparent angular diameter of the Moon varies over a month because
A) the Moon’s orbit around the Earth is not a perfect circle B) of the tidal influence of the Earth on the Moon
C) the Earth’s orbit is not a perfect circle around the Sun D) the Moon sometimes passes into Earth’s shadow
E) The Moon’s orbital plane is in the same plane as the ecliptic
46. Why does Venus have a long solar dayrelative to its year?
A) It orbits the Sun very quicklyB) It orbits on its axis very rapidlyC) It is closer to the Sun
D) It orbits on its axis very slowlyE) It has a runaway greenhouse effect
47. What is special about CO2 that makes it a “greenhouse” gas?
A)It is effective at absorbing the radiation that the Earth emitsB) It is effective at absorbing visible light
C) It is effective at absorbing ozoneD) It freezes at very low temperatures
E) It never freezes
48. What has the most influence on the runaway greenhouse effect on Venus?
A) Its retrograde motion
B) Its inability to remove CO2 from the atmosphere
C) Its slow rotation which makes the temperature more uniform
D) Its oceans which contribute H2O and CO2 to the atmosphere
E) Its magnetosphere
49. Saturn is thought to be warmer than Jupiter because Helium raindrops heated Saturn’s atmosphere. Jupiter also has Helium in its atmosphere, so why didn’t Helium heat its atmosphere in the same way?
A) Jupiter is closer to the SunB) Jupiter is further from the Sun C) Jupiter is rotating more quickly
D) Jupiter is rotating more slowlyE) Jupiter has a great red spot
50. When looking at the sky with the naked eye, how can you distinguish a planet from a star?
A) Planets are much larger
B) Planets do not move with respect to the stars
C) Planets move with respect to the stars
D) A star will never be in the ecliptic plane
E) A star will exhibit retrograde motion
51. Why are the seasons on Mars about twice as long as those on Earth?
A) Mars has a much thinner atmosphereB) Mars takes about twice as long to orbit the Sun
C) Mars takes about half as long to orbit the SunD) Both A) and B)
E) Mars has a tilt with respect to its orbital plane that is twice as large
52. What causes the seasons on Mars?
A) its elliptical orbit.B) its spin axis being tilted with respect to its orbital plane.
C) its day being about 24 hours in length. D) its yearbeingabout 700 days in length.
E) its distance from the Sun varies in its orbit.
53. If a block of CO2 ice and a block of frozen water were placed next to each other on the surface of Mars, which will evaporate faster?
A) The block of CO2 ice
B) The block of frozen water
C) The block of frozen water, but only if the blocks are near the poles
D) The block of CO2 ice, but only if the blocks are near the poles
E) They will melt and evaporate at the same rate
54. Saturn is less massive than Jupiter but is almost the same size. Why is this?
A) Saturn's interior is hotter than that of Jupiter.
B) Saturn is composed of lighter material than is Jupiter.
C) Saturn is rotating faster than Jupiter, and the increased centrifugal force results in a larger size.
D) Saturn’s smaller mass exerts less gravitational force on its atmosphere
E) Saturn has an extensive system of rings.
55. The reason for the slightly flattened or oblate shape of Saturn is
A) its rapid rotation rate.
B) its cloud cover, more clouds forming over the equator on average.
C) it was formed that way in the beginning and has maintained this shape.
D) the gravitational pull of the Sun and the other planets in the ecliptic.
E) its ring system.
56. Boulder-sized moonlets orbit within the Roche limit in Saturn's rings without breaking apart because
A) billions of years of alternate freezing and thawing as they pass from sunlight into Saturn's shadow and out again has given them an iron-hard crust of ice.
B) the gravitational forces between the different parts of the Moonlet are greater than the tidal forces pulling them apart.
C) they are too small for tidal forces to operate on them effectively.
D) the chemical bonds between their atoms and molecules are greater than the tidal forces pulling them apart.
E) the chemical bonds between their atoms and molecules are weaker than the tidal forces pulling them apart.
57. In describing the observations of the movements of the Moons of Jupiter, what is the difference between an occultation and an eclipse?
A) An occultation is the passage of the Moon into Jupiter's shadow, whereas an eclipse is the disappearance of the Moon behind the planet.
B) There is no difference—these terms both describe the disappearance of the Moon behind the planet.
C) An occultation is the passage of the Moon in front of the planet, whereas an eclipse is the disappearance of the Moon behind the planet.
D) An occultation is the disappearance of the Moon behind the planet, whereas an eclipse is the passage of the Moon into Jupiter's shadow.
58. Compared to earthquakes on Earth, moonquakes are
A) far more frequent but far weaker in intensity.B) much less frequent but much more destructive.
C) much less frequent and far less intense.D) much more frequent and far more destructive.
E) None of the above; an object without tectonic activity cannot have quakes
59. Why are moonquakes more frequent when the Moon is closest to Earth?
A) The tidal forces are strongest thenB) The tidal forces are weakest then
C) The Moon is moving most quickly thenD) The Moon is moving most slowly then
E) The Moonis exposed to more sunlight then
60. Which one of the following four theories about the origin of the Moon is now believed to be correct?
A) An object about the size of Mars crashed into Earth and debris from the collision formed the Moon.
B) Earth and the Moon formed together, already orbiting each other.
C) The Moon formed separately in a different part of the solar nebula and was later captured by Earth.
D) Earth was spinning so rapidly while still molten that a piece "spun off" to form the Moon.
61. In what way was methane, CH4, first discovered on Titan?
A) by chemical "sniffers" carried by Voyager 2 when it passed very close to Titan