ASTRONOMY FINAL EXAM STUDY
GUIDE TEST.
Create your "cosmic address" by arranging the following objects from small to large - CORRECT ANSWER
you, Earth-Moon system, Solar System, solar interstellar neighborhood, Milky Way, Local Group, Local
Supercluster, Universe
The astronomical unit (AU) is commonly used as a measure of distance in the Solar System. Place the
Solar System objects in the appropriate bin according to their average distance from the Sun. - CORRECT
ANSWER Less than 1 AU from the Sun: Mercury
Approximately 1 AU from the Sun: Earth, the Moon
Greater than 1 AU from the Sun: Mars, Uranus, Saturn
Sort the objects into the correct bins. Be sure to sort ALL five images. - CORRECT ANSWER Within the
Milky Way Galaxy: International Space Station, Venus, Sun, Open Cluster
Not Within the Milky Way Galaxy: Andromeda Galaxy
Ancient astronomers typically practiced both astronomy and astrology, but the two are not the same.
For each item below, choose whether it belongs most to astronomy, astrology, or both equally. -
CORRECT ANSWER Astronomy only: telescopes, records scientific measurements during research, laws
of physics, searches for new data about the physical Universe
Astrology only: Age of Aquarius, based on superstition, horoscopes, following rules made thousands of
years ago
Both: zodiac
The smell of a solution used to clean a floor can quickly be detected throughout a house. Scientists
explain this phenomenon by theorizing that gas molecules from the solution are in continuous random
high-speed motion, drifting rapidly, and permeating the air. Which fact or data would best increase the
strength of this theory? - CORRECT ANSWER Scientists have observed other gas particles spreading
outward in a room, in a continuous random high-speed motion, drifting rapidly, and permeating the air.
Which of the following statements about hypotheses is FALSE? - CORRECT ANSWER A hypothesis should
be created when the outcome for its test is known.
,Sort the items below into those which characterize science and those which characterize pseudoscience.
- CORRECT ANSWER Characteristics of Scientific Theory: based on observation, precise logical structure,
falsifiable, experiments can be replicated
Characteristics of Psuedoscientific Theory: based on dogma, ambiguous predictions, cannot be tested,
consistent with beliefs
Select the items that contribute to the seasons. - CORRECT ANSWER Earth's axis is tilted about 23°
relative to its orbit, there are fewer hours of daylight during winter, sunlight is more slanted during
winter
Identify which season the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing at each labeled point in the Earth's
orbit. - CORRECT ANSWER http://oi66.tinypic.com/hwmkxv.jpg
Identify which season the Southern Hemisphere is experiencing at each labeled point in the Earth's
orbit. - CORRECT ANSWER http://oi63.tinypic.com/o6gok9.jpg
Rank these locations from most hours of daily sunlight to least on the June solstice. - CORRECT ANSWER
http://oi68.tinypic.com/a2djxw.jpg
Rank locations from most hours of daily sunlight to least on the December solstice. - CORRECT ANSWER
http://oi65.tinypic.com/w88cg4.jpg
Label the images of the moon with the correct phase names as seen from the Northern Hemisphere. -
CORRECT ANSWER http://oi65.tinypic.com/20af5ma.jpg
Place the phases of the Moon in the correct order as you would see them in the Northern Hemisphere
over the course of a month. - CORRECT ANSWER http://oi67.tinypic.com/13z7dzk.jpg
Say it is around midnight on a night of a third quarter moon near the Equator. Where in the sky is the
Moon located? - CORRECT ANSWER close to the eastern horizon
,Why does the Moon go through phases? - CORRECT ANSWER The Sun shines on the Moon, illuminating
half of it and leaving half dark.
You are currently in Amsterdam, Netherlands (52° N, 5° E) and the Moon's phase is waxing crescent. You
see yesterday\'s news report from Irkutsk, Russia (52° N, 104° E) which shows footage of the Moon. The
phase of the Moon in the news report from Irkutsk will be closest to which of the following phases? -
CORRECT ANSWER waxing crescent
If an observer at the North Pole sees a full moon, an observer at the Equator will see a - CORRECT
ANSWER full moon
Label the orbit of the Moon with its phases. - CORRECT ANSWER http://oi68.tinypic.com/2zq4ugj.jpg
This famous photograph of Earth as viewed from the Moon was taken in 1968 by Apollo 8 astronauts; it
shows a gibbous Earth as seen from the Moon. If the Moon were at its crescent phase as seen from
Earth, what would be the phase of the Earth as seen from the Moon? - CORRECT ANSWER gibbous
Label the orbit of the Moon with its phases. - CORRECT ANSWER http://oi65.tinypic.com/24wx4jd.jpg
Sort the images of different phases of the Moon based on when the Moon is in the sky, at or above the
horizon. - CORRECT ANSWER In the sky at noon: waning crescent, waxing crescent
In the sky both at noon and midnight: third quarter
In the sky at midnight: full moon, waxing gibbous
http://oi65.tinypic.com/2elatr8.jpg
During a clear and pleasant night you look up into the sky and recognize the planet Jupiter near the
center of the constellation of Taurus. If you look for Jupiter the following night at around the same time,
where are you most likely to find the planet? - CORRECT ANSWER It will still be in the constellation of
Taurus.
The images below each show two observations of a planet against the more distant background stars,
taken several days apart. Choose the tab (A or B) with the planet that is in prograde motion. Note that
west is to the right in each image. - CORRECT ANSWER http://oi67.tinypic.com/1495yxk.jpg
, Label the diagram below with the features of the Ptolemaic model that are used to explain retrograde
motion. (Not all labels will be used.)
What aspect of Ptolemy's model explains the retrograde motion of the planets? - CORRECT ANSWER
http://oi64.tinypic.com/szcqci.jpg
Which of the following are true of the ancient Greek philosophers' beliefs and approach to astronomy
and the heavens, and which are false? - CORRECT ANSWER True of Greek philosopher's beliefs: heavenly
bodies move in perfect circles, Universe is perfect and unchanging
False of Greek philosopher's beliefs: The sun is at the center of the Solar System, observations and data
are of the first importance, the Earth is flat
A doctor has a patient who has symptoms of headache, neck stiffness, fever, nausea, and confusion.
According to Occam's (or Ockham's) razor, which of the following hypotheses that have been proposed
about the suffering patient is the best explanation?
Hypothesis 1: The patient is faking his symptoms in order to trick the doctor into making a misdiagnosis
so that the patient can sue and get a lot of money.
Hypothesis 2: The patient has a brain tumor, strained neck, and infection, which together would account
for the symptoms.
Hypothesis 3: The patient has meningitis, which can cause all the patient's symptoms. - CORRECT
ANSWER Hypothesis 3
The model of the Universe developed by Copernicus says that - CORRECT ANSWER the Sun, not the
Earth, is at the center of the Solar System.
The experiments Galileo performed, such as rolling a ball down an inclined plane, are important because
they - CORRECT ANSWER showed the value of doing experiment and observation instead of relying on
philosophy.
Choose the correct statement about astronomical discoveries made using the telescope. - CORRECT
ANSWER Galileo was the first to observe Saturn and its rings, although he didn't know what they were.
Galileo first observed Jupiter's four largest moons in 1610. What was the significance of his discovery? -
CORRECT ANSWER The moons' orbits supported the heliocentric model of the Solar System.
