Question 1

At polar latitudes during the _________ solstice, the Sun is above the horizon for _________ hours. This is in contrast to the _________ solstice, where the Sun is slightly above the southern horizon at _________.
A)summer; 24; winter; noon
B)winter; 24; summer; noon
C)summer; 8; winter; noon
D)winter; 8; summer; midnight

Accepted Answer

During the summer solstice at polar latitudes, the Sun is above the horizon for 24 hours, known as the Midnight Sun. In contrast, during the winter solstice, the Sun is barely above the horizon at noon.

Question 2

Most people can see a total lunar eclipse but not a total solar eclipse because _________ has a large shadow relative to _________.
A)the Moon; Earth
B)the Moon; the Sun
C)Earth; the Moon
D)Earth; the Sun

Accepted Answer

During a total lunar eclipse, Earth casts a large shadow on the Moon, making it visible from anywhere on the night side of Earth. In contrast, a total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's smaller shadow falls on Earth, making it visible only from a small area.

Question 3

A light-year equals the
A)time it takes light to travel through space in 1 Earth year.
B)distance light travels through space in 1 Earth year in a vacuum.
C)distance light travels through space in 1 Earth month.
D)distance light travels through space in 1 Earth day in a vacuum.

Accepted Answer

A light-year is the distance that light travels in one Earth year in a vacuum. It is equivalent to about 5.88 trillion miles or 9.46 trillion kilometers.

Question 4

Toward the blue end of the spectrum, _________ objects emit _________ wavelengths of light.
A)cooler; shorter
B)hotter; shorter
C)cooler; longer
D)hotter; longer

Accepted Answer

Hotter objects emit shorter wavelengths of light, and blue light has a shorter wavelength than red light. Therefore, objects toward the blue end of the spectrum must be hotter.

Question 5

Identify the two solstice and two equinox positions for Earth's orbit in the diagram below. 
A)A = winter solstice; B = summer solstice; C = autumnal equinox; D =vernal equinox
B)A = winter solstice; B = autumnal equinox; C = summer solstice; D = vernal equinox
C)A = summer solstice; B = winter solstice; C = vernal equinox; D = autumnal equinox
D)A = summer solstice; B = winter solstice; C = autumnal equinox; D = vernal equinox

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify the two solstice and two equinox...

Question 6

Astronomers use a spectrometer to analyze
A)a star's color.
B)a star's temperature.
C)the magnetism from stars.
D)a star's electromagnetic radiation and to distinguish various star types.

Accepted Answer

Spectrometer is a tool used to separate light into its different wavelengths, or colors. Astronomers use it to analyze the electromagnetic radiation given off by stars, which can help in distinguishing various types of stars based on their chemical composition, temperature, and other properties.

Question 7

A simple example of the Doppler effect in everyday experience is a(n)
A)train and its tracks.
B)car and its passengers.
C)tree and its leaves.
D)ambulance and its siren.

Accepted Answer

The Doppler effect can be observed when an ambulance with a siren passes by. As the ambulance approaches the observer, the sound waves are compressed, resulting in a higher frequency and a higher pitch. As the ambulance moves away from the observer, the sound waves are stretched, resulting in a lower frequency and a lower pitch. This change in pitch is a good example of the Doppler effect.

Question 8

An astronomical unit represents the average distance from the
A)center of Earth to the center of the Sun and equals about 150 million km (93 million miles).
B)surface of Earth to the surface of the Sun and equals about 1,000 million km (621 million miles).
C)center of Earth to the center of the Sun and equals about 1,000 million km (621 million miles).
D)surface of Earth to the surface of the Sun and equals about 150 million km (93 million miles).

Accepted Answer

An astronomical unit (AU) represents the average distance from the center of Earth to the center of the Sun and is approximately 150 million kilometers (93 million miles).

Question 9

Why is it difficult for someone to witness a total solar eclipse in their lifetime?
A)The Moon's umbra track on Earth's surface is relatively large, making a solar eclipse impossible.
B)Earth's umbra track on the Moon's surface is relatively small and there are only two times a year when the Moon's orbit and the ecliptic plane intersect to make an eclipse possible.
C)The Moon's umbra track on Earth's surface is relatively small and there are only two times a year when the Moon's orbit and the ecliptic plane intersect to make an eclipse possible.
D)Earth's umbra track on the Moon's surface is small and there are only 10 times a year when the Moon's orbit and the ecliptic plane intersect to make an eclipse possible.

Accepted Answer

The Moon's umbra track on Earth's surface is relatively small, making a total solar eclipse a rare event. Additionally, there are only two times a year when the Moon's orbit and the ecliptic plane intersect to make a total solar eclipse possible. This means that it is difficult for someone to witness a total solar eclipse in their lifetime.

Question 10

Astronomers use the geometric parallax by precisely measuring the angles at which a star's position changes, astronomers use trigonometry to calculate the _________ nearby stars less than _________ away from Earth.
A)distance to; 1 light-year
B)temperature of; 500 light-years
C)distance to; 500 light-years
D)Astronomers do not use the geometric parallax, only meteorologists use it.

Accepted Answer

Astronomers use the geometric parallax to calculate the distance to nearby stars less than 500 light-years away from Earth.

Question 11

The primary difference between a total solar eclipse and a partial solar eclipse is that a _________ solar eclipse occurs when Earth passes through the Moon's umbra and the Sun becomes _________ obscured.
A)partial; partially
B)total; partially
C)partial; completely
D)total; completely

Accepted Answer

A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon completely blocks the Sun's light from reaching Earth, leading to complete darkness. In contrast, a partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon only partially blocks the Sun's light, resulting in only a portion of the Sun being obscured. Therefore, Choice D is the best answer as it correctly identifies the difference between the two types of solar eclipses.

Question 12

Which unit do astronomers use for measuring distance between objects in our galaxy?
A)parsec
B)astronomical unit
C)Doppler shift
D)light-year

Accepted Answer

Astronomers use parsec as a unit to measure the distance between objects in our galaxy. It is defined as the distance at which an object appears to shift its position by one arcsecond (1/3600th of a degree) as observed from Earth.

Question 13

What happens during a lunar eclipse in relation to the alignment of the Sun, the moon, and Earth?
A)Earth blocks moonlight from reaching the Sun.
B)Earth's moon blocks sunlight from reaching the Earth.
C)The Sun blocks moonlight from reaching Earth's moon.
D)Earth blocks sunlight from reaching Earth's moon.

Accepted Answer

During a lunar eclipse, Earth comes between the Sun and the moon, blocking sunlight from reaching the moon.

Question 14

Using the Doppler effect, astronomers can
A)calculate the velocity Earth's moon is moving toward Earth.
B)calculate the distance from Earth to the Moon.
C)detect whether a celestial object is moving away or towards the observer.
D)detect a celestial object's chemical composition.

Accepted Answer

The Doppler effect can be used to detect whether a celestial object is moving away or towards the observer by analyzing the shift in wavelength of the light emitted by the object. This is known as the redshift or blueshift, depending on whether the object is moving away from or towards the observer, respectively.

Question 15

Astronomers have determined that _________ stars have a surface temperature of 18,000°C (32,400°F), _________ stars have a surface temperature of 5,800°C (10,500°F), and _________ stars have a surface temperature of 2,500°C (4,500°F).
A)blue; yellow; red
B)yellow; blue; red
C)red; yellow; blue
D)yellow; red; blue

Accepted Answer

The order of surface temperature from hottest to coolest is blue, yellow, and red. Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

Question 16

An image produced by a spectroscope will
A)not show any light from a celestial object.
B)show the light from a celestial object does not contain all possible wavelengths, but rather displays distinct spectral lines, which are bright or dark bands at specific wavelengths.
C)show that the light from a celestial object contains all possible wavelengths.
D)show the chemical composition from a celestial object and several spectral lines, which are bright or dark bands at multiple wavelengths.

Accepted Answer

A spectroscope separates light into different wavelengths and displays them as distinct spectral lines. Therefore, the image produced by a spectroscope will show the light from a celestial object displaying bright or dark bands at specific wavelengths, indicating the presence or absence of certain chemical elements. It will not show all possible wavelengths.

Question 17

The _________ window is transparent to visible light and translucent to infrared energy.
A)radio
B)photon
C)spectral
D)optical

Accepted Answer

Optical windows are designed to allow visible light to pass through while blocking other types of electromagnetic radiation, such as ultraviolet or infrared. In the case of windows that are transparent to visible light and translucent to infrared energy, this would be an optical window.

Question 18

Which of the following would an astronomer use for measuring the distance between objects in our solar system?
A)light-year
B)astronomical unit
C)Doppler shift
D)speed of light

Accepted Answer

An astronomical unit (AU) is a unit of length used to measure distances within the solar system. One AU represents the distance from the Earth to the Sun, which is approximately 93 million miles or 150 million kilometers. Astronomers typically use AU to measure the distances between planets, comets, and other objects within the solar system.

Question 19

A geometric parallax is the apparent displacement of a foreground object relative to a background object when an observer's position changes and can be used to calculate the
A)temperature of faraway stars.
B)temperature of nearby stars.
C)distance of faraway stars.
D)distance of nearby stars.

Accepted Answer

Geometric parallax can be used to calculate the distance of nearby stars. This is because as the observer's position changes, the angle between the foreground and background object changes, and by measuring this angle, the distance of the foreground object can be calculated using trigonometry.

Question 20

Spectral lines can act like a _________ to help astronomers identify the chemical _________ of the electromagnetic radiation characteristics of a star.
A)fingerprint; structure
B)class; composition
C)fingerprint; composition
D)composition; fingerprint

Accepted Answer

Spectral lines act like a unique fingerprint or barcode for different elements or compounds. By studying the wavelengths of these lines, astronomers can identify the chemical composition of a star or other astronomical object. Therefore, the correct answer is C, which describes spectral lines as a fingerprint for composition. Choice A is close, but "structure" is not the correct term to describe the chemical makeup of a star. Choice B is incorrect because "class" does not accurately describe the role of spectral lines. And choice D is incorrect because it reverses the order of the terms, suggesting that fingerprint is a tool to identify composition, rather than the other way around.

Quiz 21: Our Solar System and Beyond

At polar latitudes during the _____ solstice, the Sun is above the horizon for _ hours. This is in contrast to the _ solstice, where the Sun is slightly above the southern horizon at _____.

Most people can see a total lunar eclipse but not a total solar eclipse because _ has a large shadow relative to _.

A light-year equals the

Toward the blue end of the spectrum, _ objects emit _ wavelengths of light.

Identify the two solstice and two equinox positions for Earth's orbit in the diagram below.

Astronomers use a spectrometer to analyze

A simple example of the Doppler effect in everyday experience is a(n)

An astronomical unit represents the average distance from the

Why is it difficult for someone to witness a total solar eclipse in their lifetime?

Astronomers use the geometric parallax by precisely measuring the angles at which a star's position changes, astronomers use trigonometry to calculate the _ nearby stars less than _ away from Earth.

The primary difference between a total solar eclipse and a partial solar eclipse is that a _ solar eclipse occurs when Earth passes through the Moon's umbra and the Sun becomes _ obscured.

Which unit do astronomers use for measuring distance between objects in our galaxy?

What happens during a lunar eclipse in relation to the alignment of the Sun, the moon, and Earth?

Using the Doppler effect, astronomers can

Astronomers have determined that _____ stars have a surface temperature of 18,000°C (32,400°F) , _ stars have a surface temperature of 5,800°C (10,500°F) , and _____ stars have a surface temperature of 2,500°C (4,500°F) .

An image produced by a spectroscope will

The _________ window is transparent to visible light and translucent to infrared energy.

Which of the following would an astronomer use for measuring the distance between objects in our solar system?

A geometric parallax is the apparent displacement of a foreground object relative to a background object when an observer's position changes and can be used to calculate the

Spectral lines can act like a _ to help astronomers identify the chemical _ of the electromagnetic radiation characteristics of a star.