ASTR 102 Final QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | VERIFIED 100%
CORRECT 2026 UPDATE WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS.
What is the objective of experimentation? - ANSWER-To consistently break theories in
an unbiased fashion.
How do you make a theory? - ANSWER-Observing an unknown and using previous
knowledge to make a guess/prediction.
What are the conditions of a theory? - ANSWER-It must be refutable or falsifiable.
How is the current scientific method implemented? - ANSWER-Prediction leads to
experimentation/observation leads to theory leads to prediction.
How does your life impact your view of the world? - ANSWER-Unconscious bias
What is light? - ANSWER-Radiation
What are the basic properties of a wave? - ANSWER-Frequency, Period, speed, and
wavelength.
what does frequency refer to? - ANSWER-number of oscillations per second.
what does period refer to? - ANSWER-the time in between two peaks or troughs.
what does wavelength refer to? - ANSWER-The direct distance from one peak to
another.
what does speed refer to (in terms of a wave)? - ANSWER-the distance traveled from
one peak to another over time.
what does distance refer to (in terms of a wave)? - ANSWER-the absolute length of the
path from one peak to another.
What is refraction? - ANSWER-The bending of light as it moves through a medium.
what is diffraction? - ANSWER-Light moving out in a cone shape after moving through
an aperture.
what is interference? - ANSWER-two wavelengths interacting with one another.
what are the two types of interference? - ANSWER-Constructive and Destructive
, what is Constructive Interference? - ANSWER-two waves moving at the same
frequency next to one another making the signal stronger.
what is Destructive Interference? - ANSWER-two waves with opposing peaks distorting
one another.
How does a wavelength relate to colour? - ANSWER-Certain wavelengths appear as
certain colours of light.
How does energy relate to the wavelength of light? - ANSWER-higher energy = shorter
wavelength.
How does energy relate to frequency? - ANSWER-Higher energy = higher frequency.
What is the Doppler effect? - ANSWER-The perceived wavelength based on how fast or
slow the observer and source are moving away or towards each other.
What would blue shifted light indicate? - ANSWER-the source and observer are moving
towards one another.
What would a red shifted light indicate? - ANSWER-The source and observer are
moving away from each other.
What is a Blackbody? - ANSWER-An opaque object that radiates based on their
temperature.
what makes an ideal Blackbody? - ANSWER-An object that perfectly emits and absorbs
all radiation.
How does the temperature of a Blackbody relate to colour? - ANSWER-Higher
temperature = Higher frequency emission at peak.
How does temperature of a Blackbody relate to Brightness/intensity? - ANSWER-
Temperature is proportional to the intensity of the radiation.
A hotter blackbody spectrum would look like what? - ANSWER-Higher frequency, closer
to Ultra Violet.
A cooler blackbody spectrum would look like what? - ANSWER-Lower frequency, closer
to infrared.
How does an atom interact with light (radiation)? - ANSWER-Radiation excites the atom
moving the electrons to a higher orbit.
What happens when an atom moves from an excited state back to its ground state? -
ANSWER-It will emit a photon.
What causes emission line radiation? - ANSWER-An atom moving from a higher excited
state to a lower excited or ground state.
What determines the wavelength of an emission line photon? - ANSWER-which two
orbits the electron on the atom is moving between.
what does Kirchoff state about blackbody radiation? - ANSWER-The intensity of
radiation emission is proportional to the black bodies absorption abilities.
What types of spectra do Kirchoff's laws of blackbody radiation describe? - ANSWER-
Continuous spectra, Emission spectra, Absorption spectra
what is a Continuous spectra? - ANSWER-a entire spectra with no breaks or lines.
what is an emission line spectra? - ANSWER-When radiation excites atoms in a cloud
which emit specific wavelengths.
what is an Absorption line spectra? - ANSWER-when gas blocks certain wavelengths
from passing though the cloud.
CORRECT 2026 UPDATE WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS.
What is the objective of experimentation? - ANSWER-To consistently break theories in
an unbiased fashion.
How do you make a theory? - ANSWER-Observing an unknown and using previous
knowledge to make a guess/prediction.
What are the conditions of a theory? - ANSWER-It must be refutable or falsifiable.
How is the current scientific method implemented? - ANSWER-Prediction leads to
experimentation/observation leads to theory leads to prediction.
How does your life impact your view of the world? - ANSWER-Unconscious bias
What is light? - ANSWER-Radiation
What are the basic properties of a wave? - ANSWER-Frequency, Period, speed, and
wavelength.
what does frequency refer to? - ANSWER-number of oscillations per second.
what does period refer to? - ANSWER-the time in between two peaks or troughs.
what does wavelength refer to? - ANSWER-The direct distance from one peak to
another.
what does speed refer to (in terms of a wave)? - ANSWER-the distance traveled from
one peak to another over time.
what does distance refer to (in terms of a wave)? - ANSWER-the absolute length of the
path from one peak to another.
What is refraction? - ANSWER-The bending of light as it moves through a medium.
what is diffraction? - ANSWER-Light moving out in a cone shape after moving through
an aperture.
what is interference? - ANSWER-two wavelengths interacting with one another.
what are the two types of interference? - ANSWER-Constructive and Destructive
, what is Constructive Interference? - ANSWER-two waves moving at the same
frequency next to one another making the signal stronger.
what is Destructive Interference? - ANSWER-two waves with opposing peaks distorting
one another.
How does a wavelength relate to colour? - ANSWER-Certain wavelengths appear as
certain colours of light.
How does energy relate to the wavelength of light? - ANSWER-higher energy = shorter
wavelength.
How does energy relate to frequency? - ANSWER-Higher energy = higher frequency.
What is the Doppler effect? - ANSWER-The perceived wavelength based on how fast or
slow the observer and source are moving away or towards each other.
What would blue shifted light indicate? - ANSWER-the source and observer are moving
towards one another.
What would a red shifted light indicate? - ANSWER-The source and observer are
moving away from each other.
What is a Blackbody? - ANSWER-An opaque object that radiates based on their
temperature.
what makes an ideal Blackbody? - ANSWER-An object that perfectly emits and absorbs
all radiation.
How does the temperature of a Blackbody relate to colour? - ANSWER-Higher
temperature = Higher frequency emission at peak.
How does temperature of a Blackbody relate to Brightness/intensity? - ANSWER-
Temperature is proportional to the intensity of the radiation.
A hotter blackbody spectrum would look like what? - ANSWER-Higher frequency, closer
to Ultra Violet.
A cooler blackbody spectrum would look like what? - ANSWER-Lower frequency, closer
to infrared.
How does an atom interact with light (radiation)? - ANSWER-Radiation excites the atom
moving the electrons to a higher orbit.
What happens when an atom moves from an excited state back to its ground state? -
ANSWER-It will emit a photon.
What causes emission line radiation? - ANSWER-An atom moving from a higher excited
state to a lower excited or ground state.
What determines the wavelength of an emission line photon? - ANSWER-which two
orbits the electron on the atom is moving between.
what does Kirchoff state about blackbody radiation? - ANSWER-The intensity of
radiation emission is proportional to the black bodies absorption abilities.
What types of spectra do Kirchoff's laws of blackbody radiation describe? - ANSWER-
Continuous spectra, Emission spectra, Absorption spectra
what is a Continuous spectra? - ANSWER-a entire spectra with no breaks or lines.
what is an emission line spectra? - ANSWER-When radiation excites atoms in a cloud
which emit specific wavelengths.
what is an Absorption line spectra? - ANSWER-when gas blocks certain wavelengths
from passing though the cloud.
