PHY-101: Exam 1 ACTUAL UPDATED QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Geometric reasoning can be used to measure distances A- angle that decreases with increasing distance to object
both on Earth and in space. Surveyors on Earth and B- distance to object
astronomers both use the geometric technique of C- right angle
triangulation to determine the distances and sizes of D- baseline
remote objects. In order to determine the distance using E- angle that increases with increasing distance to object
the triangulation method, a few key geometric
components must be known. Once the baseline and the
sightline angles are determined, then the distance can be
calculated with simple geometric reasoning.
In the figure below, label the essential components used
1 multiple choice option
to triangulate the distance to the tree located on the
opposite side of the river (assume the baseline remains
constant).
One way to triangulate the distance to many remote As the distance to the object increases, parallax decreases.
objects, such as stars, is to observe the shifts in their As the size of baseline increases, parallax increases.
location relative to more distant background objects. This As the distance to background objects increases, parallax remains the same
apparent shifting of an object’s location with respect to
the background objects is known as parallax. Parallax is
represented in the figure, where the top image shows the
parallax shift that is observed along a baseline that runs
from one side of Earth to the other. The bottom two
1 multiple choice option
images show what the observer sees from opposite sides
of Earth. Using triangulation, the distance to the object
can be calculated with simple trigonometric relations.
Use the figure to determine how the measured parallax
changes in each of the following situations:
, Once the distance to a remote object is determined via about 400 times bigger
triangulation, one can measure the angular diameter of
the object and convert that to an actual diameter. For
relatively small angular diameters of a few degrees or
less, the corresponding linear diameter can be
approximated using the following expression:
3 multiple choice options
Diameter=Distance×(Angular Diameter)(57.3
degrees)Diameter=Distance×(Angular Diameter)(57.3
degrees)
The figure below illustrates that the diameter of a remote
object increases with its distance and its measured
angular diameter.
Consider the Moon and Sun. Their angular diameters are
both equal to about .5 degree. If the Sun is roughly 400
times more distant than the Moon, how much bigger is
the Sun's diameter than the Moon's?
Listed following are a series of statements that each make testable: Earth orbits the Sun..., Bacteria acquire antibiotics through..., Mars once
a claim. Classify these as either testable by accepted had liquid water..., People born under the sign of Sag..., There will be a solar ec...
methods of science or non-testable by accepted not testable: Hurricane Katrina..., Vince Young is the greatest...
methods of science. Be sure to note that this question
does not ask whether a statement would pass or fail a
test; it only asks whether it is testable in principle.
To ancient astronomers, the motions of the Sun, the Geocentric: This model is Earth centered, Retrograde motion is explained by
Moon, and the stars seemed fairly simple. However, the epicycles
motions of the planets, which were more complicated, Heliocentric: This model is Sun-centered, Retrograde motion is explained by the
were harder to account for. It was a challenge for orbital speeds of the planets
astronomers to explain the observed motions of the Both: epicycles and deferent help explain planetary motion, planets move in
planets and to relate those motions to variations in circular orbits and with uniform motion, the brightness of the planet increases
planetary brightness. This tutorial examines two when the planet is closest to Earth
competing models of the solar system and how each of
these models explained the motions of the planets. This
tutorial also discusses the model that ultimately led to our
correct understanding of the solar system.
Two competing models attempt to explain the motions
1 multiple choice option
and changing brightness of the planets: Ptolemy's
geocentric model and Copernicus' heliocentric model.
Sort the characteristics according to whether they are
part of the geocentric model, the heliocentric model, or
both solar system models.
Geometric reasoning can be used to measure distances A- angle that decreases with increasing distance to object
both on Earth and in space. Surveyors on Earth and B- distance to object
astronomers both use the geometric technique of C- right angle
triangulation to determine the distances and sizes of D- baseline
remote objects. In order to determine the distance using E- angle that increases with increasing distance to object
the triangulation method, a few key geometric
components must be known. Once the baseline and the
sightline angles are determined, then the distance can be
calculated with simple geometric reasoning.
In the figure below, label the essential components used
1 multiple choice option
to triangulate the distance to the tree located on the
opposite side of the river (assume the baseline remains
constant).
One way to triangulate the distance to many remote As the distance to the object increases, parallax decreases.
objects, such as stars, is to observe the shifts in their As the size of baseline increases, parallax increases.
location relative to more distant background objects. This As the distance to background objects increases, parallax remains the same
apparent shifting of an object’s location with respect to
the background objects is known as parallax. Parallax is
represented in the figure, where the top image shows the
parallax shift that is observed along a baseline that runs
from one side of Earth to the other. The bottom two
1 multiple choice option
images show what the observer sees from opposite sides
of Earth. Using triangulation, the distance to the object
can be calculated with simple trigonometric relations.
Use the figure to determine how the measured parallax
changes in each of the following situations:
, Once the distance to a remote object is determined via about 400 times bigger
triangulation, one can measure the angular diameter of
the object and convert that to an actual diameter. For
relatively small angular diameters of a few degrees or
less, the corresponding linear diameter can be
approximated using the following expression:
3 multiple choice options
Diameter=Distance×(Angular Diameter)(57.3
degrees)Diameter=Distance×(Angular Diameter)(57.3
degrees)
The figure below illustrates that the diameter of a remote
object increases with its distance and its measured
angular diameter.
Consider the Moon and Sun. Their angular diameters are
both equal to about .5 degree. If the Sun is roughly 400
times more distant than the Moon, how much bigger is
the Sun's diameter than the Moon's?
Listed following are a series of statements that each make testable: Earth orbits the Sun..., Bacteria acquire antibiotics through..., Mars once
a claim. Classify these as either testable by accepted had liquid water..., People born under the sign of Sag..., There will be a solar ec...
methods of science or non-testable by accepted not testable: Hurricane Katrina..., Vince Young is the greatest...
methods of science. Be sure to note that this question
does not ask whether a statement would pass or fail a
test; it only asks whether it is testable in principle.
To ancient astronomers, the motions of the Sun, the Geocentric: This model is Earth centered, Retrograde motion is explained by
Moon, and the stars seemed fairly simple. However, the epicycles
motions of the planets, which were more complicated, Heliocentric: This model is Sun-centered, Retrograde motion is explained by the
were harder to account for. It was a challenge for orbital speeds of the planets
astronomers to explain the observed motions of the Both: epicycles and deferent help explain planetary motion, planets move in
planets and to relate those motions to variations in circular orbits and with uniform motion, the brightness of the planet increases
planetary brightness. This tutorial examines two when the planet is closest to Earth
competing models of the solar system and how each of
these models explained the motions of the planets. This
tutorial also discusses the model that ultimately led to our
correct understanding of the solar system.
Two competing models attempt to explain the motions
1 multiple choice option
and changing brightness of the planets: Ptolemy's
geocentric model and Copernicus' heliocentric model.
Sort the characteristics according to whether they are
part of the geocentric model, the heliocentric model, or
both solar system models.
