CHAPTER 1—HERE AND NOW
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. How many centimeters are there in one kilometer?
a. 100
b. 1,000
c. 10,000
d. 100,000
e. 1106
ANS: D PTS: 1
2. Scientific notation is used in science because
a. it makes it easy to write big or small numbers.
b. all astronomical distances are expressed in metric units.
c. it makes conversions between units easy.
d. all of the above
ANS: A PTS: 1
3. The average distance from Earth to the sun is
a. 1 ly.
b. 1 million km.
c. 1 million miles.
d. 1 billion km.
, e. 1 AU.
ANS: E PTS: 1
4. The sun is
a. a star which generates its own energy.
b. 1 AU from Earth.
c. visible by its own light emission.
d. all of the above.
ANS: D PTS: 1
5. The diameter of a typical star (the sun) is approximately ____ times larger than the diameter of a
typical planet (the Earth).
a. 10
b. 100
c. 1000
d. 10,000
e. 100,000
ANS: B PTS: 1
6. A typical galaxy like our Milky Way galaxy contains
a. primarily planets.
b. gas only.
c. stars (some with planets), gas, and dust.
d. a single star and planets.
, e. thousands of superclusters.
ANS: C PTS: 1
7. The radius of the moon's orbit is about ____ times larger than the radius of Earth.
a. 0.6
b. 6
c. 60
d. 600
e. 6000
ANS: C PTS: 1
8. The Milky Way Galaxy
a. contains about 100 billion stars.
b. is about 200 light-years in diameter.
c. is the largest known object in the universe.
d. all of the above.
e. a and c.
ANS: A PTS: 1
9. 2.9107 is the same as
a. 2.9 thousand.
b. 29 thousand.
c. 290 thousand.
d. 2.9 million.
, e. 29 million.
ANS: E PTS: 1
10. 1.65 billion is the same as
a. 1.651012.
b. 1.65109.
c. 1.65106.
d. 1.65105.
e. 1.65103.
ANS: B PTS: 1
11. Arrange the following distances in order from smallest to largest.
I. kilometer
II. light-year
III. yard
IV. Astronomical unit
a. I, II, III, IV
b. IV, III, II, I
c. III, I, IV, II
d. II, I, IV, III
e. III, I, II, IV
ANS: C PTS: 1
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. How many centimeters are there in one kilometer?
a. 100
b. 1,000
c. 10,000
d. 100,000
e. 1106
ANS: D PTS: 1
2. Scientific notation is used in science because
a. it makes it easy to write big or small numbers.
b. all astronomical distances are expressed in metric units.
c. it makes conversions between units easy.
d. all of the above
ANS: A PTS: 1
3. The average distance from Earth to the sun is
a. 1 ly.
b. 1 million km.
c. 1 million miles.
d. 1 billion km.
, e. 1 AU.
ANS: E PTS: 1
4. The sun is
a. a star which generates its own energy.
b. 1 AU from Earth.
c. visible by its own light emission.
d. all of the above.
ANS: D PTS: 1
5. The diameter of a typical star (the sun) is approximately ____ times larger than the diameter of a
typical planet (the Earth).
a. 10
b. 100
c. 1000
d. 10,000
e. 100,000
ANS: B PTS: 1
6. A typical galaxy like our Milky Way galaxy contains
a. primarily planets.
b. gas only.
c. stars (some with planets), gas, and dust.
d. a single star and planets.
, e. thousands of superclusters.
ANS: C PTS: 1
7. The radius of the moon's orbit is about ____ times larger than the radius of Earth.
a. 0.6
b. 6
c. 60
d. 600
e. 6000
ANS: C PTS: 1
8. The Milky Way Galaxy
a. contains about 100 billion stars.
b. is about 200 light-years in diameter.
c. is the largest known object in the universe.
d. all of the above.
e. a and c.
ANS: A PTS: 1
9. 2.9107 is the same as
a. 2.9 thousand.
b. 29 thousand.
c. 290 thousand.
d. 2.9 million.
, e. 29 million.
ANS: E PTS: 1
10. 1.65 billion is the same as
a. 1.651012.
b. 1.65109.
c. 1.65106.
d. 1.65105.
e. 1.65103.
ANS: B PTS: 1
11. Arrange the following distances in order from smallest to largest.
I. kilometer
II. light-year
III. yard
IV. Astronomical unit
a. I, II, III, IV
b. IV, III, II, I
c. III, I, IV, II
d. II, I, IV, III
e. III, I, II, IV
ANS: C PTS: 1
