ASTRO 5 TEST QUESTIONS WITH FULLY
CORRECT ANSWERS NEW UPDATED
5.1 From the article "Astronomy in the Age of Columbus," describe two
arguments used by Aristotle that indicated the ancient Greeks understood that
the Earth must be spherical and not flat. - ANSWER 1. If bits or terrestrial
matter were dropped into the center of the universe, they would form a sphere
The shape of the shadow of the earth on the moon at the time of a lunar eclipse
is always curved and therefore the earth must be spherical
5.2 From the article "Astronomy in the Age of Columbus," why was it popularly
believed among early American settlers that most European authorities believed
that the Earth was flat during the time of Columbus? - ANSWER Nathanial
wrote a fictional book about Columbus who argued against a bunch of
europeans that thought the earth was rounds and they likely to believe the
europeans were dumb
5.3* From the article "Astronomy in the Age of Columbus," describe the two
"errors" Columbus made about Earth's geography that made his proposed
Westward voyage to Asia seem more reasonable and possible - ANSWER He
said the distance from spain to asia was only three quarters of its actual distance
He exaggerated the terrestrial magnitude of china, making the voyage seem
more manageable / reasonable
5.4 From the article "Astronomy in the Age of Columbus," explain how
Columbus used the reference book "Ephemerides" (which provided timing of
astronomical phenomena such as lunar phases and eclipses) to help during his
voyage. - ANSWER He used the book, Ephemerides to predict the lunar
eclipse
Columbus got stranded in Jamaica and the people did not want to help,
Columbus told the Jamaicans that the moon would rise bloody and read because
God was mad with them.
, Columbus then returned when the eclipse ended and told them that God had
answered his prayers on their behalf and they were very impressed and grateful
and helped Columbus
5.5* From the article "Astronomy in the Age of Columbus," describe three
historical changes that occurred around the time of the publication of
Copernicus' heliocentric theory that helped ensure it got a serious hearing in the
scientific community, unlike times in the past when it had been suggested by
others. - ANSWER 1. Alive during the time of the Printing press, so copies
could be distributed
2. The reformations, the church was changing some of their beliefs and views
3. Columbus was one of many explorers who was out recreating maps. They
were starting to realize that original maps of the earth were not so accurate
which made them also question the map of the sky as well
5.6* From the article "The Case Against Copernicus," describe (a) how Tycho's
system differed from the Copernican model, and (b) describe how Tycho's
system differed from the standard Ptolemaic geocentric system (the diagram on
page 2 should help here). - ANSWER (a) in the copernicus heliocentric model
the earth rotates the sun, in the geo-heliocentric model the sun orbits the earth
with planets rotating around the sun, and
(b) in the geocentric model the planets and the sun orbit the earth, but in the
geo-heliocentric model the planets orbit the sun which orbits the earth
- different from both the heliocentric and geocentric models, the geo-
heliocentric model states the stars have to be closer
5.7 From the article "The Case Against Copernicus," explain why Tycho felt it
was unreasonable that the Earth move quickly about the Sun but perfectly
reasonable for the other planets to move quickly in their orbits around the Sun
or Earth. - ANSWER Astronomers had concluded that celestial bodies were
made up of aethereal material that was not found on earth
This substance had a natural tendency towards rapid circular motion
They said the earth was a hulking, lazy body, that was unfit for motion
5.8* From the article "The Case Against Copernicus," explain "the problem
with star sizes". In other words, (a) why did Astronomers believe that, with the
Copernican model, stars would have to be enormously large even compared to
our own Sun? And (b) why wasn't this a problem in Tycho's model? Hint: this
CORRECT ANSWERS NEW UPDATED
5.1 From the article "Astronomy in the Age of Columbus," describe two
arguments used by Aristotle that indicated the ancient Greeks understood that
the Earth must be spherical and not flat. - ANSWER 1. If bits or terrestrial
matter were dropped into the center of the universe, they would form a sphere
The shape of the shadow of the earth on the moon at the time of a lunar eclipse
is always curved and therefore the earth must be spherical
5.2 From the article "Astronomy in the Age of Columbus," why was it popularly
believed among early American settlers that most European authorities believed
that the Earth was flat during the time of Columbus? - ANSWER Nathanial
wrote a fictional book about Columbus who argued against a bunch of
europeans that thought the earth was rounds and they likely to believe the
europeans were dumb
5.3* From the article "Astronomy in the Age of Columbus," describe the two
"errors" Columbus made about Earth's geography that made his proposed
Westward voyage to Asia seem more reasonable and possible - ANSWER He
said the distance from spain to asia was only three quarters of its actual distance
He exaggerated the terrestrial magnitude of china, making the voyage seem
more manageable / reasonable
5.4 From the article "Astronomy in the Age of Columbus," explain how
Columbus used the reference book "Ephemerides" (which provided timing of
astronomical phenomena such as lunar phases and eclipses) to help during his
voyage. - ANSWER He used the book, Ephemerides to predict the lunar
eclipse
Columbus got stranded in Jamaica and the people did not want to help,
Columbus told the Jamaicans that the moon would rise bloody and read because
God was mad with them.
, Columbus then returned when the eclipse ended and told them that God had
answered his prayers on their behalf and they were very impressed and grateful
and helped Columbus
5.5* From the article "Astronomy in the Age of Columbus," describe three
historical changes that occurred around the time of the publication of
Copernicus' heliocentric theory that helped ensure it got a serious hearing in the
scientific community, unlike times in the past when it had been suggested by
others. - ANSWER 1. Alive during the time of the Printing press, so copies
could be distributed
2. The reformations, the church was changing some of their beliefs and views
3. Columbus was one of many explorers who was out recreating maps. They
were starting to realize that original maps of the earth were not so accurate
which made them also question the map of the sky as well
5.6* From the article "The Case Against Copernicus," describe (a) how Tycho's
system differed from the Copernican model, and (b) describe how Tycho's
system differed from the standard Ptolemaic geocentric system (the diagram on
page 2 should help here). - ANSWER (a) in the copernicus heliocentric model
the earth rotates the sun, in the geo-heliocentric model the sun orbits the earth
with planets rotating around the sun, and
(b) in the geocentric model the planets and the sun orbit the earth, but in the
geo-heliocentric model the planets orbit the sun which orbits the earth
- different from both the heliocentric and geocentric models, the geo-
heliocentric model states the stars have to be closer
5.7 From the article "The Case Against Copernicus," explain why Tycho felt it
was unreasonable that the Earth move quickly about the Sun but perfectly
reasonable for the other planets to move quickly in their orbits around the Sun
or Earth. - ANSWER Astronomers had concluded that celestial bodies were
made up of aethereal material that was not found on earth
This substance had a natural tendency towards rapid circular motion
They said the earth was a hulking, lazy body, that was unfit for motion
5.8* From the article "The Case Against Copernicus," explain "the problem
with star sizes". In other words, (a) why did Astronomers believe that, with the
Copernican model, stars would have to be enormously large even compared to
our own Sun? And (b) why wasn't this a problem in Tycho's model? Hint: this
