Astronomy Today, 9e (Chaisson/McMillan)
Chapter 1 Charting the Heavens: The Foundations of Astronomy
1.1 True/False Questions
1) The distances to bodies in the solar system are a few light minutes to light hours.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.1
2) A light-year is a measurement of time.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.1
3) It was Aristotle who used the scientific method to show the Earth was a sphere.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.2
4) Scientific theories are proven by use of the scientific method.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.2
5) An accepted scientific theory could still be proven wrong.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.2
6) Constellations are close clusters of stars, all at about the same distance from the Sun.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.3
7) From the South Pole, Polaris would appear directly overhead.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.3
8) From the North Pole, Polaris would appear directly overhead.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.3
1
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,9) Only at the equator are all the stars visible over the course of the year.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.3
10) Over the course of a night, Polaris moves less than any other visible star in the sky.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.3
11) There are 3,600 arc seconds in a degree.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.4
12) At apogee, the Moon is at its farthest from Earth and thus appears smaller than normal.
Because of this it can produce only annular solar eclipses, but not total solar eclipses.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.5
13) If a star rises about 9 PM tonight, and with the sidereal day being four minutes less than the
solar one, then in a month it will rise about 7 PM.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 3
Section Ref: 1.5
14) From Earth, the Sun and Moon have about the same angular diameter.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.5
15) The full Moon rises around sunrise, and sets around sunset.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.5
16) From full Moon to third quarter Moon takes about a week.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.5
17) The first quarter Moon will rise about noon, and set about midnight.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.5
2
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,18) As it orbits the Earth, the Moon appears to move eastward about its own diameter every
hour.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 3
Section Ref: 1.5
19) The parallax shift of a star would be greater if viewed from Mars than from Earth.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.6
1.2 Multiple Choice Questions
1) Which of the choices below correctly lists things in order from largest to smallest?
A) Local Group, Solar System, Milky Way, Universe
B) Universe, Milky Way, Local Group, Solar System
C) Solar System, Local Group, Universe, Milky Way
D) Universe, Local Group, Milky Way, Solar System
E) Milky Way, Universe, Solar System, Local Group
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.1
2) The totality of all space, time, matter and energy is the:
A) solar system.
B) galaxy.
C) universe.
D) scientific theory.
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.1
3) A light-year is:
A) about 365 Earth days.
B) the distance that light travels in a year.
C) the time it takes a beam of light to circle the Sun.
D) the distance between the Sun and the nearest other star.
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.1
3
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, 4) Modern scientific theories are NOT:
A) testable.
B) continuously tested.
C) simple.
D) perfect.
E) elegant.
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.2
5) An effective theory must:
A) have been proven.
B) must have been around for centuries or longer.
C) be continuously tested.
D) include mathematical formulae.
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.2
6) Aristotle's hypothesis was that:
A) lunar eclipses were created by our shadow.
B) only a spherical Earth would always cast a circular shadow on the Moon.
C) lunar eclipses would have to happen every full Moon.
D) the Sun lay at the center of the planet orbits.
E) the Moon orbited the Earth.
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.2
7) Testing is important to developing:
A) an idea.
B) a hypothesis.
C) a theory.
D) myths.
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.2
8) About how many stars are visible on a clear, dark night with the naked eye alone?
A) a few dozen
B) a few hundred
C) a few thousand
D) tens of thousands
E) millions and millions
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.3
4
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 1 Charting the Heavens: The Foundations of Astronomy
1.1 True/False Questions
1) The distances to bodies in the solar system are a few light minutes to light hours.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.1
2) A light-year is a measurement of time.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.1
3) It was Aristotle who used the scientific method to show the Earth was a sphere.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.2
4) Scientific theories are proven by use of the scientific method.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.2
5) An accepted scientific theory could still be proven wrong.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.2
6) Constellations are close clusters of stars, all at about the same distance from the Sun.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.3
7) From the South Pole, Polaris would appear directly overhead.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.3
8) From the North Pole, Polaris would appear directly overhead.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.3
1
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
,9) Only at the equator are all the stars visible over the course of the year.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.3
10) Over the course of a night, Polaris moves less than any other visible star in the sky.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.3
11) There are 3,600 arc seconds in a degree.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.4
12) At apogee, the Moon is at its farthest from Earth and thus appears smaller than normal.
Because of this it can produce only annular solar eclipses, but not total solar eclipses.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.5
13) If a star rises about 9 PM tonight, and with the sidereal day being four minutes less than the
solar one, then in a month it will rise about 7 PM.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 3
Section Ref: 1.5
14) From Earth, the Sun and Moon have about the same angular diameter.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.5
15) The full Moon rises around sunrise, and sets around sunset.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.5
16) From full Moon to third quarter Moon takes about a week.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.5
17) The first quarter Moon will rise about noon, and set about midnight.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.5
2
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
,18) As it orbits the Earth, the Moon appears to move eastward about its own diameter every
hour.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 3
Section Ref: 1.5
19) The parallax shift of a star would be greater if viewed from Mars than from Earth.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.6
1.2 Multiple Choice Questions
1) Which of the choices below correctly lists things in order from largest to smallest?
A) Local Group, Solar System, Milky Way, Universe
B) Universe, Milky Way, Local Group, Solar System
C) Solar System, Local Group, Universe, Milky Way
D) Universe, Local Group, Milky Way, Solar System
E) Milky Way, Universe, Solar System, Local Group
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.1
2) The totality of all space, time, matter and energy is the:
A) solar system.
B) galaxy.
C) universe.
D) scientific theory.
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.1
3) A light-year is:
A) about 365 Earth days.
B) the distance that light travels in a year.
C) the time it takes a beam of light to circle the Sun.
D) the distance between the Sun and the nearest other star.
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.1
3
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
, 4) Modern scientific theories are NOT:
A) testable.
B) continuously tested.
C) simple.
D) perfect.
E) elegant.
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.2
5) An effective theory must:
A) have been proven.
B) must have been around for centuries or longer.
C) be continuously tested.
D) include mathematical formulae.
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.2
6) Aristotle's hypothesis was that:
A) lunar eclipses were created by our shadow.
B) only a spherical Earth would always cast a circular shadow on the Moon.
C) lunar eclipses would have to happen every full Moon.
D) the Sun lay at the center of the planet orbits.
E) the Moon orbited the Earth.
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Section Ref: 1.2
7) Testing is important to developing:
A) an idea.
B) a hypothesis.
C) a theory.
D) myths.
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.2
8) About how many stars are visible on a clear, dark night with the naked eye alone?
A) a few dozen
B) a few hundred
C) a few thousand
D) tens of thousands
E) millions and millions
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Section Ref: 1.3
4
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
