AST 180- CH 1 REVIEW UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. The way scientists know that a hypothesis in astronomy is a reasonable description of nature is to A take
a vote of astronomers around the world. B consult with the oldest experts in the field. C experiments and
observations about the predictions of the hypothesis. D count how many scientific papers have been
written about it. E look it up in Wikipedia.
Answer:
C
Question:
2. A light year is A the time it takes light travel between the Sun and the furthest planet. B the time it takes
a beam of light to go completely around the Earth's orbit. C the distance between the Sun and the next star.
D the distance that light travels in one year. E how long it takes a Friday afternoon class in college to get
finished.
Answer:
D
Question:
3. A star is 230 light years away. The light we see tonight from that star left it A one year ago. B
2.3 years ago. C 23 years ago. D 230 years ago. E the time depends on which part of the sky the star is in.
Answer:
D
Question:
4. The star that provides energy for life on Earth is A the Moon. B the Sun. C Alpha Centauri. D the Milky
Way. E Beyonce.
Answer:
B
Question:
5. The location of the Earth in the Milky Way Galaxy is A in the center of the Galaxy. B on the edge of the
Galaxy as far from the center as you can measure. C a little less than 30,000 light-year from the center. D
something astronomers have not yet measured.
Answer:
C
Question:
6. Even with the best and largest telescopes, we can't see all the stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, even
though these same telescopes can show us other galaxies. Why is that? A Starlight isn't able to travel
through black space. B The Milky Way Galaxy turns too quickly. C Dust in the space between stars builds
up over large distances and blocks the light of stars behind the dustier parts of the Milky Way. D This is
still an unsolved problem in astronomy. E The light pollution is too strong everywhere and interfere with
our observations.
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. The way scientists know that a hypothesis in astronomy is a reasonable description of nature is to A take
a vote of astronomers around the world. B consult with the oldest experts in the field. C experiments and
observations about the predictions of the hypothesis. D count how many scientific papers have been
written about it. E look it up in Wikipedia.
Answer:
C
Question:
2. A light year is A the time it takes light travel between the Sun and the furthest planet. B the time it takes
a beam of light to go completely around the Earth's orbit. C the distance between the Sun and the next star.
D the distance that light travels in one year. E how long it takes a Friday afternoon class in college to get
finished.
Answer:
D
Question:
3. A star is 230 light years away. The light we see tonight from that star left it A one year ago. B
2.3 years ago. C 23 years ago. D 230 years ago. E the time depends on which part of the sky the star is in.
Answer:
D
Question:
4. The star that provides energy for life on Earth is A the Moon. B the Sun. C Alpha Centauri. D the Milky
Way. E Beyonce.
Answer:
B
Question:
5. The location of the Earth in the Milky Way Galaxy is A in the center of the Galaxy. B on the edge of the
Galaxy as far from the center as you can measure. C a little less than 30,000 light-year from the center. D
something astronomers have not yet measured.
Answer:
C
Question:
6. Even with the best and largest telescopes, we can't see all the stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, even
though these same telescopes can show us other galaxies. Why is that? A Starlight isn't able to travel
through black space. B The Milky Way Galaxy turns too quickly. C Dust in the space between stars builds
up over large distances and blocks the light of stars behind the dustier parts of the Milky Way. D This is
still an unsolved problem in astronomy. E The light pollution is too strong everywhere and interfere with
our observations.
