ASTR 1102 EXAM 1 COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE
WITH SOLVED QUESTIONS
◉ True or false: Astronomers are often secretive about their
research.
Answer: False. Because so much funding comes from taxpayer
money, Astronomers (and other scientists) are very transparent
with the public on what they are studying and their findings.
◉ True or false: Once a scientific theory is established, it is not
revisited or questioned.
Answer: False. Scientists continuously try to falsify even well
established theories
◉ Name the different types of cosmic signals
Answer: Light, neutrinos, cosmic rays, & gravitational waves
◉ Light
Answer: broken up into wavelengths, also called the Electromagnetic
spectrum. contains every kind of visible and invisible light.
◉ neutrinos
,Answer: sometimes called "ghost particles". travel at speed of light,
interact weakly with matter, difficult to detect. can travel through
matter and have almost zero mass.
◉ cosmic rays
Answer: high-energy particles (like protons) which move thru space
at nearly the speed of light, when they hit Earth's atmosphere, create
"shower" of secondary particles.
◉ What are gravitational waves?
Answer: Gravitational waves are ripples in space-time created by
cataclysmic events like supernovas and the collision of black holes.
◉ Why is this called the "multi-messenger" era of astronomy
Answer: It is called the Multi-messenger era because we have
multiple ways to study the universe, no longer just light.
◉ What are some tools used to study the universe?
Answer: The human eye, binoculars, different kinds of telescopes,
computers, Artificial intelligence, and the human mind.
◉ What is interesting about the star Betelgeuse?
, Answer: Betelgeuse is interesting because scientists detect it could
supernova tomorrow or 1000 years from now, the just don't know
when.
◉ What are the steps in the scientific method?
Answer: 1. observation
2.hypothesis, 3.experiment (if hypothesis repeatedly supported,
becomes scientific theory. If hypothesis is not supported, it is
scrapped and a new hypothesis is formulated.
◉ In order to prevent bias, what should be the goal of any
experiment.
Answer: In order to prevent bias, the goal of any scientist's
experiment should be to disprove their own hypothesis.
◉ What is a quark?
Answer: A quark is the absolute smallest scale of matter. They are
what atomic nuclei are made of.
◉ What is the cosmological horizon?
Answer: The cosmological horizon is the boundary of our
observable universe. We can only observe up to 13.7 billion light
years away.
WITH SOLVED QUESTIONS
◉ True or false: Astronomers are often secretive about their
research.
Answer: False. Because so much funding comes from taxpayer
money, Astronomers (and other scientists) are very transparent
with the public on what they are studying and their findings.
◉ True or false: Once a scientific theory is established, it is not
revisited or questioned.
Answer: False. Scientists continuously try to falsify even well
established theories
◉ Name the different types of cosmic signals
Answer: Light, neutrinos, cosmic rays, & gravitational waves
◉ Light
Answer: broken up into wavelengths, also called the Electromagnetic
spectrum. contains every kind of visible and invisible light.
◉ neutrinos
,Answer: sometimes called "ghost particles". travel at speed of light,
interact weakly with matter, difficult to detect. can travel through
matter and have almost zero mass.
◉ cosmic rays
Answer: high-energy particles (like protons) which move thru space
at nearly the speed of light, when they hit Earth's atmosphere, create
"shower" of secondary particles.
◉ What are gravitational waves?
Answer: Gravitational waves are ripples in space-time created by
cataclysmic events like supernovas and the collision of black holes.
◉ Why is this called the "multi-messenger" era of astronomy
Answer: It is called the Multi-messenger era because we have
multiple ways to study the universe, no longer just light.
◉ What are some tools used to study the universe?
Answer: The human eye, binoculars, different kinds of telescopes,
computers, Artificial intelligence, and the human mind.
◉ What is interesting about the star Betelgeuse?
, Answer: Betelgeuse is interesting because scientists detect it could
supernova tomorrow or 1000 years from now, the just don't know
when.
◉ What are the steps in the scientific method?
Answer: 1. observation
2.hypothesis, 3.experiment (if hypothesis repeatedly supported,
becomes scientific theory. If hypothesis is not supported, it is
scrapped and a new hypothesis is formulated.
◉ In order to prevent bias, what should be the goal of any
experiment.
Answer: In order to prevent bias, the goal of any scientist's
experiment should be to disprove their own hypothesis.
◉ What is a quark?
Answer: A quark is the absolute smallest scale of matter. They are
what atomic nuclei are made of.
◉ What is the cosmological horizon?
Answer: The cosmological horizon is the boundary of our
observable universe. We can only observe up to 13.7 billion light
years away.
