AST/./101/./Rio/./Salado/./Mid-
Term/./:/./multiple/./choice/./&/./essay/./questions
Three/./Hallmarks/./of/./Science/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
A)1)/./modern/./science/./seeks/./explanations/./for/./observed/./phenomena/./th
at/./rely/./solely/./on/./natural/./causes
2)/./science/./progresses/./through/./the/./creation/./and/./testing/./of/./models/./of/./na
ture/./that/./explain/./the/./observations/./as/./simply/./as/./possible
3)/./a/./scientific/./model/./must/./make/./testable/./predictions/./about/./natural/./phe
nomena/./that/./would/./force/./us/./to/./revise/./or/./abandon/./the/./model/./if/./the/./pre
dictions/./did/./not/./agree/./with/./observations
Describe/./the/./Ptolemaic/./model/./of/./the/./solar/./system././How/./did/./Ptolemy/./a
ccount/./for/./the/./apparent/./retrograde/./motion/./of/./the/./planets?/./-
/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
The/./Ptolemaic/./model/./of/./the/./solar/./system/./declared/./that/./each/./planet/./
moves/./around/./a/./small/./circle/./that/./turns/./into/./a/./big/./circle/./around/./the/./ear
th././
The/./system/./was/./mathematically/./complex,/./but/./it/./could/./correctly/./predic
t/./planetary/./positions/./within/./a/./few/./degrees/./of/./arc././The/./little/./circle/./that/./
,turns/./into/./a/./big/./circle/./explained/./the/./retrograde/./motion/./by/./stating/./that/./
while/./the/./planets/./were/./in/./a/./loop,/./the/./planet/./appears/./to/./be/./moving/./bac
kward.
Accomplishment/./of/./Galileo/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
backed/./up/./the/./helicentric/./veiw,/./found/./that/./the/./moon/./has/./a/./rocky/./an
d/./mountainus/./surface
Accomplishment/./of/./Copernicus/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
Discovered/./simple/./geometric/./relationships/./that/./strengthened/./his/./beli
ef/./in/./sun-
centered/./idea/./by/./calculating/./each/./planet's/./orbital/./period/./and/./distance.
Accomplishment/./of/./Tycho/./Brahe/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
Observed/./a/./comet/./and/./showed/./it/./"too/./lay/./in/./the/./realm/./of/./the/./heaven
s"/./Advocated/./that/./the/./Sun/./orbits/./the/./Earth,/./and/./the/./other/./planets/./orbit/.
/the/./Sun.
Accomplishment/./of/./Kepler/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
Discovered/./that/./planetary/./orbits/./are/./not/./circles/./but/./type/./of/./oval/./call
ed/./ellipse/./and/./Created/./the/./laws/./of/./planetary/./motion
Accomplishment/./of/./Newton/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
Discovered/./Newton's/./first/./law,/./which/./explains/./why/./objects/./that/./shar
,e/./Earth's/./motion/./thorough/./space/./should/./stay/./with/./Earth/./rather/./than/./fal
ling/./behind.
Suppose/./a/./solar/./system/./has/./a/./star/./that/./is/./four/./times/./more/./massive/./tha
n/./the/./Sun././If/./that/./solar/./system/./has/./a/./planet/./the/./same/./size/./as/./Earth,/./or
biting/./at/./a/./distance/./of/./1/./AU,/./what/./is/./the/./orbital/./period/./of/./the/./planet?/./
Explain././-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
The/./orbital/./period/./of/./the/./planet/./would/./be/./six/./months././Kepler's/./Law/./
states/./that/./the/./period/./depends/./on/./the/./inverse/./square/./root/./of/./the/./object/./
masses././If/./the/./star/./is/./four/./times/./the/./size/./of/./the/./star,/./that/./means/./half/./th
e/./time/./which/./equals/./six/./months.
Is/./the/./gravitational/./attraction/./between/./the/./Earth/./and/./Sun/./greater/./than/./
or/./less/./than/./the/./gravitational/./attraction/./between/./Jupiter/./and/./the/./Sun?/./
By/./approximately/./how/./much?/./How/./do/./you/./know?/./-/./correct/./answer/./
✔ ✔
The/./gravitational/./attraction/./between/./the/./earth/./and/./the/./Sun/./is/./greater/.
/than/./the/./gravitational/./attraction/./between/./Jupiter/./and/./the/./Sun/./because/./t
he/./Earth/./is/./closer/./to/./the/./Sun,/./therefore/./the/./Sun's/./gravity/./is/./stronger.
Explain/./why/./Mercury,/./Venus,/./and/./the/./Moon/./do/./not/./have/./significant/./e
rosion././Relate/./erosional/./activity/./to/./planetary/./size/./and/./distance/./from/./th
e/./Sun././-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
Mercury,/./Venus,/./and/./the/./moon/./do/./not/./have/./significant/./erosion/./beca
use/./of/./their/./size/./and/./distance/./from/./the/./Sun././Since/./Venus/./is/./so/./close/./t
o/./the/./Sun/./and/./has/./a/./thicker/./atmosphere,/./water/./has/./been/./dried/./up././Mer
, cury/./ans/./the/./moon/./are/./so/./small/./that/./impact/./craters/./have/./probably/./cov
ered/./up/./significant/./erosion.
Suppose/./Mars/./had/./turned/./out/./to/./be/./significantly/./smaller/./than/./its/./curre
nt/./size,/./say/./about/./the/./size/./of/./the/./Moon././How/./would/./this/./have/./affected
/./the/./number/./of/./geological/./features/./on/./Mars/./due/./to/./each/./of/./the/./four/./m
ajor/./geological/./processes?/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔ Impact/./Cratering-
/./Less/./because/./volcanic/./lava/./will/./cover/./up/./most/./of/./it././
Volcanism-/./Increase/./and/./cover/./craters././
Tectonics-/./More/./active/./because/./they're/./closer/./together././
Erosion-/./More/./erosion/./because/./of/./smaller/./surface.
Describe/./how/./the/./greenhouse/./effect/./makes/./a/./planetary/./surface/./warmer
/./than/./it/./would/./be/./otherwise././-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
The/./greenhouse/./effect/./is/./when/./atmospheric/./gases/./trap/./heat/./and/./war
m/./up/./the/./planet././The/./greenhouse/./gases,/./water/./vapor,/./carbon/./dioxide,/./
and/./methane/./absorb/./infrared/./light/./and/./slowly/./returns/./it/./to/./space././Phot
ons/./are/./absorbed/./by/./different/./gas/./molecules/./which/./slows/./down/./the/./es
cape/./of/./infrared/./radiation././This/./process/./makes/./the/./planet's/./surface/./war
mer/./than/./it/./would/./be/./without/./it.
Volcanoes/./on/./Earth/./and/./Venus/./both/./presumably/./emitted/./similar/./kinds/.
/of/./gas././Explain/./how/./their/./atmospheres/./ended/./up/./so/./different././-
/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
Earth/./and/./Venus/./have/./different/./atmosphere's/./because/./Venus/./is/./30%/./
closer/./to/./the/./Sun/./than/./Earth/./is././This/./closeness/./causes/./a/./runaway/./green
Term/./:/./multiple/./choice/./&/./essay/./questions
Three/./Hallmarks/./of/./Science/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
A)1)/./modern/./science/./seeks/./explanations/./for/./observed/./phenomena/./th
at/./rely/./solely/./on/./natural/./causes
2)/./science/./progresses/./through/./the/./creation/./and/./testing/./of/./models/./of/./na
ture/./that/./explain/./the/./observations/./as/./simply/./as/./possible
3)/./a/./scientific/./model/./must/./make/./testable/./predictions/./about/./natural/./phe
nomena/./that/./would/./force/./us/./to/./revise/./or/./abandon/./the/./model/./if/./the/./pre
dictions/./did/./not/./agree/./with/./observations
Describe/./the/./Ptolemaic/./model/./of/./the/./solar/./system././How/./did/./Ptolemy/./a
ccount/./for/./the/./apparent/./retrograde/./motion/./of/./the/./planets?/./-
/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
The/./Ptolemaic/./model/./of/./the/./solar/./system/./declared/./that/./each/./planet/./
moves/./around/./a/./small/./circle/./that/./turns/./into/./a/./big/./circle/./around/./the/./ear
th././
The/./system/./was/./mathematically/./complex,/./but/./it/./could/./correctly/./predic
t/./planetary/./positions/./within/./a/./few/./degrees/./of/./arc././The/./little/./circle/./that/./
,turns/./into/./a/./big/./circle/./explained/./the/./retrograde/./motion/./by/./stating/./that/./
while/./the/./planets/./were/./in/./a/./loop,/./the/./planet/./appears/./to/./be/./moving/./bac
kward.
Accomplishment/./of/./Galileo/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
backed/./up/./the/./helicentric/./veiw,/./found/./that/./the/./moon/./has/./a/./rocky/./an
d/./mountainus/./surface
Accomplishment/./of/./Copernicus/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
Discovered/./simple/./geometric/./relationships/./that/./strengthened/./his/./beli
ef/./in/./sun-
centered/./idea/./by/./calculating/./each/./planet's/./orbital/./period/./and/./distance.
Accomplishment/./of/./Tycho/./Brahe/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
Observed/./a/./comet/./and/./showed/./it/./"too/./lay/./in/./the/./realm/./of/./the/./heaven
s"/./Advocated/./that/./the/./Sun/./orbits/./the/./Earth,/./and/./the/./other/./planets/./orbit/.
/the/./Sun.
Accomplishment/./of/./Kepler/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
Discovered/./that/./planetary/./orbits/./are/./not/./circles/./but/./type/./of/./oval/./call
ed/./ellipse/./and/./Created/./the/./laws/./of/./planetary/./motion
Accomplishment/./of/./Newton/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
Discovered/./Newton's/./first/./law,/./which/./explains/./why/./objects/./that/./shar
,e/./Earth's/./motion/./thorough/./space/./should/./stay/./with/./Earth/./rather/./than/./fal
ling/./behind.
Suppose/./a/./solar/./system/./has/./a/./star/./that/./is/./four/./times/./more/./massive/./tha
n/./the/./Sun././If/./that/./solar/./system/./has/./a/./planet/./the/./same/./size/./as/./Earth,/./or
biting/./at/./a/./distance/./of/./1/./AU,/./what/./is/./the/./orbital/./period/./of/./the/./planet?/./
Explain././-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
The/./orbital/./period/./of/./the/./planet/./would/./be/./six/./months././Kepler's/./Law/./
states/./that/./the/./period/./depends/./on/./the/./inverse/./square/./root/./of/./the/./object/./
masses././If/./the/./star/./is/./four/./times/./the/./size/./of/./the/./star,/./that/./means/./half/./th
e/./time/./which/./equals/./six/./months.
Is/./the/./gravitational/./attraction/./between/./the/./Earth/./and/./Sun/./greater/./than/./
or/./less/./than/./the/./gravitational/./attraction/./between/./Jupiter/./and/./the/./Sun?/./
By/./approximately/./how/./much?/./How/./do/./you/./know?/./-/./correct/./answer/./
✔ ✔
The/./gravitational/./attraction/./between/./the/./earth/./and/./the/./Sun/./is/./greater/.
/than/./the/./gravitational/./attraction/./between/./Jupiter/./and/./the/./Sun/./because/./t
he/./Earth/./is/./closer/./to/./the/./Sun,/./therefore/./the/./Sun's/./gravity/./is/./stronger.
Explain/./why/./Mercury,/./Venus,/./and/./the/./Moon/./do/./not/./have/./significant/./e
rosion././Relate/./erosional/./activity/./to/./planetary/./size/./and/./distance/./from/./th
e/./Sun././-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
Mercury,/./Venus,/./and/./the/./moon/./do/./not/./have/./significant/./erosion/./beca
use/./of/./their/./size/./and/./distance/./from/./the/./Sun././Since/./Venus/./is/./so/./close/./t
o/./the/./Sun/./and/./has/./a/./thicker/./atmosphere,/./water/./has/./been/./dried/./up././Mer
, cury/./ans/./the/./moon/./are/./so/./small/./that/./impact/./craters/./have/./probably/./cov
ered/./up/./significant/./erosion.
Suppose/./Mars/./had/./turned/./out/./to/./be/./significantly/./smaller/./than/./its/./curre
nt/./size,/./say/./about/./the/./size/./of/./the/./Moon././How/./would/./this/./have/./affected
/./the/./number/./of/./geological/./features/./on/./Mars/./due/./to/./each/./of/./the/./four/./m
ajor/./geological/./processes?/./-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔ Impact/./Cratering-
/./Less/./because/./volcanic/./lava/./will/./cover/./up/./most/./of/./it././
Volcanism-/./Increase/./and/./cover/./craters././
Tectonics-/./More/./active/./because/./they're/./closer/./together././
Erosion-/./More/./erosion/./because/./of/./smaller/./surface.
Describe/./how/./the/./greenhouse/./effect/./makes/./a/./planetary/./surface/./warmer
/./than/./it/./would/./be/./otherwise././-/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
The/./greenhouse/./effect/./is/./when/./atmospheric/./gases/./trap/./heat/./and/./war
m/./up/./the/./planet././The/./greenhouse/./gases,/./water/./vapor,/./carbon/./dioxide,/./
and/./methane/./absorb/./infrared/./light/./and/./slowly/./returns/./it/./to/./space././Phot
ons/./are/./absorbed/./by/./different/./gas/./molecules/./which/./slows/./down/./the/./es
cape/./of/./infrared/./radiation././This/./process/./makes/./the/./planet's/./surface/./war
mer/./than/./it/./would/./be/./without/./it.
Volcanoes/./on/./Earth/./and/./Venus/./both/./presumably/./emitted/./similar/./kinds/.
/of/./gas././Explain/./how/./their/./atmospheres/./ended/./up/./so/./different././-
/./correct/./answer/./✔ ✔
Earth/./and/./Venus/./have/./different/./atmosphere's/./because/./Venus/./is/./30%/./
closer/./to/./the/./Sun/./than/./Earth/./is././This/./closeness/./causes/./a/./runaway/./green
