PHYS 284 ALL FINAL EXAM Q&A Concordia University
1. Which part of the Earth’s atmosphere experiences the coldest temperatures?*
A) Troposphere
B) Stratosphere
C) Mesosphere
D) The ozone layer
E) Tropopaus
eANSWER: C
2. Other than the moon, the brightest object in the night sky is?*
A) Alpha Centauri
B) Venus
C) Jupiter
D) Polaris
E) Betelgeus
eANSWER: B
3. Earth’s inner magnetosphere contains two doughnut-shaped zones of high energy
chargeparticles. The zones are named the*
A) Van Allen belts
B) Magnetopause
C) Northern lights
D) Southern lights
E) Dynamos
ANSWER: A
4. Which of these about Nebular theory is true?*
A) It explains the formation of the solar system
B) It explains the formation of planets in our solar system
C) It describes the process of star formation from a large cloud of
D) The theory has some flaws and is superseded by the ‘condensation’
E) All of the above
ANSWER: E
5. Which of the following statements about specific types of star clusters is true?*
A) All stars in a globular cluster are approximately at the same stage in evolution (false)
B) Most of the stars in a globular cluster are younger than 10 billion years old (false)
C) Most stars in a open cluster are yellow or reddish color. (false)
D) All stars in an open cluster have approximately the same age. (true)
E) There is an approximately equal number of all types of stars in a globular cluster.
(false)ANSWER: D
6. Because primitive meteorites represent samples of early accretion, they hold key clues
, to when and how the solar system formed. Which of these about primitive meteorites
is nottrue?*
A) Nebular theory tells us that most meteorites accreted inside the frost line.
B) Nebular theory tells us that most meteorites are made of metal and rock.
, C) Carbon-rich primitive meteorites come from beyond 2.5 au from the sun.
D) Stony primitive meteorites come from closer than 2.5 au from the sun.
E) Ceres is an example of a water containing
meteorite.ANSWER: A
7. The concept of ‘orbital resonance’ is used to explain many planetary phenomenon.
Whichof these statements about ‘orbital resonance’ is not true?*
A) Orbital resonance has an analogy with music. If I sing next to an acoustic piano, the
strong with notes are a whole or a half or a quarter, or a simple fraction of by singing
willvibrate in resonance with my singing.
B) For planets with rings, ring particles may be nudged by the gravity from larger, more
distance moons. The periodic nudges reinforce one another and clear a gap in the
rings.This type of reinforcement due to repeated gravitational tugs is another
example of orbital resonances.
C) In the asteroid belt, several gaps called the Kirkwood gaps, are a result of the
orbitalresonances between asteroids and Jupiter’s period.
D) Orbital resonance explains why the two sets of trojan asteroids which share Jupiter’s 12-
year orbit around the sun have formed with one group always staying 60 degrees ahead
ofJupiter in its orbit and the other always staying 60 degrees behind.
E) Orbital resonance is believed to be the reason for the moon Io’s orbit being
slightlyelliptical, when almost all other large satellites have nearly circular orbits.
ANSWER: A
8. If we wanted to determine the temperature of a star, which of these would we
need toknow?*
A) We would need to know the star’s apparent brightness
B) We would need to know the star’s luminosity
C) We would need to know the total apparent brightness of the star
D) We can get a fairly precise measure of a star’s surface temperature by comparing a
star’sapparent brightness in two different colors of light.
E) We would need the total apparent brightness of the star across the entire
electromagneticspectrum.
ANSWER: D
9. Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection tells us that species adapt and change
by passing hereditary traits from one generation to the next. What is the main role
playedby DNA mutations in this theory of evolution?*
A) DNA mutations ensure that genetic information from one generation to the next
istransferred reliably.
B) DNA mutations ensure that genetic information from one generation to the next
istransferred with some variation
C) DNA mutations ensure that genetic information from one generation to the next
istransferred as a mixture of different genetic partners.
D) DNA mutations ensure that genetic information from one generation to the next
istransferred to its offsprings.
, E) DNA mutations ensure that faulty or lethal genetic information from one generation
tothe next is not transferred.
ANSWER: D
10. Which of these best describes the relationship between the lifetime of a star and the
star’smass?*
A) Heavier stars live slightly shorter lives than lighter stars.
B) Heavier stars live much longer lives than lighter stars.
C) Heavier stars live much shorter lives than lighter stars.
D) Heavier stars live slightly longer than lighter stars.
ANSWER: C
11. How are ages of star clusters determined?*
A) Through the use of spectral dating
B) By enumerating planets that have formed around the largest stars.
C) By finding the point on the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram where the stars in a star leave
themain sequence after the exhaustion of its main fuel.
D) By using Kepler’s laws
E) Through the technique of
parallaxANSWER: C
12. If a star is born today, what would it chemical composition with respect to mass
mostlylikely be?*
A) 74% hydrogen, 24% helium, and less than 2% heavier elements
B) 50% hydrogen and 50% helium
C) Mainly hydrogen and only 2% helium
D) Mainly hydrogen and only 4% helium and less than 1% heavier
elements.ANSWER: A
13. Which of these properly describe the relationship between the size and location of a
star’shabitable zone versus star’s mass?*
A) The lighter the star, the larger the size and the closer in the habitable zone.
B) The lighter the star, the smaller the size and the closer-in the habitable zone.
C) The lighter the star, the larger the size and the farther-out the habitable zone.
D) The lighter the star, the smaller the size and the farther-out the habitable
zone.ANSWER: B
14. Which of these best describes the physics of light?*
A) Light is a made of countless tiny particles.
B) Light is a wave like a ripple in a pond.
C) Light is something we can see with our eyes.
D) Light is something produced when a charge changes its energy.
E) Light is heat produced form a hot
object.ANSWER: B
15. What important feature do all main sequence stars share that other stars do not have?*
1. Which part of the Earth’s atmosphere experiences the coldest temperatures?*
A) Troposphere
B) Stratosphere
C) Mesosphere
D) The ozone layer
E) Tropopaus
eANSWER: C
2. Other than the moon, the brightest object in the night sky is?*
A) Alpha Centauri
B) Venus
C) Jupiter
D) Polaris
E) Betelgeus
eANSWER: B
3. Earth’s inner magnetosphere contains two doughnut-shaped zones of high energy
chargeparticles. The zones are named the*
A) Van Allen belts
B) Magnetopause
C) Northern lights
D) Southern lights
E) Dynamos
ANSWER: A
4. Which of these about Nebular theory is true?*
A) It explains the formation of the solar system
B) It explains the formation of planets in our solar system
C) It describes the process of star formation from a large cloud of
D) The theory has some flaws and is superseded by the ‘condensation’
E) All of the above
ANSWER: E
5. Which of the following statements about specific types of star clusters is true?*
A) All stars in a globular cluster are approximately at the same stage in evolution (false)
B) Most of the stars in a globular cluster are younger than 10 billion years old (false)
C) Most stars in a open cluster are yellow or reddish color. (false)
D) All stars in an open cluster have approximately the same age. (true)
E) There is an approximately equal number of all types of stars in a globular cluster.
(false)ANSWER: D
6. Because primitive meteorites represent samples of early accretion, they hold key clues
, to when and how the solar system formed. Which of these about primitive meteorites
is nottrue?*
A) Nebular theory tells us that most meteorites accreted inside the frost line.
B) Nebular theory tells us that most meteorites are made of metal and rock.
, C) Carbon-rich primitive meteorites come from beyond 2.5 au from the sun.
D) Stony primitive meteorites come from closer than 2.5 au from the sun.
E) Ceres is an example of a water containing
meteorite.ANSWER: A
7. The concept of ‘orbital resonance’ is used to explain many planetary phenomenon.
Whichof these statements about ‘orbital resonance’ is not true?*
A) Orbital resonance has an analogy with music. If I sing next to an acoustic piano, the
strong with notes are a whole or a half or a quarter, or a simple fraction of by singing
willvibrate in resonance with my singing.
B) For planets with rings, ring particles may be nudged by the gravity from larger, more
distance moons. The periodic nudges reinforce one another and clear a gap in the
rings.This type of reinforcement due to repeated gravitational tugs is another
example of orbital resonances.
C) In the asteroid belt, several gaps called the Kirkwood gaps, are a result of the
orbitalresonances between asteroids and Jupiter’s period.
D) Orbital resonance explains why the two sets of trojan asteroids which share Jupiter’s 12-
year orbit around the sun have formed with one group always staying 60 degrees ahead
ofJupiter in its orbit and the other always staying 60 degrees behind.
E) Orbital resonance is believed to be the reason for the moon Io’s orbit being
slightlyelliptical, when almost all other large satellites have nearly circular orbits.
ANSWER: A
8. If we wanted to determine the temperature of a star, which of these would we
need toknow?*
A) We would need to know the star’s apparent brightness
B) We would need to know the star’s luminosity
C) We would need to know the total apparent brightness of the star
D) We can get a fairly precise measure of a star’s surface temperature by comparing a
star’sapparent brightness in two different colors of light.
E) We would need the total apparent brightness of the star across the entire
electromagneticspectrum.
ANSWER: D
9. Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection tells us that species adapt and change
by passing hereditary traits from one generation to the next. What is the main role
playedby DNA mutations in this theory of evolution?*
A) DNA mutations ensure that genetic information from one generation to the next
istransferred reliably.
B) DNA mutations ensure that genetic information from one generation to the next
istransferred with some variation
C) DNA mutations ensure that genetic information from one generation to the next
istransferred as a mixture of different genetic partners.
D) DNA mutations ensure that genetic information from one generation to the next
istransferred to its offsprings.
, E) DNA mutations ensure that faulty or lethal genetic information from one generation
tothe next is not transferred.
ANSWER: D
10. Which of these best describes the relationship between the lifetime of a star and the
star’smass?*
A) Heavier stars live slightly shorter lives than lighter stars.
B) Heavier stars live much longer lives than lighter stars.
C) Heavier stars live much shorter lives than lighter stars.
D) Heavier stars live slightly longer than lighter stars.
ANSWER: C
11. How are ages of star clusters determined?*
A) Through the use of spectral dating
B) By enumerating planets that have formed around the largest stars.
C) By finding the point on the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram where the stars in a star leave
themain sequence after the exhaustion of its main fuel.
D) By using Kepler’s laws
E) Through the technique of
parallaxANSWER: C
12. If a star is born today, what would it chemical composition with respect to mass
mostlylikely be?*
A) 74% hydrogen, 24% helium, and less than 2% heavier elements
B) 50% hydrogen and 50% helium
C) Mainly hydrogen and only 2% helium
D) Mainly hydrogen and only 4% helium and less than 1% heavier
elements.ANSWER: A
13. Which of these properly describe the relationship between the size and location of a
star’shabitable zone versus star’s mass?*
A) The lighter the star, the larger the size and the closer in the habitable zone.
B) The lighter the star, the smaller the size and the closer-in the habitable zone.
C) The lighter the star, the larger the size and the farther-out the habitable zone.
D) The lighter the star, the smaller the size and the farther-out the habitable
zone.ANSWER: B
14. Which of these best describes the physics of light?*
A) Light is a made of countless tiny particles.
B) Light is a wave like a ripple in a pond.
C) Light is something we can see with our eyes.
D) Light is something produced when a charge changes its energy.
E) Light is heat produced form a hot
object.ANSWER: B
15. What important feature do all main sequence stars share that other stars do not have?*
