Astronomy 1010 Clemson Final Exam - Questions With
Solutions
What causes the seasons? Correct Ans - The tilt of the Earth's rotation
axis to its orbit around the Sun causes parts of the Earth to experience more
direct illumination from the Sun and longer days during the summer than the
winter.
What part of the Earth spins the fastest? Correct Ans - the equator
If you were standing at Earth's North Pole, where would you see the north
celestial pole relative to your zenith? Correct Ans - at the zenith
If the star Polaris has an altitude of 35°, then we know that Correct Ans -
our latitude is 35° north.
What phase occurs directly after a new moon? Correct Ans - waxing
crescent
A lunar eclipse occurs when the ________ shadow falls on the ________.
Correct Ans - Earth's; Moon
Assume that you and your sister can both throw a baseball at a speed of 60
km/h. If you are in an airplane traveling at 700 km/h and play catch with your
sister who is near the front of the plane (you being toward the rear), how fast
would the ball be traveling as seen by an observer on the ground when you
throw the ball? Correct Ans - 760 km
How fast would the ball be traveling as seen by an observer on the ground
when your sister throws the ball back to you? Correct Ans - 640 km
When Earth catches up to a slower-moving outer planet and passes it in its
orbit, in the same way that a faster runner overtakes a slower runner in an
outside lane, the outer planet Correct Ans - exhibits retrograde motion
An inferior planet is one that is Correct Ans - closer to the sun than the
earth
, How did the ancients know the planets were different from the stars?
Correct Ans - They saw that the planets move with respect to the stars
over the course of many nights.
How often do Mars solar conjunctions occur? Correct Ans - every 2.14
years, which is once every Mars synodic period
Kepler's second law states that Correct Ans - planets move fastest
when they are closest to the sun
The planet Uranus will be observed in retrograde motion when Correct
Ans - Earth overtakes Uranus in its orbit
Why is a conjunction a bad time to view Mars? Correct Ans - Because
Mars is behind the Sun and therefore not visible
What is an inferior conjunction? Correct Ans - when an inferior planet
is on the near side of the Sun at an elongation of 0 degrees (order: Earth,
planet, Sun)
What is a superior conjunction? Correct Ans - when an inferior planet
is on the far side of the Sun at an elongation of 0 degrees (order: Earth, Sun,
planet)
How does the heliocentric model explain the retrograde motion of Mars?
Correct Ans - Mars only appears to move backward as Earth passes it in its
orbit around the Sun.
What is a synodic period? Correct Ans - The time it takes for a planet
to come back to the same position relative to the Sun
When a ball is tossed in the air and reaches the top of its arc, which of the
following quantities are zero? Correct Ans - speed and velocity
If you use the same force to push on two different cars, which will have the
bigger acceleration? Correct Ans - the less massive one
Solutions
What causes the seasons? Correct Ans - The tilt of the Earth's rotation
axis to its orbit around the Sun causes parts of the Earth to experience more
direct illumination from the Sun and longer days during the summer than the
winter.
What part of the Earth spins the fastest? Correct Ans - the equator
If you were standing at Earth's North Pole, where would you see the north
celestial pole relative to your zenith? Correct Ans - at the zenith
If the star Polaris has an altitude of 35°, then we know that Correct Ans -
our latitude is 35° north.
What phase occurs directly after a new moon? Correct Ans - waxing
crescent
A lunar eclipse occurs when the ________ shadow falls on the ________.
Correct Ans - Earth's; Moon
Assume that you and your sister can both throw a baseball at a speed of 60
km/h. If you are in an airplane traveling at 700 km/h and play catch with your
sister who is near the front of the plane (you being toward the rear), how fast
would the ball be traveling as seen by an observer on the ground when you
throw the ball? Correct Ans - 760 km
How fast would the ball be traveling as seen by an observer on the ground
when your sister throws the ball back to you? Correct Ans - 640 km
When Earth catches up to a slower-moving outer planet and passes it in its
orbit, in the same way that a faster runner overtakes a slower runner in an
outside lane, the outer planet Correct Ans - exhibits retrograde motion
An inferior planet is one that is Correct Ans - closer to the sun than the
earth
, How did the ancients know the planets were different from the stars?
Correct Ans - They saw that the planets move with respect to the stars
over the course of many nights.
How often do Mars solar conjunctions occur? Correct Ans - every 2.14
years, which is once every Mars synodic period
Kepler's second law states that Correct Ans - planets move fastest
when they are closest to the sun
The planet Uranus will be observed in retrograde motion when Correct
Ans - Earth overtakes Uranus in its orbit
Why is a conjunction a bad time to view Mars? Correct Ans - Because
Mars is behind the Sun and therefore not visible
What is an inferior conjunction? Correct Ans - when an inferior planet
is on the near side of the Sun at an elongation of 0 degrees (order: Earth,
planet, Sun)
What is a superior conjunction? Correct Ans - when an inferior planet
is on the far side of the Sun at an elongation of 0 degrees (order: Earth, Sun,
planet)
How does the heliocentric model explain the retrograde motion of Mars?
Correct Ans - Mars only appears to move backward as Earth passes it in its
orbit around the Sun.
What is a synodic period? Correct Ans - The time it takes for a planet
to come back to the same position relative to the Sun
When a ball is tossed in the air and reaches the top of its arc, which of the
following quantities are zero? Correct Ans - speed and velocity
If you use the same force to push on two different cars, which will have the
bigger acceleration? Correct Ans - the less massive one
