Mastering Astronomy Final UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Why do virtually all the galaxies in the universe appear to be moving away from our own? -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Because expansion causes all galaxies to move away from nearly
all others
Which of these galaxies is most likely to be oldest? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔a galaxy in
the Local Group
When we observe a distant galaxy whose photons have traveled for 10 billion years before
reaching Earth, we are seeing that galaxy as it was when the universe was - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔4 billion years old.
Which of these items is a key assumption in our most successful models for galaxy
formation? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Some regions of the universe were slightly denser
than others
In a photo like the Hubble eXtreme Deep Field (the figure in your textbook), we see galaxies
in many different stages of their lives. In general, which galaxies are seen in the earliest
(youngest) stages of their lives? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the galaxies that are farthest
away
The most basic difference between elliptical galaxies and spiral galaxies is that ________. -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔elliptical galaxies lack anything resembling the disk of a spiral
galaxy
Which of the following is not one of the three major categories of galaxies?
globular galaxies
irregular galaxies
elliptical galaxies
spiral galaxies - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔globular galaxies
, Suppose that we look at a photograph of many galaxies. Assuming that all galaxies formed at
about the same time, which galaxy in the picture is the youngest? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔the one that is farthest away
Which of the following types of galaxies have a disk and spheroidal component but lack
spiral arms? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔lenticulars
Which of the following types of galaxies appear reddest in color? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔ellipticals
Which types of galaxies have a clearly defined spheroidal component? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔all but irregulars
Which types of galaxies have a clearly defined disk component? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔spirals and lenticulars
Compared to spiral galaxies, elliptical galaxies are - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔redder and
more round
The disk component of a spiral galaxy includes? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔spiral arms
What is the major difference between an elliptical galaxy and a spiral galaxy? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔An elliptical galaxy lacks a disk component.
Why do spiral galaxies appear blue in color? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔their light output is
dominated by hot, massive blue stars
Why do elliptical galaxies appear yellow or red in color? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔They
contain no hot, young blue stars, have very little dust or cool gas, thus have little ongoing star
formation, and their population is dominated by old, cooler stars.
True or False: Spiral galaxies have more gas, dust, and young stars than elliptical galaxies. -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔true
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Why do virtually all the galaxies in the universe appear to be moving away from our own? -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Because expansion causes all galaxies to move away from nearly
all others
Which of these galaxies is most likely to be oldest? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔a galaxy in
the Local Group
When we observe a distant galaxy whose photons have traveled for 10 billion years before
reaching Earth, we are seeing that galaxy as it was when the universe was - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔4 billion years old.
Which of these items is a key assumption in our most successful models for galaxy
formation? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Some regions of the universe were slightly denser
than others
In a photo like the Hubble eXtreme Deep Field (the figure in your textbook), we see galaxies
in many different stages of their lives. In general, which galaxies are seen in the earliest
(youngest) stages of their lives? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the galaxies that are farthest
away
The most basic difference between elliptical galaxies and spiral galaxies is that ________. -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔elliptical galaxies lack anything resembling the disk of a spiral
galaxy
Which of the following is not one of the three major categories of galaxies?
globular galaxies
irregular galaxies
elliptical galaxies
spiral galaxies - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔globular galaxies
, Suppose that we look at a photograph of many galaxies. Assuming that all galaxies formed at
about the same time, which galaxy in the picture is the youngest? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔the one that is farthest away
Which of the following types of galaxies have a disk and spheroidal component but lack
spiral arms? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔lenticulars
Which of the following types of galaxies appear reddest in color? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔ellipticals
Which types of galaxies have a clearly defined spheroidal component? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔all but irregulars
Which types of galaxies have a clearly defined disk component? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔spirals and lenticulars
Compared to spiral galaxies, elliptical galaxies are - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔redder and
more round
The disk component of a spiral galaxy includes? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔spiral arms
What is the major difference between an elliptical galaxy and a spiral galaxy? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔An elliptical galaxy lacks a disk component.
Why do spiral galaxies appear blue in color? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔their light output is
dominated by hot, massive blue stars
Why do elliptical galaxies appear yellow or red in color? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔They
contain no hot, young blue stars, have very little dust or cool gas, thus have little ongoing star
formation, and their population is dominated by old, cooler stars.
True or False: Spiral galaxies have more gas, dust, and young stars than elliptical galaxies. -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔true
