Mastering Astronomy Exam Questions and Answers Latest Version (2024-2025) Graded A+
Before we can use parallax to measure the distance to a nearby star, we first need to know __________.
- Answers the Earth-Sun distance
Which of the following is a valid way of demonstrating parallax for yourself? - Answers Hold up your
hand in front of your face, and alternately close your left and right eyes
What is the cause of stellar parallax? - Answers Earth's orbit around the Sun.
The more distant a star, the __________. - Answers smaller its parallax angle
Approximately what is the parallax angle of a star that is 20 light-years away? - Answers 0.16 arcsecond
Suppose that a star had a parallax angle of exactly 1 arcsecond. Approximately how far away would it
be, in light-years? - Answers 3.3 light-years
The shadow cast by a simple stick or obelisk allowed ancient people to - Answers tell the time of day
Why wasn't the Sun-centered model of Copernicus immediately adopted after he proposed it? -
Answers it was not noticeably more accurate than the old Ptolemaic model
An original observation of Galileo's that helped to overturn the ancient Earth-centered model was -
Answers the phases of Venus
Which of the following are the three key hallmarks of science? - Answers 1. Modern science seeks
explanations for observed phenomena that rely solely on natural causes.
2. Models must make testable predictions that will force us to revise or abandon the model if they do
not agree with observations.
3. Science progresses through the creation and testing of models of nature that explain the observations
as simply as possible.
Based on the video, which Venus phase would be impossible to see (from Earth) if Venus orbited Earth
as described in Ptolemy's Earth-centered model? - Answers gibbous (nearly full)
Which of the following can you observe about Venus with the naked eye? Select all that apply. - Answers
1. Venus sometimes shines brightly in the western sky shortly after sunset
2. Venus sometimes shines brightly in the eastern sky shortly before dawn
, In Ptolemy's Earth-centered model, when would Venus appear directly behind the Sun as viewed from
Earth? - Answers never
As you learned in the video, Galileo's observations of Venus in gibbous (nearly full) phase showed
conclusively that Venus orbits the Sun, not Earth. Which figure shows Venus's position when Galileo saw
it in gibbous phase? - Answers C
(venus is on the upper left portion of the sun)
As a giant cloud of gas collapses due to gravity, you would expect its rate of rotation to - Answers
increase
Which of the following represents a change from potential energy to kinetic energy? - Answers A rock
starting from rest on a high cliff, then moving faster and faster as it falls.
Suppose two objects are attracting each other gravitationally. If you double the distance between them,
the strength of their gravitational attraction __________. - Answers decreases by a factor of 4
Which of the following are allowed orbital paths under gravity? - Answers 1. hyperbolic
2. elliptical
3. parabolic
___ generates energy deep in its core through the fusion of hydrogen into helium - Answers The Sun
has an axis tilt that gives it very extreme seasons. - Answers Uranus
has a famous storm known as the Great Red Spot. - Answers Jupiter
is similar in size to Pluto and also considered a dwarf planet. - Answers Eris
has a greater difference in temperature between its day and night sides than any other world. - Answers
Mercury
has a large moon, Triton, that almost certainly once orbited the Sun independently. - Answers Neptune
was studied up close in 2015 by the New Horizons spacecraft. - Answers Pluto
has a single moon that is surprisingly large compared to its planet. - Answers Earth
is orbited by at least two geologically active moons: Titan and Enceladus. - Answers Saturn
has no surface liquid water today, but shows clear evidence of such water in the distant past. - Answers
Mars
has a surface hot enough to melt lead as a result of an extremely strong greenhouse effect. - Answers
Venus
Before we can use parallax to measure the distance to a nearby star, we first need to know __________.
- Answers the Earth-Sun distance
Which of the following is a valid way of demonstrating parallax for yourself? - Answers Hold up your
hand in front of your face, and alternately close your left and right eyes
What is the cause of stellar parallax? - Answers Earth's orbit around the Sun.
The more distant a star, the __________. - Answers smaller its parallax angle
Approximately what is the parallax angle of a star that is 20 light-years away? - Answers 0.16 arcsecond
Suppose that a star had a parallax angle of exactly 1 arcsecond. Approximately how far away would it
be, in light-years? - Answers 3.3 light-years
The shadow cast by a simple stick or obelisk allowed ancient people to - Answers tell the time of day
Why wasn't the Sun-centered model of Copernicus immediately adopted after he proposed it? -
Answers it was not noticeably more accurate than the old Ptolemaic model
An original observation of Galileo's that helped to overturn the ancient Earth-centered model was -
Answers the phases of Venus
Which of the following are the three key hallmarks of science? - Answers 1. Modern science seeks
explanations for observed phenomena that rely solely on natural causes.
2. Models must make testable predictions that will force us to revise or abandon the model if they do
not agree with observations.
3. Science progresses through the creation and testing of models of nature that explain the observations
as simply as possible.
Based on the video, which Venus phase would be impossible to see (from Earth) if Venus orbited Earth
as described in Ptolemy's Earth-centered model? - Answers gibbous (nearly full)
Which of the following can you observe about Venus with the naked eye? Select all that apply. - Answers
1. Venus sometimes shines brightly in the western sky shortly after sunset
2. Venus sometimes shines brightly in the eastern sky shortly before dawn
, In Ptolemy's Earth-centered model, when would Venus appear directly behind the Sun as viewed from
Earth? - Answers never
As you learned in the video, Galileo's observations of Venus in gibbous (nearly full) phase showed
conclusively that Venus orbits the Sun, not Earth. Which figure shows Venus's position when Galileo saw
it in gibbous phase? - Answers C
(venus is on the upper left portion of the sun)
As a giant cloud of gas collapses due to gravity, you would expect its rate of rotation to - Answers
increase
Which of the following represents a change from potential energy to kinetic energy? - Answers A rock
starting from rest on a high cliff, then moving faster and faster as it falls.
Suppose two objects are attracting each other gravitationally. If you double the distance between them,
the strength of their gravitational attraction __________. - Answers decreases by a factor of 4
Which of the following are allowed orbital paths under gravity? - Answers 1. hyperbolic
2. elliptical
3. parabolic
___ generates energy deep in its core through the fusion of hydrogen into helium - Answers The Sun
has an axis tilt that gives it very extreme seasons. - Answers Uranus
has a famous storm known as the Great Red Spot. - Answers Jupiter
is similar in size to Pluto and also considered a dwarf planet. - Answers Eris
has a greater difference in temperature between its day and night sides than any other world. - Answers
Mercury
has a large moon, Triton, that almost certainly once orbited the Sun independently. - Answers Neptune
was studied up close in 2015 by the New Horizons spacecraft. - Answers Pluto
has a single moon that is surprisingly large compared to its planet. - Answers Earth
is orbited by at least two geologically active moons: Titan and Enceladus. - Answers Saturn
has no surface liquid water today, but shows clear evidence of such water in the distant past. - Answers
Mars
has a surface hot enough to melt lead as a result of an extremely strong greenhouse effect. - Answers
Venus
