Frontiers in Astronomy UPDATED Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Chapter 1 - CORRECT ANSWER - Astronomy means "finding patterns among the stars"
More scientifically, it is a living science that seeks the answers to compelling questions about our
universe.
The scientific study of planets, stars, galaxies, and the universe as a whole.
Summer Solstice - CORRECT ANSWER - sun rises and sets farthest NORTH
Winter Solstice - CORRECT ANSWER - Sun rises and sets farthest SOUTH
Cosmic Address - CORRECT ANSWER - Earth, Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Local
Group, Virgo Supercluster.
The Sun - CORRECT ANSWER - an ordinary, middle-aged star
Milky Way Galaxy - CORRECT ANSWER - a flattened collection of stars, gas, and dust
light-years (ly) - CORRECT ANSWER - the distance light travels in one year, about 9
trillion kilometers
massive - CORRECT ANSWER - very large or very heavy
more massive objects have more stuff in them; containing mass
satellite - CORRECT ANSWER - any object, human-made or natural, that orbits another,
more massive object
Sputnik was the first human-made satellite
,the scientific method - CORRECT ANSWER - a systematic way of testing new ideas or
explanations, beginning with a fact or a measurement.
The formal procedure—including hypothesis, prediction, and experiment or observation—used
to test (attempt to falsify) the validity of scientific hypotheses and theories.
hypothesis - CORRECT ANSWER - a testable explanation of the observation; A well-
thought-out idea, based on scientific principles and knowledge, that leads to testable predictions.
falsified - CORRECT ANSWER - when your hypothesis has been proved incorrect
falsifiable - CORRECT ANSWER - being able to prove a hypothesis false
theory - CORRECT ANSWER - a theory is weak- it is just an idea or a guess.
Scientifically, it is a term used to label the most well-known, well-tested, and well-supported
principles.
A well-developed idea or group of ideas that are tied solidly to known physical laws and make
testable predictions about the world. A very well-tested theory may be called a physical law, or
simply a fact.
the cosmological principle - CORRECT ANSWER - the heart of astronomy
the testable assumption that the same physical laws that apply here and now also apply
everywhere and at all times
Occam's razor - CORRECT ANSWER - when we are faced with two hypothesis that
explain all the observations equally well, we should use the one that requires the fewest
assumptions, until we have evidence to the contrary.
The simplest hypothesis is the most likely; named after William of Occam, an English cleric
we are stardust - CORRECT ANSWER - the atoms in our bodies have passed through
stars
,order of size for lightyears - CORRECT ANSWER - the radius of the earth
a light minute
the distance from earth to the sun
a light hour
the radius of the solar system
a light year
logical fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - an error in reasoning
Ad hominem - CORRECT ANSWER - you attack the person who is making the argument
instead of the argument itself: The earth is not warming because I think this politician who is an
idiot said that it is.
Appeal to belief - CORRECT ANSWER - most people think something is true, therefore it
must be true
begging the question - CORRECT ANSWER - circular reasoning
you assume the claim is true and then use it at your evidence to prove that it is true
biased sample - CORRECT ANSWER - if a sample is drawn from a larger pool and is
biased, then the conclusions made cannot be applied to the big pool
post hoc ergo propter hoc - CORRECT ANSWER - just because one thing follows
another, it does not mean that one caused the other
the eclipse killed the king because the king died after there was an eclipse
slippery slope - CORRECT ANSWER - claim that a chain reaction of events will take
place, inevitably leading to a conclusion that nobody would want.
, what are the seasoned caused by - CORRECT ANSWER - the tilt of the earth's axis
how the sun impacts the earth's surface - CORRECT ANSWER - if it comes straight
down, it's more concentrated and therefore hotter- summer
phases of the moon - CORRECT ANSWER - everything goes counterclockwise
new moon- nothing is illuminated
waxing crescent- getting bigger
first quarter- half
gibus- between quarter and full
full moon
less than full- gibus waning
half circle- three quarters
crescent- waning
the celestial sphere - CORRECT ANSWER - -follow you around-
zenith- point directly over your head
nadir- point directly below you
horizon- point perpendicular to the zenith
miridian- the line in the sky that goes from north, through the zenith, to south
-earth-
equator- line between the north and south
north celestial pole- the direction in the sky above the north pole
celestial equator- projection of the equator
ecliptic- the path that the sun takes through the sky over the course of the year
moon day sun system - CORRECT ANSWER - one day- the earth goes around the axis
once
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Chapter 1 - CORRECT ANSWER - Astronomy means "finding patterns among the stars"
More scientifically, it is a living science that seeks the answers to compelling questions about our
universe.
The scientific study of planets, stars, galaxies, and the universe as a whole.
Summer Solstice - CORRECT ANSWER - sun rises and sets farthest NORTH
Winter Solstice - CORRECT ANSWER - Sun rises and sets farthest SOUTH
Cosmic Address - CORRECT ANSWER - Earth, Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Local
Group, Virgo Supercluster.
The Sun - CORRECT ANSWER - an ordinary, middle-aged star
Milky Way Galaxy - CORRECT ANSWER - a flattened collection of stars, gas, and dust
light-years (ly) - CORRECT ANSWER - the distance light travels in one year, about 9
trillion kilometers
massive - CORRECT ANSWER - very large or very heavy
more massive objects have more stuff in them; containing mass
satellite - CORRECT ANSWER - any object, human-made or natural, that orbits another,
more massive object
Sputnik was the first human-made satellite
,the scientific method - CORRECT ANSWER - a systematic way of testing new ideas or
explanations, beginning with a fact or a measurement.
The formal procedure—including hypothesis, prediction, and experiment or observation—used
to test (attempt to falsify) the validity of scientific hypotheses and theories.
hypothesis - CORRECT ANSWER - a testable explanation of the observation; A well-
thought-out idea, based on scientific principles and knowledge, that leads to testable predictions.
falsified - CORRECT ANSWER - when your hypothesis has been proved incorrect
falsifiable - CORRECT ANSWER - being able to prove a hypothesis false
theory - CORRECT ANSWER - a theory is weak- it is just an idea or a guess.
Scientifically, it is a term used to label the most well-known, well-tested, and well-supported
principles.
A well-developed idea or group of ideas that are tied solidly to known physical laws and make
testable predictions about the world. A very well-tested theory may be called a physical law, or
simply a fact.
the cosmological principle - CORRECT ANSWER - the heart of astronomy
the testable assumption that the same physical laws that apply here and now also apply
everywhere and at all times
Occam's razor - CORRECT ANSWER - when we are faced with two hypothesis that
explain all the observations equally well, we should use the one that requires the fewest
assumptions, until we have evidence to the contrary.
The simplest hypothesis is the most likely; named after William of Occam, an English cleric
we are stardust - CORRECT ANSWER - the atoms in our bodies have passed through
stars
,order of size for lightyears - CORRECT ANSWER - the radius of the earth
a light minute
the distance from earth to the sun
a light hour
the radius of the solar system
a light year
logical fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - an error in reasoning
Ad hominem - CORRECT ANSWER - you attack the person who is making the argument
instead of the argument itself: The earth is not warming because I think this politician who is an
idiot said that it is.
Appeal to belief - CORRECT ANSWER - most people think something is true, therefore it
must be true
begging the question - CORRECT ANSWER - circular reasoning
you assume the claim is true and then use it at your evidence to prove that it is true
biased sample - CORRECT ANSWER - if a sample is drawn from a larger pool and is
biased, then the conclusions made cannot be applied to the big pool
post hoc ergo propter hoc - CORRECT ANSWER - just because one thing follows
another, it does not mean that one caused the other
the eclipse killed the king because the king died after there was an eclipse
slippery slope - CORRECT ANSWER - claim that a chain reaction of events will take
place, inevitably leading to a conclusion that nobody would want.
, what are the seasoned caused by - CORRECT ANSWER - the tilt of the earth's axis
how the sun impacts the earth's surface - CORRECT ANSWER - if it comes straight
down, it's more concentrated and therefore hotter- summer
phases of the moon - CORRECT ANSWER - everything goes counterclockwise
new moon- nothing is illuminated
waxing crescent- getting bigger
first quarter- half
gibus- between quarter and full
full moon
less than full- gibus waning
half circle- three quarters
crescent- waning
the celestial sphere - CORRECT ANSWER - -follow you around-
zenith- point directly over your head
nadir- point directly below you
horizon- point perpendicular to the zenith
miridian- the line in the sky that goes from north, through the zenith, to south
-earth-
equator- line between the north and south
north celestial pole- the direction in the sky above the north pole
celestial equator- projection of the equator
ecliptic- the path that the sun takes through the sky over the course of the year
moon day sun system - CORRECT ANSWER - one day- the earth goes around the axis
once
