PHY111 LAB GCU FINAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Which of the following ranks the
sizes of the listed objects in the correct order, from smallest to largest? -
ANSWERSAsteroid, Solar System, Galaxy, Universe
Which of the following is a distance? - ANSWERS500 light-years
Which of the following is a time? - ANSWERS4 hours
Which of the following represents a scientific way of looking at nature? -
ANSWERSNature informs us about the usefulness of our ideas.
Which of the following is a valid scientific
hypothesis? - ANSWERSStars generate energy by burning coal.
The Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Which way is Earth rotating? -
ANSWERSToward the east
In what direction is the observer facing? - ANSWERSToward the North
Which direction would you look to see Star A when it is highest in the sky? -
ANSWERSSouth
Which direction would you look to see Star B when it is highest in the sky? -
ANSWERSDirectly Overhead
Which of the stars will set on the western horizon? - ANSWERSOnly A
From what location on Earth would all of the stars on the celestial sphere be visible? -
ANSWERSEquator
What would the sky look like from a latitude of 30° N? - ANSWERSSome stars would be
circumpolar; some would never be visible.
If the ecliptic were aligned with the celestial equator, what would happen to the
seasons? - ANSWERSWe would not have seasons at all.
During the full Moon phase, how much of the Moon's surface is being illuminated by
sunlight? - ANSWERSHalf
, When the phase of the Moon is gibbous, - ANSWERSThe Moon is closer to full moon
than to new moon,
Someone in Ohio looks up and sees a crescent Moon. What would her friend in Beijing,
China, see on that same evening? - ANSWERSCrescent Moon
If the Moon is in the phase shown, what will be the phase in two weeks? -
ANSWERSFirst quarter
When the Earth is between the Moon and the Sun, what phase is the Moon in? -
ANSWERSFull
What time of day does the new Moon rise? - ANSWERSSunrise
What time of day does the full Moon rise? - ANSWERSSunset
At what phase of the Moon is a solar eclipse possible? - ANSWERSNew
At what phase of the Moon is a lunar eclipse possible? - ANSWERSFull
Do we observe eclipses every month? - ANSWERSNo
If Earth rotated in 12 hours but its orbit were the same, which of the following would
NOT be true? - ANSWERSEach season would happen twice per year.
Does Kepler's 1st Law allow for a circular
planetary orbit? - ANSWERSYes
The planet shown obeys Kepler's Laws. During which part of the planet's orbit (B, C, or
D) would the planet take the same amount of time as it took for the part of the orbit
labeled A? - ANSWERSB
The planet shown obeys Kepler's Laws. During which part of the planet's orbit (A, B, C,
or D) would the planet move with the greatest speed? - ANSWERSC
Will a planet move faster when it is closer to the Sun, or farther from the Sun? -
ANSWERSFaster when closer to the Sun
The Earth is closest to the Sun in January and furthest from the Sun in July. When is
the Earth moving the fastest In its orbit? - ANSWERSJanuary
The semimajor axis of Earth's orbit is 1 AU. The semimajor axis of Saturn's orbit is 9.5
AU. Which planet has a longer orbital period? - ANSWERSSaturn
The acceleration due to gravity on the Moon is 1/6 g. The acceleration due to gravity on
Mars is 1/3 g. On which of these worlds would you weigh more? - ANSWERSMars
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Which of the following ranks the
sizes of the listed objects in the correct order, from smallest to largest? -
ANSWERSAsteroid, Solar System, Galaxy, Universe
Which of the following is a distance? - ANSWERS500 light-years
Which of the following is a time? - ANSWERS4 hours
Which of the following represents a scientific way of looking at nature? -
ANSWERSNature informs us about the usefulness of our ideas.
Which of the following is a valid scientific
hypothesis? - ANSWERSStars generate energy by burning coal.
The Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Which way is Earth rotating? -
ANSWERSToward the east
In what direction is the observer facing? - ANSWERSToward the North
Which direction would you look to see Star A when it is highest in the sky? -
ANSWERSSouth
Which direction would you look to see Star B when it is highest in the sky? -
ANSWERSDirectly Overhead
Which of the stars will set on the western horizon? - ANSWERSOnly A
From what location on Earth would all of the stars on the celestial sphere be visible? -
ANSWERSEquator
What would the sky look like from a latitude of 30° N? - ANSWERSSome stars would be
circumpolar; some would never be visible.
If the ecliptic were aligned with the celestial equator, what would happen to the
seasons? - ANSWERSWe would not have seasons at all.
During the full Moon phase, how much of the Moon's surface is being illuminated by
sunlight? - ANSWERSHalf
, When the phase of the Moon is gibbous, - ANSWERSThe Moon is closer to full moon
than to new moon,
Someone in Ohio looks up and sees a crescent Moon. What would her friend in Beijing,
China, see on that same evening? - ANSWERSCrescent Moon
If the Moon is in the phase shown, what will be the phase in two weeks? -
ANSWERSFirst quarter
When the Earth is between the Moon and the Sun, what phase is the Moon in? -
ANSWERSFull
What time of day does the new Moon rise? - ANSWERSSunrise
What time of day does the full Moon rise? - ANSWERSSunset
At what phase of the Moon is a solar eclipse possible? - ANSWERSNew
At what phase of the Moon is a lunar eclipse possible? - ANSWERSFull
Do we observe eclipses every month? - ANSWERSNo
If Earth rotated in 12 hours but its orbit were the same, which of the following would
NOT be true? - ANSWERSEach season would happen twice per year.
Does Kepler's 1st Law allow for a circular
planetary orbit? - ANSWERSYes
The planet shown obeys Kepler's Laws. During which part of the planet's orbit (B, C, or
D) would the planet take the same amount of time as it took for the part of the orbit
labeled A? - ANSWERSB
The planet shown obeys Kepler's Laws. During which part of the planet's orbit (A, B, C,
or D) would the planet move with the greatest speed? - ANSWERSC
Will a planet move faster when it is closer to the Sun, or farther from the Sun? -
ANSWERSFaster when closer to the Sun
The Earth is closest to the Sun in January and furthest from the Sun in July. When is
the Earth moving the fastest In its orbit? - ANSWERSJanuary
The semimajor axis of Earth's orbit is 1 AU. The semimajor axis of Saturn's orbit is 9.5
AU. Which planet has a longer orbital period? - ANSWERSSaturn
The acceleration due to gravity on the Moon is 1/6 g. The acceleration due to gravity on
Mars is 1/3 g. On which of these worlds would you weigh more? - ANSWERSMars
