ASTRO 1 FINAL EXAM PSU
What is the fastest speed in the universe? - ANSWERS-speed of light
Typical composition of stars - ANSWERS-74% H, 25% He, 1% Metals
How old is the Sun/solar system? How much longer will it live? - ANSWERS-4.5
billion, live to 10 billion
What is a star? - ANSWERS-glowing ball of hot dense gas that generates its own
energy via nuclear fusion
What is a light year? - ANSWERS-distance that light travels in 1 year
What is the closest star to Earth besides the Sun? (4.2 ly away) - ANSWERS-
proxima centauri
What is the age of the universe? - ANSWERS-14 billion years
What is our cosmic address? What is the Local Group? - ANSWERS-Earth, solar
system, milky way galaxy, local group, local supercluster
,Order of planets in our solar system - ANSWERS-Mercury, venus, earth, mars,
jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune
What is the reason that we have seasons on Earth? - ANSWERS-tilt of the earth's
axis determines what hemisphere leans towards the sun
If Earth's orbit were a perfect circle, how would this affect seasons? - ANSWERS-
Would not because earth's orbit is already very close to a perfect circle
moon phases in order - ANSWERS-new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter
moon, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter moon, waning
crescent
How long does it take to complete all the phases? - ANSWERS-29.5 days
What are the two types of eclipses (only solar and lunar) and what phase does the
Moon need
to be in for each one of the eclipses to occur? - ANSWERS-lunar: earth blocks
sunlight from moon, full moon
solar: moon passing directly in front of sun, new moon
If you see that the Moon is full, what phase will someone in Australia see? What
about
someone on the Moon looking at Earth? - ANSWERS-the same phase, the moon
will just look upside down
, people on the moon wouldn't see earth (new earth)
Kepler's laws - ANSWERS-1.) a^3=p^2(M1+M2)
2.) when planet is closer to sun, it moves faster in its orbit
3.) planets further from sun orbit slower
How can you tell a color of a star based on its blackbody curve? - ANSWERS-peak
of curve in visible spectrum
order of different types of electromagnetic radiation by wavelength - ANSWERS-
gamma, x ray, uv, visible, infrared, microwave, radio
What needs to happen inside an atom to produce an absorption or an emission
line? - ANSWERS--emission: excited state (electron is in an energy level above the
lowest possible one)
-absorption: moving to a higher energy level (photon of just the right energy is
absorbed by the atom)
What are the 3 types of spectra and how is each produced - ANSWERS-1.)
continuous: hot, dense energy source
2.) emission: hot, low density gas cloud - bright lines on black background
3.) absorption: hot dense energy source with cooler low density cloud of gas
(stars)-black lines on rainbow background
What is the fastest speed in the universe? - ANSWERS-speed of light
Typical composition of stars - ANSWERS-74% H, 25% He, 1% Metals
How old is the Sun/solar system? How much longer will it live? - ANSWERS-4.5
billion, live to 10 billion
What is a star? - ANSWERS-glowing ball of hot dense gas that generates its own
energy via nuclear fusion
What is a light year? - ANSWERS-distance that light travels in 1 year
What is the closest star to Earth besides the Sun? (4.2 ly away) - ANSWERS-
proxima centauri
What is the age of the universe? - ANSWERS-14 billion years
What is our cosmic address? What is the Local Group? - ANSWERS-Earth, solar
system, milky way galaxy, local group, local supercluster
,Order of planets in our solar system - ANSWERS-Mercury, venus, earth, mars,
jupiter, saturn, uranus, neptune
What is the reason that we have seasons on Earth? - ANSWERS-tilt of the earth's
axis determines what hemisphere leans towards the sun
If Earth's orbit were a perfect circle, how would this affect seasons? - ANSWERS-
Would not because earth's orbit is already very close to a perfect circle
moon phases in order - ANSWERS-new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter
moon, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter moon, waning
crescent
How long does it take to complete all the phases? - ANSWERS-29.5 days
What are the two types of eclipses (only solar and lunar) and what phase does the
Moon need
to be in for each one of the eclipses to occur? - ANSWERS-lunar: earth blocks
sunlight from moon, full moon
solar: moon passing directly in front of sun, new moon
If you see that the Moon is full, what phase will someone in Australia see? What
about
someone on the Moon looking at Earth? - ANSWERS-the same phase, the moon
will just look upside down
, people on the moon wouldn't see earth (new earth)
Kepler's laws - ANSWERS-1.) a^3=p^2(M1+M2)
2.) when planet is closer to sun, it moves faster in its orbit
3.) planets further from sun orbit slower
How can you tell a color of a star based on its blackbody curve? - ANSWERS-peak
of curve in visible spectrum
order of different types of electromagnetic radiation by wavelength - ANSWERS-
gamma, x ray, uv, visible, infrared, microwave, radio
What needs to happen inside an atom to produce an absorption or an emission
line? - ANSWERS--emission: excited state (electron is in an energy level above the
lowest possible one)
-absorption: moving to a higher energy level (photon of just the right energy is
absorbed by the atom)
What are the 3 types of spectra and how is each produced - ANSWERS-1.)
continuous: hot, dense energy source
2.) emission: hot, low density gas cloud - bright lines on black background
3.) absorption: hot dense energy source with cooler low density cloud of gas
(stars)-black lines on rainbow background
