EAPS 105 EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Why was the Hubble Space Telescope placed in orbit? - Answer- To eliminate the
distorting effect of the Earth's atmosphere.
Why do hot stars look bluer than cool stars? - Answer- Hotter stars have their peak
emissions shifted toward shorter wavelengths (bluer) compared to cooler stars
If continuous spectrum light from a star passes through a cool low density gas on its
way to your telescope and spectroscope, what would you would see? - Answer- a dark
(absorption) line on a continuous spectrum.
In the continuous spectrum of the Sun as observed in space, there are dark lines that
occur at the same position (wavelength) as emission lines in a laboratory spectrum of
hot iron gas. What does this tell you about the Sun? - Answer- The cool gas in the
atmosphere of the Sun contains iron.
Which observation supports the solar nebula theory of the origin of the solar system? -
Answer- Disks are common around young stars.
How does the solar nebula theory explain the present densities and chemical
compositions of the planets? - Answer- The solar nebula was hotter near the Sun, and
colder far from the Sun. This resulted in an inner solar system dominated by rock and
metal that condensed at high temperature and an outer solar system dominated by gas
and ices that condensed at low temperature.
The surface of a planet has a high density of impact craters. What does this tell you
about the surface? - Answer- A
It was formed a very long time ago.
B.
It hasn't been eroded by wind or water recently.
Why do meteor impacts create such large craters? - Answer- Because stopping an
object that is moving as fast as an asteroid causes it to explode like a bomb.
Which arrangement is in order of increasing size, left to right? - Answer- • Planet, star,
solar system, galaxy
Which of the following is the largest? - Answer- • The distance from the Earth to the sun
, What causes seasons? - Answer- • The sun spends less time in the sky during winter
than summer.
• The Sun's rays spread out more in winter than in summer.
• The suns rays are more spread out over the Earth in the winter
• Larger Tilt - Answer- Poles get more light/heat in the summer, ice melts
• Smaller Tilt - Answer- Poles get less light/heat in the summer, ice builds up
Lunar Eclipse - Answer- Sun. Earth, and Moon are all in line with the Earth being
inbetween the Sun and the moon
Solar Eclipse - Answer- Sun, Moon, and Earth are all in line with the Moon being
inbewteen the Sun and the Earth
Solar eclipses only occur when the phase of the moon is - Answer- • New
Why don't we get an eclipse every month? - Answer- • The moon is only in the same
plane as the Earth AND Sun at the same time twice per year
Occam's Razor - Answer- When two hypotheses can both explain an observation, the
hypothesis that requires fewer assumptions should be favored. (the simplest
explanation is probably true)
The Geocentric Model - Answer- Earth is the center of our solar system, Mercury,
Venus, and the Sun revolve around the Earth
What happens during differentiation of a protoplanet? - Answer- Dense material like iron
and nickel sinks to the center to form a core and less dense rocky materials rise to the
top to form the mantle and crust.
Under the geocentric model will Venus ever show a gibbous phase to an observer on
Earth?: - Answer- NO
Heliocentric model - Answer- Sun is at the center of the solar system
Galileo - Answer- was the first person to document his observations of celestial objects
with a telescope.
Keplerian Orbit - Answer- Ellipse
Parallax - Answer- nearby objects shift more than faraway objects with perspective
changes.
Kepler's Laws: - Answer- • Orbits are ellipses with the sun at one focus
ANSWERS
Why was the Hubble Space Telescope placed in orbit? - Answer- To eliminate the
distorting effect of the Earth's atmosphere.
Why do hot stars look bluer than cool stars? - Answer- Hotter stars have their peak
emissions shifted toward shorter wavelengths (bluer) compared to cooler stars
If continuous spectrum light from a star passes through a cool low density gas on its
way to your telescope and spectroscope, what would you would see? - Answer- a dark
(absorption) line on a continuous spectrum.
In the continuous spectrum of the Sun as observed in space, there are dark lines that
occur at the same position (wavelength) as emission lines in a laboratory spectrum of
hot iron gas. What does this tell you about the Sun? - Answer- The cool gas in the
atmosphere of the Sun contains iron.
Which observation supports the solar nebula theory of the origin of the solar system? -
Answer- Disks are common around young stars.
How does the solar nebula theory explain the present densities and chemical
compositions of the planets? - Answer- The solar nebula was hotter near the Sun, and
colder far from the Sun. This resulted in an inner solar system dominated by rock and
metal that condensed at high temperature and an outer solar system dominated by gas
and ices that condensed at low temperature.
The surface of a planet has a high density of impact craters. What does this tell you
about the surface? - Answer- A
It was formed a very long time ago.
B.
It hasn't been eroded by wind or water recently.
Why do meteor impacts create such large craters? - Answer- Because stopping an
object that is moving as fast as an asteroid causes it to explode like a bomb.
Which arrangement is in order of increasing size, left to right? - Answer- • Planet, star,
solar system, galaxy
Which of the following is the largest? - Answer- • The distance from the Earth to the sun
, What causes seasons? - Answer- • The sun spends less time in the sky during winter
than summer.
• The Sun's rays spread out more in winter than in summer.
• The suns rays are more spread out over the Earth in the winter
• Larger Tilt - Answer- Poles get more light/heat in the summer, ice melts
• Smaller Tilt - Answer- Poles get less light/heat in the summer, ice builds up
Lunar Eclipse - Answer- Sun. Earth, and Moon are all in line with the Earth being
inbetween the Sun and the moon
Solar Eclipse - Answer- Sun, Moon, and Earth are all in line with the Moon being
inbewteen the Sun and the Earth
Solar eclipses only occur when the phase of the moon is - Answer- • New
Why don't we get an eclipse every month? - Answer- • The moon is only in the same
plane as the Earth AND Sun at the same time twice per year
Occam's Razor - Answer- When two hypotheses can both explain an observation, the
hypothesis that requires fewer assumptions should be favored. (the simplest
explanation is probably true)
The Geocentric Model - Answer- Earth is the center of our solar system, Mercury,
Venus, and the Sun revolve around the Earth
What happens during differentiation of a protoplanet? - Answer- Dense material like iron
and nickel sinks to the center to form a core and less dense rocky materials rise to the
top to form the mantle and crust.
Under the geocentric model will Venus ever show a gibbous phase to an observer on
Earth?: - Answer- NO
Heliocentric model - Answer- Sun is at the center of the solar system
Galileo - Answer- was the first person to document his observations of celestial objects
with a telescope.
Keplerian Orbit - Answer- Ellipse
Parallax - Answer- nearby objects shift more than faraway objects with perspective
changes.
Kepler's Laws: - Answer- • Orbits are ellipses with the sun at one focus
