What aspect of Titan may hold clues as to what Earth was like before life arose here?

an intriguing soup of organic molecules

How did Mr. Hubble calculate the age of the universe?

by measuring the rate of expansion of the universe

Why are elements heavier than iron less abundant than those that are lighter?

because the duration of a supernova is relatively short

While Earth still has water in abundance, all of Venus' was lost. Where did it go?

Ultraviolet rays split the hydrogen from the oxygen

With daytime temperatures that can reach 430°C, why is nighttime on Mercury so cold?

Very little atmosphere, heat is quickly lost into space.

Why can't any star, no matter how massive, fuse elements heavier than iron?

the nucleons within iron have the least mass as possible

same mass as the original star from which it formed.

Most of the energy during the collapseSo how is it they can blow away a star's outer shells?

Although they rarely interact with matter, the sheer number

What makes Europa the most likely place life will be found in our solar system?

ocean of liquid water warmed by tidal interaction w/ Jupiter

All of the stars we see at night with our unaided eyes are within

10,000 light-years, which is a small portion of our galaxy.

a pulsar only emits X-rays and visible light during its early history. Why?

As the pulsars energy dissipates, its energy frequency drops

Part complete Totality is not completely dark during a lunar eclipse because

of light refracted by the Earth's atmosphere.

The carbon dioxide cycle is important to Earth because it

and the oceans are critical in moderating & regulating temp

The reason we don't have eclipses monthly is because of the

different orbital planes for Earth and the Moon.

A star's brightness tells us

how much energy a star produces.

What aspect of the Sun's behavior wraps and distorts the solar magnetic field?

differential spin between the equatorial and polar regions

Summer and winter constellations are different because

the night sky faces in opposite directions

What are the relative compositions of the materials from which stars form?

about 74% hydrogen, about 24% helium

What prevents stars greater than about 100 times the Sun's mass from existing?

rate of thermal expansion would overcome gravity

Totality during a solar eclipse is not totally dark because

of light from the solar corona.

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Earth and Space Sciences Exam 1

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Exam 1

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Questions 144

Answers

1
What aspect of Titan may hold clues as to what Earth was like before life arose here?
the rate of radioactive decay of its inner core
its expansive liquid oceans
an intriguing soup of organic molecules
its intense volcanic activity
2
How did Mr. Hubble calculate the age of the universe?
by looking at the age of the oldest stars
by measuring the redshift of star in center of our galaxy
measuring the rate of radioactive decay of the far galaxies
by measuring the rate of expansion of the universe
3
Why are elements heavier than iron less abundant than those that are lighter?
because the duration of a supernova is relatively short
evidence suggests they are only rare here
because they tend to be unstable, and easily undergo fission
This is one of the mysteries of cosmic formation
4
Scientists repeat experimental findings in order to
both of the above
eliminate unseen errors.
non eof the above
improve upon experimental design.
5
Metals are relatively more abundant in
old stars
new stars
neither
6
Most of the atoms in the universe are thought to be
thought to be undiscoverd
iron
hydrogen
helium
7
We are actually looking into the past when we look at
a distant star
none
our physics book
both
8
Compared to the event horizon, the photon sphere of a black hole is
no difference
nearer the singularity
farther from the singularity
9
If a star collapses to a tenth its size, gravitation at its surface increases by
100
20
10
1000
10
While Earth still has water in abundance, all of Venus' was lost. Where did it go?
It chemically combined with CO2 to form CO4H.
Scientists are still trying to determine this.
Ultraviolet rays split the hydrogen from the oxygen
evaporated into space due to the intense daytime heat
11
With daytime temperatures that can reach 430°C, why is nighttime on Mercury so cold?
solar winds quickly dissipate all heat on the dark side.
Weak gravitational field doesn't retain the daytime's heat.
Because the year is so short, there isn't enough time
Very little atmosphere, heat is quickly lost into space.
12
At about what frequency is Earth struck by a meteorite large enough to cause mass extinctions?
about every 10 million years
about every 1 million years
This has yet to occur on Earth
about every 100 million years
13
What is the likely source of methane in Mars atmosphere?
decomposition of the residue deposits left from Mars oceans
Mars landings of exploration vehicles such as Spirit
ongoing volcanic activity
he absorption of Phobos' ( inner moon) methane atmosphere
14
Part complete The masses of stars are found by measurements of
Doppler shifting.
light intensity.
binaries.
relative sizes.
15
Most meteors seen as shooting stars are about the size of
baseballs
small buildings
grains of sand
large buildings
16
Why can't any star, no matter how massive, fuse elements heavier than iron?
Actually, this occurs on a regular basis,
the nucleons within iron have the least mass as possible
It could, we have not yet observed a star massive enough
elements heavier than iron have less average mass
17
A black hole has
infinite mass.
half the mass of the star from which it formed.
a mass that widely fluctuates.
same mass as the original star from which it formed.
18
What is the upper limit of stars the unaided eye can discern on a moonless night in rural area?
300
30,000
3,000
300,000
19
Most of the energy during the collapseSo how is it they can blow away a star's outer shells?
Although they rarely interact with matter, the sheer number
by developing a temporary, but relatively strong charge
by creating a massive magnetic field that convulses
When neutrinos exceed a certain speed, 22,300 km/s,
20
What makes Europa the most likely place life will be found in our solar system?
ocean of liquid water and evidence of phytoplankton activity
ocean of liquid water warmed by tidal interaction w/ Jupiter
has a hydrogen ocean and moderate levels of oxygen
21
The elements found on Earth have much to do with
pulsars
white dwarfs
supernovas
quasars.
22
All of the stars we see at night with our unaided eyes are within
14 billion light-years
100,000 light-years,
5 million light-years, which encompasses our local group
10,000 light-years, which is a small portion of our galaxy.
23
a pulsar only emits X-rays and visible light during its early history. Why?
X-rays are likely the result of radioactive decay,
As the pulsars energy dissipates, its energy frequency drops
X-rays & light are part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The pulsar's high rate of spin produces a magnetic field
24
About how many tons of meteorites strike the Earth on a daily basis?
20
20,000
200
200,000
25
Part complete Totality is not completely dark during a lunar eclipse because
the Moon is not directly in the Earth's shadow.
of the Sun's corona.
the line between umbra and penumbra is not sharp.
of light refracted by the Earth's atmosphere.
26
Of the sciences known as physics, chemistry, and biology, the most basic is
chemistry
they may all be considered basic
biology
physics
27
What constitutes over half of Jupiter's volume?
the massive Mons Majora Range
oceans of liquid hydrogen
oceans of liquid methane
its rocky solid core
28
Nebular theory pertains to the formation of
Earth
the galaxy
the solar system
The Asteroid Belt
29
How much greater is the atmospheric pressure of Jupiter than Earth's? More than
1 million times
100 times
1000 timmes
10 times
30
Part complete In what region of the Sun are most of X-rays generated?
the chronosphere
the corona
the inner core
the photosphere
31
A Starburst galaxy has this name because of its
high rate of supernovae
large number of pulsars.
large number of neutron stars
high rate of star formation
32
The Milky Way is
the remains of another galaxy
a spiral galaxy
an elliptical galaxy
an irregular galaxy
33
If it is a valid hypothesis, there must be a test for proving it
right
wrong
34
The predominant gas in the atmosphere of Venus is
Carbon Dioxide
Nitrogen
Water vapor
Oxygen
35
The carbon dioxide cycle is important to Earth because it
and the oceans are critical in moderating & regulating temp
prevents the gradual buildup of oxygen
has been recognized by the Nobel Prize award committee.
helps sustain the plant base
36
Elliptical galaxies
have little in the way of dust and gas.
all of the above
tend to be smaller than the other types of galaxies.
are thought to be former starburst galaxies
37
hich body in the solar system has the highest level of volcanic activity?
mARS
Io
Earth
Jupiter
38
Thermonuclear fusion occurs mainly in the
cores of stars
outer layers of stars
both
39
The reason we don't have eclipses monthly is because of the
different orbital planes for Earth and the Moon.
23° tilt of the Earth's axis.
relatively long distance to the Sun
40
A star's brightness tells us
its rotational speed.
how much energy a star produces.
both how much energy it produces and its surface temperature
its surface temperature.
41
When the alignment of the Sun, the Moon, and Earth produce a solar eclipse, what is in center?
moon
sun
earth
42
The event that changes a protostar to a full-fledged star is
a catastrophic increase in temperature.
thermonuclear fusion.
gravitational collapse.
gravitational expansion
43
What aspect of the Sun's behavior wraps and distorts the solar magnetic field?
differential spin between the equatorial and polar regions
the cycle of the reversal of the magnetic poles
sunspot activity due to differential heat dispersion
plasma fluxes within the core
44
Summer and winter constellations are different because
the night sky faces in opposite directions
of the tilt of the Earth's polar axis.
the Earth is at the solar perigee in winter
of the spin of the Earth about its polar axis.
45
What are the relative compositions of the materials from which stars form?
about 74% hydrogen, about 24% helium
about 2% hydrogen, about 74% helium,
Stars have vastly differing combinations of materials.
about 24% hydrogen, about 74% helium,
46
What prevents stars greater than about 100 times the Sun's mass from existing?
The gaseous material of the universe is too widely dispersed
Fusion cannot take place
gravitational attraction would overcome thermal expansion
rate of thermal expansion would overcome gravity
47
What are Saturn's rings composed of?
methane gas
hydrogen
old satellites and other space junk
chunks of ice and rock
48
Our local group is composed of how many galaxies?
less than 1000
1,526
less than 100
less than 400
49
Totality during a solar eclipse is not totally dark because
of light from the solar corona.
the line between umbra and penumbra is not sharp.
the Moon is directly in front of the Sun.
the Moon is smaller than the Sun.
50
Compared to the density of water, the density of Saturn is
more
about the same
less
51
What will be the predominant element within the Sun after it has died?
phosporous
Helium
Nitrogen
Carbon
52
In what region of the Sun is solar energy generated?
inner surface, the region of greatest density
inner core, with temperatures more than 15,000,000 K.
mid-interior, gravitational field of core & periphery even
the outer surface, where the greatest pressure resides
53
How deep is the Photosphere?
300 km
500 meters
500 km
300 meters
54
Why is Jupiter the largest planet in the solar system?
massive collision with another protoplanet
Being the oldest planetary core, it had more time
Because that's just the way it happened.
Because of its distance from the Sun,
55
Most of the stars in colliding galaxies
coalesce into larger stars.
end up as binaries.
undergo accelerated collapse.
do not make contact with each other
56
The gold in Uncle Harry's teeth fillings originated in
Fort Knox.
deep interior of earth
Stars that blew up eons ago
The big bang
57
When a contracting hot ball of gas spins into a disk shape, it cools faster due to
increased radiation transfer.
increased surface area.
increased convection currents.
decreased insulation.
58
The event horizon of a black hole is
the surface below which no matter or energy can escape.
the physical surface of the black hole.
the point in time when a black hole comes into being
the surface where light becomes trapped in a circular orbit
59
The background stars of a lunar eclipse are those of constellations
not seen normally.
of the opposite season.
seen in the nighttime sky.
seen in the opposite hemisphere.
60
The solar wind blows in a direction
toward the sun
away from the sun
61
Summer and winter constellations are different because
night sky faces in opposite directions
Earth is at the solar perigee in winter
of the spin of the Earth about its polar axis
of the tilt of the Earth's polar axis.
62
The H-R Diagram, an important tool of astronomers, relates stellar temperature to stellar
color.
distance.
mass.
brightness.
63
If one walked on Triton, Neptune's largest moon, what would you observe the geysers spewing?
liquid nitrogen
liquid methane
liquid water
liquid hydrogen
64
Triton's geysers spew?
Liquid hydrogen
liquid helium
Liquid nitrogen
liquid water
65
Neptune emits about 2.5 times as much heat energy as it receives, altho it shouldn't. why?
Unlike Uranus, it is still contracting
Uranus' gravity is creating a "slingshot" effect
Radioactive decay has kicked into overdrive,
The basis for these calculations is being questioned
66
Edwin Hubble discovered that the farther away a galaxy is the
more black holes it contains
larger it is
more energetic it is
faster its receding from us
67
Which star will emit the shortest wavelength of its peak frequency?
yellow
red
green
blue
68
The planet with a mass most like Earth's is
Saturn
Neptune
mercury
Venus
69
If experimental findings are not reproducible,
it is an indication of scientific fraud.
the results are considered valid, but not usable.
an indication that the scientific method was not followed.
the results are not considered valid.
70
When a star collapses to half size, the gravitational field at its surface
remains constant
times eight
quadruples
doubles
71
Huge rotating cloud of particles that gravitate together to form a dense ball As it shrinks, it
rotates slower
rotates at the same rate
rotates faster
72
A black hole is
a region of space that is collapsed in on itself.
likely found at the center of each spiral galaxy
the result of the collapse of supergiant star.
all of the above
73
What is generally the range of a star's hydrogen burning lifetime?
from a few million to 50 billion years
from a few hundred thousand to 20 billion years
from 2 billion to 15 billion years
from 20 billion to 100 billion years
74
The age of the Sun is about
5.5 trillion years.
5.5 million years.
more than 5.5 trillion years
5.5 billion years.
75
Part complete Quasars are
ancient high energy galaxies believed to have formed early
a conglomeration of spiral galaxies.
a conglomeration of pulsars within a galaxy.
white dwarf collapsed
76
What is the cause of Jupiter's slight flattening, which results in an equatorial diameter
nuclear fission within its core
its rapid spin cycle
its massive gravitational pull
its frequent reversal of its magnetic poles
77
The consequences of a comet's tail sweeping across the Earth would be
virtually nil
likely catastrophic
quite unpredictable
like an enhanced Aurora Borealis
78
Neptune was discovered by irregularities in
Uranus
Earth
Jupiter
Pluto
79
As more and more mass falls into a black hole, the radius of its photon sphere
increases
decreases
doesn't change
80
The Big Bang is regarded as the expansion of
time
energy
matter
space
81
The diurnal rotation of the stars refers to the
movement of the stars across the sky during daytime
rate of spin of stars in their formation stage.
Apparent rotation of celestial sphere due to Earths rotation
constellations visible in different times of the year
82
Why is the Kuiper belt considered to be a zone of failed planet formation?
both a and b
dwarf planets found therein have yet to fully accrete
There is simply not enough material
one of the dwarf planets have atmosphere
83
A star's size stabilizes when
thermal pressure and gravitational attraction balance
it reaches temperatures of about 3 million K.
gravitational attraction is balanced by neighboring stars.
the star first ignites.
84
The reason that the Moon takes on a crescent shape each month has to do with the
Earth's shadow
neither
Sun's Position
both
85
Where did Saturn's rings likely come from?
volcanic activity on its surface ejecting matter
either a moon that never formed or destroyed by tidal forces
gravitational capture of old satellites and other space junk
the decay of radioactive particles
86
When the Moon assumes its characteristic thin crescent shape, the position of the Sun is
at right angles to the line between the Moon and Earth.
almost directly behind the Earth
almost directly in back of the Moon.
87
The predominant gas in the atmosphere of Earth is
water vapor
nitrogen
oxygen
carbon dioxide
88
Part complete In a scientific experiment, a control is
way to study the effects of just one experimental variable.
test that duplicates experimental test except for 1 variable
all of the above
neither
89
The predominant gas in the atmosphere of Mars is
Water Vapor
Carbon Dioxide
O2
Nitrogen
90
The scientific method is a method for
designing experiments.
making hypotheses.
making observations.
gaining new knowledge
91
The Sun tends to bloat outward by nuclear fusion, and contract due to
its relatively slow spin.
reduced gaseous pressures.
nuclear fission.
gravitation.
92
Which best describes the intrinsic motion of stars?
their motion relative to Earth
their motion relative to all other bodies
apparent yrly cycle around the Sun due to Earth's revolution
circular motion across the sky in a 24-hour period
93
"regions beneath Earth's crust will always be beyond the reach of science" is a
fact
hypothesis
speculation
theory
94
What is the most abundant component (at 82%) of Jupiter's atmosphere?
ammonia
Hydrogen
Methane
helium
95
On which body (other than Earth) is life in our solar system most likely to be found?
Europa
Venus
No evidence anywehre
Mars
96
Cosmic background radiation refers to
the radiation emitted from galactic nuclei.
redshifted microwave radiation from center of the universe.
pockets of radiationin certain quadrants observable universe
uniformly distributed residual radiation from the Big Bang.
97
The difference between lightwaves approaching and lightwaves receding is
approaching=lower frequency,receding=higher
there is no difference
approaching=higher frequency, receding=lower
98
Luminosity is
the stars total infrared output.
the stars apparent brightness.
the total amount of light energy that star emits into space.
the stars particular color spectrum output.
99
The best evidence that the Sun is a newcomer in the universe is
its relatively slow rate of spin.
its high temperature as revealed by its color.
its very existence in spite of its high burning rate.
the existence of heavy elements in its composition.
100
As a star undergoes collapse, its rate of rotation
increases
decreases
remains unchanged
101
Compared to your weight on Earth, your weight on Jupiter would be about
100 times
3000 times
2 times
3 times
102
When the alignment of the Sun, the Moon, and Earth produce a lunar eclipse, what's in center?
Sun
moon
earth
103
Why does a star's color corresponds to its temperature?
because the core temperature
because of the light shifts that take place
because the ultraviolet output of a star
Higher temperature means more energetic light
104
If the Sun collapsed to become a black hole, the Earth's gravitational attraction
more
less
no different
105
After our Sun burns its supply of hydrogen, it will become a
White Dwarf
Red Giant
Black Hole
Blue Giant
106
Supernovae are caused by
supermassive supergiant star in a massive nuclear reaction
collapse of a supermassive supergiant star
the implosion of a white dwarf
any of the above
107
With each pass of a comet about the Sun, its mass
is unchanged
is appreciable reduced
actually increases
108
A pulsar is likely a
star in its death throes
black hole companion
binary star
spinning neutron star
109
What is the primary component of Venus' atmosphere?
Argon
CO2
Helium
02
110
Evidence of the solar wind on Earth is the
Aurora Borealis.
preponderance of hurricanes at certain latitudes
higher ocean tides in winter
meteor showers
111
The temperature of a star is evidenced by its
color
rate of burning.
angular momentum.
brightness.
112
The synthesis of a large collection of info with well-tested stuff is known as a scientific
fact
law or principle
theory
hypothesis
113
Which one of these elements is normally the remnant of a supernova?
silver
none of these
helium
hydrogen
114
Cepheids are types of stars that regularly change how bright they are over a period of a few
days
decades
months
years
115
What event will eventually move an average star off the main sequence of the H-R diagram?
solar wind storms
surface cooling due to hydrogen loss
running out of hydrogen, causing gravitational influx
drift through space bc gravity of neighboring giant stars
116
How far is a light year?
all of the above
nearly 10 trillion km
the distance of one Earth orbit
300,000 km
117
When we see a half-moon, the position of the Sun is
about 45° from a line from Earth to the Moon.
almost directly behind the Moon.
almost directly behind the Earth.
at right angles to a line from Earth to the Moon
118
Part complete What will halt the collapsing Sun's core once its fuel has been exhausted?
inability of electrons to enter into neighboring electrons
the shift from fusion to fission nuclear reactions
random quantum fluctuations
outward thermal pressure
119
A black hole is
remains of a giant collapsed star.
small region that has the mass of many galaxies.
empty region of space with a huge gravitational field.
120
Whatct will be left at the center of our solar system once the Sun dies?
a wormhole
red giant
a planet-sized diamond
black hole
121
the scientific spirit is based upon
honesty and trust
experimentation
consensus in the scientific community.
hypotheses of well-known philosophers.
122
"Cosmological Redshift" refers to
the expansion of space itself
tendency of light to expand when free of gravity influences.
the expansion of red giants.
the expansion of galaxies
123
No greenhouse effect occurs on Mercury because of no
terrestrial radiation
atmosphere
plant life
daily spin
124
The formation of protons over neutrons was favored in the early universe because
it takes more energy to create a neutron
it takes more energy to create a proton
more massive neutrons made better targets for collisions.
he positively charged protons were repelled away
125
Why do comet's tails always point away from the Sun?
when they move away from the Sun they begin to lose inertia
the comet's interaction with dark matter
planets cause the ice to be pulled towards their orbits
because of radiation pressure
126
The observable universe is
visible to the naked eye
the minor portion of the universe we can observe.
about 100 billion light years across.
the part of the universe that is within the visiblespectrum.
127
Most natural phenomena we wonder about
are poorly explained by science
involve several scientific disciplines.
are best explained by physics.
require knowledge of advanced mathematics.
128
Most of the angular momentum in the solar system is
about equally divided in the Sun and its planets.
in the sun
in its planets
129
Is the rate of Earth's rotation increasing or decreasing?
both, in cyclic fashion
increasing
Decreasing
Same
130
A spinning cloud of interstellar gas tends to
turn into a sphere
flatten
condense
disperse
131
Giant stars
are close to exhausting their supply of helium.
have already exhausted their supply of hydrogen
are close to exhausting their supply of hydrogen.
have already exhausted their supply of helium.
132
Temperature differences between nighttime and daytime on Earth are relatively small due to
seasonal fluctuations and Earth's magnetic field.
Earth being 70% water.
polar regions absorbing most solar energy.
Relatively high daily spin rate and shortness of nighttime.
133
An active galactic nucleus
arises from the black hole at the center of a galaxy
supermassivesupergiant star at the center of larger galaxies
is a giant dust cloud at the center of a galaxy.
is a place of intense star formation.
134
A cloud of interstellar gas is held together by
the gravitational force
infrared radiation.
all of the above
electromagnetism.
135
Radiant energy can be understood using this field of science.
Physics
Astrology
Chemistry
Biology
136
How do the wind speeds of the Martian atmosphere compare with those of Earth?
about ten times more than Earth's
50% of earths
about one tenth of Earth's
about hte same
137
The "redshift" of a galaxy refers to the rate
of its fusion
at which it is approaching
at which it is receding
at which it is spinning
138
Which of the following is a scientific hypothesis?
The Moon is made of green cheese.
parts of the universe will never be found by man
Matter is filled with undetectable particles.
There are things we will never know about.
139
Why is the Moon still visible during a full lunar eclipse?
the Moon's thin atmosphere acts as a mirror
Earth's atmosphere acts as a lens that refracts light
there is a minor component of phosphorescent minerals
Background microwave radiation becomes excited
140
What is the cause of Jupiter's extremely high-energy radiation belts?
enormous magnetic field that captures high energy particles
tidal forces due to the interaction with moons
remnants of a collision between Jupiter & another large body
the capture of a high number of metallic asteroids
141
A star's color tells us
how much energy a star produces.
both how much energy it produces and its surface temperature
its rotational speed.
its surface temp
142
Why is Mars' greenhouse effect negligible compared to that of Earth?
Martian atmosphere is much thinner and retains little heat.
CO2 contains a rare isotope with little ability to trap heat
International Mars Greenhouse Gas Reduction Treaty of 2003
Its mass is only one-ninth of Earth's
143
In what region of Mars is microscopic life most likely to exist?
beneath the planet's surface, where melting water may pool
at the poles, where ice caps may harbor microorganisms
at the equator, where temperatures are most moderate
deep within the planet's core
144
If the Sun collapsed to a black hole, the time required for the Earth to orbit
increase
stay the same
decrease

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