University of New South Wales PHYS 1160 Exams Compiled

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Sunspots are [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. associated with strong magnetic fields. B. regions of the Sun that are hotter than the general photosphere temperature of about 5800 deg... rees. C. found to vary over a cycle of about 11 years with many more sunspots being observed at the maximum of the cycle. D. seen in active regions of the Sun that appear very bright in ultraviolet images from the SOHO spacecraft. Evidence for the "Big Bang" theory of the universe come from [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. the detection of dark matter in clusters of galaxies. B. the observation that the recession velocity of galaxies increases with distance. C. the presence of the Cosmic Microwave Background. D. the abundances of light elements such as helium, deuterium and lithium. An object which contains the entire mass of a star like the Sun compressed into an object about the size of the Earth is called Select one: A. a brown dwarf – failed stars B. a neutron star – G - 9 C. a white dwarf D. a black hole Observations of the transits of extrasolar planets have been used to [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Determine the radius of the planets. B. Study the composition of the atmospheres. C. Determine the masses of the planets. D. Detect the presence of liquid water on the planets.5 According to the nebular theory for the formation of the solar system Select one: A. planets should be rotating in the same direction as they orbit the Sun B. planets can be rotating in any random direction compared to the direction they orbit the Sun C. planets should be rotating in the opposite direction to the direction they orbit the Sun - Coriolis effect D. no prediction is made as to the directions of rotations of the planets 6 The solar nebula is Select one: A. An alternative name for the Milky Way B. The cloud of hot gas surrounding the Sun C. The disk of gas and dust from which the planets are thought to have formed D. The interstellar gas cloud closest to the Sun 7 A star with a mass 10 times that of the Sun High-mass stars live shorter lives because their high luminosities mean they exhaust their nuclear fuel more quickly. Select one: A. has a somewhat longer lifetime than the Sun because it has more nuclear fuel to burn. B. has about the same lifetime as the Sun because although it has more nuclear fuel it burns it faster. C. has a much longer lifetime than the Sun, because it has more nuclear fuel and burns it more slowly. D. has a much shorter lifetime than the Sun because it has a very high luminosity and burns its fuel much more rapidly. 8. The ancient water erosion features on the surface of Mars suggest that the planet must have had a much Select one: A. warmer, thinner atmosphere in the past B. cooler, thicker atmosphere in the past C. cooler, thinner atmosphere in the past D. warmer, thicker atmosphere in the past , trapping more sunlight and making it warm enough for liquid water to exist. In this new study, channels were discovered that connected lake basins n http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_on_Mars9. Which of the following objects are classified as dwarf planets? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Eris B. Ceres C. Triton D. Pluto 10. To study the distribution of interstellar atomic hydrogen (neutral hydrogen) gas in the galaxy we would use Select one: A. an optical telescope and spectrograph to look for emission lines of hydrogen. B. a radio telescope to look for radiation due to the 21 cm line of hydrogen. We can map the distribution of atomic hydrogen gas in the Milky Way with radio observations. Atomic hydrogen emits a spectral line with a wavelength of 21 centimeters C. an infrared telescope in order to penetrate the dust that obscures much of the Milky Way. D. A millimetre wave telescope to look for rotational lines due to hydrogen. 11. When stellar parallax is measured, a SMALL parallax means that the star is: Select one: A. relatively far away. B. relatively close by. C. not very bright. D. small in radius. 12. Galileo used his telescope to discover the following? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. The four largest satellites of Jupiter B. The phases of Venus C. That the Milky Way is made up of many stars D. The elliptical orbits of the planets13. If the Earth's orbit was represented in a scale model by a circle 10 metres in diameter, how far away would the nearest star (Alpha Centauri) be on the same scale? Select one: A. About 12 km B. About 160 km C. About 1400 km D. About 7000 km 14. Biologists have found that life on Earth can Select one: A. survive over a wide range of environmental conditions B. only survive on the surface of the Earth C. survive over a very narrow range of environmental conditions D. survive only in the presence of sunlight 15. Dark energy is needed to explain Select one: A. the rotation curves of galaxies. B. the acceleration of the expansion of the universe. C. the existence of black holes. Pf 454 D. the abundances of the chemical elements. 16. When the Sun completes it evolution its core will be composed mostly of Select one: A. hydrogen and helium B. helium C. carbon - It is only a matter of time until a helium core-fusion star converts all its core helium into carbon. In – PG 343 D. iron17. Which two properties of stars would you need to measure in order to plot them on a Hertzprung-Russell diagram? Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram A graph plotting individual stars as points, with stellar luminosity on the vertical axis and spectral type (or surface temperature) on the horizontal axis. Select one: A. The spectral types of the stars and their colours. – ME B. The spectral types of the stars and their masses. C. The magnitudes of the stars and their distances. D. The spectral types of the stars and their absolute magnitudes. – TB – G - 8 18. Enzymes are made up from a chain of chemical building blocks called Select one: A. nucleotides B. amino acids - Salina C. lipids D. bases 19. In which two spectral regions are ground based observations MOST useful? Select one: A. Microwave and ultraviolet. B. Optical and X-ray. C. Radio and optical. – PG130 + 243 D. Ultraviolet and infrared. 20. The main chemical building blocks of life, the elements carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen were formed Select one: A. inside interstellar gas clouds during star formation B. in the center of the Earth and then ejected onto the surface via volcanism C. in the nuclear burning cores of stars and then ejected into space when they died D. in the Big Bang that created the universe Our planet and all the life on it is made primarily of elements formed by nuclear fusion in high-mass stars and dispersed into space by supernovae If the Earth's orbit was represented in a scale model by a circle 10 metres in diameter, what would the Sun's diameter be on the same scale?Select one: A. About 10 cm B. About 5 cm C. About 1 cm D. About 5 mm The Orion Nebula is situated within a: Select one: A. supernova remnant. B. globular cluster C. giant molecular cloud. D. planetary nebula. The Large Magellanic Cloud is Select one: A. a galaxy belonging to the Local Group B. a planetary nebula C. an HII region D. a molecular cloud The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is more powerful than the 100-inch Mount Wilson Telescope (the telescope Edwin Hubble actually used for his studies of galaxies) because [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. The HST has a larger aperture and so collects more light. B. The HST is in space and so is not subject to the problems of "seeing" due to turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere. C. The HST uses modern digital detectors that are much more sensitive than the photographic plates available in Hubble's day. D. The HST can observe at X-ray wavelengths that cannot be seen by a telescope on the ground. In the Solar System we can find volcanoesSelect one: A. only on the Earth as it is the only planet with plate tectonics B. on all of the planets C. only on Earth and Io D. on Earth, Mars, Venus and Io Water can be found on Mars in the form of [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: a. Water ice in the permanent polar caps which are covered by a seasonal layer of carbon dioxide ice (dry ice). b. A small amount of water vapour in the atmosphere that can condense as occasional clouds. c. Liquid water that occasionally flows in the Martian canals. d. Water ice just below the surface in high latitude regions. The "Rare Earth" hypothesis of Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee is the idea that Select one: A. rocky planets like the Earth are uncommon in the galaxy. B. life is unlikely to develop on other planets because of the improbability of the events needed to form the first living cell. C. the evolution of advanced life and civilizations is unlikely to occur elsewhere, because it depends on a number of special features of our planet that have provided a stable and safe environment. D. evolution is dominated by chance, and so is likely to unfold quite differently on another planet, and unlikely to result in human-like intelligence. The Earth does not have the large number of impact craters seen on the Moon, Mars and other solar-system objects. This is primarily because Select one: A. The Earth's atmosphere prevents impacting asteroids from reaching the ground. B. The Earth is protected by its strong magnetic field, whereas the Moon, Mars and Venus have weak magnetic fields. C. The strong gravitational field of Jupiter prevents asteroids reaching our part of the solar system.D. The recycling of the Earth's crust through the process of Plate Tectonics means that impact craters on Earth don't last very long. The very high surface temperature of Venus is primarily caused by Select one: A. The fact that Venus is much closer to the Sun than the Earth and so receives much more solar energy. B. The internal heat from the core of Venus which is trapped by the thick cloud cover. C. The greenhouse effect due to carbon dioxide in the thick atmosphere. D. The greenhouse effect of methane which is a much stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Which of the following spacecraft have returned samples to Earth from other bodies in the solar system? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Luna 24 B. Apollo 8 C. Viking 1 D. Stardust Molecular clouds are composed of a mixture of materials including [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. ionized hydrogen (HII) B. molecular hydrogen (H2) C. dust grains D. carbon monoxide (CO) Biologists have found that life on Earth can Select one: A. survive over a wide range of environmental conditionsB. only survive on the surface of the Earth C. survive over a very narrow range of environmental conditions D. survive only in the presence of sunlight Cellular respiration in living eukaryotic cells takes place in structures called Select one: A. chloroplasts B. nuclei C. mitochondria D. archaea The main chemical building blocks of life, the elements carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen were formed Select one: A. inside interstellar gas clouds during star formation B. in the center of the Earth and then ejected onto the surface via volcanism C. in the nuclear burning cores of stars and then ejected into space when they died D. in the Big Bang that created the universe Many large telescopes have been built on the 4200m summit of Mauna Kea in the Hawaiian Islands because [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. The high altitude means the telescopes are closer to the objects being studied and can thus see more detail. B. The high altitude site provides excellent "seeing" allowing sharper images to be obtained. C. The site is very dry, minimizing absorption of radiation by water vapour in the atmosphere. D. The high altitude site is above the cloud layers and so the observatory is unaffected by clouds. The interior of the Sun has been studied by [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more:A. using X-ray observations from spacecraft such as SOHO that can see deep into the core of the Sun. B. observing solar oscillations that allow us to study how waves travel through the solar interior. C. using radar that reflects from different layers within the Sun. D. observing the neutrinos that originate in the core of the Sun using detectors such as the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. Which of the following properties help us to distinguish stars in the halo of our galaxy from stars in the disk? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Halo stars are generally much more luminous than disk stars. B. Halo stars have higher velocities relative to the Sun than disk stars. C. Halo stars generally have less heavy elements (i.e. they have lower metallicity). D. Halo stars generally have bluer colours than disk stars. Recent observations have reported the presence of small amounts of Methane in the Martian atmosphere. What have been suggested as possible sources of the methane? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. The methane is what remains of the primordial Martian atmosphere. Its greenhouse heating could have helped to keep early Mars warm and account for the evidence for liquid water on early Mars. B. The methane is produced by methanogenic microorganisms living under the Martian surface. C. The methane is produced under the surface of Mars by volcanic heating causing chemical processes such as serpentenization. D. The methane is produced by chemical reactions between carbon dioxide and water in the Martian atmosphere. The model of the solar system proposed by Nicholas Copernicus Select one: A. is the model that is now generally accepted.B. is correct in placing the Sun at the centre of the solar system, but is incorrect in using circular (rather than elliptical) motions. C. was superseded by the Ptolemaic model. D. was shown to be incorrect by Galileo's observations of the phases of Venus. In the original Miller–Urey experiment it was assumed that carbon and nitrogen in the early atmosphere were present as Select one: A. carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2) B. carbonates (CO3–) and nitrates (NO3–) C. methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) D. carbon and nitrogen atoms What features in the spectrum of an extrasolar terrestrial planet might provide evidence for life on the planet? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Absorption due to oxygen (produced by photosynthesis). B. Absorption due to carbon dioxide (a product of respiration). C. The "red edge" at 700nm (due to vegetation) D. Absorption due to methane (produced by methanogenic microbes). Gas clouds in a galaxy are found mostly in the Select one: A. disk. B. bulge. C. halo. D. globular clusters. Sunspots are [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. associated with strong magnetic fields. B. regions of the Sun that are hotter than the general photosphere temperature of about 5800 degrees. C. found to vary over a cycle of about 11 years with many more sunspots being observed at the maximum of the cycle.D. seen in active regions of the Sun that appear very bright in ultraviolet images from the SOHO spacecraft. In the original Miller–Urey experiment it was assumed that carbon and nitrogen in the early atmosphere were present as Select one: A. carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2) B. carbonates (CO3–) and nitrates (NO3–) C. methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) D. carbon and nitrogen atoms Water can be found on Mars in the form of [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: a. Water ice in the permanent polar caps which are covered by a seasonal layer of carbon dioxide ice (dry ice). b. A small amount of water vapour in the atmosphere that can condense as occasional clouds. c. Liquid water that occasionally flows in the Martian canals. d. Water ice just below the surface in high latitude regions. Which two properties of stars would you need to measure in order to plot them on a Hertzprung-Russell diagram? Select one: A. The spectral types of the stars and their colours. B. The spectral types of the stars and their masses. C. The magnitudes of the stars and their distances. D. The spectral types of the stars and their absolute magnitudes. Which of the following spacecraft have returned samples to Earth from other bodies in the solar system? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Luna 24 B. Apollo 8 C. Viking 1 D. Stardust The most likely theory for the formation of the Moon is Select one: A. that it was formed by the gravitational capture of a large asteroidB. that it formed simultaneously with Earth's formation C. that it was created from a collision scooping out the Pacific Ocean D. that it was formed from the collision of Earth with a Mars-sized object The NASA Galileo mission to Jupiter [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. was the first spacecraft to orbit one of the giant planets. B. discovered the volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io. C. deployed a probe that entered Jupiter's atmosphere. D. is continuing to explore the Jupiter system more than 10 years after its arrival at Jupiter. Evidence for the "Big Bang" theory of the universe come from [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. the detection of dark matter in clusters of galaxies. B. the observation that the recession velocity of galaxies increases with distance. C. the presence of the Cosmic Microwave Background. D. the abundances of light elements such as helium, deuterium and lithium. Observations of neutrinos from the Sun have Select one: A. shown that there is a problem with our theoretical models of the Sun because too few neutrinos are observed. B. proved too difficult to make because neutrinos react so weakly with ordinary matter and pass straight through the Earth. C. led to modifications of our understanding of particle physics. D. helped to detect the dark matter that makes up a substantial fraction of the universe. In the tree of life Select one: A. animals are members of the domain Eukarya, while plants are members of the domain Archaea B. animals are members of the domain Archaea, while plants are members of the domain Eukarya C. both plants and animals are members of the domain Archaea D. both plants and animals are members of the domain Eukarya The four giant (or Jovian) planets in our solar system all share the following properties [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]Select one or more: A. A system of many satellites B. An atmosphere composed mostly of carbon dioxide C. Much lower densities than the terrestrial planets D. Rapid rotation with periods of less than a day The last supernova to be observed in our galaxy Select one: A. was seen by Chinese observers in 1054. B. was observed by Johannes Kepler in 1604. C. was the supernova SN1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud. D. was detected only by the infrared observatory Spitzer because it is obscured by dust in the Milky Way. Which of the following statements is an overall summary of the findings from the biology experiments on the Viking Mars missions? Select one: A. the Martian soil contained structures that might be microfossils of bacteria-like organisms. B. the Martian soil showed clear signs of biological activity due to living microorgansisms. C. the Martian soil is chemically reactive but shows no signs of biological activity. D. the Martian soil contained organic molecules but showed no signs of biological activity. Observations of the transits of extrasolar planets have been used to [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Determine the radius of the planets. B. Study the composition of the atmospheres. C. Determine the masses of the planets. D. Detect the presence of liquid water on the planets. In order to plot a graph of Hubble's Law, we need to know: Select one: A. distances to the galaxies and their red shifts. B. shapes of the galaxies and their red shifts. C. luminosities and red shifts of the galaxies. D. diameters and red shifts of the galaxies. Which type of object is most useful in measuring distances within the Local Group? Select one:A. Supernovae. B. White Dwarfs. C. Cepheid variables. D. H-II Regions. Next Which of the following statements describe properties which are unique to Earth and are NOT shared by any other solar system planets or moons. [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. It has liquid water oceans on the surface B. It has active volcanoes C. It is orbited by the largest moon in the solar system D. It has a magnetic field stronger than that of any other planet in the solar system A gas giant planet orbiting its star with a period of a few days is referred to as a Select one: A. Super Earth B. Transiting Extrasolar Planet C. Hot Jupiter D. Brown dwarf If we were to send a radio signal to an advanced civilization in 2012 which is located in the Zeta Reticuli star system approximately 39 light-years away and the signal was immediately replied to, when would the reply arrive back at Earth? Select one: A. 2090 B. 2018 C. 2051 D. 2047 Electromagnetic radiation of wavelength 2 micrometres is referred to as Select one: A. visible lightB. ultraviolet light C. X-rays D. infrared radiation The Orion Nebula is situated within a: Select one: A. supernova remnant. B. globular cluster C. giant molecular cloud. D. planetary nebula. Which of the following properties help us to distinguish stars in the halo of our galaxy from stars in the disk? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Halo stars are generally much more luminous than disk stars. B. Halo stars have higher velocities relative to the Sun than disk stars. C. Halo stars generally have less heavy elements (i.e. they have lower metallicity). D. Halo stars generally have bluer colours than disk stars. Saturn's moon Titan is unusual because Select one: A. it probably has an ocean of liquid water under its icy surface. B. it has active volcanoes. C. it is the only moon in the solar system with a dense atmosphere. D. the Cassini spacecraft has detected geysers of ice at its south pole. The mass of a star can be measured most easilySelect one: A. if the star is a member of a cluster. B. if the star is relatively close to the Earth. C. if the star is particularly luminous. D. if the star is part of a binary system with a well determined orbit. What features in the spectrum of an extrasolar terrestrial planet might provide evidence for life on the planet? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Absorption due to oxygen (produced by photosynthesis). B. Absorption due to carbon dioxide (a product of respiration). C. The "red edge" at 700nm (due to vegetation) D. Absorption due to methane (produced by methanogenic microbes). The earliest fossil evidence of life on Earth consists of stromatolites and microfossils with an age of about Select one: A. 65 million years B. 1.5 billion years C. 3.5 billion years D. 4.5 billion years Which of these is observed about the cosmic background microwave radiation? Select one: A. It varies greatly in intensity in different directions in space. B. It has a thermal spectrum with a temperature of 2.73 K. C. It has a emission spectrum with a temperature of about 3 K now. D. It features very hot synchrotron radiation at about 300,000 K.Which two properties of stars would you need to measure in order to plot them on a Hertzprung-Russell diagram? Select one: A. The spectral types of the stars and their colours. B. The spectral types of the stars and their masses. C. The magnitudes of the stars and their distances. D. The spectral types of the stars and their absolute magnitudes. To study the distribution of interstellar atomic hydrogen (neutral hydrogen) gas in the galaxy we would use Select one: A. an optical telescope and spectrograph to look for emission lines of hydrogen. B. a radio telescope to look for radiation due to the 21 cm line of hydrogen. C. an infrared telescope in order to penetrate the dust that obscures much of the Milky Way. D. A millimetre wave telescope to look for rotational lines due to hydrogen. The Large Magellanic Cloud is Select one: A. a galaxy belonging to the Local Group B. a planetary nebula C. an HII region D. a molecular cloud To measure the radial velocity of a star using a telescope we would use which of the following instruments? Select one: A. an imaging CCD camera to measure its changing position B. a spectrograph to measure its Doppler shift C. a photometer D. a heliometer In order to plot a graph of Hubble's Law, we need to know:Select one: A. distances to the galaxies and their red shifts. B. shapes of the galaxies and their red shifts. C. luminosities and red shifts of the galaxies. D. diameters and red shifts of the galaxies. An object similar to a star but with too low a mass (less than about 0.08 solar masses) for nuclear reactions to occur in its core is called Select one: A. a white dwarf B. a brown dwarf C. a red dwarf D. a hot jupiter A gas giant planet orbiting its star with a period of a few days is referred to as a Select one: A. Super Earth B. Transiting Extrasolar Planet C. Hot Jupiter D. Brown dwarf The radial velocity (or "Doppler wobble") technique for detecting exoplanets works by Select one: A. measuring the change in velocity of the planet as it orbits the star. B. measuring the change in position of the star as the planet moves around it. C. measuring the change in velocity of the star due to the gravitational pull of the orbiting planet. D. measuring the dip in brightness as the planet passes in front of the star. We believe there is a black hole at the centre of our galaxy because Select one: A. the region appears dark in optical images.B. we detect bursts of gravitational radiation that appear to be due to stars being swallowed up by the black hole. C. we have been able to track the orbits of stars near the centre that show they are orbiting a very massive central object. D. theoretical models of galaxy formation require the presence of a central black hole for a galaxy to form. When stellar parallax is measured, a SMALL parallax means that the star is: Select one: A. relatively far away. B. relatively close by. C. not very bright. D. small in radius. According to Hubble's Law Select one: A. the expansion of the universe is accelerating. B. distant galaxies are receding from us at higher velocities than nearby galaxies. C. nearby galaxies are receding from us at higher velocities than distant galaxies. D. the universe must be composed largely of dark matter and dark energy. Stromatolites are [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. some of the earliest evidence for life on Earth found in rocks up to 3.5 billion years old. B. structures found in hypersaline waters such as those of Shark Bay in Western Australia. C. microscopic fossils of the earliest eukaryotic organisms. D. layered structures built by colonies of microorganisms. Cellular respiration in living eukaryotic cells takes place in structures called 0Select one: A. chloroplasts B. nuclei C. mitochondria D. archaea The Doppler method of exoplanet detection is most sensitive to Select one: A. massive planets in long period orbits B. large planets in short period orbits C. massive planets in short period orbits D. low mass planets in short period orbits The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is more powerful than the 100-inch Mount Wilson Telescope (the telescope Edwin Hubble actually used for his studies of galaxies) because [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. The HST has a larger aperture and so collects more light. B. The HST is in space and so is not subject to the problems of "seeing" due to turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere. C. The HST uses modern digital detectors that are much more sensitive than the photographic plates available in Hubble's day. D. The HST can observe at X-ray wavelengths that cannot be seen by a telescope on the ground. Dark energy is needed to explain Select one: A. the rotation curves of galaxies. B. the acceleration of the expansion of the universe. C. the existence of black holes. D. the abundances of the chemical elements. Which of these is observed about the cosmic background microwave radiation? 0Select one: A. It varies greatly in intensity in different directions in space. B. It has a thermal spectrum with a temperature of 2.73 K. C. It has a emission spectrum with a temperature of about 3 K now. D. It features very hot synchrotron radiation at about 300,000 K. In which two spectral regions are ground based observations MOST useful? Select one: A. Microwave and ultraviolet. B. Optical and X-ray. C. Radio and optical. D. Ultraviolet and infrared. To measure the radial velocity of a star using a telescope we would use which of the following instruments? Select one: A. an imaging CCD camera to measure its changing position B. a spectrograph to measure its Doppler shift C. a photometer D. a heliometer Observations of the transits of extrasolar planets have been used to [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Determine the radius of the planets. B. Study the composition of the atmospheres. C. Determine the masses of the planets. D. Detect the presence of liquid water on the planets. Electromagnetic radiation of wavelength 2 micrometres is referred to as Select one: A. visible light 0B. ultraviolet light C. X-rays D. infrared radiation Which of the following statements is an overall summary of the findings from the biology experiments on the Viking Mars missions? Select one: A. the Martian soil contained structures that might be microfossils of bacteria-like organisms. B. the Martian soil showed clear signs of biological activity due to living microorgansisms. C. the Martian soil is chemically reactive but shows no signs of biological activity. D. the Martian soil contained organic molecules but showed no signs of biological activity. Which type of object is most useful in measuring distances within the Local Group? Select one: A. Supernovae. B. White Dwarfs. C. Cepheid variables. D. H-II Regions. A gas giant planet orbiting its star with a period of a few days is referred to as a Select one: A. Super Earth B. Transiting Extrasolar Planet C. Hot Jupiter D. Brown dwarf The Orion Nebula is situated within a: Select one: A. supernova remnant.B. globular cluster C. giant molecular cloud. D. planetary nebula. If the Earth's orbit was represented in a scale model by a circle 10 metres in diameter, what would the Sun's diameter be on the same scale? Select one: A. About 10 cm B. About 5 cm C. About 1 cm D. About 5 mm The most likely theory for the formation of the Moon is Select one: A. that it was formed by the gravitational capture of a large asteroid B. that it formed simultaneously with Earth's formation C. that it was created from a collision scooping out the Pacific Ocean D. that it was formed from the collision of Earth with a Mars-sized object Quasars are thought to be powered by Select one: A. rapidly rotating magnetic neutron stars. B. accretion on to supermassive black holes. C. nuclear fusion. D. collisions between galaxies. According to Hubble's Law Select one: A. the expansion of the universe is accelerating. B. distant galaxies are receding from us at higher velocities than nearby galaxies. C. nearby galaxies are receding from us at higher velocities than distant galaxies. 3D. the universe must be composed largely of dark matter and dark energy. Gas clouds in a galaxy are found mostly in the Select one: A. disk. B. bulge. C. halo. D. globular clusters. The basic molecular building blocks of DNA and RNA are Select one: A. nucleotides B. adenosine triphosphate molecules C. amino acids D. monosaccharides Which of the following statements is an overall summary of the findings from the biology experiments on the Viking Mars missions? Select one: A. the Martian soil contained structures that might be microfossils of bacteria-like organisms. B. the Martian soil showed clear signs of biological activity due to living microorgansisms. C. the Martian soil is chemically reactive but shows no signs of biological activity. D. the Martian soil contained organic molecules but showed no signs of biological activity. The NASA Galileo mission to Jupiter [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. was the first spacecraft to orbit one of the giant planets. B. discovered the volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io. C. deployed a probe that entered Jupiter's atmosphere. 0D. is continuing to explore the Jupiter system more than 10 years after its arrival at Jupiter. Which of the following objects are classified as dwarf planets? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Eris B. Ceres C. Triton D. Pluto Enzymes are made up from a chain of chemical building blocks called Select one: A. nucleotides B. amino acids C. lipids D. bases Many large telescopes have been built on the 4200m summit of Mauna Kea in the Hawaiian Islands because [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. The high altitude means the telescopes are closer to the objects being studied and can thus see more detail. B. The high altitude site provides excellent "seeing" allowing sharper images to be obtained. C. The site is very dry, minimizing absorption of radiation by water vapour in the atmosphere. D. The high altitude site is above the cloud layers and so the observatory is unaffected by clouds. Stromatolites are [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. some of the earliest evidence for life on Earth found in rocks up to 3.5 billion years old. 0B. structures found in hypersaline waters such as those of Shark Bay in Western Australia. C. microscopic fossils of the earliest eukaryotic organisms. D. layered structures built by colonies of microorganisms. Which property is NOT shared by the different isotopes of a given element? Select one: A. The number of electrons B. The atomic number C. The number of protons D. The atomic mass number The last supernova to be observed in our galaxy Select one: A. was seen by Chinese observers in 1054. B. was observed by Johannes Kepler in 1604. C. was the supernova SN1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud. D. was detected only by the infrared observatory Spitzer because it is obscured by dust in the Milky Way. The Earth does not have the large number of impact craters seen on the Moon, Mars and other solar-system objects. This is primarily because Select one: A. The Earth's atmosphere prevents impacting asteroids from reaching the ground. B. The Earth is protected by its strong magnetic field, whereas the Moon, Mars and Venus have weak magnetic fields. C. The strong gravitational field of Jupiter prevents asteroids reaching our part of the solar system. D. The recycling of the Earth's crust through the process of Plate Tectonics means that impact craters on Earth don't last very long. Answer saved Marked out of 5.00 Question text The solar nebula is 0 2Select one: A. An alternative name for the Milky Way B. The cloud of hot gas surrounding the Sun C. The disk of gas and dust from which the planets are thought to have formed D. The interstellar gas cloud closest to the Sun The interior of the Sun has been studied by Select one or more: A. using X-ray observations from spacecraft such as SOHO that can see deep into the core of the Sun. B. observing solar oscillations that allow us to study how waves travel through the solar interior. C. using radar that reflects from different layers within the Sun. D. observing the neutrinos that originate in the core of the Sun using detectors such as the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. Most of the extrasolar planetary systems discovered to date are Select one: A. very similar to our own solar system with inner rocky terrestrial planets and outer gas giant planets B. similar to our solar system in having inner rocky terrestrial planets but different in having no gas giant planets C. identical to our own with the same number and types of planets as our own solar system D. quite different than our own solar system, many with jovian planets found close to their parent stars The ancient water erosion features on the surface of Mars suggest that the planet must have had a much Select one: A. warmer, thinner atmosphere in the past B. cooler, thicker atmosphere in the past C. cooler, thinner atmosphere in the past D. warmer, thicker atmosphere in the past The radial velocity (or "Doppler wobble") technique for detecting exoplanets works by Select one: A. measuring the change in velocity of the planet as it orbits the star. 0B. measuring the change in position of the star as the planet moves around it. C. measuring the change in velocity of the star due to the gravitational pull of the orbiting planet. D. measuring the dip in brightness as the planet passes in front of the star. Observations of neutrinos from the Sun have Select one: A. shown that there is a problem with our theoretical models of the Sun because too few neutrinos are observed. B. proved too difficult to make because neutrinos react so weakly with ordinary matter and pass straight through the Earth. C. led to modifications of our understanding of particle physics. D. helped to detect the dark matter that makes up a substantial fraction of the universe. If we were to send a radio signal to an advanced civilization in 2012 which is located in the Zeta Reticuli star system approximately 39 light-years away and the signal was immediately replied to, when would the reply arrive back at Earth? Select one: A. 2090 B. 2018 C. 2051 D. 2047 The molecular clouds in our galaxy can be best observed by Select one: A. Using radio telescopes to observe the 21-cm hydrogen line B. Looking for radio emission from Carbon Monoxide at millimetre wavelengths C. Using infrared wavelengths that can penetrate the dust in the galactic plane D. Looking for the X-ray emission from hot gas An object which contains the entire mass of a star like the Sun compressed into an object about the size of the Earth is called Select one: A. a brown dwarf B. a neutron starC. a white dwarf D. a black hole Electromagnetic radiation of wavelength 2 micrometres is referred to as Select one: A. visible light B. ultraviolet light C. X-rays D. infrared radiation According to current theories, the universe appears to be mostly made of Select one: A. dark matter B. hydrogen and helium C. ordinary matter in the form of stars and galaxies D. a mixture of dark matter and dark energy Bold are the answers I put, not necessarily the correct answer. "If the Earth's orbit were a circle 10 metres in diameter, how far away is Proxima Centauri by the same scale?" A. 12 km B. 1400 km C. 7000 km D. ? "If the Earth's orbit were a circle 10 metres in diameter, what is the diameter of the Sun by the same scale?" A. 5mm B. 1cm NextC. 10 cm D. 5 cm? “How would we be able to detect an ocean underneath the surface of Europa in the future? Tick all that apply.” A. Radar to see where the ice and ocean meet B. Spacecraft orbiting the moon to detect gravitational forces C. Optical spectroscopy D. ? Mercury has A. The most eccentric orbit of all the planets (definitely the answer) B. Low density among terrestrial planets C. Second smallest planet after Pluto D. ? A star with the mass of the sun in the size of the Earth is: A. White dwarf (definitely the answer) Best way to detect distance in the Local Group is: A. Cepheid variables (seems right – stella) B. ? C. ? D. ? Saturn’s moon titan is unique in the solar system because: A. It is the only moon with a dense atmosphere (definitely the answer) If we were to send a radio signal to an advanced civilization in 2012 which is located in the Zeta Reticuli star system approximately 39 light-years away and the signal was immediately replied to, when would the reply arrive back at Earth? Select one: A. 2090 B. 2018 C. 2051D. 2047 Electromagnetic radiation of wavelength 2 micrometres is referred to as Select one: A. visible light B. ultraviolet light C. X-rays D. infrared radiation The Orion Nebula is situated within a: Select one: A. supernova remnant. B. globular cluster C. giant molecular cloud. D. planetary nebula. Which of the following properties help us to distinguish stars in the halo of our galaxy from stars in the disk? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Halo stars are generally much more luminous than disk stars. B. Halo stars have higher velocities relative to the Sun than disk stars. C. Halo stars generally have less heavy elements (i.e. they have lower metallicity). D. Halo stars generally have bluer colours than disk stars. Saturn's moon Titan is unusual because Select one: 0A. it probably has an ocean of liquid water under its icy surface. B. it has active volcanoes. C. it is the only moon in the solar system with a dense atmosphere. D. the Cassini spacecraft has detected geysers of ice at its south pole. The mass of a star can be measured most easily Select one: A. if the star is a member of a cluster. B. if the star is relatively close to the Earth. C. if the star is particularly luminous. D. if the star is part of a binary system with a well determined orbit. What features in the spectrum of an extrasolar terrestrial planet might provide evidence for life on the planet? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Absorption due to oxygen (produced by photosynthesis). B. Absorption due to carbon dioxide (a product of respiration). C. The "red edge" at 700nm (due to vegetation) D. Absorption due to methane (produced by methanogenic microbes). The earliest fossil evidence of life on Earth consists of stromatolites and microfossils with an age of about Select one: A. 65 million years B. 1.5 billion years C. 3.5 billion years D. 4.5 billion years Which of these is observed about the cosmic background microwave radiation? 0Select one: A. It varies greatly in intensity in different directions in space. B. It has a thermal spectrum with a temperature of 2.73 K. C. It has a emission spectrum with a temperature of about 3 K now. D. It features very hot synchrotron radiation at about 300,000 K. Which two properties of stars would you need to measure in order to plot them on a Hertzprung-Russell diagram? Select one: A. The spectral types of the stars and their colours. B. The spectral types of the stars and their masses. C. The magnitudes of the stars and their distances. D. The spectral types of the stars and their absolute magnitudes. To study the distribution of interstellar atomic hydrogen (neutral hydrogen) gas in the galaxy we would use Select one: A. an optical telescope and spectrograph to look for emission lines of hydrogen. B. a radio telescope to look for radiation due to the 21 cm line of hydrogen. C. an infrared telescope in order to penetrate the dust that obscures much of the Milky Way. D. A millimetre wave telescope to look for rotational lines due to hydrogen. The Large Magellanic Cloud is Select one: A. a galaxy belonging to the Local Group B. a planetary nebula C. an HII region D. a molecular cloud To measure the radial velocity of a star using a telescope we would use which of the following instruments? Select one:A. an imaging CCD camera to measure its changing position B. a spectrograph to measure its Doppler shift C. a photometer D. a heliometer In order to plot a graph of Hubble's Law, we need to know: Select one: A. distances to the galaxies and their red shifts. B. shapes of the galaxies and their red shifts. C. luminosities and red shifts of the galaxies. D. diameters and red shifts of the galaxies. An object similar to a star but with too low a mass (less than about 0.08 solar masses) for nuclear reactions to occur in its core is called Select one: A. a white dwarf B. a brown dwarf C. a red dwarf D. a hot jupiter A gas giant planet orbiting its star with a period of a few days is referred to as a Select one: A. Super Earth B. Transiting Extrasolar Planet C. Hot Jupiter D. Brown dwarf The radial velocity (or "Doppler wobble") technique for detecting exoplanets works by Select one: A. measuring the change in velocity of the planet as it orbits the star. B. measuring the change in position of the star as the planet moves around it.C. measuring the change in velocity of the star due to the gravitational pull of the orbiting planet. D. measuring the dip in brightness as the planet passes in front of the star. We believe there is a black hole at the centre of our galaxy because Select one: A. the region appears dark in optical images. B. we detect bursts of gravitational radiation that appear to be due to stars being swallowed up by the black hole. C. we have been able to track the orbits of stars near the centre that show they are orbiting a very massive central object. D. theoretical models of galaxy formation require the presence of a central black hole for a galaxy to form. When stellar parallax is measured, a SMALL parallax means that the star is: Select one: A. relatively far away. B. relatively close by. C. not very bright. D. small in radius. According to Hubble's Law Select one: A. the expansion of the universe is accelerating. B. distant galaxies are receding from us at higher velocities than nearby galaxies. C. nearby galaxies are receding from us at higher velocities than distant galaxies. D. the universe must be composed largely of dark matter and dark energy. Sunspots are [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: 0 A. associated with strong magnetic fields.B. regions of the Sun that are hotter than the general photosphere temperature of about 5800 degrees. C. found to vary over a cycle of about 11 years with many more sunspots being observed at the maximum of the cycle. D. seen in active regions of the Sun that appear very bright in ultraviolet images from the SOHO spacecraft. Evidence for the "Big Bang" theory of the universe come from [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. the detection of dark matter in clusters of galaxies. B. the observation that the recession velocity of galaxies increases with distance. C. the presence of the Cosmic Microwave Background. D. the abundances of light elements such as helium, deuterium and lithium. An object which contains the entire mass of a star like the Sun compressed into an object about the size of the Earth is called Select one: A. a brown dwarf – failed stars B. a neutron star – G - 9 C. a white dwarf D. a black hole Observations of the transits of extrasolar planets have been used to [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Determine the radius of the planets. B. Study the composition of the atmospheres. C. Determine the masses of the planets. D. Detect the presence of liquid water on the planets. 5 According to the nebular theory for the formation of the solar system Select one: 0A. planets should be rotating in the same direction as they orbit the Sun B. planets can be rotating in any random direction compared to the direction they orbit the Sun C. planets should be rotating in the opposite direction to the direction they orbit the Sun - Coriolis effect D. no prediction is made as to the directions of rotations of the planets 6 The solar nebula is Select one: A. An alternative name for the Milky Way B. The cloud of hot gas surrounding the Sun C. The disk of gas and dust from which the planets are thought to have formed D. The interstellar gas cloud closest to the Sun 7 A star with a mass 10 times that of the Sun High-mass stars live shorter lives because their high luminosities mean they exhaust their nuclear fuel more quickly. Select one: A. has a somewhat longer lifetime than the Sun because it has more nuclear fuel to burn. B. has about the same lifetime as the Sun because although it has more nuclear fuel it burns it faster. C. has a much longer lifetime than the Sun, because it has more nuclear fuel and burns it more slowly. D. has a much shorter lifetime than the Sun because it has a very high luminosity and burns its fuel much more rapidly. 8. The ancient water erosion features on the surface of Mars suggest that the planet must have had a much Select one: A. warmer, thinner atmosphere in the past B. cooler, thicker atmosphere in the past C. cooler, thinner atmosphere in the past D. warmer, thicker atmosphere in the past , trapping more sunlight and making it warm enough for liquid water to exist. In this new study, channels were discovered that connected lake basins n http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_on_Mars9. Which of the following objects are classified as dwarf planets? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Eris B. Ceres C. Triton D. Pluto 10. To study the distribution of interstellar atomic hydrogen (neutral hydrogen) gas in the galaxy we would use Select one: A. an optical telescope and spectrograph to look for emission lines of hydrogen. B. a radio telescope to look for radiation due to the 21 cm line of hydrogen. We can map the distribution of atomic hydrogen gas in the Milky Way with radio observations. Atomic hydrogen emits a spectral line with a wavelength of 21 centimeters C. an infrared telescope in order to penetrate the dust that obscures much of the Milky Way. D. A millimetre wave telescope to look for rotational lines due to hydrogen. 11. When stellar parallax is measured, a SMALL parallax means that the star is: Select one: A. relatively far away. B. relatively close by. C. not very bright. D. small in radius. 12. Galileo used his telescope to discover the following? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. The four largest satellites of Jupiter B. The phases of Venus C. That the Milky Way is made up of many stars D. The elliptical orbits of the planets 013. If the Earth's orbit was represented in a scale model by a circle 10 metres in diameter, how far away would the nearest star (Alpha Centauri) be on the same scale? Select one: A. About 12 km B. About 160 km C. About 1400 km D. About 7000 km 14. Biologists have found that life on Earth can Select one: A. survive over a wide range of environmental conditions B. only survive on the surface of the Earth C. survive over a very narrow range of environmental conditions D. survive only in the presence of sunlight 15. Dark energy is needed to explain Select one: A. the rotation curves of galaxies. B. the acceleration of the expansion of the universe. C. the existence of black holes. Pf 454 D. the abundances of the chemical elements. 16. When the Sun completes it evolution its core will be composed mostly of Select one: A. hydrogen and helium B. helium C. carbon - It is only a matter of time until a helium core-fusion star converts all its core helium into carbon. In – PG 343 D. iron17. Which two properties of stars would you need to measure in order to plot them on a Hertzprung-Russell diagram? Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram A graph plotting individual stars as points, with stellar luminosity on the vertical axis and spectral type (or surface temperature) on the horizontal axis. Select one: A. The spectral types of the stars and their colours. – ME B. The spectral types of the stars and their masses. C. The magnitudes of the stars and their distances. D. The spectral types of the stars and their absolute magnitudes. – TB – G - 8 18. Enzymes are made up from a chain of chemical building blocks called Select one: A. nucleotides B. amino acids - Salina C. lipids D. bases 19. In which two spectral regions are ground based observations MOST useful? Select one: A. Microwave and ultraviolet. B. Optical and X-ray. C. Radio and optical. – PG130 + 243 D. Ultraviolet and infrared. 20. The main chemical building blocks of life, the elements carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen were formed Select one: A. inside interstellar gas clouds during star formation B. in the center of the Earth and then ejected onto the surface via volcanism C. in the nuclear burning cores of stars and then ejected into space when they died D. in the Big Bang that created the universe Our planet and all the life on it is made primarily of elements formed by nuclear fusion in high-mass stars and dispersed into space by supernovae Most of the extrasolar planetary systems discovered to date are Select one:A. very similar to our own solar system with inner rocky terrestrial planets and outer gas giant planets B. similar to our solar system in having inner rocky terrestrial planets but different in having no gas giant planets C. identical to our own with the same number and types of planets as our own solar system D. quite different than our own solar system, many with jovian planets found close to their parent stars The "RNA World" is Select one: A. The generally accepted theory for the origin of life. B. A hypothetical stage in life's history that precedes the current DNA-RNA-Protein basis for life. C. A fictional planet that features in the Star Trek series. D. A theory for the origin of eukaryotic organisms proposed by biologist Lynn Margulis. In the original Miller–Urey experiment it was assumed that carbon and nitrogen in the early atmosphere were present as Select one: A. carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2) B. carbonates (CO3–) and nitrates (NO3–) C. methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) D. carbon and nitrogen atoms Water can be found on Mars in the form of [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: a. Water ice in the permanent polar caps which are covered by a seasonal layer of carbon dioxide ice (dry ice). b. A small amount of water vapour in the atmosphere that can condense as occasional clouds. c. Liquid water that occasionally flows in the Martian canals. d. Water ice just below the surface in high latitude regions. Which of the following statements describe properties which are unique to Earth and are NOT shared by any other solar system planets or moons. 2 3 0[CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. It has liquid water oceans on the surface B. It has active volcanoes C. It is orbited by the largest moon in the solar system D. It has a magnetic field stronger than that of any other planet in the solar system An object similar to a star but with too low a mass (less than about 0.08 solar masses) for nuclear reactions to occur in its core is called Select one: A. a white dwarf B. a brown dwarf C. a red dwarf D. a hot jupiter Saturn's moon Titan is unusual because Select one: A. it probably has an ocean of liquid water under its icy surface. B. it has active volcanoes. C. it is the only moon in the solar system with a dense atmosphere. D. the Cassini spacecraft has detected geysers of ice at its south pole. The mass of a star can be measured most easily Select one: A. if the star is a member of a cluster. B. if the star is relatively close to the Earth. C. if the star is particularly luminous. D. if the star is part of a binary system with a well determined orbit Biologists have found that life on Earth can Select one: A. survive over a wide range of environmental conditions B. only survive on the surface of the Earth C. survive over a very narrow range of environmental conditions D. survive only in the presence of sunlight Recent observations have reported the presence of small amounts of Methane in the Martian atmosphere. What have been suggested as possible sources of the methane? 0[CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. The methane is what remains of the primordial Martian atmosphere. Its greenhouse heating could have helped to keep early Mars warm and account for the evidence for liquid water on early Mars. B. The methane is produced by methanogenic microorganisms living under the Martian surface. C. The methane is produced under the surface of Mars by volcanic heating causing chemical processes such as serpentenization. D. The methane is produced by chemical reactions between carbon dioxide and water in the Martian atmosphere. The Earth does not have the large number of impact craters seen on the Moon, Mars and other solar-system objects. This is primarily because Select one: A. The Earth's atmosphere prevents impacting asteroids from reaching the ground. B. The Earth is protected by its strong magnetic field, whereas the Moon, Mars and Venus have weak magnetic fields. C. The strong gravitational field of Jupiter prevents asteroids reaching our part of the solar system. D. The recycling of the Earth's crust through the process of Plate Tectonics means that impact craters on Earth don't last very long. In the Solar System we can find volcanoes Select one: A. only on the Earth as it is the only planet with plate tectonics B. on all of the planets C. only on Earth and Io D. on Earth, Mars, Venus and Io Stars in the halo of the Galaxy are generally [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. older than stars in the disk B. bluer than stars in the disk C. have higher velocities relative to the Sun than stars in the disk D. contain more heavy elements than stars in the disk The radial velocity (or "Doppler wobble") technique for detecting exoplanets works by Select one: 0A. measuring the change in velocity of the planet as it orbits the star. B. measuring the change in position of the star as the planet moves around it. C. measuring the change in velocity of the star due to the gravitational pull of the orbiting planet. D. measuring the dip in brightness as the planet passes in front of the star. The solar nebula is Select one: A. An alternative name for the Milky Way B. The cloud of hot gas surrounding the Sun C. The disk of gas and dust from which the planets are thought to have formed D. The interstellar gas cloud closest to the Sun If we were to send a radio signal to an advanced civilization in 2012 which is located in the Zeta Reticuli star system approximately 39 light-years away and the signal was immediately replied to, when would the reply arrive back at Earth? Select one: A. 2090 B. 2018 C. 2051 D. 2047 Which of the following properties help us to distinguish stars in the halo of our galaxy from stars in the disk? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Halo stars are generally much more luminous than disk stars. B. Halo stars have higher velocities relative to the Sun than disk stars. C. Halo stars generally have less heavy elements (i.e. they have lower metallicity). D. Halo stars generally have bluer colours than disk stars. Direct detection of Earth-like planets around other stars should be possible using [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. extreme adaptive optics systems on large ground-based telescopes such as the Keck telescopes B. future space infrared interferometer missions such as Darwin 0C. the NASA Kepler mission D. future giant ground-based telescopes such as ESO's proposed 100m Overwhelmingly Large Telescope (OWL) When the Sun completes it evolution its core will be composed mostly of Select one: A. hydrogen and helium B. helium C. carbon D. iron Jupiter's Moon Europa has been suggested as having a liquid water ocean beneath its icy surface. Which of the following techniques might be used by a future spacecraft to confirm the presence of an ocean. [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Optical spectroscopy to look for the spectral signature of liquid water. B. The use of radar to map the boundary between water and ice. C. Detailed analysis of the spacecraft's orbit to determine the gravitational field of Europa and hence constrain its internal structure. D. X-ray observations to see through the ice and into the ocean. A gas giant planet orbiting its star with a period of a few days is referred to as a Select one: A. Super Earth B. Transiting Extrasolar Planet C. Hot Jupiter D. Brown dwarf Next The mass of a star can be measured most easily Select one: A. if the star is a member of a cluster. B. if the star is relatively close to the Earth. C. if the star is particularly luminous. D. if the star is part of a binary system with a well determined orbit. 0Next Dark energy is needed to explain Select one: A. the rotation curves of galaxies. B. the acceleration of the expansion of the universe. C. the existence of black holes. D. the abundances of the chemical elements. Next Evidence for the "Big Bang" theory of the universe come from [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. the detection of dark matter in clusters of galaxies. B. the observation that the recession velocity of galaxies increases with distance. C. the presence of the Cosmic Microwave Background. D. the abundances of light elements such as helium, deuterium and lithium. To measure the radial velocity of a star using a telescope we would use which of the following instruments? Select one: A. an imaging CCD camera to measure its changing position B. a spectrograph to measure its Doppler shift C. a photometer D. a heliometer The "RNA World" is Select one: A. The generally accepted theory for the origin of life. B. A hypothetical stage in life's history that precedes the current DNARNA-Protein basis for life. C. A fictional planet that features in the Star Trek series. D. A theory for the origin of eukaryotic organisms proposed by biologist Lynn Margulis.Gas clouds in a galaxy are found mostly in the Select one: A. disk. B. bulge. C. halo. D. globular clusters. Jupiter's Moon Europa has been suggested as having a liquid water ocean beneath its icy surface. Which of the following techniques might be used by a future spacecraft to confirm the presence of an ocean. [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Optical spectroscopy to look for the spectral signature of liquid water. B. The use of radar to map the boundary between water and ice. C. Detailed analysis of the spacecraft's orbit to determine the gravitational field of Europa and hence constrain its internal structure. D. X-ray observations to see through the ice and into the ocean. In which two spectral regions are ground based observations MOST useful? Select one: A. Microwave and ultraviolet. B. Optical and X-ray. C. Radio and optical. D. Ultraviolet and infrared. In the Solar System we can find volcanoes Select one: A. only on the Earth as it is the only planet with plate tectonics B. on all of the planets C. only on Earth and Io D. on Earth, Mars, Venus and Io What features in the spectrum of an extrasolar terrestrial planet might provide evidence for life on the planet? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more:A. Absorption due to oxygen (produced by photosynthesis). B. Absorption due to carbon dioxide (a product of respiration). C. The "red edge" at 700nm (due to vegetation) D. Absorption due to methane (produced by methanogenic microbes). Next Observations of neutrinos from the Sun have Select one: A. shown that there is a problem with our theoretical models of the Sun because too few neutrinos are observed. B. proved too difficult to make because neutrinos react so weakly with ordinary matter and pass straight through the Earth. C. led to modifications of our understanding of particle physics. D. helped to detect the dark matter that makes up a substantial fraction of the universe. The four giant (or Jovian) planets in our solar system all share the following properties [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. A system of many satellites B. An atmosphere composed mostly of carbon dioxide C. Much lower densities than the terrestrial planets D. Rapid rotation with periods of less than a day Next Molecular clouds are composed of a mixture of materials including [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. ionized hydrogen (HII) B. molecular hydrogen (H2) C. dust grains D. carbon monoxide (CO) The Orion Nebula is situated within a:Select one: A. supernova remnant. B. globular cluster C. giant molecular cloud. D. planetary nebula. Direct detection of Earth-like planets around other stars should be possible using [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. extreme adaptive optics systems on large ground-based telescopes such as the Keck telescopes B. future space infrared interferometer missions such as Darwin C. the NASA Kepler mission D. future giant ground-based telescopes such as ESO's proposed 100m Overwhelmingly Large Telescope (OWL) A star of magnitude 6 is Select one: A. 100 times brighter than a star of magnitude 1 B. 6 times brighter than a star of magnitude 1 C. 100 times fainter than a star of magnitude 1 D. 6 times fainter than a star of magnitude 1 Which of these is observed about the cosmic background microwave radiation? Select one: A. It varies greatly in intensity in different directions in space. B. It has a thermal spectrum with a temperature of 2.73 K. C. It has a emission spectrum with a temperature of about 3 K now. D. It features very hot synchrotron radiation at about 300,000 K. Next An object which contains the entire mass of a star like the Sun compressed into an object about the size of the Earth is called Select one:A. a brown dwarf B. a neutron star C. a white dwarf D. a black hole We believe there is a black hole at the centre of our galaxy because Select one: A. the region appears dark in optical images. B. we detect bursts of gravitational radiation that appear to be due to stars being swallowed up by the black hole. C. we have been able to track the orbits of stars near the centre that show they are orbiting a very massive central object. D. theoretical models of galaxy formation require the presence of a central black hole for a galaxy to form. Which of the following statements is an overall summary of the findings from the biology experiments on the Viking Mars missions? Select one: A. the Martian soil contained structures that might be microfossils of bacteria-like organisms. B. the Martian soil showed clear signs of biological activity due to living microorgansisms. C. the Martian soil is chemically reactive but shows no signs of biological activity. D. the Martian soil contained organic molecules but showed no signs of biological activity. The NASA Galileo mission to Jupiter [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. was the first spacecraft to orbit one of the giant planets. B. discovered the volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io. C. deployed a probe that entered Jupiter's atmosphere. D. is continuing to explore the Jupiter system more than 10 years after its arrival at Jupiter.Which of the following objects are classified as dwarf planets? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Eris B. Ceres C. Triton D. Pluto Enzymes are made up from a chain of chemical building blocks called Select one: A. nucleotides B. amino acids C. lipids D. bases Many large telescopes have been built on the 4200m summit of Mauna Kea in the Hawaiian Islands because [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. The high altitude means the telescopes are closer to the objects being studied and can thus see more detail. B. The high altitude site provides excellent "seeing" allowing sharper images to be obtained. C. The site is very dry, minimizing absorption of radiation by water vapour in the atmosphere. D. The high altitude site is above the cloud layers and so the observatory is unaffected by clouds. Stromatolites are [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. some of the earliest evidence for life on Earth found in rocks up to 3.5 billion years old. B. structures found in hypersaline waters such as those of Shark Bay in Western Australia. C. microscopic fossils of the earliest eukaryotic organisms.D. layered structures built by colonies of microorganisms. Which property is NOT shared by the different isotopes of a given element? Select one: A. The number of electrons B. The atomic number C. The number of protons D. The atomic mass number The last supernova to be observed in our galaxy Select one: A. was seen by Chinese observers in 1054. B. was observed by Johannes Kepler in 1604. C. was the supernova SN1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud. D. was detected only by the infrared observatory Spitzer because it is obscured by dust in the Milky Way. The Earth does not have the large number of impact craters seen on the Moon, Mars and other solar-system objects. This is primarily because Select one: A. The Earth's atmosphere prevents impacting asteroids from reaching the ground. B. The Earth is protected by its strong magnetic field, whereas the Moon, Mars and Venus have weak magnetic fields. C. The strong gravitational field of Jupiter prevents asteroids reaching our part of the solar system. D. The recycling of the Earth's crust through the process of Plate Tectonics means that impact craters on Earth don't last very long. Answer saved Marked out of 5.00 Question text The solar nebula is Select one: A. An alternative name for the Milky WayB. The cloud of hot gas surrounding the Sun C. The disk of gas and dust from which the planets are thought to have formed D. The interstellar gas cloud closest to the Sun The interior of the Sun has been studied by Select one or more: A. using X-ray observations from spacecraft such as SOHO that can see deep into the core of the Sun. B. observing solar oscillations that allow us to study how waves travel through the solar interior. C. using radar that reflects from different layers within the Sun. D. observing the neutrinos that originate in the core of the Sun using detectors such as the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. Most of the extrasolar planetary systems discovered to date are Select one: A. very similar to our own solar system with inner rocky terrestrial planets and outer gas giant planets B. similar to our solar system in having inner rocky terrestrial planets but different in having no gas giant planets C. identical to our own with the same number and types of planets as our own solar system D. quite different than our own solar system, many with jovian planets found close to their parent stars The ancient water erosion features on the surface of Mars suggest that the planet must have had a much Select one: A. warmer, thinner atmosphere in the past B. cooler, thicker atmosphere in the past C. cooler, thinner atmosphere in the past D. warmer, thicker atmosphere in the past The radial velocity (or "Doppler wobble") technique for detecting exoplanets works by Select one: A. measuring the change in velocity of the planet as it orbits the star. B. measuring the change in position of the star as the planet moves around it.C. measuring the change in velocity of the star due to the gravitational pull of the orbiting planet. D. measuring the dip in brightness as the planet passes in front of the star. Observations of neutrinos from the Sun have Select one: A. shown that there is a problem with our theoretical models of the Sun because too few neutrinos are observed. B. proved too difficult to make because neutrinos react so weakly with ordinary matter and pass straight through the Earth. C. led to modifications of our understanding of particle physics. D. helped to detect the dark matter that makes up a substantial fraction of the universe. If we were to send a radio signal to an advanced civilization in 2012 which is located in the Zeta Reticuli star system approximately 39 light-years away and the signal was immediately replied to, when would the reply arrive back at Earth? Select one: A. 2090 B. 2018 C. 2051 D. 2047 The molecular clouds in our galaxy can be best observed by Select one: A. Using radio telescopes to observe the 21-cm hydrogen line B. Looking for radio emission from Carbon Monoxide at millimetre wavelengths C. Using infrared wavelengths that can penetrate the dust in the galactic plane D. Looking for the X-ray emission from hot gas An object which contains the entire mass of a star like the Sun compressed into an object about the size of the Earth is called Select one: A. a brown dwarf B. a neutron star C. a white dwarf D. a black holeElectromagnetic radiation of wavelength 2 micrometres is referred to as Select one: A. visible light B. ultraviolet light C. X-rays D. infrared radiation Next According to current theories, the universe appears to be mostly made of Select one: A. dark matter B. hydrogen and helium C. ordinary matter in the form of stars and galaxies D. a mixture of dark matter and dark energy Question 1 Answer saved Marked out of 5.00 Flag question Question text A refracting telescope is [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. the type of telescope used by Galileo to discover Jupiter's satellites B. the type of telescope normally used for professional astronomy today C. a telescope using a transparent lens to collect light D. the type of telescope used by Edwin Hubble for his studies of galaxies The molecular clouds in our galaxy can be best observed by Select one:A. Using radio telescopes to observe the 21-cm hydrogen line B. Looking for radio emission from Carbon Monoxide at millimetre wavelengths C. Using infrared wavelengths that can penetrate the dust in the galactic plane D. Looking for the X-ray emission from hot gas Which of the following statements describe properties which are unique to Earth and are NOT shared by any other solar system planets or moons. [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. It has liquid water oceans on the surface B. It has active volcanoes C. It is orbited by the largest moon in the solar system D. It has a magnetic field stronger than that of any other planet in the solar system Next Question text In which two spectral regions are ground based observations MOST useful? Select one: A. Microwave and ultraviolet. B. Optical and X-ray. C. Radio and optical. D. Ultraviolet and infrared. We believe there is a black hole at the centre of our galaxy because Select one: A. the region appears dark in optical images. B. we detect bursts of gravitational radiation that appear to be due to stars being swallowed up by the black hole. C. we have been able to track the orbits of stars near the centre that show they are orbiting a very massive central object. D. theoretical models of galaxy formation require the presence of a central black hole for a galaxy to form. When the Sun completes it evolution its core will be composed mostly of Select one: A. hydrogen and heliumB. helium C. carbon D. iron The Earth does not have the large number of impact craters seen on the Moon, Mars and other solar-system objects. This is primarily because Select one: A. The Earth's atmosphere prevents impacting asteroids from reaching the ground. B. The Earth is protected by its strong magnetic field, whereas the Moon, Mars and Venus have weak magnetic fields. C. The strong gravitational field of Jupiter prevents asteroids reaching our part of the solar system. D. The recycling of the Earth's crust through the process of Plate Tectonics means that impact craters on Earth don't last very long. The solar nebula is Select one: A. An alternative name for the Milky Way B. The cloud of hot gas surrounding the Sun C. The disk of gas and dust from which the planets are thought to have formed D. The interstellar gas cloud closest to the Sun Question text When stellar parallax is measured, a SMALL parallax means that the star is: Select one: A. relatively far away. B. relatively close by. C. not very bright. D. small in radius. Direct detection of Earth-like planets around other stars should be possible using [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. extreme adaptive optics systems on large ground-based telescopes such as the Keck telescopes B. future space infrared interferometer missions such as Darwin C. the NASA Kepler missionD. future giant ground-based telescopes such as ESO's proposed 100m Overwhelmingly Large Telescope (OWL) Gas clouds in a galaxy are found mostly in the Select one: A. disk. B. bulge. C. halo. D. globular clusters. The Doppler method of exoplanet detection is most sensitive to Select one: A. massive planets in long period orbits B. large planets in short period orbits C. massive planets in short period orbits D. low mass planets in short period orbits In the tree of life Select one: A. animals are members of the domain Eukarya, while plants are members of the domain Archaea B. animals are members of the domain Archaea, while plants are members of the domain Eukarya C. both plants and animals are members of the domain Archaea D. both plants and animals are members of the domain Eukarya A star with a mass 10 times that of the Sun Select one: A. has a somewhat longer lifetime than the Sun because it has more nuclear fuel to burn. B. has about the same lifetime as the Sun because although it has more nuclear fuel it burns it faster. C. has a much longer lifetime than the Sun, because it has more nuclear fuel and burns it more slowly. D. has a much shorter lifetime than the Sun because it has a very high luminosity and burns its fuel much more rapidly. Observations of neutrinos from the Sun have Select one:A. shown that there is a problem with our theoretical models of the Sun because too few neutrinos are observed. B. proved too difficult to make because neutrinos react so weakly with ordinary matter and pass straight through the Earth. C. led to modifications of our understanding of particle physics. D. helped to detect the dark matter that makes up a substantial fraction of the universe. Water can be found on Mars in the form of [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: a. Water ice in the permanent polar caps which are covered by a seasonal layer of carbon dioxide ice (dry ice). b. A small amount of water vapour in the atmosphere that can condense as occasional clouds. c. Liquid water that occasionally flows in the Martian canals. d. Water ice just below the surface in high latitude regions. Which of the following objects are classified as dwarf planets? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Eris B. Ceres C. Triton D. Pluto Observations of the transits of extrasolar planets have been used to [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Determine the radius of the planets. B. Study the composition of the atmospheres. C. Determine the masses of the planets. D. Detect the presence of liquid water on the planets. Evidence for the "Big Bang" theory of the universe come from [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. the detection of dark matter in clusters of galaxies.B. the observation that the recession velocity of galaxies increases with distance. C. the presence of the Cosmic Microwave Background. D. the abundances of light elements such as helium, deuterium and lithium. The four giant (or Jovian) planets in our solar system all share the following properties [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. A system of many satellites B. An atmosphere composed mostly of carbon dioxide C. Much lower densities than the terrestrial planets D. Rapid rotation with periods of less than a day Stromatolites are [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. some of the earliest evidence for life on Earth found in rocks up to 3.5 billion years old. B. structures found in hypersaline waters such as those of Shark Bay in Western Australia. C. microscopic fossils of the earliest eukaryotic organisms. D. layered structures built by colonies of microorganisms. Cellular respiration in living eukaryotic cells takes place in structures called Select one: A. chloroplasts B. nuclei C. mitochondria D. archaea The Doppler method of exoplanet detection is most sensitive to Select one: A. massive planets in long period orbitsB. large planets in short period orbits C. massive planets in short period orbits D. low mass planets in short period orbits The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is more powerful than the 100-inch Mount Wilson Telescope (the telescope Edwin Hubble actually used for his studies of galaxies) because [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. The HST has a larger aperture and so collects more light. B. The HST is in space and so is not subject to the problems of "seeing" due to turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere. C. The HST uses modern digital detectors that are much more sensitive than the photographic plates available in Hubble's day. D. The HST can observe at X-ray wavelengths that cannot be seen by a telescope on the ground. Dark energy is needed to explain Select one: A. the rotation curves of galaxies. B. the acceleration of the expansion of the universe. C. the existence of black holes. D. the abundances of the chemical elements. Which of these is observed about the cosmic background microwave radiation? Select one: A. It varies greatly in intensity in different directions in space. B. It has a thermal spectrum with a temperature of 2.73 K. C. It has a emission spectrum with a temperature of about 3 K now. D. It features very hot synchrotron radiation at about 300,000 K. In which two spectral regions are ground based observations MOST useful? Select one: A. Microwave and ultraviolet.B. Optical and X-ray. C. Radio and optical. D. Ultraviolet and infrared. To measure the radial velocity of a star using a telescope we would use which of the following instruments? Select one: A. an imaging CCD camera to measure its changing position B. a spectrograph to measure its Doppler shift C. a photometer D. a heliometer Observations of the transits of extrasolar planets have been used to [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY] Select one or more: A. Determine the radius of the planets. B. Study the composition of the atmospheres. C. Determine the masses of the planets. D. Detect the presence of liquid water on the planets. Electromagnetic radiation of wavelength 2 micrometres is referred to as Select one: A. visible light B. ultraviolet light C. X-rays D. infrared radiation Which of the following statements is an overall summary of the findings from the biology experiments on the Viking Mars missions? Select one: A. the Martian soil contained structures that might be microfossils of bacteria-like organisms.B. the Martian soil showed clear signs of biological activity due to living microorgansisms. C. the Martian soil is chemically reactive but shows no signs of biological activity. D. the Martian soil contained organic molecules but showed no signs of biological activity. Which type of object is most useful in measuring distances within the Local Group? Select one: A. Supernovae. B. White Dwarfs. C. Cepheid variables. D. H-II Regions. A gas giant planet orbiting its star with a period of a few days is referred to as a Select one: A. Super Earth B. Transiting Extrasolar Planet C. Hot Jupiter D. Brown dwarf The Orion Nebula is situated within a: Select one: A. supernova remnant. B. globular cluster C. giant molecular cloud. D. planetary nebula. If the Earth's orbit was represented in a scale model by a circle 10 metres in diameter, what would the Sun's diameter be on the same scale? Select one: A. About 10 cmB. About 5 cm C. About 1 cm D. About 5 mm The most likely theory for the formation of the Moon is Select one: A. that it was formed by the gravitational capture of a large asteroid B. that it formed simultaneously with Earth's formation C. that it was created from a collision scooping out the Pacific Ocean D. that it was formed from the collision of Earth with a Mars-sized object Quasars are thought to be powered by Select one: A. rapidly rotating magnetic neutron stars. B. accretion on to supermassive black holes. C. nuclear fusion. D. collisions between galaxies. According to Hubble's Law Select one: A. the expansion of the universe is accelerating. B. distant galaxies are receding from us at higher velocities than nearby galaxies. C. nearby galaxies are receding from us at higher velocities than distant galaxies. D. the universe must be composed largely of dark matter and dark energy. Gas clouds in a galaxy are found mostly in the Select one: A. disk. B. bulge. C. halo. D. globular clusters.The basic molecular building blocks of DNA and RNA are Select one: A. nucleotides B. adenosine triphosphate molecules C. amino acids D. monosaccharides [Show More]

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