Practice Test #1

The following questions have been extracted from old tests I have given for the class. I have been as complete as possible and included some of essay questions that are appropriate for the material.

You may also
  • Examine the Answer Key for these practice questions.
  • Go back to the list of List of Practice Tests

  • Jump to Practice Test #2

  • Go to the Class Schedule
  • Review my Study Guide which contains some suggestions about how to do well in this class.
  • Read the Astronomy 105 Grading Policies
  • Review the list of Faculty and Staff for this course, including office hours.
  • Jump back to the Astronomy 105 Main Menu

    • Lecture #1 and #2

    1. The position of the North Celestial Pole is near the bright star Polaris.
    a. true
    b. false

    2. To measure the position of a star or planet on the celestial sphere, we use the coordinants of
    a. latitude and longitude
    b. right ascension and declination
    c. celestial latitude and longitude
    d. equinox and ecliptic

    3. The ecliptic is the region of the celestial sphere is
    a. where the North Celestial Pole is located.
    b. where the seasons change between summer and fall.
    c. where the celestial equator intersects the North Celestial Pole.
    d. the path of where the sun is found.
    e. none of the above.

    4. One sidereal day is the amount of time it takes for the Earth to rotate once as measure by
    a. the sun.
    b. the Earth
    c. the background stars
    d. the Moon
    e. a clock on Earth

    Lecture #3

    1. When the moon's phase is 1st quarter,
    a. it is after full moon and before new moon.
    b. it is after new moon and before full moon.
    c. the disk appears to be 1/4 illuminated.
    d. the disk appears to be 1/4 dark.
    e. none of the above.

    2. Which of the following is NOT a reason that winter is colder than summer?
    a. The sun is lower in the sky, so the sunlight is less direct and more spread out.
    b. The Earth is farther from the sun, so the light is less intense.
    c. The Sun is at a lower declination, so the length of the day is shorter.
    d. The sun travels through a larger amount of the Earth's atmosphere due to its lower position in the sky.

    Lecture #4

    1. From the experiments discussed in class, astrological sign was found not to be correlated with career, health, or physical characteristics. From this we can conclude:
    a. all types of astrology are not scientific.
    b. all types of astrology are not supported by experimental evidence.
    c. sun-sign astrology is not supported by experimental evidence.
    d. astrology is wrong.
    e. none of the above.

    2. Which of the following are NOT reasons the scientific method has been so successful at explaining the universe?
    a. scientists are tolerant of all theories.
    b. experiments are used to test theories
    c. incorrect theories can be proved wrong by experimentation.

    3. Discuss 3 reasons NOT to believe in astrology.

    Lecture #5

    1. The diameter of Earth was first determined by
    a. using simple geometry and measuring the sun's position.
    b. measuring solar eclipses and shadows.
    c. timing the length of the full moon.
    d. the rotation of the Earth on its axis.

    2. Retrograde motion occurs when
    a. the planets move on epicycles.
    b. the planets travel along the celestial equator.
    c. precession moves the equinoxes.
    d. the planets appear to move "backwards" in their orbit.

    3. The shape of the Earth was first determined by
    a. sailors in the last half of the 15th century.
    b. observations of the Earth's shadow during a lunar eclipse.
    c. observations of the moon's shadow during a solar eclipse.
    d. observations of the Earth's shadow during a solar eclipse.
    e. observations of the moon's shadow during a lunar eclipse.

    4. Describe a method for measuring the size of Earth. Use diagrams if necessary.

    5. Explain why retrograde motion occurs. Use diagrams if necessary.

    Lecture #6

    1. One of the main reasons ancient astronomers did NOT believe the Earth orbited the sun was
    a. the changing seasons.
    b. the precession of the Equinoxes.
    c. the lack of measured parallax.
    d. the observed lack of retrograde motion in the planets.
    e. the prograde motion of the planets.

    2. Which of the following is not a feature of the heliocentric model of the solar system?
    a. retrograde motion is explained by epicycles
    b. the sun is at the center of the solar system
    c. planets revolve around the sun

    3. Which of the following were not observed by Galileo with his telescope?
    a. spots on the sun.
    b. planets around other stars.
    c. craters on the moon.
    d. natural satellites around Jupiter

    Lecture #7

    1. Using geometry and trigonometry, we can use triangulation to determine
    a. the relative distances between planets.
    b. the absolute distance between planets.
    c. the cause of seasons.
    d. the miles in a light year.

    2. If you increase the distance between the sun and the Earth to 4 astronomical units (AU's), the force of gravity between the Earth and the Sun would
    a. increase by a factor of 4.
    b. increase by a factor of 16.
    c. decrease by a factor of 4.
    d. decrease by a factor of 16.
    e. remain the same.

    3. Tycho Brahe is remembered for which of the following?
    a. He made the most accurate naked eye observations of planetary positions ever made.
    b. He constructed a model of the sun at the center.
    c. He did the first systematic observations of the solar system using a telescope.
    d. He invented 3 laws of motion from empirical data.

    4. One way to measure the miles in an Astronomical Unit (AU) is to
    a. use radar timing measurements of the planets.
    b. use geometry and planetary observations.
    c. use eclipses and Kepler's laws.

    5. According to Kepler's laws of planetary motion, if you could increase the orbital radius of the Earth to 2 AU's, the orbital period would be about
    a. 2 years
    b. 2.8 years
    c. 4 years
    d. 8 years
    e. 1 year

    6. If you increase the force acting on an object by a factor of 3. the acceleration the object has will
    a. increase by a factor of 3.
    b. increase by a factor of 9.
    c. decrease by a factor of 3.
    d. decrease by a factor of 9.
    e. none of the above.

    7. If you increase the force acting on an object by a factor of 3. the mass of the object will
    a. increase by a factor of 3.
    b. increase by a factor of 9.
    c. decrease by a factor of 3.
    d. decrease by a factor of 9.
    e. none of the above.

    8. List the 5 major figures of the Copernican revolution and describe their contributions.