Midterm 1
AST248 – Life in the Universe
Midterm 1 (2/13/2007) In the interest of avoiding any ambiguity or error, questions 11, 38, 43, and 45 are expunged from Midterm 1. They will not be included in the scan.
1. If life exists on Mars today it will most likely be found A) everywhere—on the surface, beneath the surface, and in its atmosphere B) on the surface C) beneath the surface D) in its atmosphere 2. The first person to suggest that the Earth moved around the Sun was A) Aristarchus B) Newton C) Copernicus D) Galileo 3. Due to the vast scale of the universe, when we observe a star in the night sky, we are seeing it A) not as it is now, but as it will be in the future B) as it was at the moment the universe formed C) as it is right now D) not as it is now, but as it was in the past 4. Compared to its neutral atom, an ion has the same number of A) protons and neutrons B) protons but a different number of neutrons C) protons but a different number of electrons D) neutrons but a different number of protons 5. Even though the heliocentric model of Copernicus had many advantages over the Ptolemaic model, it suffered from the assumption that the A) planets moved in ellipses about the Sun B) planets moved in perfect circles about the Sun C) planets moved in perfect circles about the Earth D) Earth was not rotating on its axis 6. Which of the following is an organic molecule? A) N2H4 B) B2O2 C) C2H4 D) H2O2
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AST248 – Life in the Universe 7. Scientific models supported by a large, compelling body of evidence are referred to as A) facts B) ideas C) theories D) hypotheses 8. The process by which molecules escape from a liquid into the gas phase is called A) evaporation B) gasification C) sublimation D) condensation 9. The main way astronomers determine the physical and chemical properties of an object in the distant universe is through A) photography B) spectroscopy C) astrometry D) direct measurement 10. What is the relationship between Newton’s three laws and Kepler’s three laws? A) Newton’s laws can be derived from Kepler’s laws B) Newton’s laws and Kepler’s laws are identical C) Kepler’s laws are general and apply to any motion, while Newton’s laws apply only to planetary motion in the solar system D) Newton’s laws are general and apply to any motion, while Kepler’s laws apply only to planetary motion in the solar system 12. Out immediately beyond the orbit of the planet Neptune we find A) Orion’s belt B) the asteroid belt C) the Kuiper belt D) the Oort cloud 13. Extraterrestrial life is defined to be A) life found beyond the Earth which is based on the same biology and chemistry as life on Earth B) advanced life forms that have visited the Earth C) any kind of life found beyond the Earth D) advanced life found on Earth-like planets around other stars 14. The discovery of a supernova by Tycho Brahe in 1572 contradicted the commonly held belief that the universe was A) unchanging B) spherical C) infinite D) perfect
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AST248 – Life in the Universe
15. Photon A has a higher energy than photon B. Given this information, which of the following statements is true? A) Photon A has a longer wavelength than photon B B) Photon A travels faster in a vacuum than photon B C) Photon A has a higher frequency than photon B D) Photon A has a lower frequency than photon B 16. Two asteroids have identical masses. However, one asteroid is twice as far from the Sun than the other. According to Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation the force of gravity exerted by the Sun on the more distant asteroid is A) the same size as the force exerted on the closer asteroid B) one-quarter of the size of the force exerted on the closer asteroid C) twice as large as the force exerted on the closer asteroid D) one-half of the size of the force exerted on the closer asteroid 17. Apart from terrestrial planets, another promising place to find life in the solar system is A) inside comets B) beneath the surfaces of icy Jovian moons C) in the atmospheres of Jovian planets D) inside asteroids 18. An isotope of the element Manganese (Mn) has an atomic number of 25 and a mass number of 55. Assuming the atom is neutral, this means it has A) 55 protons, 55 electrons, and 25 neutrons B) 25 protons, 25 electrons, and 30 neutrons C) 25 protons, 30 electrons, and 25 neutrons D) 25 protons, 25 electrons, and 55 neutrons 19. The nuclei of radioactive isotopes can sometimes give off A) visible radiation B) UV rays C) gamma rays D) X-rays 20. The modern view of our place in the universe suggests that life elsewhere may be A) this view gives us no clue of the likelihood of life elsewhere B) rare C) common D) at the center of another, parallel universe
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AST248 – Life in the Universe 21. Kepler’s Second Law of planetary motion states that A) an imaginary line joining the Sun and planet sweeps out equal areas in equal times B) the further a planet is from the Sun, the faster it moves in its orbit C) the further a planet is from the Sun, the slower it moves in its orbit D) the orbits of planets are ellipses 22. When photons of electromagnetic radiation bounce off of a surface they are said to be A) emitted B) refracted C) absorbed D) reflected 23. In our solar system, terrestrial planets are A) small, made mostly of rock and iron with high densities, and found close to the Sun B) large, made mostly of gases and liquids with low densities, and found far from the Sun C) large, made of pure gases with low densities, and found far from the Sun D) small, made of pure rock with high densities, and found close to the Sun 24. The number of vibrations per second of an electromagnetic wave is referred to as its A) energy B) frequency C) speed D) wavelength 25. A scientist tries to determine why a particular car is getting a much lower gas mileage than claimed by the manufacturer by systematically designing experiments to test possible causes for the problem. This is an example of A) discovery science B) nonscience C) hypothesis-driven science D) pseudoscience 26. The geocentric model of the Greeks consisted of a A) flat Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a dome-shaped sky B) flat Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a celestial sphere C) spherical Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a dome-shaped sky D) spherical Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a celestial sphere 27. The ancient view of an Earth-centered geocentric universe suggested that life elsewhere should be A) common B) rare C) this view gives us no clue of the likelihood of life elsewhere D) at the center of another, parallel universe
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AST248 – Life in the Universe
28. The astronomical object in our sky which plays the most fundamental role in our lives is the A) Sun B) Moon C) nearest star D) most massive planet in our solar system, Jupiter 29. Occam’s Razor states that if we have two models that agree equally well with observations, we choose the one that A) is simplest B) is most complex C) has been around the longest D) is accepted by most scientists 30. The number of stars in the observable universe A) is approximately equal to the population of the Earth at the turn of the 21st century B) cannot be estimated C) is approximately equal to the total number of sand grains on every beach on Earth D) is infinitely large 31. Astronomy has shown us that the fundamental laws of physics are A) the same everywhere in the universe B) the same in our solar system but different beyond the solar system C) completely random and unpredictable D) different on other planets in our solar system 32. A star more massive than the Sun will have A) an identical lifetime as the Sun because although its overall mass is higher, the mass of its nuclear burning core is the same B) a longer lifetime because it has more fuel to burn C) a shorter lifetime because although its overall mass is higher, the mass of its nuclear burning core is smaller D) a shorter lifetime because its central core is hotter and denser 33. The astronomical unit (AU) is defined to be equal to the A) average distance between the Earth and Sun B) average distance between the Sun and the planet Pluto C) distance between the Sun and the nearest star D) diameter of the Earth 34. If we compress the entire history of the Earth into one year, modern humans appear A) at 9 PM on New Year’s Eve B) at midnight on New Year’s Eve C) a couple of minutes before midnight on New Year’s Eve D) a few seconds before midnight on New Year’s Eve
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AST248 – Life in the Universe
35. An astronomer surveying the sky toward a random region of the sky detects by chance the most distant galaxy ever detected. This is an example of A) nonscience B) discovery science C) hypothesis-driven science D) pseudoscience 36. The outer Jovian planets most likely formed from A) clumps of hydrogen and helium gas spun from a rapidly rotating protosun B) larger collections of hydrogen and helium gas attracting particles of rock and ice to them C) the collision and coalescence of clumps of hydrogen and helium gas within the solar nebula D) planetesimals of rock and ice attracting hydrogen and helium gas from the solar nebula 37. The fact that the life on Earth seems to have appeared quite rapidly suggests that life A) can arise on most habitable worlds B) can only appear soon after a planet forms C) on any kind of planet is inevitable D) is only possible on Earth-like planets 39. Which of the following materials present in the solar system had the highest condensation temperatures? A) metals B) rocks C) hydrogen and helium gases D) hydrogen compounds like water, methane, and ammonia 40. Given the basic building blocks of planets are widespread and the same laws of physics operate everywhere, we would expect A) we have not detected any other planetary systems so we have no way of knowing B) other planetary systems to be identical to our own with the same number and types of planets as our own solar system C) other planetary systems to be laid out in a similar manner to our own with inner rocky terrestrial planets and outer gaseous Jovian planets D) other planetary systems to be very different than our own because the detailed conditions that existed in our own solar nebula are unlikely to have been replicated elsewhere
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AST248 – Life in the Universe 41. Johannes Kepler A) developed a theory of gravity to explain the motions of the planets B) obtained the first observational evidence suggesting the Earth moved about the Sun C) made detailed measurements of the motions of the planets in the sky D) showed that the orbits of the planets were ellipses and not circles 42. The expansion of the Universe is due to the A) motion of galaxies through space B) expansion of space within galaxies C) expansion of stars within galaxies D) expansion of space between galaxies 44. In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that extraterrestrial life may be constructed in a similar fashion to life on Earth? A) the universe is very large B) the universe is very old C) the laws of physics are the same everywhere D) the chemical elements that make up life on Earth are common 46. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) program currently involves A) broadcasting signals for other advanced civilizations to receive B) listening for signals broadcast by advanced civilizations C) searching for life on planets around other stars D) searching for life in our solar system 47. What kind of energy does gasoline possess? A) mechanical B) kinetic C) potential D) radiative 48. Galileo discovered that Venus goes through a cycle of phases like the Moon. This suggested that A) Venus moved about the Sun B) Venus moved about the Earth C) the Sun moved about the Earth D) the Earth moved about the Sun 49. Approximately how many stars are there in the Milky Way galaxy? A) a few hundred million B) a few hundred thousand C) a hundred billion D) a trillion
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AST248 – Life in the Universe 50. If we were to detect a signal from an advanced civilization in 2013 which is located at a distance of 7 light-years from the Sun, in what year was the signal actually transmitted? A) 2007 B) 2013 C) 2020 D) 2006
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Midterm 1 (2/13/2007) In the interest of avoiding any ambiguity or error, questions 11, 38, 43, and 45 are expunged from Midterm 1. They will not be included in the scan.
1. If life exists on Mars today it will most likely be found A) everywhere—on the surface, beneath the surface, and in its atmosphere B) on the surface C) beneath the surface D) in its atmosphere 2. The first person to suggest that the Earth moved around the Sun was A) Aristarchus B) Newton C) Copernicus D) Galileo 3. Due to the vast scale of the universe, when we observe a star in the night sky, we are seeing it A) not as it is now, but as it will be in the future B) as it was at the moment the universe formed C) as it is right now D) not as it is now, but as it was in the past 4. Compared to its neutral atom, an ion has the same number of A) protons and neutrons B) protons but a different number of neutrons C) protons but a different number of electrons D) neutrons but a different number of protons 5. Even though the heliocentric model of Copernicus had many advantages over the Ptolemaic model, it suffered from the assumption that the A) planets moved in ellipses about the Sun B) planets moved in perfect circles about the Sun C) planets moved in perfect circles about the Earth D) Earth was not rotating on its axis 6. Which of the following is an organic molecule? A) N2H4 B) B2O2 C) C2H4 D) H2O2
-1-
AST248 – Life in the Universe 7. Scientific models supported by a large, compelling body of evidence are referred to as A) facts B) ideas C) theories D) hypotheses 8. The process by which molecules escape from a liquid into the gas phase is called A) evaporation B) gasification C) sublimation D) condensation 9. The main way astronomers determine the physical and chemical properties of an object in the distant universe is through A) photography B) spectroscopy C) astrometry D) direct measurement 10. What is the relationship between Newton’s three laws and Kepler’s three laws? A) Newton’s laws can be derived from Kepler’s laws B) Newton’s laws and Kepler’s laws are identical C) Kepler’s laws are general and apply to any motion, while Newton’s laws apply only to planetary motion in the solar system D) Newton’s laws are general and apply to any motion, while Kepler’s laws apply only to planetary motion in the solar system 12. Out immediately beyond the orbit of the planet Neptune we find A) Orion’s belt B) the asteroid belt C) the Kuiper belt D) the Oort cloud 13. Extraterrestrial life is defined to be A) life found beyond the Earth which is based on the same biology and chemistry as life on Earth B) advanced life forms that have visited the Earth C) any kind of life found beyond the Earth D) advanced life found on Earth-like planets around other stars 14. The discovery of a supernova by Tycho Brahe in 1572 contradicted the commonly held belief that the universe was A) unchanging B) spherical C) infinite D) perfect
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AST248 – Life in the Universe
15. Photon A has a higher energy than photon B. Given this information, which of the following statements is true? A) Photon A has a longer wavelength than photon B B) Photon A travels faster in a vacuum than photon B C) Photon A has a higher frequency than photon B D) Photon A has a lower frequency than photon B 16. Two asteroids have identical masses. However, one asteroid is twice as far from the Sun than the other. According to Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation the force of gravity exerted by the Sun on the more distant asteroid is A) the same size as the force exerted on the closer asteroid B) one-quarter of the size of the force exerted on the closer asteroid C) twice as large as the force exerted on the closer asteroid D) one-half of the size of the force exerted on the closer asteroid 17. Apart from terrestrial planets, another promising place to find life in the solar system is A) inside comets B) beneath the surfaces of icy Jovian moons C) in the atmospheres of Jovian planets D) inside asteroids 18. An isotope of the element Manganese (Mn) has an atomic number of 25 and a mass number of 55. Assuming the atom is neutral, this means it has A) 55 protons, 55 electrons, and 25 neutrons B) 25 protons, 25 electrons, and 30 neutrons C) 25 protons, 30 electrons, and 25 neutrons D) 25 protons, 25 electrons, and 55 neutrons 19. The nuclei of radioactive isotopes can sometimes give off A) visible radiation B) UV rays C) gamma rays D) X-rays 20. The modern view of our place in the universe suggests that life elsewhere may be A) this view gives us no clue of the likelihood of life elsewhere B) rare C) common D) at the center of another, parallel universe
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AST248 – Life in the Universe 21. Kepler’s Second Law of planetary motion states that A) an imaginary line joining the Sun and planet sweeps out equal areas in equal times B) the further a planet is from the Sun, the faster it moves in its orbit C) the further a planet is from the Sun, the slower it moves in its orbit D) the orbits of planets are ellipses 22. When photons of electromagnetic radiation bounce off of a surface they are said to be A) emitted B) refracted C) absorbed D) reflected 23. In our solar system, terrestrial planets are A) small, made mostly of rock and iron with high densities, and found close to the Sun B) large, made mostly of gases and liquids with low densities, and found far from the Sun C) large, made of pure gases with low densities, and found far from the Sun D) small, made of pure rock with high densities, and found close to the Sun 24. The number of vibrations per second of an electromagnetic wave is referred to as its A) energy B) frequency C) speed D) wavelength 25. A scientist tries to determine why a particular car is getting a much lower gas mileage than claimed by the manufacturer by systematically designing experiments to test possible causes for the problem. This is an example of A) discovery science B) nonscience C) hypothesis-driven science D) pseudoscience 26. The geocentric model of the Greeks consisted of a A) flat Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a dome-shaped sky B) flat Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a celestial sphere C) spherical Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a dome-shaped sky D) spherical Earth at the center of the universe surrounded by a celestial sphere 27. The ancient view of an Earth-centered geocentric universe suggested that life elsewhere should be A) common B) rare C) this view gives us no clue of the likelihood of life elsewhere D) at the center of another, parallel universe
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AST248 – Life in the Universe
28. The astronomical object in our sky which plays the most fundamental role in our lives is the A) Sun B) Moon C) nearest star D) most massive planet in our solar system, Jupiter 29. Occam’s Razor states that if we have two models that agree equally well with observations, we choose the one that A) is simplest B) is most complex C) has been around the longest D) is accepted by most scientists 30. The number of stars in the observable universe A) is approximately equal to the population of the Earth at the turn of the 21st century B) cannot be estimated C) is approximately equal to the total number of sand grains on every beach on Earth D) is infinitely large 31. Astronomy has shown us that the fundamental laws of physics are A) the same everywhere in the universe B) the same in our solar system but different beyond the solar system C) completely random and unpredictable D) different on other planets in our solar system 32. A star more massive than the Sun will have A) an identical lifetime as the Sun because although its overall mass is higher, the mass of its nuclear burning core is the same B) a longer lifetime because it has more fuel to burn C) a shorter lifetime because although its overall mass is higher, the mass of its nuclear burning core is smaller D) a shorter lifetime because its central core is hotter and denser 33. The astronomical unit (AU) is defined to be equal to the A) average distance between the Earth and Sun B) average distance between the Sun and the planet Pluto C) distance between the Sun and the nearest star D) diameter of the Earth 34. If we compress the entire history of the Earth into one year, modern humans appear A) at 9 PM on New Year’s Eve B) at midnight on New Year’s Eve C) a couple of minutes before midnight on New Year’s Eve D) a few seconds before midnight on New Year’s Eve
-5-
AST248 – Life in the Universe
35. An astronomer surveying the sky toward a random region of the sky detects by chance the most distant galaxy ever detected. This is an example of A) nonscience B) discovery science C) hypothesis-driven science D) pseudoscience 36. The outer Jovian planets most likely formed from A) clumps of hydrogen and helium gas spun from a rapidly rotating protosun B) larger collections of hydrogen and helium gas attracting particles of rock and ice to them C) the collision and coalescence of clumps of hydrogen and helium gas within the solar nebula D) planetesimals of rock and ice attracting hydrogen and helium gas from the solar nebula 37. The fact that the life on Earth seems to have appeared quite rapidly suggests that life A) can arise on most habitable worlds B) can only appear soon after a planet forms C) on any kind of planet is inevitable D) is only possible on Earth-like planets 39. Which of the following materials present in the solar system had the highest condensation temperatures? A) metals B) rocks C) hydrogen and helium gases D) hydrogen compounds like water, methane, and ammonia 40. Given the basic building blocks of planets are widespread and the same laws of physics operate everywhere, we would expect A) we have not detected any other planetary systems so we have no way of knowing B) other planetary systems to be identical to our own with the same number and types of planets as our own solar system C) other planetary systems to be laid out in a similar manner to our own with inner rocky terrestrial planets and outer gaseous Jovian planets D) other planetary systems to be very different than our own because the detailed conditions that existed in our own solar nebula are unlikely to have been replicated elsewhere
-6-
AST248 – Life in the Universe 41. Johannes Kepler A) developed a theory of gravity to explain the motions of the planets B) obtained the first observational evidence suggesting the Earth moved about the Sun C) made detailed measurements of the motions of the planets in the sky D) showed that the orbits of the planets were ellipses and not circles 42. The expansion of the Universe is due to the A) motion of galaxies through space B) expansion of space within galaxies C) expansion of stars within galaxies D) expansion of space between galaxies 44. In the context of life in the universe, which of the following discoveries of astronomy suggests that extraterrestrial life may be constructed in a similar fashion to life on Earth? A) the universe is very large B) the universe is very old C) the laws of physics are the same everywhere D) the chemical elements that make up life on Earth are common 46. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) program currently involves A) broadcasting signals for other advanced civilizations to receive B) listening for signals broadcast by advanced civilizations C) searching for life on planets around other stars D) searching for life in our solar system 47. What kind of energy does gasoline possess? A) mechanical B) kinetic C) potential D) radiative 48. Galileo discovered that Venus goes through a cycle of phases like the Moon. This suggested that A) Venus moved about the Sun B) Venus moved about the Earth C) the Sun moved about the Earth D) the Earth moved about the Sun 49. Approximately how many stars are there in the Milky Way galaxy? A) a few hundred million B) a few hundred thousand C) a hundred billion D) a trillion
-7-
AST248 – Life in the Universe 50. If we were to detect a signal from an advanced civilization in 2013 which is located at a distance of 7 light-years from the Sun, in what year was the signal actually transmitted? A) 2007 B) 2013 C) 2020 D) 2006
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