Astronomy – Phys 181 – Final Examination
Choose the best answer from the choices provided.
1) The speed of light is most nearly:
a) 3 m/s
b) 300,000 m/s
c) 300,000,000 m/s
d) 300,000,000,000 m/s
2) Which of the following terms are in
order from least to highest energy?
a) Gamma – Radio – Visible
b) Radio – Visible – Gamma
c) Gamma – Visible – Radio
d) Visible – Radio – Gamma
3) Which of the following terms are in
order from highest to lowest
temperature?
a) X-Ray – Ultraviolet – Infrared
b) Infrared – Ultraviolet – X-Ray
c) Ultraviolet – X-Ray – Infrared
d) Infrared – X-Ray – Ultraviolet
4) It is important to study electromagnetic radiation in astronomy
chiefly because:
a) Of the process of diffraction.
b) Electromagnetic radiation can
be harmful to humans.
c) All of the information we can
get from the cosmos is in the
form of electromagnetic
radiation.
d) Electromagnetic radiation is
easy to detect.
5) Emission and Absorption spectra are
seen because:
a) We are not able to see all of
the frequencies of light.
b) Of the process of diffraction.
c) Atoms only absorb or emit
certain frequencies.
d) Of the process reflection.
6) After light from a hot source passes
through a cloud of cold gas, an
observer may detect:
a) Nothing
b) An absorption spectrum
c) An emission spectrum
d) Both an absorption and emission
spectrum
7) The thermal blackbody radiation
spectrum:
a) Is identical for all hot
objects.
b) Shows a peak value at a
particular wavelength.
c) Is a graph of wavelength as a
function of velocity.
d) Is a temperature scale used in
astronomy.
8) The Stefan-Boltzmann Law is most
closely related to a hot object’s:
a) Brightness
b) Reflectivity
c) Composition
d) Color
9) If a star is approaching the earth,
the wavelengths of light observed by
an astronomer will appear:
a) Red shifted.
b) Blue shifted.
c) Red or Blue shifted depending
on speed.
d) The same as if there were no
relative motion.
10) Hubble’s Law relates:
a) The brightness of stars and
their distance from earth
b) The temperature of stars and
their distance from earth
c) The age of stars and their
distance from earth
d) The velocity of stars and their
distance from earth
11) The radiation from the sun is
produced by which process?
a) Chemical burning.
b) Radiative cooling.
c) Gravitational contraction.
d) Nuclear fusion.
12) Albert Einstein’s formula E=mc2
implies that:
a) Energy and mass are
interchangeable.
b) Matter cannot be destroyed.
c) Energy is conserved.
d) Nothing can have a speed
greater than light.
13) The process of Gravitational
Equilibrium results in:
a) Stars roughly the same size as
our sun.
b) Supernova explosions.
c) Stellar temperature regulation.
d) Sun spots.
14) In order to determine the proper
motions of stars, one must observe:
a) The Doppler shift and angular
motion.
b) The Doppler shift and luminous
intensity.
c) The luminous intensity and
angular motion.
d) The parallax and luminous
intensity.
15) A change in apparent magnitude by 5
corresponds to a change in apparent
brightness of:
a) 10
b) 100
c) 1000
d) 10000
16) The order of spectral
classification of stars is based on:
a) Temperature
b) Brightness
c) Apparent magnitude
d) Red shift
17) On the H-R Diagram shown, a very
high mass star will spend most of it
life in what region?
D
L
U
M
I
N
O
S
I
T
Y
C
19) On the H-R Diagram shown above, the
diagonal line represents:
a) The division between high and
low mass stars
b) The division between high and
low temperature stars
c) The evolution of stars like our
own Sun
d) The Main Sequence
20) Our Sun will eventually evolve
into:
a) A Blue Giant
b) A Red Giant
c) A White Dwarf and planetary
Nebula
d) A Supernova Explosion
21) Neutron stars are the result of:
a) Supernova explosions
b) Main sequence burning
c) Black holes
d) Accretion
22) Unknown to Newton, it is now
understood that gravity is due to:
a) Rapid rotation
b) Space-Time curvature
c) Electro-magnetic Radiation
d) Mass
23) The General Theory of Relativity is
based on what principle?
a) The constancy of the speed of
light
b) E=mc2
c) Equivalence
d) Universal Gravitation
24) It is known that the type of galaxy
we live in is:
a) Spiral
b) Elliptical
c) Irregular
d) Barred spiral
A
25) The largest fractions of galaxies
in our universe are:
a) Spiral
b) Elliptical
c) Irregular
d) Barred spiral
B
O
B
A
F G K M
18) On the H-R Diagram shown, where are
you most likely to find a white
dwarf star?
26) The special theory of relativity is
based on the notion that:
a) The speed of light is the
ultimate speed
b) The speed of light should be
measured to be the same by all
observers
c) Gravity is caused by curved
space-time
d) The Doppler shift is true for
light waves.
27) In the “twin paradox” experiment:
a) Twins age at the same rate
b) A twin who travels ages slower
c) A twin who travels ages faster
d) Twins experience different
amounts of gravity.
28) The planet Pluto is 5 light-hours
away. If you travel in a rocket to
Pluto, from you point of view, the
trip will take
a) More than 5 hours
b) Exactly 5 hours
c) Less than 5 hours
d) Impossible to determine
29) The size of the universe and the
age of the universe are related by:
a) The speed of light
b) Hubbles’ law
c) Kepler’s law
d) Relativity
30) The apparent brightness of a star
is proportional to:
a) One over the distance
b) One over the square of the
distance
c) One over the luminosity
d) One over the square of the
luminosity
31) The
to:
a)
b)
c)
d)
term Cepheid Variables refers
White dwarfs
Elliptical galaxies
Distance standards
Any periodic light source
32) Olber’s paradox indicates that:
a) Our universe is finite and
expanding
b) Our universe is infinite
c) Our universe has very few stars
in it
d) Our universe is old
33) Hubble’s law is based on the
observation that:
a) Far away objects are more red
shifted
b) The universe is finite
c) The universe is infinite
d) The universe is relatively
constant in size.