Question 1

The specific colors of light emitted by an atom in a hot,thin gas (e.g. ,in a tube in a laboratory or a gas cloud in space) are caused by

Accepted Answer

A)   the vibrations of the electrons within the atom.
B)   an electron dropping into the nucleus and causing changes in the energy of the nucleus.
C)   electrons jumping to lower energy levels,losing energy as they do so.
D)   protons jumping from level to level.

Question 2

A scientist measures the temperature change between freezing water and boiling water with a thermometer calibrated in the Kelvin or absolute scale.How many degrees kelvin (K) will he measure?

Accepted Answer

A)   180
B)   273
C)   373
D)   100

Question 3

A department store sells an "astronomical telescope" with an objective lens of 30 cm focal length and an eyepiece lens of focal length 5 mm.What is the magnifying power of this telescope?

Accepted Answer

A)   150×
B)   6×
C)   15×
D)   60×

Question 4

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum do mammals emit most strongly?

Accepted Answer

A)   Radio
B)   Infrared
C)   Ultraviolet
D)   X-ray

Question 5

When an object is moving away from you,the visible radiation that it emits is Doppler shifted toward the

Accepted Answer

A)   ultraviolet.
B)   infrared.
C)   gamma rays.
D)   X-rays.

Question 6

In large sizes,which telescopes can be made lightest and most inexpensively,reflecting or refracting telescopes?

Accepted Answer

Reflecting telescopes can be m...

Question 7

A typical but very cool star might have a temperature of 3100°C.On the Kelvin scale,this is about

Accepted Answer

A)   2827 K.
B)   3068 K.
C)   3373 K.
D)   3100 K,because Kelvin and Celsius degrees are the same.

Question 8

Why is the sky blue?

Accepted Answer

A)   The air molecules absorb red light better than blue light,allowing more blue light to reach our eyes.
B)   The air molecules scatter blue light better than red light,so more blue light reaches our eyes.
C)   The air molecules scatter red light better than blue light,so less red light reaches our eyes.
D)   The air molecules absorb blue light better than red light,making the sky appear bluer.

Question 9

Visible light occupies which position in the whole electromagnetic spectrum?

Accepted Answer

A)   Between radio and infrared radiation
B)   Between ultraviolet and X-rays
C)   Between infrared and ultraviolet
D)   Between infrared and microwave

Question 10

Our eyes can only see a small band of the entire spectrum of light.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

On the absolute scale of temperature (in kelvins) ,the zero of the scale corresponds to the

Accepted Answer

A)   freezing point of hydrogen.
B)   melting point of ice.
C)   mean temperature of space.
D)   temperature at which motions of atoms and molecules essentially cease.

Question 12

Young's double-slit experiment demonstrates that

Accepted Answer

A)   light acts like a stream of particles,producing two bright images of the slits on a screen.
B)   light acts like waves that interfere with one another,producing light and dark bands projected on a screen.
C)   it is impossible to predict what pattern will be projected on a screen.
D)   it depends on the color of the light as to whether you see two bright images or multiple light and dark bands.

Question 13

When astronomers look for evidence of hydrogen gas in the spectra of the Sun,the planets,and nearby stars,the positions of the spectral features or "lines" due to hydrogen

Accepted Answer

A)   are in a very different pattern,depending on the location of the planet or star,and are reproduced only with difficulty in the laboratory.
B)   are always in the same pattern,characteristic of hydrogen gas,as seen in the laboratory.
C)   change systematically,depending on the distance from the source,starting with a laboratory pattern.
D)   are in the same pattern for solar and planetary sources but are very different for stars at larger distances because of absorption of light by the interstellar matter.

Question 14

Earth's atmosphere is transparent and allows radiation to pass through

Accepted Answer

A)   all across the electromagnetic spectrum.
B)   only in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum.
C)   mostly in the visible and radio ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum.
D)   everywhere,except the radio range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Question 15

How do the interactions between light and atoms produce spectrum lines?

Accepted Answer

An atom absorbs a photon of energy of th...

Question 16

Which of the following does NOT represent a major drawback when developing a refracting telescope for astronomy?

Accepted Answer

A)   Lenses cannot be made with focal lengths that produce very high magnifications.
B)   Glass lenses are not completely transparent to certain kinds of light,restricting the observable wavelength range.
C)   The lens brings different wavelengths of light to a focus at different positions.
D)   The presence of defects in the glass lens through which the light must pass causes some of the light to scatter out of the beam.

Question 17

Isaac Newton was the first person to offer an explanation of light as being in the form of waves.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Sir William Hershel passed a beam of sunlight through a prism and held a thermometer just beyond the end of the visible spectrum.The thermometer registered a temperature increase,indicating that it was being exposed to an invisible form of energy that is now called

Accepted Answer

A)   radio waves.
B)   microwaves.
C)   infrared light.
D)   ultraviolet light.

Question 19

According to Einstein's special theory of relativity,nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

X-ray telescopes in space are primarily used for examining which kind of environment in the universe?

Accepted Answer

A)   Extremely cool regions of space,because only X-rays can penetrate them
B)   Extremely hot regions around stars and galactic centers
C)   The deep interiors of normal stars from which only the penetrating X-rays can escape
D)   Comets and planets

Exam 2: Decoding the Hidden Messages in Starlight

A scientist measures the temperature change between freezing water and boiling water with a thermometer calibrated in the Kelvin or absolute scale.How many degrees kelvin (K) will he measure?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A typical but very cool star might have a temperature of 3100°C.On the Kelvin scale,this is about

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Our eyes can only see a small band of the entire spectrum of light.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Earth's atmosphere is transparent and allows radiation to pass through

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Visible light occupies which position in the whole electromagnetic spectrum?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When astronomers look for evidence of hydrogen gas in the spectra of the Sun,the planets,and nearby stars,the positions of the spectral features or "lines" due to hydrogen

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why is the sky blue?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The specific colors of light emitted by an atom in a hot,thin gas (e.g. ,in a tube in a laboratory or a gas cloud in space) are caused by

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following does NOT represent a major drawback when developing a refracting telescope for astronomy?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How do the interactions between light and atoms produce spectrum lines?

Correct AnswerverifiedAn atom absorbs a photon of energy of th...View AnswerShow Answer

When an object is moving away from you,the visible radiation that it emits is Doppler shifted toward the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

According to Einstein's special theory of relativity,nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In large sizes,which telescopes can be made lightest and most inexpensively,reflecting or refracting telescopes?

Correct AnswerverifiedReflecting telescopes can be m...View AnswerShow Answer

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum do mammals emit most strongly?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A department store sells an "astronomical telescope" with an objective lens of 30 cm focal length and an eyepiece lens of focal length 5 mm.What is the magnifying power of this telescope?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Young's double-slit experiment demonstrates that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

X-ray telescopes in space are primarily used for examining which kind of environment in the universe?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

On the absolute scale of temperature (in kelvins) ,the zero of the scale corresponds to the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Sir William Hershel passed a beam of sunlight through a prism and held a thermometer just beyond the end of the visible spectrum.The thermometer registered a temperature increase,indicating that it was being exposed to an invisible form of energy that is now called

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Isaac Newton was the first person to offer an explanation of light as being in the form of waves.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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An atom absorbs a photon of energy of th...
View Answer

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Reflecting telescopes can be m...
View Answer

Correct Answer
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