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- 1. Multiple Choice
A light-year equals the distance light can travel in one year’s time, about 10 trillion kilometers. A parsec is equal to 3.26 light-years. A mega parsec is 1 million parsecs. For which object would it make the MOST sense for scientists to use mega parsecs in describing its distance from Earth?
distant galaxies
Neptune, the farthest planet from our Sun
the Sun, the star at the center of our solar system
Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our Solar System
- 2. Multiple Choice
When asked for a home address, a person typically answers by starting with the smallest geographic area and working outward to larger areas. As a result, the answer is given in the order of street, city, state, and country. Which list represents our address in the universe?
Earth, the Milky Way Galaxy, Solar System
Earth, Solar System, the Milky Way Galaxy
Solar System, the Milky Way Galaxy, Earth
the Milky Way Galaxy, Solar System, Earth
- 3. Multiple Choice
Our Galaxy, the Milky Way, is a spiral galaxy containing many millions of stars. Spiral galaxies have rotating arms made up of stars that extend from a central disk of densely packed stars. Which statement describes the other two main types of galaxies?
Groups are big, round galaxies, and clusters are small, round galaxies.
Clusters are small, round galaxies, and superclusters are big, round galaxies.
Elliptical galaxies are oval shaped, and irregular galaxies have no particular shape.
Irregular galaxies are oval shaped, and elliptical galaxies have no particular shape.
- 4. Multiple Choice
In 1929, Edwin Hubble observed the velocity at which galaxies were moving away from the Milky Way. The graph below shows the relationship between this velocity and the distance those galaxies were from the Milky Way.
What conclusion can be drawn from Hubble’s data?
Objects that are closer are moving slower, suggesting that the universe is shrinking.
Objects that are further away are moving faster, suggesting that the universe is shrinking.
Objects that are closer are moving faster, suggesting that the universe is expanding
Objects that are further away are moving faster, suggesting that the universe is expanding
- 5. Multiple Choice
Which of the following orders the objects from largest to smallest?
galaxy, star, universe
star, galaxy, universe
universe, galaxy, star
universe, star, galaxy
- 6. Multiple Choice
Which measurement would BEST be used to describe the distance between Earth and a neighboring galaxy?
miles
kilometers
light years
astronomical units
- 7. Multiple Choice
Some astronomers study the universe and all the matter in it. They want to find out how big and how old the universe is. Which statement provides the MOST ACCURATE description of the universe?
The universe is a big collection of stars called the Milky Way.
The universe is all the stars that can be seen in the sky at night.
The universe is all the planets and stars that orbit around the Sun.
The universe is all of space and all the matter and energy that space contains.
- 8. Multiple Choice
The temperature of the surface of planet Mercury can vary from 430˚C when facing the Sun, to -173˚C when facing away from the Sun. Which BEST describes the reason for the drastic changes in surface temperature?
limited atmosphere
diameter of the planet
topographical surface features
composition of surface minerals
- 9. Multiple Choice
Scientists use the light-year to describe the relationships between objects in space. What does a light-year measure?
the distance that light can travel in one year
the brightness of light that travels through space
the number of years it takes light to travel to Earth
the time it takes light to travel 1 million km
- 10. Multiple Choice
The following table displays the average distance from Earth for four objects. Which object is closest to Earth?
Barnard’s Star
Planet Neptune
Andromeda galaxy
Triangulum galaxy
- 11. Multiple Choice
The sun is much larger than the moon. However, as viewed from Earth, the sun and moon appear to be the same size. Why do the sun and moon appear to be the same size when viewed from Earth?
The moon is much hotter than the sun.
The moon is much denser than the sun.
The moon is much brighter than the sun.
The moon is much closer to Earth than the sun.
- 12. Multiple Choice
A galaxy contains stars, gas, and dust. This matter must be held together or the galaxy will break apart. What is responsible for holding the stars, gas, and dust together in a galaxy?
heat
light
gravity
friction
- 13. Multiple Choice
In 1995, the Hubble Space Telescope photographed a tiny spot in the sky for a period of ten days; 342 exposures were placed together to create an image known as the Hubble Deep Field. Although the sample is tiny, it is representative of the universe, which looks similar in all directions. The image below shows a collection of billions of stars. The Hubble Deep Field shows at least 3,000 groups of these stars. Which term describes this group of stars?
moon
galaxy
universe
solar system
- 14. Multiple Choice
People sometimes talk about seeing shooting stars. What do they actually see?
a meteoroid traveling through space
a meteoroid that burns up in the atmosphere close enough to see
a star that is moving through the galaxy
a comet that has come close enough to Earth’s atmosphere to be seen.
- 15. Multiple Choice
Study the features of this diagram. Which of these objects is pictured in the diagram?
an asteroid
a comet
a meteor
a meteorite
- 16. Multiple Choice
By definition, a dwarf planet orbits the sun and has not cleared its orbital path. What else is true of dwarf planets?
They have no moons.
They are larger than Earth.
They are composed of metal.
They are round because of their own gravity.
- 17. Multiple Choice
Which of these objects is located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter?
the Kuiper Belt
the Oort Cloud
the asteroid belt
all of the meteoroids
- 18. Multiple Choice
How are Jupiter and Saturn similar?
They have the same density.
They are close to the sun.
They have many satellites.
They are mostly carbon dioxide gas.
- 19. Multiple Choice
Astronomers measure distances in the solar system in astronomical units (AU). Earth is 1 AU from the sun. The table below shows information about the distances of the gas giant planets from the sun. Which gas giant planet is about 10 times farther from the sun than Earth is?
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
- 20. Multiple Choice
The illustration below shows several planets orbiting a star. Which of the following does the illustration show?
a constellation
a galaxy
a solar system
the universe
- 21. Multiple Choice
Our solar system consists of eight planets. Which phrase correctly describes a planet?
a large celestial body that is composed of gas and emits light
any one of the primary bodies that orbits a star
many stars held together by gravity
space and all the matter and energy in it
- 22. Multiple Choice
The objects that compose our solar system vary in size. What is the largest object in our solar system?
Earth
Jupiter
sun
Earth's moon
- 23. Multiple Choice
What is the order of the distances of the terrestrial planets from the Sun, from farthest to closest?
Mars, Venus, Earth, Mercury
Mars, Earth, Venus, Mercury
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
Venus, Earth, Mars, Mercury
- 24. Multiple Choice
Which terrestrial planets have diameters that are nearly equal in size?
Earth and Mars
Mars and Venus
Earth and Venus
Mars and Mercury
- 25. Multiple Choice
Earth, Mars, Venus, and Mercury all have mountains. Many of these mountains are volcanoes. What is unusual about the volcano on Mars called Olympus Mons?
It is an active volcano that erupts often.
It is two-thirds the height of Mount Everest.
It is the tallest mountain in the solar system.
It puts carbon dioxide into the atmosphere of Mars.
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