EARTH SCIENCE TEST

Astronomy Test #2

Name: _______________________________________________________________ Period:_______

Part 1: Multiple Choice (25 points)

1. Which process generates the energy that is released by stars?

(1) nuclear fusion (2) thermal conduction (3) convection currents (4) radioactive

decay

2. Which object in space emits light because it releases energy produced by nuclear fusion?

(1) Earth’s Moon (2) Halley’s comet (3) Venus (4) Polaris

3. According to astronomers, the age of the universe is estimated to be

(1) 1.3 billion years (2) 4.6 billion years (3) 7.9 billion years (4) 13.8 billion years

4. A major piece of evidence supporting the Big Bang theory is the observation that wavelengths of light

from stars in distant galaxies show a

(1) redshift, appearing to be shorter (3) blueshift, appearing to be shorter

(2) redshift, appearing to be longer (4) blueshift, appearing to be longer

5. Light from distant galaxies most likely shows a

(1) red shift, indicating that the universe is expanding (3) blue shift, indicating that the universe is

expanding

(2) red shift, indicating that the universe is contracting (4) blue shift, indicating that the universe is

contracting

6. A blue shift of the light from a star indicates that the star

(1) will soon become a main sequence star (3) is moving closer to Earth

(2) will soon become a giant star (4) is moving away from Earth

7. Which planet's day (period of rotation) is longer than its year (period of revolution)?

(1) Mercury (2) Venus (3) Jupiter (4) Saturn

8. Terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) move more rapidly in their orbits than the Jovian planets

(Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) because terrestrial planets are

(1) rotating on a tilted axis (2) more dense (3) more massive (4) closer to the Sun

9. Compared to the terrestrial planets, the Jovian planets are

(1) larger and less dense (3) closer to the Sun and less rocky

(2) smaller and more dense (4) farther from the Sun and more rocky

10. The symbols below represent two planets.

Which combination of planet masses and distances produces the greatest gravitational force between the

planets?

11. The diagram below shows the spectral lines for an element.

Which diagram best represents the spectral lines of this element when its light is

observed coming from a star that is moving away from Earth?

Base your answers to questions 12 through 14 on the diagram below and on your knowledge of Earth

science. The diagram represents two possible sequences in the evolution of stars.

12. What causes clouds of dust and gas to form a protostar?

(1) magnetism (2) gravitational attraction (3) expansion of matter (4) cosmic background radiation

13. Which property primarily determines whether a giant star or a supergiant star will form?

(1) mass (2) color (3) shape (4) composition

14. Which table includes data that are characteristic of the surface temperature and luminosity of some white

dwarf stars?

15. The diagram below represents eight positions of the Moon in its orbit.

Why are high tides on Earth greatest when the Moon is in position A and in position E?

(1) The Moon is closer to the Sun. (3) The Moon, the Sun, and Earth are aligned.

(2) The Moon is closer to Earth. (4) The Moon is in the same phase at both locations.

16. Why does the Moon’s gravity have a greater effect on Earth’s ocean tides than the Sun’s gravity?

(1) The Sun is composed mostly of gases. (3) The Moon has a greater mass.

(2) The Sun’s gravity influences more planets. (4) The Moon is much closer to Earth.

Base your answers to questions 17 through 20 on the diagram below and on your knowledge of Earth

science. The diagram represents the Moon at four positions, labeled A, B, C, and D, in its orbit around Earth.

The position of the full-Moon phase is labeled.

17. Approximately how many days (d) does it take for the Moon to move from the phase shown at position A

to the full-Moon phase?

(1) 7.4 d (2) 14.7 d (3) 27.3 d (4) 29.5 d

18. Which phase of the Moon could be observed from New York State when the Moon is at position C?

19. The same side of the Moon always faces Earth because the Moon’s period of revolution

(1) is longer than the Moon’s period of rotation (3) is longer than Earth’s period of rotation

(2) equals the Moon’s period of rotation (4) equals Earth’s period of rotation

20. Solar and lunar eclipses rarely happen during a cycle of phases because the

(1) Moon’s orbit is circular and Earth’s orbit is elliptical

(2) Moon’s orbit is elliptical and Earth’s orbit is elliptical

(3) plane of the Moon’s orbit is different from the plane of Earth’s orbit

(4) plane of the Moon’s orbit is the same as the plane of Earth’s orbit

_______________________________________________________________________________________

21. How many days are required for the Moon to go from one full-Moon phase to the next full-Moon

phase when viewed from Earth?

(1) 24 (2) 27.3 (3) 29.5 (4) 365

22. What is represented by the diagram below?

(1) changing phases of the Sun

(2) changing phases of the Moon

(3) stages in an eclipse of the Sun

(4) stages in an eclipse of the Moon

Base your answers to question 23 on the diagram below and on your knowledge of Earth science.

The diagram represents the Moon at different positions, labeled A, B, C, and D, in its orbit around Earth.

23. During which Moon phase could an observer on Earth see a lunar eclipse occur?

24. The diagram below shows the positions of the Moon and the Sun at sunset during an evening in New

York State. Points A, B, C, and D represent positions along the western horizon.

At sunset on the following evening,

the Moon will be located at position

(1) A (2) B (3) C (4) D

25. The graph below shows the varying amount of gravitational attraction between the Sun and an asteroid in

our solar system. Letters A, B, C, and D indicate four positions in the asteroid’s orbit.

Which diagram best represents the positions of the asteroid in its orbit around the Sun? [Note: The diagrams

are not drawn to scale.]

Bonus Questions:

26. Which sequence of Moon phases could be observed from Earth during a 2-week period?

27. The diagram below shows the position of the Sun, the Moon, and Earth during a solar eclipse. The full

shadow (umbra) and partial shadow (penumbra) of the Moon and Earth are shown.

Which diagram best represents the appearance of the Sun and the Moon to an observer located within the

umbra of the Moon’s shadow on Earth’s surface?

Base your answers to questions 28 and 29 on the diagram below, which represents an exaggerated model of

the shape of Earth’s orbit, and on your knowledge of Earth science. The positions of Earth in its orbit on

December 21 and June 21 are indicated. The positions of perihelion (when Earth is closest to the Sun) and

aphelion (when Earth is farthest from the Sun) are also indicated. Both perihelion and aphelion occur

approximately two weeks after the dates shown.

28. How many months after Earth’s perihelion position does Earth’s aphelion position occur? [1]

29. Explain why warm summer temperatures occur in New York State when Earth is at aphelion. [1]

EARTH SCIENCE TEST

Astronomy Test #2

Part 2

Name: _______________________________________________________________ Period:_______

Part 2 (5 points) Place all final answers on the answer sheet.

Base your answers to question 30 on the diagram below, which shows Earth as viewed from

above the North Pole. The nighttime side of Earth has been shaded. The Moon is shown at eight positions in

its orbit around Earth. The name of each Moon phase is indicated at each Moon position. The dark portion of

each Moon position has not been shaded.

30. On the diagram on your answer sheet, shade the portion of the Moon that is in darkness to show the last

quarter phase as viewed from New York State. [1]

Base your answers to question 31 and 32 on the diagram of the ellipse below:

31. Calculate the eccentricity of the ellipse to the nearest thousandth. Place you final answer on the answer

sheet. [1]

32. Is the eccentricity that you calculated in question 22 greater, less, or equal to the eccentricity of Mars?

[1]

Base your answers to questions 33 and 34 on the diagram below, which shows the locations of high and low

tides on Earth at a particular time.

33. Identify the force that causes ocean tides on Earth. [1]

34. Approximately how many hours will pass between high tide and the following low tide? [1]

Answer Sheet

Earth Science Test Astronomy Test #2

Name:_____________________________________________Date:_______Period:_____

Multiple Choice [25]

1.) _____ 14.) _____ Bonus Questions [4]:

2.) _____ 15.) _____ 26. ________

3.) _____ 16.) _____ 27. ________

4.) _____ 17.) _____ 28._____________________

5.) _____ 18.) _____ 29.________________________________________

6.) _____ 19.) _____ ___________________________________________

7.) _____ 20.) _____ Part 2 [5]:

8.) _____ 21.) _____

9.) _____ 22.) _____ 30.

10.) _____ 23.) _____ 31. Eccentricity =____________________

11.) _____ 24.) _____ 32. __________________________

12.) _____ 25.) _____ 33. _______________________________________

13.) _____ 34. ______________hours

Part 1 (25) = ________

Part 2 (5) = ________

Bonus (4) = ________

Total (30) = ________

% = ________