Astro 10 Midterm - Part 1 - Sierra College Astronomy Home Page

ASTRONOMY 10
MIDTERM EXAM PART I
SPRING 2015
60 QUESTIONS – 50 POINTS: Part I of the midterm constitutes the
“Take-Home” part of the entire Midterm Exam. Additionally, this
“Take-Home” part is divided into two sub-parts.
The second sub-part of the “Take-Home” is given below with 40
questions for a total possible of 40 points (1 point per question).
Clearly print the answers to these questions on the answer form
provided. Return the answer form (separate sheet) to the White Box
by NOON, Friday, March 27. [Note: Spelling and units count on this
exam!!!]
Part II can be found in your MasteringAstronomy account and is
labeled “Midterm – Online Portion”. The questions asked there are
directed at the first chapter listed in your reading assignment for
Week 9 of the course (see your General Schedule of Activities
document) and is conducted in the same manner as done with your
weekly homework exercises where each question is worth 0.5 point.
Therefore, this portion of the midterm has 20 questions for a total
possible of 10 points. This is due by Thurs., March 26 at 11:59 pm.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Part III of the Midterm (worth 50
points) will be given in the week beginning March 23 in your
scheduled 3rd hour. Part II of the midterm will require a Scantron
882 form and #2 pencil. Midterm parts I, II and II are worth 100
points total!
The following 25 questions are directed at Exhibits A-T found at the end of this
exam, the Star Charts SC-001 and SC-002, the Skygazer’s Almanac, and the
motions and configurations of celestial objects in the sky.
1.
See EXHIBIT A: For this year, the planet pictured will SET at what time on the day
that the planet in Exhibit E rises at Midnight? (see SGA)
2.
See EXHIBIT ‘B: Can an observer living anywhere on the equator ever witness the
pictured planet setting when the planet Mercury is rising?
3.
See EXHIBIT C: For a Rocklin observer, the sun would set closest to what point on
March 20 of this year (1, 2, or 3)?
4.
See EXHIBIT D: Which solar system model, the heliocentric or the geocentric, did
the person in the exhibit NOT support?
5.
See EXHIBIT E: The planet pictured will RISE at what time on the Spring Equinox
of this year? (See Sky Gazer’s Almanac [SGA])
Astronomy 10 Mid-Term Exam, Part I
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6.
See EXHIBIT F: In the exaggerated elliptical orbit, what equinox will we experience
when the Earth is near point ‘B’?
7.
See EXHIBIT G: About what time of day will the Moon shown in this diagram cross
the local meridian (noon, sunset, midnight, or sunrise)?
8.
See EXHIBIT H: The darker regions of the celestial body pictured are called what?
9.
See EXHIBIT I:
What is the planetary configuration of the planet Mars?
10. See EXHIBIT J: If it is 3:00 AM for some local observer, judging from the position
of the moon, what is its phase (be specific – two words needed)?
11. See EXHIBIT K: In most cases, objects like the one pictured are found in orbits
flanked by the orbits of what two planets?
12. Name the object from Exhibits A, B, E, L, M, N, O, or Q with the shortest sidereal
day. Please only indicate the letter of the exhibit.
13. See EXHIBIT P: The image is that of a planet’s moon. Give the moon’s name.
14. See EXHIBIT R: Which of the eight planets, if any, can be seen in the constellation
shown? (See SC-002)
15. See EXHIBIT S: On a particular day, it is determined that the Sun is about 10
degrees north of the constellation shown. What month is it? (See SC-001)
16. See EXHIBIT T: If a planet is leaving the constellation shown while undergoing
retrograde motion, what constellation is it entering? (See the SC-001 Constellation
Chart)
17. What time does the planet in Exhibit M rise on August 3 of this year? (See SGA)
18. What is the Moon’s phase (New, First Quarter, Full, or Third Quarter) on the day the
planet in Exhibit O transits at 2:45 AM? (See SGA)
19. The planet in Exhibit Q will be in opposition on what day this year? (See SGA)
20. Name the day in which the planet in Exhibit M sets at the same time as Antares
rises . (see SGA)
21. An observer in Dallas, Texas, would observe the North Star at what altitude?
22. The Sun sets latest in the day at the onset of what season?
23. Because of the precession of the Earth’s axis of rotation, the star Polaris will not
always be the ‘North Star’. In 7000 AD, what star will then be considered the North
Star? (See SC-002)
Astronomy 10 Mid-Term Exam, Part I
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24. Which star map (SC001 or SC002) contains stars never seen in Rocklin?
25. For an observer in Kansas City, Missouri, what constellation would the sun appear
to occupy on June 1?
For the following 5 questions, match the items listed in the left column, with the
planets listed in the right column. Each planet can be used once, more than once
or not at all. (On your answer form, only write the letter that corresponds to the
given question number; do not write out the planet name.)
26. Olympus Mons
A. Mercury
27. Meteor Crater
B. Venus
28. Caloris Basin
C. Earth
29. Valles Marineris
D. Mars
30. Aphrodite Terra
For the following 5 questions, match the entries listed in the left column, with the
satellites listed in the right column. Each satellite can be used once, more than
once or not at all. (On your answer form, only write the letter that corresponds to
the given question number; do not write out the satellite name.)
31. Satellite with active ice geysers
A. Callisto
32. Galilean satellite with lowest density
B. Europa
33. Satellite with apparent ice floes on surface
C. Io
34. Satellite with the most substantial atmosphere
D. Enceladus
35. Surface has no craters
E. Titan
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The following 5 questions are directed at basic physics ideas and their
application to astronomy.
36. An object is observed from Earth to have its spectral lines blue-shifted. Is the object
moving away from Earth or towards the Earth?
37. A particular hot gas exhibits a red spectral line and a blue spectral line. Which color
represents electrons undergoing the lesser energy jump between orbits within the
atoms of the gas?
38. For the same net force applied to two objects, one more massive than the other,
which one will have the greater acceleration, the more massive one or the less
massive one?
39. If the net force on an object is zero, the object will maintain a constant velocity.
(True or False)
40. The acceleration due to gravity of a free-falling object near the Moon’s surface
depends of the object’s mass. (True or False)
Astronomy 10 Mid-Term Exam, Part I
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EXHIBITS PAGE
A.
B.
C.
D.
3
2
1
SW
W
NW
E.
F.
D
A
C
Sun
B
G.
Moon
Sunlight
H.
Earth
I.
J.
Moon
Mars
Sun
Earth
Astronomy 10 Mid-Term Exam, Part I
Western Horizon
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K.
L.
M.
N.
O.
P.
Q.
R.
S.
T.
Astronomy 10 Mid-Term Exam, Part I
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