Practice Test

Please solve the following questions. This is not a real exam, it will not be graded, and you do not need to submit your solutions to anyone. The questions are simply intended to help you practice for the real exam.

These questions will not appear in the exam itself. Students who don't genuinely attempt to solve the questions on their own, and only memorize the solutions, will have a very hard time in the actual exam!

This sample exam is online, but the real exam will be given in person, at a time and place indicated on the course website.

THIS IS NOT THE ACTUAL EXAM!
THIS IS JUST A PRACTICE EXAM!
THE REAL EXAM IS IN PERSON!

If you need any clarifications for these questions, you can ask for them on the course Teams channel.

Question 1

Ptolemy's geocentric model lacked predictive value because...




Question 2

A radio message was sent in 2150 from Earth to the distant planet Epsilon Eridani b, approximately 10 light-years away. When will the message get to the other planet? (Remember: radio waves travel at the speed of light.)




Question 3

What did Dean and Kelly's 2003 review of 40 astrology experiments conclude?




Question 4

A very important part of the scientific method in astronomy is:




Question 5

I am located 20 degrees north of the equator and 40 degrees west of the Prime Meridian. What are my coordinates?




Question 6

The Big Dipper is...




Question 7

Which of the following numbers is the largest?




Question 8

In science, what is a hypothesis?




Question 9

"All my friends believe in astrology. Clearly, it must be true!" This is an example of...




Question 10

Two scientists have published competing hypotheses. Since they contradict each other, only one can be correct. How will we determine which hypothesis is correct?




Question 11

The orbits of the planets in the solar system are...




Question 12

Which of the following is not a reliable source of information about astronomy?




Question 13

Which planet's orbits are larger than the Earth's orbit?




Question 14

I am in the south pole. What is directly above me?




Question 15

What was Ptolemy's important text on astronomy?




Question 16

What is the Local Group?




Question 17

Ptolemy's model...




Question 18

A celestial object which can produce its own light is...




Question 19

When a planet is in retrograde...




Question 20

What is the Barnum effect?




Question 21

What is special about the constellations of the zodiac?




Question 22

One full rotation of the Earth around the Sun corresponds to...




Question 23

What is stellar parallax?




Question 24

Astronomy is...




Question 25

The Greeks believed that the Earth was at the center of the universe...




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