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

What is the Barnum effect?

The astrological phenomenon that ensures the horoscope actually describes each individual person accurately.
The effect that produces astrological predictions.
The cognitive bias that makes people think a horoscope describes them individually, while in fact it is intentionally vague enough to describe anyone.

Question 2

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

A day.
A year.
A month.

Question 3

Which of the following numbers is the smallest?

2 × 10⁷
4 × 10⁵
5 × 10⁶

Question 4

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

Latitude 40° S, longitude 20° E
Latitude 20° S, longitude 40° E
Latitude 20° E, longitude 40° S

Question 5

Ptolemy's model...

Does not accurately describe the structure of the solar system.
Accurately describes the structure of the solar system.
Accurately described the structure of the solar system in Ptolemy's time, but this structure has changed since then.

Question 6

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

It was only able to explain the complicated motions of the planets using an equally complicated model.
It was only able to explain the motions of the planets, but not the motions of the Sun and the Moon.
It was only able to explain the complicated motions of the planets using a simple model.

Question 7

Which of the following is a reliable source of information about astronomy?

Any YouTube channel that has "astronomy" in the title.
The website for the James Webb Space Telescope, a space telescope operated by NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, and the European Space Agency.
Social media posts.

Question 8

When a planet is in retrograde...

The Earth is passing by it and temporarily moving faster than it.
You should not start any new relationships.
It is moving backwards in its orbit.

Question 9

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

The celestial equator.
The north celestial pole.
The south celestial pole.

Question 10

How many constellations does the Sun appear to pass through over the course of a year?

12
13
24

Question 11

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

Circles.
Ellipses.
Epicycles.

Question 12

Which planet's orbits are between the Sun and the Earth?

Mercury and Mars.
Venus and Mars.
Mercury and Venus.

Question 13

A celestial object which cannot produce its own light is...

A planet.
Either a star or a planet.
A star.

Question 14

What is the Local Group?

A cluster of galaxies that the Milky Way belongs to.
A cluster of stars that the Sun belongs to.
A cluster of galaxies located near the Milky Way.

Question 15

What was the ancient Babylonian text on astrology called?

The Tetrabiblos.
Enuma Anu Enlil.
Almagest.

Question 16

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

The appeal to tradition fallacy.
The appeal to popularity fallacy.
The correlation implies causation fallacy.

Question 17

In science, what is a hypothesis?

An idea that has not yet been tested.
An idea that is 100% correct and will never be replaced.
An idea that has been rigorously tested and is correct to the best of our current knowledge.

Question 18

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

Because they did not know about stellar parallax.
Because they did not observe stellar parallax.
Because they observed stellar parallax.

Question 19

The Big Dipper is...

A planet.
A constellation.
An asterism.

Question 20

A radio message was sent in 2150 from Earth to the distant planet Wolf 359 c, approximately 8 light-years away. When will the message get to the other planet? (Remember: radio waves travel at the speed of light.)

In the year 2150.
In the year 2158.
In the year 2160.

Question 21

Astronomy is...

A pseudo-science, which means it claims to be a science but does not use the scientific method to test the validity of hypotheses.
A science, which means it is based on theories that are proven to be 100% correct and can never be disputed.
A science, which means it uses the scientific method to test the validity of hypotheses.

Question 22

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

The hypothesis that is easier to understand is the correct one.
The hypothesis whose predictions have been verified in experiments is the correct one.
The hypothesis from the scientist with a PhD from the more prestigious university is the correct one.

Question 23

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

Testing hypotheses by comparing them against experimental results in the lab.
Testing hypotheses by comparing them against observations.
Testing hypotheses by comparing them against important books such as Ptolemy's Almagest.

Question 24

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

The astrology cannot accurately predict an individual's personality traits.
The astrology can accurately predict an individual's personality traits, but only if that person believes in astrology.
The astrology can accurately predict an individual's personality traits.

Question 25

When was stellar parallax first measured successfully?

By the Babylonians, around 4,000 years ago.
By the ancient Greeks, around 2,000 years ago.
By Friedrich Bessel, in 1838.