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

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.)

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

Question 2

The orbits of the planets in Ptolemy's model are...

Squares.
Ellipses.
Epicycles.

Question 3

Did the Greeks believe that the Earth was at the center of the universe?

No, because they did not observe stellar parallax.
Yes, because they observed stellar parallax.
Yes, because they did not observe stellar parallax.

Question 4

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 5

Which supercluster does the Milky Way belong to?

The Virgo Supercluster.
The Pisces Supercluster.
The Leo Supercluster.

Question 6

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

Social media posts.
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.

Question 7

The Big Dipper is...

A planet.
A constellation.
An asterism.

Question 8

What is Occam's razor?

The principle that says complex theories have more predictive value than simpler ones, and therefore should be preferred.
The principle that says simpler theories have more predictive value than complex ones, and therefore should be preferred.
The principle that says simpler theories are easier to understand than complex ones, and therefore should be preferred.

Question 9

"Last year, when Mars was in retrograde, I broke my arm. Clearly, there must be a connection!" This is an example of...

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

Question 10

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

Latitude 20° W, longitude 40° N.
Latitude 40° S, longitude 20° E.
Latitude 20° N, longitude 40° W.

Question 11

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

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

Question 12

Astrology 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 uses 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.

Question 13

In science, what is a theory?

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

Question 14

What is stellar parallax?

The phenomenon where stars close to us appear to move relative to the fixed stars farther away from us throughout the year.
The phenomenon where all stars appear to move together in the sky throughout the year.
The phenomenon where stars far from us appear to move relative to the fixed stars closer to us throughout the year.

Question 15

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

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

Question 16

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

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

Question 17

Which of the following numbers is the smallest?

5 × 10⁶
9 × 10⁴
4 × 10⁵

Question 18

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

A year.
A month.
A day.

Question 19

What is the Barnum effect?

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

Question 20

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 21

What was the ancient Babylonian text on astrology called?

Enuma Anu Enlil.
The Tetrabiblos.
Almagest.

Question 22

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

12
13
24

Question 23

Ptolemy's model...

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

Question 24

When a planet is in retrograde...

It looks to us like it's still moving forward in its orbit, but actually it's moving backwards.
You should avoid any big investments.
It looks to us like it's moving backwards in its orbit, but actually it's still moving forward.

Question 25

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

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