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

The major axis of an ellipse...

Is any line that passes through the center of the ellipse.
Is a line that passes through both focal points.
Is a line connecting any two points on the ellipse.

Question 2

During the June solstice, in the northern hemisphere...

The day and night are the same length.
The day is the shortest day of the year.
The day is the longest day of the year.

Question 3

If the Sun had a mass twice as large, how would the force of gravity between the Earth and the Sun change?

It would decrease by a factor of 2.
It would increase by a factor of 2.
It would increase by a factor of 4.

Question 4

When I throw a ball while sitting on a spinning carousel, the ball will seem to me to have a curved path. The reason for that is...

That Earth is rotating around its axis.
The Coriolis force.
That Earth is rotating around the Sun.

Question 5

I drop two objects in a vacuum. One has a mass of 1 kg and the other has a mass of 2 kg. What will happen?

Both objects will reach the ground at the same time.
The 1 kg object will reach the ground first.
The 2 kg object will reach the ground first.

Question 6

During the winter:

The Sun is low in the sky.
The Sun is farthest away from the Earth.
The Sun is high in the sky.

Question 7

Which book was the first to describe a heliocentric model?

On the Revolution of the Celestial Spheres.
Almagest.
Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy.

Question 8

The far side of the Moon is...

Always facing away from Earth.
Always facing towards Earth.
Sometimes facing away from Earth and sometimes towards it.

Question 9

A star is 40° east of the March equinox. This means the star is at ...

Declination 40°
Longitude 40°
Right ascension 40°

Question 10

What is the rate of change of velocity called?

Acceleration.
Position.
Momentum.

Question 11

According to Aristotle, the natural state of matter is...

Either being at rest or moving at a constant speed.
Moving at a constant speed.
Being at rest.

Question 12

Which of the following is always conserved?

Momentum
Velocity
Mass

Question 13

Planet A has an orbital period of 200 Earth days. Planet B has an orbital period of 100 Earth days. Which planet is closer to the Sun?

Planet B.
There is not enough information to answer this question.
Planet A.

Question 14

Galileo's discoveries which supported the Copernican model included:

The phases of Venus and the phases of the Moon.
The phases of the Moon and the fact that the Milky Way is composed of many individual stars.
The moons of Jupiter and the phases of Venus.

Question 15

If the Earth had an orbital radius twice as large, how would the force of gravity between the Earth and the Sun change?

It would increase by a factor of 2.
It would increase by a factor of 4.
It would decrease by a factor of 4.

Question 16

The gravity on the surface of Mars is about 1/3 of the gravity on the surface of Earth. This means...

You weigh the same on Earth as you would on Mars.
You weigh less on Earth than you would on Mars.
You weigh more on Earth than you would on Mars.

Question 17

If I double the mass of an object, its momentum will be...

Half as large.
Twice as large.
The same.

Question 18

In which latitudes can the Sun be at the zenith?

Between 66.6° N and 90° N.
Between 23.4° N and 66.6° N.
Between 0° and 23.4° N.

Question 19

A solar eclipse is created...

When the Moon casts a shadow on Earth.
When Earth casts a shadow on the Moon.
When the Moon is hidden behind the Sun.

Question 20

When the Earth is closest to the Sun...

It moves the slowest.
It moves at the same rate as when it is at any other point.
It moves the fastest.

Question 21

Which of the following aspects of Copernicus's heliocentric model was incorrect?

It assumed the planets moved in epicycles.
It assumed the Sun was at the center of the solar system.
It assumed the planets orbited the Sun.

Question 22

Who collected the accurate orbital data on planetary motions?

Nicolaus Copernicus.
Tycho Brahe.
Johannes Kepler.

Question 23

An object in the Kuiper belt...

Experiences the same amount of gravity from the Sun as an object of the same mass in the Oort cloud.
Experiences more gravity from the Sun than an object of the same mass in the Oort cloud.
Experiences less gravity from the Sun than an object of the same mass in the Oort cloud.

Question 24

What was the content of the book "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems"?

It was the first book to introduce the heliocentric model.
It presented arguments in favor of the heliocentric model.
It presented arguments against the heliocentric model.

Question 25

The law of inertia says that...

Objects naturally tend to slow down with time unless a force acts on them.
Objects naturally tend to keep moving at a constant speed unless a force acts on them.
Objects naturally tend to speed up with time unless a force acts on them.