ASTR 1P01/02: Introduction to Astronomy I/II

Practice Exam

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 purpose of the planned Artemis II mission?

A crewed mission to fly to the Moon but not land on it.
A crewed mission to fly to the Moon and land on it.
An uncrewed mission to fly to the Moon but not land on it.

Question 2

What was the purpose of the DART mission?

To change the path of an asteroid that was a dangerous threat to Earth.
To change the path of an asteroid that was not a threat to Earth.
To change the path of a moon that was a dangerous threat to Earth.

Question 3

The last astronauts to walk on the Moon were from...

Apollo 11
Apollo 17
Apollo 10

Question 4

How close to the Sun will the Parker Solar Probe get?

43.5 million km.
0.7 million km.
7 million km.

Question 5

What are Trans-Neptunian objects?

Another name for dwarf planets.
Planet-like objects beyond the orbit of Neptune.
Planet-like objects similar to Neptune.

Question 6

I have 800 g of a radioactive material with a half-life of 6 months. How much mass will remain from the original material after 1 year?

700 g.
200 g.
100 g.

Question 7

How is a dwarf planet defined by the IAU?

An object that is in direct orbit around the Sun, rounded by its own gravity, and clears its neighborhood.
An object that is in direct orbit around the Sun, but not rounded by its own gravity and does not clears its neighborhood.
An object that is in direct orbit around the Sun and rounded by its own gravity, but does not clear its neighborhood.

Question 8

Is the smallest planet in the solar system also the least massive?

Depends how the size is measured.
No.
Yes.

Question 9

Which planets in the solar system have moons?

Mercury and Venus.
Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 10

Where in the solar system have humans visited in person, other than Earth?

The Moon.
Mars.
The Moon and Mars.

Question 11

So far, spacecraft sent by humans have explored...

Only planets and moons.
Only planets.
The Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets.

Question 12

Which of the following layers of the Sun is the highest?

The chromosphere.
The corona.
The photosphere.

Question 13

What was the purpose of the Galileo mission?

To explore Saturn.
To explore Jupiter.
To explore Neptune.

Question 14

Which of the following planets has been explored the least by spacecraft?

Neptune.
Jupiter.
Mars.

Question 15

The giant planets are...

Uranus and Neptune.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 16

When should we expect the most sunspots?

During a solar minimum.
During a solar maximum.
Halfway between a solar maximum and minimum.

Question 17

The inner planets are...

Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
Mercury and Venus.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 18

Which planets in the solar system do not have rings?

Jupiter and Saturn.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

Question 19

What is the fastest human-made spacecraft?

Juno.
DART.
The Parker Solar Probe.

Question 20

Is the most dense planet in the solar system also the most massive?

No.
Yes.
Depends how the mass is measured.

Question 21

Which state of matter is the Sun in?

Plasma.
Solid.
Liquid.

Question 22

I have 800 g of a radioactive material with a half-life of 4 months. How much mass will remain from the original material after 1 year?

100 g.
200 g.
700 g.

Question 23

What was the purpose of the Magellan mission?

To explore Mars.
To explore Mercury.
To explore Venus.

Question 24

When was planet Earth created?

Several million years ago.
Several thousand years ago.
Several billion years ago.

Question 25

Which planet has the largest orbital eccentricity?

Venus.
Mars.
Mercury.