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

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

No.
Yes.
Depends how the mass is measured.

Question 2

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?

200 g.
100 g.
700 g.

Question 3

What is the fastest human-made spacecraft?

The Parker Solar Probe.
Juno.
DART.

Question 4

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

Question 5

Which planets in the solar system do not have rings?

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

Question 6

What is the purpose of the planned Artemis III mission?

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

Question 7

Which planet has the largest orbital eccentricity?

Mercury.
Venus.
Mars.

Question 8

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?

200 g.
700 g.
100 g.

Question 9

The giant planets are...

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

Question 10

The inner planets are...

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

Question 11

When should we expect the most sunspots?

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

Question 12

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

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

Question 13

Where in the solar system have humans visited in person?

Only Earth.
Earth, the Moon, and Mars.
Earth and the Moon.

Question 14

What was the purpose of the Galileo mission?

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

Question 15

Which state of matter is the Sun in?

Liquid.
Plasma.
Solid.

Question 16

What are Trans-Neptunian objects?

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

Question 17

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

Mars.
Neptune.
Jupiter.

Question 18

How is a dwarf planet defined by the IAU?

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, rounded by its own gravity, and 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 19

What was the purpose of the MESSENGER mission?

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

Question 20

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

The chromosphere.
The photosphere.
The corona.

Question 21

When was planet Earth created?

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

Question 22

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

Apollo 17
Apollo 11
Apollo 10

Question 23

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

Yes.
No.
Depends how the size is measured.

Question 24

Which planets in the solar system have moons?

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

Question 25

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

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