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

Practice Exam #3

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 was the purpose of the MESSENGER mission?

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

Question 2

Which planet has the largest orbital eccentricity?

Venus.
Mars.
Mercury.

Question 3

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

Depends how the mass is measured.
No.
Yes.

Question 4

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

The corona.
The chromosphere.
The photosphere.

Question 5

Which planets in the solar system do not have rings?

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

Question 6

What is the fastest human-made spacecraft?

DART.
The Parker Solar Probe.
Juno.

Question 7

Which planets in the solar system do not have moons?

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

Question 8

When was planet Earth created?

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

Question 9

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?

700 g.
100 g.
200 g.

Question 10

What was the purpose of the DART mission?

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.
To change the path of an asteroid that was a dangerous threat to Earth.

Question 11

What is the purpose of the planned Artemis II mission?

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

Question 12

What was the purpose of the Galileo mission?

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

Question 13

Which state of matter is the Sun in?

Plasma.
Liquid.
Solid.

Question 14

What are Trans-Neptunian objects?

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

Question 15

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 16

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

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

Question 17

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

Jupiter.
Neptune.
Mars.

Question 18

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

Mars.
The Moon and Mars.
The Moon.

Question 19

When should we expect the most sunspots?

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

Question 20

The inner planets are...

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

Question 21

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 22

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

No.
Yes.
Depends how the size is measured.

Question 23

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

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

Question 24

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

Apollo 10
Apollo 11
Apollo 17

Question 25

The giant planets are...

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