Cypress College ASTR 116 Homework
Astronomy 116, Homework CHAPTER 1 (A) Copernican Revolution. Due:
Print Last, First Name and date on the small Scantron in INK. Print
your last name in BIG BLOCK letters on the back of the Scantron.
Use a No. 2 pencil to fill out Scantron. Read the chapter.
Look at the videos and simulations in the CD-ROM. Answer all True/False and
Fill in the Blank questions. Then answer the following questions and
turn in your Scantron only. Choose the best answer.
1. If the moon is lit on the left side, then it is
- a. waxing
- b. waning
- c. not enough information is given
2. A solar eclipse occurs at
- A. new moon
- B. first quarter moon
- C. full moon
- D. third quarter moon.
3. The Ptolemaic model of the universe:
- a) Explained and predicted the motions of the planets to some degree.
- b) Is the basis of our modern cosmology.
- c) Describes the orbits of the planets as ellipses.
- d) all of the above
- e) none of the above
4. what is an epicycle supposed to explain?
- a. eclipses
- b. retrograde motion of a planet
- c. the phases of the Moon
- a. the circular motion of epi, one of Jupiter's moons
5. Scientists today do not believe the Ptolemaic model because:
- a) It is too old. b) It is too complicated.
- c) Ptolemy has been proven to be a fraud.
- d) It has been proven to be incorrect.
6. What was one of the contributions made by Copernicus to astronomy?
- a) He discovered that the planets move around the Sun in elliptical
orbits.
- b) He said that the Earth is not the center of the universe.
- c) He developed a theory of gravity that could explain orbital motion.
- d) He used a telescope to observe the heavens, thereby reinforcing
the notion of heliocentricity.
- e) He made extensive and detailed observations of the positions of
the planets.
7. What contribution to astronomy was made by Tycho Brahe?
- a) He discovered that the planets move around the Sun in elliptical
orbits.
- b) He said that the Earth is not at the center of the universe.
- c) He used a telescope to observe the heavens, thereby reinforcing
the notion of heliocentricity.
- d) He made extensive and detailed observations of the positions of
the planets.
- e) He developed a theory of gravity that could explain orbital motion.
8. What was one of the contributions made to astronomy by Joannes Kepler?
- a) He discovered that the planets move around the Sun in elliptical
orbits.
- b) He developed a theory of gravity that could explain orbital motion.
- c) He said that the Earth is not at the center of the universe.
- d) He used a telescope to observe the heavens, thereby reinforcing
the notion of heliocentricity.
- e) He made extensive and detailed observations of the positions of
planets.
9. Which of the following is one of the many contributions made by Galileo
to astronomy?
- a) He discovered that the planets move around the Sun in elliptical
orbits.
- b) He developed a theory of gravity that could explain orbital motion.
- c) He said that the Earth is not at the center of the universe.
- d) He used a telescope to observe the heavens, thereby reinforcing
the notion of heliocentricity.
- e) He made extensive and detailed observations of the positions of
planets.
10. The distance between two massive objects quadruples. By what factor
is the gravitational force between them changed?
- a) one half
- b) one fourth
- c) one eighth
- d) one sixteenth
11. If a planet has a semimajor axis of 4AU, its orbital period in years
is
- A. 2
- b. 4
- c. 8
- d. 16
- e. none of the above
12. If the mass of the Earth is doubled, then the pull of the Moon on
the Earth is changed by a factor of
- a. 1/2
- b. 1 (no change)
- c. 2
- d. 4
- e. none of these
13. An astronaut in free space (away from all objects) whirls a ball on
a string in circular motion. If she cuts the string, the ball will
move
- a. away from her hand along a radius in a straight line
- b. away from her hand along a radius in a curved path
- c. away from her hand along a tangent in a straight line
- d. away from her hand along a tangent in a curved path
14. The important parts of the scientific method are:
- a) Creative thought, theory, and mathematical analysis.
- b) Observation, theory, and prediction.
- c) Insight by geniuses..
- d) Mathematical analysis, prediction, and careful study.