Astronomy Part 1 Regents Questions KEY PDF
Astronomy Part 1 Regents Questions KEY PDF
Regents Questions
1. The Sun revolves around the center of 4. In which sequence are the items listed from least
total mass to greatest total mass?
A) Polaris
B) Aldebaran A) solar system, Milky Way, universe
C) Earth B) Milky Way, solar system, universe
D) the Milky Way Galaxy C) universe, Milky Way, solar system
D) Milky Way, universe, solar system
5. Which time line most accurately indicates when this sequence of events in earth's history
occurred?
A) B)
C) D)
Astronomy Part 1
Base your answers to questions 8 through 11 on the table below, which shows eight
inferred stages describing the formation of the universe from its beginning to the present
time.
9. According to this table, the average temperature of the universe since stage 3 has
A) decreased, only B) increased, only
C) remained the same D) increased, then decreased
11. How soon did protons and neutrons form after the beginning of the universe?
A) 10 -43 second B) 10 -32 second
C) 10 -6 second D) 13.7 billion years
12. The symbols below are used to represent different regions of space.
Which diagram shows the correct relationship between these four regions? [If one symbol is
within another symbol, that means it is part of, or included in, that symbol.]
A) B) C) D)
13. Most scientists believe the Milky Way Galaxy is 14. Which sequence correctly lists the relative
sizes from smallest to largest?
A) spherical in shape
B) 4.6 billion years old A) our solar system, universe, Milky Way
C) composed of stars revolving around Earth Galaxy
D) one of billions of galaxies in the B) our solar system, Milky Way Galaxy,
universe universe
C) Milky Way Galaxy, our solar system,
universe
D) Milky Way Galaxy, universe, our solar
system
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15. The diagram below represents the shape of the 19. The Sun's position in space is best described
Milky Way Galaxy. as the approximate center of
A) a constellation
B) the universe
C) the Milky Way galaxy
D) our solar system
18. The Milky Way galaxy is best described as 23. In which list are celestial features correctly
shown in order of increasing size?
A) a type of solar system
B) a constellation visible to everyone on Earth A) galaxy ® solar system ® universe ®
C) a region in space between the orbits of planet
Mars and Jupiter B) solar system ® galaxy ® planet ®
D) a spiral-shaped formation composed of universe
billions of stars C) planet ® solar system ® galaxy ®
universe
D) universe ® galaxy ® solar system ®
planet
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24. The diagram below represents a side view of 26. Billions of stars in the same region of the
the Milky Way Galaxy. universe are called
A) solar systems B) asteroid belts
C) constellations D) galaxies
B)
C)
D)
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28. According to the Big Bang theory, which graph hest represents the relationship between
time and the size of the universe from the beginning of the universe to the present?
A) B)
C) D)
29. The theory that the universe is expanding is 31. The red shift of visible light waves that is
supported by the observed by astronomers on Earth is used to
determine the
A) blue shift of light from distant galaxies
B) red shift of light from distant galaxies A) sizes of nearby galaxies
C) nuclear fusion occurring in the Sun B) relative motions of distant galaxies
D) radioactive decay occurring in the Sun C) densities of the planets
D) rotation periods of the planets
34. The diagram below shows the spectral lines for 38. Starlight from distant galaxies provides
an element. evidence that the universe is expanding
because this starlight shows a shift in
wavelength toward the
A) red-light end of the visible spectrum
B) blue-light end of the visible spectrum
Which diagram best represents the spectral
C) ultraviolet-ray end of the electromagnetic
lines of this element when its light is observed
spectrum
coming from a star that is moving away from
Earth? D) gamma-ray end of the electromagnetic
spectrum
A)
42. The diagram below illustrates three stages of a current theory of the formation of the
universe.
A major piece of scientific evidence supporting this theory is the fact that wavelengths of
light from galaxies moving away from Earth in stage 3 are observed to be
A) shorter than normal (a red shift) B) shorter than normal (a blue shift)
C) longer than normal (a red shift) D) longer than normal (a blue shift)
44. The diagram below represents a standard 48. A star moving away from the Earth will have a
dark-line spectrum for an element. spectrum containing
A) red shifted lines
B) blue shifted lines
C) unshifted lines
D) dim lines
The spectral lines of this element are observed
in light from a distant galaxy. Which diagram
represents these spectral lines? 49. Compared to light from from a stationary
source at the same point, light from an object
A) moving toward you is
A) brighter
B) B) bluer
C) redder
D) unchanged in both color and brightness
C)
50. The Doppler effect predicts that light from a
source moving away from Earth will be
D)
A) shifted to shorter wavelengths.
B) shifted to longer wavelengths.
C) appear blue.
D) appear red.
45. The more that the spectral lines of a star are
shifted to the red end of the spectrum
51. Most astronomers agree that at the present
A) the larger it is.
time universe is
B) the faster it is rotating
C) the hotter it is A) contracting
D) the faster it is moving away from us B) expanding
C) staying the same size
D) expanding and contracting regularly
46. The velocity of a star toward or away from the
Earth can be determined by measuring the
52. The major evidence supporting the "Big Bang"
A) color of the star
theory is
B) shift of its spectral lines
C) brightness of the star A) observations of supernova explosions.
D) its change in apparent size B) the discovery of black holes.
C) observations that the Doppler red shift
becomes greater as we look at more
47. If we observe a Doppler blue shift from a star, distant galaxies.
the star must be D) observations that most galaxies are
A) relatively cool in temperature rotating
B) moving away from us
C) moving toward us
D) a blue star
Astronomy Part 1
57. Base your answer to the following question on The reaction below represents an
energy-producing process.
Base your answers to questions 59 and 60 on the graph below, which shows changes in the
Sun’s magnetic activity and changes in the number of sunspots over a period of
approximately 100 years. Sunspots are dark, cooler areas within the Sun’s photosphere that
can be seen from Earth.
59. Which graph best represents the relationship between the number of sunspots and the
amount of magnetic activity in the Sun?
A) B)
C) D)
60. The graph indicates that years having the greatest number of sunspots occur
A) randomly and unpredictably
B) precisely at the beginning of each decade
C) in a cyclic pattern, repeating approximately every 6 years
D) in a cyclic pattern, repeating approximately every 11 years
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61. During a total solar eclipse one might view 67. Most of the radiant energy released by the sun
results from the process of
A) sun spots
B) the sun's corona A) nuclear fission
C) the sun's solar winds B) nuclear fusion
D) nothing of the sun, since it is totally C) combustion
blocked by the moon D) electrical generation
62. What celestial phenomenum most affects radio 68. Approximately how many times larger is the
communication and other electrical diameter of the sun compared to the earth?
atmospheric changes for us on earth?
A) 10 times B) 100 times
A) solar eclipses C) 1000 times D) 10,000 times
B) solar flares
C) meteorites entering the atmosphere
D) lunar eclipses 69. The most abundant element on the sun is
A) hydrogen B) helium
C) carbon D) oxygen
63. As the sun ages it will be composed of
A) more hydrogen and less helium
B) more helium and less hydrogen 70. Which star is cooler and less luminous than the
Sun?
C) more oxygen and less carbon
D) less oxygen and more carbon A) Proxima Centauri
B) Pollux
C) Rigel
64. The "fuel" of the sun is D) 40 Eridani B
A) hydrogen
B) helium
71. Which two stars are most similar in luminosity?
C) oil and various hydrocarbons
D) oxygen A) Betelgeuse and Barnard's Star
B) Procyon B and Proxima Centauri
C) Polaris and the Sun
65. The most observable phenomena in the "Solar D) Alpha Centauri and Sirius
Cycle" is the appearance of
A) solar eclipses B) sun spots
C) solar storms D) black holes 72. Which statement describes the general
relationship between the temperature and the
luminosity of main sequence stars?
66. Sun spots are believed to be most closely A) As temperature decreases, luminosity
related to the sun's increases.
A) corona B) As temperature decreases, luminosity
B) period of rotation remains the same.
C) magnetic field C) As temperature increases, luminosity
D) changing size increases.
D) As temperature increases, luminosity
remains the same.
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73. The star Algol is estimated to have 79. Which two stars have the most similar
approximately the same luminosity as the star luminosity and temperature?
Aldebaran approximately the same
A) Betelgeuse and Barnard's Star
temperature as the Rigel. Algol is best
B) Rigel and Betelgeuse
classified as a
C) Alpha Centauri and the Sun
A) main sequence star D) Sirius and Procyon B
B) red giant star
C) white dwarf star
D) red dwarf star
Base your answers to questions 80 through 82 on the diagram below, which shows two
possible sequences in the life cycle of stars, beginning with their formation from nebular gas
clouds in space.
80. According to the diagram, a star like Earth’s Sun will eventually
A) explode in a supernova B) become a black hole
C) change into a white dwarf D) become a neutron star
81. Stars like Earth’s Sun most likely formed directly from a
A) nebula B) supernova C) red giant D) black dwarf
82. According to the diagram, the life-cycle path followed by a star is determined by the star’s
initial
A) mass and size B) temperature and origin
C) luminosity and color D) luminosity and structure
84. The graph below represents the brightness and 88. Compared to the sun a white dwarf star is
temperature of stars visible from Earth.
A) hotter and larger
B) hotter and smaller
C) cooler and larger
D) cooler and smaller
94. Barnard's Star has a surface temperature of 99. In order to position a star on an H-R diagram
about you must know at least the star's
A) 300 ºC B) 3000 ºC A) color and apparent brightness
C) 5000 ºC D) 10,000 ºC B) color, apparent brightness and distance
C) apparent brightness and age
D) color and distance
95. In the H-R diagram, 90 percent of all stars fall
A) in the Red Dwarf region.
B) in the Supergiant region. 100. The region of the H-R diagram occupied by
most stars is the
C) among the White Dwarfs.
D) on the Main Sequence. A) main sequence region
B) red giant region
C) white dwarf region
96. Two stars of the same color are plotted on an D) quasar region
H-R diagram. Star A is more luminous than star
B. Which one of the following statements could
explain this? 101. The vertical axis of an H-R diagram relates to
A) Star A is hotter than star B. the
B) Star A is more distant than star B. A) the color of the star
C) Star A appears brighter in the sky than B) the actual visual brightness of the star
star B. C) the apparent brightness of the star
D) Star A is larger than star B. compared to our sun
D) the speed of the star
97. What factor below usually determines whether
a star will be on the main sequence? 102. The smallest stars on a H-R diagram are
A) age found
B) mass A) at the upper left end of the main
C) size sequence
D) distance from our sun. B) at the lower right end of the main
sequence
C) at the upper right corner of the H-R
98. We know that red giant stars are larger in diagram
diameter than the sun because D) at the lower left corer of the H-R diagram
A) they are more luminous but have the
same temperature
B) they are less luminous but have the same 103. Red giant stars have greater luminosity than
temperature our sun mainly because they are
C) they are hotter but have the same A) hotter B) farther away
luminosity C) larger D) older
D) they are cooler but have the same
luminosity
104. Which of the following stars is hottest?
A) a red giant B) a white dwarf
C) the sun D) a red dwarf
Astronomy Part 1
105. What type of star is Polaris? 113. According to the graph, the Sun is classified
as a
A) White Dwarf B) Supergiant
C) Red Giant D) Main Sequence A) main sequence star with a temperature of
approximately 4,000ºC and a luminosity
of 100
106. Small cool stars would most likely appear to B) main sequence star with a temperature
be of approximately 6,000ºC and a
A) blue B) red luminosity of 1
C) yellow D) white C) white dwarf star with a temperature of
approximately 10,000ºC and a luminosity
of 0.01
107. Which star has the greatest size? D) blue supergiant star with a temperature of
approximately 20,000ºC and a luminosity
A) Sun B) Alpha Centauri
of 700,000
C) Betelgeuse D) Procyon
Base your answers to questions 114 through 116 on the diagram below. The diagram
represents the inferred stages in the formation of our solar system. Stage 1 shows a
contracting gas cloud. The remaining stages show the gas cloud flattening into a spinning
disk as planets formed around our Sun.
114. Compared to the terrestrial planets, the Jovian planets in stage 5 have
A) larger diameters B) higher densities
C) shorter periods of revolution D) longer periods of rotation
115. Approximately how long ago did stage 4 end and stage 5 begin?
A) 1 billion years B) 5 billion years
C) 20 billion years D) 100 billion years
116. Which process was occurring during some of these stages that resulted in the formation of
heavier elements from lighter elements?
A) conduction B) radiation
C) radioactive decay D) nuclear fusion
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117. Base your answer to the following question on The diagram below represents possible
stages in the life cycle of stars.
120. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below, which shows an inferred
sequence in which our solar system formed from a giant interstellar cloud of gas and
debris. Stage A shows the collapse of the gas cloud, stage B shows its flattening, and
stage C shows the sequence that led to the formation of planets.
121. Compared to other groups of stars, the group 123. Which star is cooler and many times brighter
that has relatively low luminosities and than Earth’s Sun?
relatively low temperatures is the
A) Barnard’s Star B) Betelgeuse
A) Red Dwarfs C) Rigel D) Sirius
B) White Dwarfs
C) Red Giants
D) Blue Supergiants 124. Compared to the sun, Polaris is
A) hotter and less luminous
B) cooler and more luminous
122. Compared to the surface temperature and
C) the same temperature and larger
luminosity of massive stars in the Main
D) hotter and larger
Sequence, the smaller stars in the Main
Sequence are
A) hotter and less luminous
B) hotter and more luminous
C) cooler and less luminous
D) cooler and more luminous
Astronomy Part 1
125. At which phase of its evolutionary life is a 130. What are the two most abundant elements in
white dwarf star? a main sequence star?
A) the late phase for small mass star A) carbon and hydrogen
B) the remains of a larger star's B) hydrogen and helium
explosion C) helium and carbon
C) in the main sequence phase D) carbon and heavy metals
D) early phases, soon after a star's
formation
131. Which stars are the youngest?
A) Supergiant B) White dwarf
126. The probable fate of our sun is
C) Blue star D) Red Dwarfs
A) to expand as a red giant, undergo a
nova outburst and end as a white
dwarf 132. The explosion of a massive star near the end
B) to shrink to a white dwarf then eventually of its life is known as a
expand to a red giant A) nova B) pulsar
C) become hotter and expand into a blue C) supernova D) nebula
supergiant
D) to become a black hole
133. By using a spectroscope an astronomer can
127. What factor from the choices below A) measure the size of a star
determines whether a star will evolve into a B) measure the altitude of a star
white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole? C) identify elements in the atmosphere of
a star
A) mass
D) measure the diameter of a star
B) percentage of helium
C) percentage of carbon
D) apparent brightness