Light Years, Galaxies, and Theories
Quiz by Chelsea Escalon
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18 questions
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- Q1According to The American Astronomical Society, ______ is responsible for proving the existence of other galaxies and changing the way astronomers viewed the universe.John JurinPercival LowellEdwin HubbleMary Proctor30s
- Q2Based on data from observations and calculations, scientists estimate the age of the universe to be —between 6 and 10 billion years oldbetween 12 and 14 billion years oldbetween 12 and 14 million years oldbetween 2 and 5 billion years old45s
- Q3Astronomers measure distances between stars in units of light years because the same distance written in kilometers —is a very large numberis not as accuratecannot be used by a computercannot be used to compare long distances45s
- Q4Which of these two objects in space are MOST LIKELY about 4 light years apart?Earth and the sunMercury and PlutoEarth and the moonThe sun and the closest star45s
- Q5The light year is a unit used by astronomers who study the universe. Which of the following does the light year measure?timeagebrightnessdistance45s
- Q6Which of the following BEST explains why astronomers use units called light years to make measurements?Stars can give off light for many years and never move in space.Most stars give off the same amount of light each year, and each star is mapped.About the same number of stars begin giving off light and dying each year.Light travels a large distance in one year, and objects in space are very far apart.45s
- Q7The meter has been defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. Therefore, the speed that light travels will be —299,792,458 meters per second299,792,458 miles per hour299,792,458 meters per hour1/299,792,458 meters per second45s
- Q8Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Earth after the Sun. Proxima Centauri is approximately 4.3 light years away. How long would it take light from Proxima Centauri to reach the Earth?4.3 years4 trillion years43 years1 year45s
- Q9It takes approximately 8 minutes and 20 seconds for light from the Sun to reach the Earth. Which is true about the distance from the Sun to the Earth?The Sun is much less than 1 light year from the Earth.The Sun is about 14 light years from the Earth.The Sun is about 10 light years from the Earth.The Sun is about 1 light year from the Earth.45s
- Q10Which of the following would BEST support the theory that the universe undergoes cycles of expansion and contraction that last billions of years?discovering life-forms on another planetfinding another planet in the solar system that is similar to Earthobserving blue- or redshifted light from starscalculating the age of the universe45s
- Q11Scientists believe that the universe is expanding because of a phenomena known as —red shiftradioactivityblue shiftblack holes45s
- Q12Which of the following BEST supports the Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe?the redshift of light from starsthe constant speed of lightthe regular motions of planetsthe different shapes of the galaxies45s
- Q13Scientists that believe in the Big Bang theory think that the universe was once much —denser and hotterbrighter and largersmaller and coolerheavier and darker45s
- Q14The Milky Way galaxy is described as a disk of stars orbiting a central point on the disk. Which of these best explains why people on Earth cannot see the entire shape of the Milky Way?The center of the galaxy consists of a dense cluster ofstars.Many more stars exist outside the galaxy.Earth is a part of this galaxy.The stars in the center of the galaxy are extremely small.45s
- Q15What type of galaxy is mostly round and densely packed with stars?irregularEllipticalspiralMilky Way45s