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Physic
Q:
According to Kepler, the speed of a planet is slowest when it is
A) closest to the Sun.
B) farthest from the Sun.
C) neither, for speed is a constant.
Q:
According to Kepler, the orbital period of a planet is directly proportional to the
A) planet's average distance from the Sun.
B) square of the planet's average distance from the Sun.
C) cube of the planet's average distance from the Sun.
Q:
According to Kepler, the line from the Sun to any planet sweeps out equal areas of space
A) with each complete revolution.
B) only when the paths are ellipses.
C) in equal time intervals.
Q:
Who envisioned the motion of planets as projectiles obeying the laws of physics?
A) Kepler
B) Newton
C) both of these
D) neither of these
Q:
The focal point of a satellite in orbit about the Sun is
A) inside the Sun.
B) outside the Sun.
C) both of these
D) neither of these
Q:
Newton hypothesized that the forces acting on planets was
A) along their directions of travel.
B) perpendicular to their directions of travel.
C) toward the Sun.
D) none of the above
Q:
Both Newton and Kepler considered forces on the planets. Kepler mistakenly hypothesized the direction of the forces to be
A) along their directions of travel.
B) perpendicular to their directions of travel.
C) toward the Sun.
D) none of the above
Q:
According to Kepler, the paths of planets about the Sun are
A) parabolas.
B) circles.
C) straight lines.
D) ellipses.
E) none of the above
Q:
When Kepler devised his laws of planetary motion, he was most influenced by
A) Galileo.
B) Newton.
C) Tycho Brahe.
Q:
The orbital path of a satellite has two focal points. When both focal points are together
A) the satellite path is an ellipse.
B) the satellite path is a circle.
C) satellites lose speed.
Q:
For all paths of Earth satellites, one focus of the path is
A) the location from which the satellite was launched.
B) Earth's center.
C) the Sun's center.
D) need more information
Q:
A satellite in an elliptical orbit about a planet travels much faster when it is directly over a
A) large ocean.
B) large island.
C) high mountain range.
D) great plain or plateau.
E) none of the above
Q:
An Earth satellite in an elliptical orbit has its smallest speed
A) closest to Earth.
B) when getting farther from Earth.
C) when farthest from Earth.
D) need more information
Q:
Project a cannonball from atop Newton's hypothetical mountain at 8 km/s and it orbits Earth. Project it at 9 km/s and the shape of the orbit is
A) a somewhat larger circle.
B) a wide parabola.
C) an ellipse.
Q:
Consider a moon that orbits one of our most distant planets in an elliptical path. The distance that the moon covers each day is
A) greatest when closest to the planet.
B) greatest when farthest from the planet.
C) the same everywhere.
D) need more information
Q:
Acceleration is greater for a satellite when it is at the
A) apogee (farthest point).
B) perigee (closest point).
C) zenith.
D) same acceleration at all of the above places.
Q:
An Earth satellite in an elliptical orbit travels fastest when it is
A) nearest Earth.
B) farthest from Earth.
C) everywhere along its orbit.
Q:
The force of gravity does work on a satellite when it is in
A) circular orbit.
B) elliptical orbit.
C) both of these
D) neither of these
Q:
Which of these vary for satellites in elliptical orbits?
A) speed.
B) momentum.
C) kinetic energy.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above
Q:
Which of these vary for satellites in circular orbits?
A) speed.
B) momentum.
C) kinetic energy.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above
Q:
From Earth, one satellite appears to overtake another. The faster satellite is
A) higher.
B) lower.
C) smaller.
D) can't say
Q:
Compared with the period of satellites in close Earth orbit, the period of satellites orbiting far from Earth is
A) shorter.
B) the same.
C) longer.
D) need more information
Q:
Communications and weather satellites always appear at the same place in the sky, because these satellites are
A) beyond the pull of Earth's gravitational field.
B) moving at a speed just short of escape velocity.
C) orbiting Earth with a 24-hour period.
D) stationary in space.
E) none of the above
Q:
The Early Bird communication satellite hovers over the same point on Earth's equator indefinitely, because
A) other forces than Earth's gravity act on it.
B) it pulls as hard on Earth as Earth pulls on it.
C) it is beyond the main pull of Earth gravity.
D) it is kept aloft by ground control.
E) its orbital period is 24 hours.
Q:
An Earth satellite in close orbit circles Earth in about an hour and a half. How long would a satellite located as far away as the Moon take to orbit Earth?
A) the same hour and a half
B) less than an hour and a half
C) about 28 days
D) need more information
E) none of the above
Q:
The period of an Earth satellite depends on the satellite's
A) mass.
B) weight on Earth.
C) radial distance from Earth.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above
Q:
Minimal orbit speed about Earth is about 8 km/s, and about Jupiter is
A) less than 8 km/s.
B) more than 8 km/s.
C) about 8 km/s.
Q:
Minimal orbital speed about Earth is about 8 km/s, and about the Moon is
A) less than 8 km/s.
B) more than 8 km/s.
C) about 8 km/s.
Q:
If a satellite's radial velocity is zero at all times, its orbit must be
A) parabolic.
B) elliptical.
C) circular.
D) geosynchronous.
Q:
The circular path of a satellite orbiting Earth is characterized by a constant
A) speed.
B) acceleration.
C) radial distance.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above
Q:
Earth satellites are typically more than 100 km high so as to be above Earth's
A) atmosphere.
B) gravitational field.
C) both of these
Q:
Acceleration due to gravity on the Moon is less than on Earth, and the Moon is smaller than Earth. This means that compared to an Earth satellite, a satellite in close orbit about the Moon would travel
A) slower.
B) faster.
C) the same.
D) need more information
Q:
The speed of an Earth satellite does NOT depend on its
A) distance from Earth.
B) mass.
C) but it depends on both
D) it depends on neither
Q:
The speeds of the planets about the Sun depend on
A) their distances from the Sun.
B) the masses of the planets.
C) their periods of rotation.
D) none of the above
Q:
A lunar month is about 28 days. If the Moon were closer to Earth than it is now, the lunar month would be
A) less than 28 days.
B) about 28 days.
C) more than 28 days.
D) need more information
Q:
A lunar month is about 28 days. If the Moon were farther from Earth than it is now, the lunar month would be
A) less than 28 days.
B) about 28 days.
C) more than 28 days.
D) need more information
Q:
Our Moon in Earth orbit travels fastest when it is
A) involved in an eclipse.
B) rotating.
C) revolving.
D) closest.
E) all of the above
Q:
A weightless astronaut in an orbiting satellite is
A) shielded from Earth's gravitational field.
B) beyond the pull of gravity.
C) like the satellite, pulled by Earth's gravitation.
D) none of the above
Q:
An astronaut at Earth's surface has a mass of 50 kg and a weight of 500 N. If she were floating freely inside a space habitat in remote space, she would have
A) no weight and less mass.
B) no weight and the same mass.
C) more weight and no mass.
D) none of the above
Q:
It takes Neptune a longer time to orbit the Sun than Earth does because Neptune
A) has much further to go.
B) goes much slower.
C) both of these
D) none of these
Q:
The fastest moving planet in a solar system is the
A) smallest planet.
B) most massive planet.
C) planet nearest the Sun.
D) planet farthest from the Sun.
E) all move at the same speed.
Q:
What prevents satellites such as the ISS from falling?
A) gravity
B) centripetal force
C) centrifugal force
D) the absence of air drag
E) nothing
Q:
The identities of dark energy and dark matter are
A) unknown at this time.
B) subjects of intense astronomical interest.
C) both of these
D) neither of these
Q:
Pluto is classified by as a
A) full-fledged planet.
B) dwarf planet.
C) moon.
Q:
Wobbles in the path of Uranus led to the discovery of
A) Jupiter.
B) Mars.
C) Neptune.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above
Q:
Planets wobble in their orbits due to
A) the gravitational attraction to other planets.
B) uncertainties in the inverse-square law.
C) elliptical-orbit quirks.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above
Q:
An outcome of universal gravitation is that
A) planets aren't cubes with sharp corners.
B) its discovery prompted other laws of nature.
C) prediction and discovery of planets.
D) all of the above
Q:
Earth is presently accelerating toward the Sun (centripetal acceleration). If the Sun collapsed into a black hole, this acceleration would
A) increase.
B) decrease.
C) remain the same.
D) cease to exist.
Q:
If the Sun collapsed to a black hole, Earth's gravitational attraction to it would be
A) more.
B) less.
C) the same.
Q:
When a star collapses to form a black hole, its mass
A) increases.
B) decreases.
C) remains the same.
Q:
The factor most directly responsible for making a black hole invisible is its
A) size.
B) mass.
C) color.
D) surface escape velocity.
E) none of the above
Q:
A black hole is
A) an empty region of space with a huge gravitational field.
B) at the center if all stars.
C) the remains of a giant star that has undergone gravitational collapse.
Q:
Which rocket would require more fuel?
A) one going from the Moon to Earth.
B) one going from Earth to the Moon.
C) both the same.
Q:
A hollow spherical planet is inhabited by people who live inside it, where the gravitational field is zero. When a very massive spaceship lands on the planet's surface, inhabitants find that the gravitational field inside the planet is
A) still zero.
B) non-zero, directed toward the spaceship.
C) non-zero, directed away from the spaceship.
Q:
Each of us weighs a tiny bit less inside the ground floor of a skyscraper than we do on the ground away from the skyscraper because the
A) gravitational field is shielded inside the building.
B) mass of the building above slightly attracts us upward.
C) both of these
D) neither of these
Q:
Half-way to the center of a completely hollow planet with a thin uniform shell, your weight would be
A) one-quarter of your weight on the surface.
B) one-half of your weight on the surface.
C) three-quarters of your weight on the surface.
D) the same as at the surface.
E) zero.
Q:
Half-way to the center of a planet of uniform density, your weight compared to that at the surface would be
A) one-quarter.
B) one-half.
C) three-quarters.
D) the same as at the surface.
E) zero.
Q:
If you drop a stone into a hole drilled all the way to the other side of Earth (neglect the molten core), the stone will
A) come to an abrupt stop at Earth's center.
B) speed up until it gets to Earth's center.
C) speed up until it reaches Earth's other side.
D) slow down until it reaches Earth's center.
Q:
The force of gravity acting on you will increase if you
A) burrow deep inside Earth.
B) stand on a planet with a shrinking radius.
C) both of these
D) neither of these
Q:
How far must one travel to escape Earth's gravitational field?
A) to a region above Earth's atmosphere
B) to a region well beyond the Moon
C) to a region beyond the solar system
D) forget it; you can't travel far enough.
Q:
If an object is placed exactly halfway between Earth and the Moon, it would fall toward the
A) Earth.
B) Moon.
C) neither of these
Q:
Rate this statement: No force due to Earth's gravity acts on astronauts inside the orbiting space station.
A) always true while in orbit
B) sometimes true while in orbit
C) always false
Q:
The amount of gravitational force that acts on a space vehicle while in Earth orbit is
A) nearly zero.
B) nearly as much as the vehicle's weight on Earth's surface.
C) the same as the vehicle's weight on Earth's surface.
Q:
If your mass, the mass of Earth, and the mass of everything in the solar system were twice as much as it is now, yet everything stayed the same size, your weight on Earth would
A) be the same.
B) double.
C) quadruple.
D) be eight times as much as now.
E) none of the above
Q:
An asteroid exerts a 360-N gravitational force on a nearby spacecraft. If the spacecraft moves to a position three times as far from the center of the asteroid, the force will be
A) zero.
B) 40 N.
C) 120 N.
D) 360 N.
E) 1080 N.
Q:
An asteroid exerts a 360-N gravitational force on a nearby spacecraft. The 360-N force on the spacecraft is directed
A) toward the asteroid.
B) away from the asteroid.
C) toward the Sun.
Q:
The concept of force is fundamental to
A) Newton's theory of gravitation.
B) Einstein's theory of gravitation.
C) both of these
D) neither of these
Q:
The direction of a gravitational field is
A) in the same direction as gravitational attraction.
B) away from the center of gravity of an object.
C) opposite to the direction of gravitational attraction.
Q:
Earth's gravitational field extends
A) only above and beyond Earth's surface and cancels inside Earth.
B) both inside and outside Earth and throughout the entire universe.
C) neither of these
Q:
Surrounding a magnet is a magnetic field. Surrounding an electron is an electric field. Surrounding Earth is
A) an alteration in space in which mass experiences a force.
B) a gravitational field.
C) both of these
D) neither of these
Q:
All places on Earth would have high tides at the same instant if the
A) Moon did not revolve.
B) Moon did not rotate.
C) Sun did not revolve.
D) Sun did not rotate.
E) none of the above
Q:
There would be only one ocean tide per 24-hour day if the
A) Earth and Moon were equally massive.
B) Moon were more massive than Earth.
C) Sun's influence on the tides were negligible.
D) Moon's mass were small only a few kilograms.
E) none of the above
Q:
Suppose the Moon had twice the diameter but the same mass and same orbital distance from Earth. In that case, the high tides on Earth would be
A) higher.
B) lower.
C) unequal in size.
D) practically the same.
E) none of the above
Q:
If the Moon were four times as massive but twice as far from Earth, high tides on Earth would be
A) higher.
B) lower.
C) no different.
Q:
If the Moon were covered with water, tidal effects caused by Earth would find the Moon with
A) 1 tidal bulge.
B) 2 tidal bulges.
C) 3 tidal bulges.
D) 4 tidal bulges.
E) no tidal bulges.
Q:
The origin of any microtides in the human body is most likely the
A) Sun.
B) Moon.
C) Earth.
Q:
For lunar tides to occur in the human body
A) most of the body would have to be in the liquid state.
B) Earth's gravitation would have to be incredibly small.
C) parts of the body would have to be appreciably closer to the Moon than other parts.
D) none of the above
Q:
We do not observe tides in a community swimming pool because
A) gravitation on the small mass of water is negligibly small.
B) it is shallow compared to the ocean.
C) all parts of it are practically the same distance from the Moon.
D) they are masked by the much stronger pull of Earth gravity.
E) the tides are only observed at night.
Q:
Which of these three produces the greatest tidal effect on you right now?
A) the Moon
B) the Sun
C) the Earth
Q:
Which produces a greater tidal effect in your body, the Moon or a 1-kg melon held at arm's length above your head?
A) the Moon
B) the melon
C) both about equally