Astronomy NCFE Review

The earth revolves around the sun in a __________ orbit.

• Elliptical

• Square

• Circular

• Hexagon

How long does it take the earth to rotate once?

• 365 days

• 365.25 days

• 12 hours

• 24 hours

Which of the following describes nutation?

• wobbling around the precessional axis

• change in the angle 1/2 degree one way or the other

• very slightly increases or decreases seasonal effects

• all of the above

What is barycenter?

• the center of mass where two or more celestial bodies orbit each other

• the point between two objects where they imbalance each other

• the center of mass where a celestial body rotates

• the point between two objects

Precession will cause Polaris to always be considered the "northern star."

• True

• False

The _____ of the earth causes the seasons to occur.

• equator

• tilt

• axis

• rotation

Based on the diagram, what type of tide is occurring?

• High tide

• Spring tide

• Low tide

• Neap tide

What is the specific type of nuclear reaction that occurs in the core of the sun?

• Fusion

• Fission

• Combustion

• Decay

How is energy from the sun transferred to earth?

• Convection of gases

• Radiation of electromagnetic waves

• Conduction of solar beams

Why is solar energy important for life on earth?

• plants transform it into chemical energy through photosynthesis

• animals transform it into chemical energy through photosynthesis

• it increases ocean temperatures

• it increases global climate change