Properties of Light Quiz

What is the speed of light in a vacuum?

• 150,000 kilometers per second

• 299,792 kilometers per second

• 500,000 kilometers per second

• 1,000,000 kilometers per second

What is the term for the brightness of an object as seen from Earth?

• Absolute magnitude

• Luminosity

• Intensity

• Apparent magnitude

What effect occurs when an object in space moves away from us, causing light to shift toward the red end of the spectrum?

• Redshift

• Doppler effect

• Blueshift

• Gravitational lensing

What is the distance light travels in one year called?

• Kiloparsec

• Parsec

• Astronomical unit

• Light-year

What is the role of photons in astronomy?

• They create black holes.

• They are the basic units of light.

• They measure distances.

• They absorb light.

What does polarization of light refer to?

• Light being absorbed by matter

• Light waves vibrating in a single direction

• Light being scattered by dust

• Light waves vibrating in multiple directions

What is the primary use of spectroscopy in astronomy?

• To observe black holes

• To measure distances

• To classify stars

• To detect exoplanets

What is the effect of interstellar dust on light from distant objects?

• It creates new wavelengths.

• It absorbs or scatters light.

• It has no effect.

• It enhances brightness.

What is the significance of Hubble's Law in relation to light?

• It describes the Doppler effect

• It explains the color of stars

• It measures the speed of light

• It provides evidence for the Big Bang theory

What type of light reveals high-energy processes like black holes?

• Visible light

• X-rays

• Infrared light

• Radio waves