AST101 Exam Prep

According to the Nebular theory, the solar system formed from

• a black hole

• a single large asteroid

• a rotating cloud of gas and dust

• an explosion of a nearby star

Kepler's First Law states that the orbit of a planet around the Sun is

• a perfect circle

• an ellipse around the sun at one focus

• a spiral shape

• a straight line

which ancient philosopher is most closely associated with the geocentric theory?

• Nicolaus Copernicus

• Ptolemy

• Galileo Galilei

• Johannes Kepler

In the heliocentric model, retrograde motion of planets is explained as

• An illusion caused by the relative motion of Earth and other planets

• The backward movement of planets in their orbits

• A flaw in the model’s design

• A result of the planets orbiting the Earth

What does the scientific method not require?

• come up with a theory

• immediate confirmation of results

• create a prediction

• perform a test

What technology confirmed the heliocentric model?

• satellite imaging

• telescopes and space probes

• astrolabes

• nuclear physics

Which of the following is an example of Newton's Third Law?

• A rocket launching as exhaust gases are expelled downward

• A car accelerating due to its engine power

• A ball slowing down because of air resistance

• A satellite staying in orbit around the Earth

Which of the following best explains why the Moon orbits the Earth?

• The Moon has no mass

• The Moon’s inertia and Earth’s gravitational pull keep it in orbit

• The Moon is pushed by solar winds

• The Earth rotates faster than the Moon