Astronomy and Life in the Universe

What field of astronomy does Phil Plait find the most exciting right now?

• stellar nucleosynthesis

• black holes

• exoplanets

• active galaxies

When was the first confirmed detection of an exoplanet?

• 1972

• 1982

• 1992

• 2002

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-3

Most of the detected exoplanets are giants, and likely to have very thick atmospheres like ___

• Mercury or Venus

• Venus or Mars

• Mars or Pluto

• Neptune or Jupiter

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

In Earth-like atmospheres, which molecules are extremely reactive, and won't last long without being replenished?

• oxygen

• nitrogen

• carbon dioxide

• argon

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-5

In Earth-like atmospheres, what is the easiest way we know to replenish oxygen?

• combustion

• biology

• stellar nucleosynthesis

• addition reactions

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS1-5

NGSS.HS-LS2-5

Which infrared space telescope is designed to look for the signature of oxygen on distant worlds?

• the Spitzer Space Telescope

• Wide Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE)

• the Einstein Observatory (HEAO 2)

• the James Webb Space Telescope

We now think that most stars in the galaxy have planets. How many stars are in our galaxy?

• under 20 million stars

• about 200 million stars

• about 20 billion stars

• over 200 billion stars

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

We see traces of life on Earth going back nearly ___

• 4 million years

• 40 million years

• 4 billion years

• 40 billion years

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-6

Life existed on Earth not too long after it cooled enough to have ___

• liquid water on its surface

• solid water on its surface

• an oxygen atmosphere

• gaseous water in the atmosphere

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-6

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1

NGSS.HS-ESS2-5

For most of Earth's history the most advanced life was basically ___

• minerals

• algae

• Carboniferous plants

• primates

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-7

NGSS.HS-LS4-2