Pretest Physical Science Q4

What observation led the Greeks to conclude that the Earth is spherical?

• The shape of shadows during an eclipse

• The movement of the Sun across the sky

• The variation of day length throughout the year

• The alignment of stars in constellations

Which Greek philosopher provided one of the earliest proofs of Earth's sphericity based on lunar eclipses?

• Aristotle

• Plato

• Ptolemy

• Anaximander

How did the Greeks use ship observations to argue that the Earth is round?

• Ships appeared smaller as they sailed away

• Ships gradually disappeared from the bottom up over the horizon

• Ships always traveled in straight lines

• The waves of the ocean created an illusion of curvature

Who first estimated Earth's circumference using shadows cast at different locations?

• Eratosthenes

• Pythagoras

• Archimedes

• Hipparchus

Which of the following was observed by ancient astronomers before telescopes?

• Planetary retrograde motion

• Cosmic microwave background radiation

• Exoplanets orbiting distant stars

• Black holes

Which astronomical phenomenon is related to the periodic motion of stars?

• Stellar parallax

• Meteor showers

• Supernova explosions

• Solar eclipses

What ancient astronomical event was used to predict the flooding of the Nile?

• The rising of Sirius

• The appearance of Halley's Comet

• The alignment of the planets

• The phases of the Moon

What was Tycho Brahe's major contribution to astronomy?

• Developing a heliocentric model

• Providing accurate astronomical data through detailed observations

• Inventing the telescope

• Proposing the law of universal gravitation

How did Brahe's observations help Kepler?

• They allowed Kepler to formulate the laws of planetary motion

• They proved the existence of black holes

• They supported the idea of an expanding universe

• They confirmed Einstein's relativity

According to Aristotle, objects move because of

• An inherent natural tendency

• An external force acting continuously

• Air resistance

• The curvature of space-time