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CIE IG Space Physics

Total questions: 80

Worksheet time: 1hrs 23mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

How was Hubble able to calculate a rough estimate for the formation of the Universe?

a)

By calculating when hydrogen was first formed

b)

By calculating the age of the oldest atoms

c)

By calculating the rate at which the Universe is expanding

d)

By calculating the rate at which the Universe is shrinking

2.

According to the standard model of Big Bang cosmology, approximately how old is the Universe?

a)

65 million years old

b)

3.8 billion years old

c)

13.7 billion years old

d)

4.5 billion years old

3.

What were the first two elements to form once the Universe expanded and cooled?

a)

Hydrogen and oxygen

b)

Carbon and helium

c)

Helium and oxygen

d)

Hydrogen and helium

4.

What is cosmic microwave background radiation (cosmic background radiation)?

a)

Energy released during the fusion of hydrogen nuclei in the center of stars

b)

Energy used in the laboratory to sterilize equipment

c)

Energy released 380,000 years after the Big Bang

d)

Energy emitted by the Sun

5.

What are two important pieces of evidence we have for the Big Bang?

a)

Ptolemy’s work on epicycles and Hubble’s law (the expansion of the Universe)

b)

Hubble’s law (the expansion of the Universe) and cosmic background radiation

c)

The fact that we have multiple Universes to compare and study and cosmic background radiation (CBR)

d)

The abundance of hydrogen, helium, and lithium found in the Universe and Ptolemy’s work on epicycles

6.

The Big Bang Theory states that all matter started as a small volume and then...

a)

expanded in all directions

b)

contracted even smaller

c)

caused an atomic explosion

d)

burned up and exploded

7.

What do we observe when stars/galaxies are moving away from us?

a)

Cosmic Background Radiation

b)

Blueshift

c)

Nothing

d)

Redshift

8.

Why does redshift occur in stars/galaxies?

a)

Light waves stretch as a star moves away

b)

Light waves squish as a star moves away

c)

Redshift does not occur in stars

d)

Light waves change shape as stars move

9.

What is cosmic background radiation?

a)

Microwave radiation from the Big Bang

b)

Visible light from the stars

c)

Gamma radiation from the Big Bang

d)

Matter that has gravity but no light

10.

Which of the following best describes the creation of cosmic background radiation:

a)

Microwaves from the BB stretched into radio waves

b)

Gamma Rays from the BB stretched into microwaves

c)

Gamma radiation from the BB stretched into ultraviolet radiation

d)

Visible light from the BB stretched into gamma radiation

11.
The universe is expanding.  This means that:
a)
Galaxies are getting bigger.
b)
Atoms are getting bigger.
c)
The universe is creating more matter.
d)
The amount of space between galaxies is increasing.
12.

What is the final stage of a low mass star?

a)

White Dwarf

b)

Black Hole

c)

Red Giant

d)

Neutron Star

13.

Which stage of life is the sun currently in?

a)

White Dwarf

b)

Planetary Nebula

c)

Main Sequence

d)

Red Giant

14.

What is the name of the cosmic cloud of dust and gas that is the first stage in the birth of a star?

a)

Protostar

b)

Spiral Galaxy

c)

Quasar

d)

Stellar Nebula

15.

A stellar nebula will eventually condense into a hot ball of mostly hydrogen called a __________. At this point, nuclear fusion has not yet started but it will soon.

a)

Protostar

b)

White Dwarf

c)

Brown Dwarf

d)

Main Sequence

16.

In a low-medium mass star, after the end of the red giant phase, a hot inner core of the star is left over. This core is a called a __________. There is no longer nuclear fusion happening at this stage.

a)

White Dwarf

b)

Planetary Nebula

c)

Supernova

d)

Neutron Star

17.
A star forming nebula is...
a)
birthplace of stars
b)
made up of gas and dust
c)
contracts due to gravity to begin forming a star
d)
All are correct
18.
After a supernova, if the core is massive enough it can collapse into a...
a)
Black Hole
b)
White Dwarf
c)
Brown Dwarf
d)
Black Dwarf
19.
Mass of a star determines how long it "lives".
a)
True
b)
False
20.

True or False: All stars will eventually become a black hole

a)

True

b)

False

21.

How many stars are in our solar system?

a)

too many to count

b)

billions

c)

one

d)

only the stars that we can see

22.

How will our sun end its life?

a)

Black hole

b)

Black dwarf

c)

Brown dwarf

d)

Neutron star

23.

What is the final stage of a high mass star?

a)

White Dwarf

b)

Black Hole

c)

Red Giant

d)

Neutron Star

24.

In a low-medium mass star, at the end of the red giant stage, the red giant's atmosphere expands outward to create a...

a)

White Dwarf

b)

Planetary Nebula

c)

Supernova

d)

Neutron Star

25.

In a high mass star, at the end of the red giant phase, the gravity causes the star to rapidly collapse. This collapse causes a massive explosion called a __________

a)

White Dwarf

b)

Planetary Nebula

c)

Supernova

d)

Neutron Star

26.

Which elements are found in a main sequence star?

a)

Hydrogen (H)

b)

Helium (He)

c)

Carbon (C)

d)

Oxygen (O)

27.

Which is one of the heaviest element found in a red giant star?

a)

Nitrogen (N)

b)

Iron (Fe)

c)

Sulfur (S)

d)

Magnesium (Mg)

28.

This quantity is the quantity that is crucial for deciding what route the star’s life will go down?

a)

Temperature

b)

Mass

c)

Age

d)

Formation Speed

29.
Gravity is a force, and it weakens with _____
a)
distance
b)
time
c)
velocity
d)
acceleration
30.

Hydrogen nuclei combining to form helium is referred to as nuclear

a)

fusion

b)

fission

c)

fallout

d)

decay

e)

armageddon

31.
What is the sun mostly made up of
a)
Helium
b)
Core
c)
Carbon
d)
Hydrogen
32.
What celestial body eventually evolved into our modern solar system?
a)
a nebula
b)
a supernova
c)
a quasar
d)
a galaxy
33.
Smaller particles collecting together into larger and larger objects is called . . .
a)
accretion
b)
contraction
c)
explosion
d)
rotation
34.

Pluto is no longer considered a planet, it is a dwarf planet that is in an asteroid belt known as the

a)

Oort Cloud

b)

Kuiper Belt

c)

Asteroid Belt

d)

Hubble Belt

35.

In this layer of the sun, nuclear fusion takes place, providing the energy for the sun's heat and light.

a)

The core

b)

The radiation zone

c)

The convection zone

d)

The photosphere

36.

A collection of gas and dust in space is called

a)

a planet

b)

a moon

c)

the sun

d)

a nebula

37.

The process in which hydrogen atoms collide and fuse with each other to form helium in the sun's core is called

a)

radiation

b)

convection

c)

nuclear fusion

d)

conduction

38.

How many planets are in our solar system?

a)

4

b)

9

c)

6

d)

8

39.

What is Pluto's classification?

a)

planet

b)

comet

c)

dwarf planet

d)

star

40.

In which galaxy is our Solar system located?

a)

Milky Way

b)

Sagittarius

c)

Orion's Belt

d)

Asteroid Belt

41.

Identify the planets (in order) starting from the one nearest to the Sun.

a)

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus

b)

Neptune, Venus, Mars, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Uranus

c)

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

d)

Mercury, Neptune, Uranus, Venus, Mars, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn

42.

Which planet is the largest?

a)

Jupiter

b)

Saturn

c)

Mercury

d)

Earth

43.

Which planet is the smallest?

a)

Jupiter

b)

Saturn

c)

Mercury

d)

Earth

44.

Which planet is the lightest?

a)

Jupiter

b)

Saturn

c)

Mercury

d)

Earth

45.

Which planet has the most water?

a)

Jupiter

b)

Saturn

c)

Mercury

d)

Earth

46.

Which of the following is the odd one out?

a)

Asteroids

b)

Meteoroid

c)

Universe

d)

Comet

47.

How long does it take for the Earth to revolve around the Sun?

a)

365.25 days

b)

88 days

c)

687 days

d)

28 days

48.

The planets travel around it in almost circular paths or __________

a)

Circle

b)

Triangle

c)

Orbits

d)

Animals

49.

In the solar system, the sun's _________ keeps the planets and other solar system objects traveling in orbits around it

a)

Sun

b)

Moons

c)

Gravity

d)

Comets

50.

Earth is included among Mercury, Venus, and Mars in the inner, or ____________ planets.

a)

Echelon

b)

Peripheral

c)

Celestial

d)

Terrestrial

51.

The outer planets include Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune. They are called the _______________.

a)

Ringed Planets

b)

Gas Giants

c)

Ice Giants

d)

Peripheral planets

52.

The rotation of a planets dictates the length of the planet's...

a)

Seasons

b)

Days and Nights

c)

Years

d)

Months

53.

The orbital period of a planet is...

a)

The time it takes for moons to revolve around the planet

b)

The time it takes to revolve around the sun

c)

The time it takes the planet to turn on its axis

d)

The distance of the planet from the sun

54.

Comets are large chunks of rock and ice that....

a)

Travel in a straight line

b)

Destroy planets

c)

Orbit the sun

d)

Originate in other galaxies

55.

The equation to find orbital speed is

a)

v = 2πr2/t

b)

v = 2πr/t

c)

v = s/t

d)

v = d/t

56.

What is the speed of light in a vacuum?

a)

300 km/s

b)

3.0x106 m/s

c)

3.0x108 m/s

d)

300 000 000km/s

57.

What is 1 light year?

a)

The length of a year on Earth

b)

The time it takes light to reach Earth

c)

9.5x1015m

d)

3.0x108m/s

58.

Which planet(s) is/are in between Earth and the sun?

a)

A. Mercury and Mars

b)

B. Mercury and Venus

c)

C. Just Mercury

 

59.

 Earth is a terrestrial planet. What does that mean?

a)

A. It is made mostly of rock.

b)

B. It has dirt on its surface.

c)

C. It has an atmosphere that can sustain life.

60.
What are the reasons for the season?
a)
Earth's tilt & rotation
b)
Earth's tilt & revolution
c)
Earth's rotation & rovolution
d)
Earth's tilt & resolution
61.
Day & night are caused by the ______________ of earth on its axis
a)
revolution
b)
orbit
c)
rotation
d)
tilt of the axis
62.

1. Antarctica experiences six months of complete darkness during winter. What is the best explanation of this occurrence?

a)

Earth’s tilt

b)

Sun’s distance from Earth

c)

Earth's rotation

d)

not here

63.

1. What would happen if earth's rotation speed were to increase?

a)

The year would be shorter

b)

The day would be shorter

c)

The year would be longer

d)

The day would be longer

64.

1. Which diagram shows how the Earth’s axis is tilted when it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere?

a)
b)
c)
d)
65.

1. Based on the picture, people living in the Northern hemisphere are generally experiencing_____

a)

Fewer hours of daylight and warmer temperatures

b)

Fewer hours of daylight and cooler temperatures

c)

More hours of daylight and warmer temperatures

d)

More hours of daylight and cooler temperatures

66.

With the Earth in the position shown, is there anywhere that would receive no sunlight for more than a 24 hr period?

a)

No, everywhere will get sunlight over a 24 hour period

b)

Yes, the North Pole will be dark for more than 24 hrs.

c)

Yes, the South Pole will be dark for more than 24 hrs.

d)

Yes, the left side of Earth by the Equator will be dark for more than 24 hrs.

67.
How long does it take the Earth to make one REVOLUTION around the Sun?
a)
12 hours
b)
24 hours
c)
365 1/4 days
d)
29.5 days
68.
The force of gravity acting on an object is the object's ______.
a)
mass
b)
matter
c)
weight 
d)
terminal velocity 
69.
Which of the following will not change in different gravitational fields?
a)
weight
b)
force
c)
mass
d)
pounds
70.
Gravity on Mars’ surface is much lower than it is here on Earth. This is because the mass of mars is ______ than Earth.
a)
less
b)
more
c)
the same
71.

As distance increases, gravitational forces:

a)

Decrease

b)

increase

c)

Disappear

d)

Stay the same

72.

Why does the comet's tail always point away from the sun?

a)

because of opposite magnetic forces

b)

because of solar wind

c)

because you can't see it pointing toward the sun

d)

because of gravity

73.

What are asteroids?

a)

small pieces of stars

b)

small planets

c)

large metallic rocks that orbit the sun

d)

icy stars that orbit the sun

74.

Where is the asteroid belt located?

a)

between Mars and Jupiter

b)

between Neptune and the Kuiper Belt

c)

between the sun and the Earth

d)

between the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud

75.
What is the formula for Hubble's Law?
a)
V=Ho x d
b)
Ho= V x d
c)
d= Ho x V
d)
Ho= d/V
76.
The universe is ________________.
a)
expanding
b)
staying constant
c)
shrinking
d)
moving towards other universes
77.

Which of the following is NOT an evidence of the Big Bang?

a)

Red Shift

b)

Steady state

c)

Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation

d)

Nucleosynthesis

78.

The farther away galaxies are from us, the _______________ it is that they are moving away from us.

a)

more uncertain

b)

faster

c)

slower

d)

more unpredictable

79.

Most scientists believe the Big Bang explains which of the following questions?

a)

How the planets & moons formed.

b)

How our Universe began.

c)

How the sun turns hydrogen into helium.

d)

How fast light travels through space.

80.

What term below is defined as electromagnetic radiation aligned according to wavelength and frequency?

a)

interferometry

b)

visible light

c)

electromagnetic spectrum

d)

gamma radiation