1. Performance Matters
Semester Exam
Review
(2nd Quarter)

2. Which of the following correctly lists the structure of the universe?
A. universe, galaxy, solar system,
planet, star
B. universe, galaxy, solar system,
star, planet
C. universe, galaxy, star, solar system,
planet
D. universe, solar system, galaxy,

3. 2. Which of the following describes the fact that all objects in the Universe have an attraction to each other?
A. Newton’s Laws of Motion
B. Law of Thermal Dynamics
C. Law of Universal Gravitation
D. Law of Universe Tectonics

4. 3 . Which scientist authored the Law of Universal Gravitation
A. Albert Einstein
B. Sir Isaac Newton
C. Professor Stephen Hawking
D. Bill Nye the Science Guy

5. Apparent Magnitude and Absolute Magnitude of Various Stars
4. Which of the stars listed in the table is the brightest when observed from Earth?
A. Sirius B. Rigel C. Arcturus D. Aldebaran
Apparent Magnitude and Absolute Magnitude of Various Stars
Star
Distance
from Earth
(ly)
Apparent
Magnitude
Absolute
Sirius
8.6
–1.46
1.4
Vega 25
0.03
0.6
Arcturus 34
–0.04
–0.3
Aldebaran 60
0.85
Rigel
1,400
0.12
–8.1
Betelgeuse
0.50
–7.2

6. 5. Two stars have the same apparent magnitude as seen from Earth’s surface. Star A is 23 light-years away. Star B is 118 light-years away. Which of the following statements is true?
A. Star B is larger than Star A.
B. Star B is brighter than Star A.
C. The stars have the same absolute
magnitude.
D. The stars are the same distance from the
Sun.

7. 6. Which of the following describes a light year?
A. How bright light is after traveling one year
B. The time it takes for light to travel in one
year
C. How far light travels in one year
D. The distance from the Sun to the Earth

8. 7. Which of these choices best identifies what the diagram shows?
A. model of a
galaxy
B. geocentric
solar system
C. heliocentric
D. geocentric star system

9. 8. Most of the mass of our Solar System is contained in which of the following?
A. the gas giant planets
B. the Sun
C. the inner planets
D. rocks, gases, and dust

10. 9. The Sun's energy is provided by which of the following?
A. the burning of fossil fuels within
the Sun
B. solar power that produces
electricity in the Sun
C. the Sun's magnetic field
D. the fusion of hydrogen into
helium from pressure and friction

11. 10. Energy from the core of the Sun is transferred outward to the photosphere and then into space. By which of the following heat transfer methods is the energy transferred from the core to the photosphere?
A. conduction then radiation
B. conduction then convection
C. radiation then conduction
D. radiation then convection

12. 11. The sun periodically experiences bursts of energy erupting from its surface that can have devastating effects on Earth. Which type of solar activity does this represent?
A. Sunspot
B. Prominence
C. Solar Flare
D. Solar Wind

13. 12. Which of the following is a
characteristic of gas giant (outer) planets?
they are all cold
they all have thick, gaseous atmospheres
they all have many moons (satellites)
all of these are characteristics of gas giant planets

14. 13. Teresa is studying astronomy
13. Teresa is studying astronomy. She learns that Jupiter has at least 16 named moons as well as many other small un-named ones, and that Earth has just one moon. Which of the following best explains why Jupiter has so many more moons than Earth?
A. Jupiter is much further away from the Sun than Earth, so it attracts more moons.
B. Jupiter has a much greater mass, and therefore a greater gravitational pull than Earth.
C. Jupiter has a thicker, denser atmosphere than Earth, and it condenses rock particles to form moons.
D. Jupiter is so much colder than Earth that clumps of ice form moons in its upper atmosphere more readily.

15. 14. By definition, a dwarf planet, such as Pluto, is round and orbits the sun. What else is true of dwarf planets?
A. They have no moons B. They are smaller than natural
satellites
They are composed of gas
They have other objects in their orbital path

16. 15. What is the correct order of the layers of the Sun
Corona, Photosphere, Core, Radiative Zone, Convective Zone
Core, Corona, Chromosphere, Radiative Zone, Photosphere
Chromosphere, Core, Corona, Radiative Zone, Convective Zone
Core, Radiative Zone, Convective Zone, Photosphere, Chromosphere

17. 16. Which of these choices best defines the orbit of Earth?
A. A circular path around the Sun
B. An elliptical path around the Sun
C. The spin of Earth on its axis as it
moves forward
D. The path Earth travels as it revolves
around the Sun

18. 17. In the diagram below, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun.
Which statement is true about the solar energy received when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, compared to the Southern Hemisphere?
A. the Northern Hemisphere receives less direct solar
energy and is cooler
B. the Northern Hemisphere receives less direct solar
energy and is warmer
C. the Northern Hemisphere receives more direct solar
D. the Northern Hemisphere receives more direct solar

19. 18. The Northern Hemisphere receives more solar energy during one half the year than it does during the other half of the year. Which of the following happens during the year to explain this?
the distance of the Earth to the sun changes during its orbit
B. the amount of direct sunlight that reaches the
Northern Hemisphere changes during the
Earth’s orbit
C. the angle that Northern Hemisphere is tilted on
its axis changes during the Earth’s orbit
D. the amount of energy that is produced by the
sun changes during the Earth’s orbit

20. 19. Brandon observes the moon every night for a month
19. Brandon observes the moon every night for a month. He notices that over this time period, the Moon’s appearance looks different each night. Why does the Moon’s appearance change over this time period?
A. the speed of the Moon’s orbit around
Earth
B. the angle of the Moon’s orbit around
C. the distance between Earth and the Moon
D. the position of the Moon in its orbit
around Earth

21. 20. During the New Moon phase, we don’t see any light from the Moon
20. During the New Moon phase, we don’t see any light from the Moon. This is because the Moon doesn’t give off any light of its own. Where does the light we see on the Moon come from?
A. light from the Earth reflects off the Moon B. light comes from the Moon’s atmosphere
that we see C. light from the Sun reflects off the Moon D. A and C are both correct

22. 21. As the Moon orbits the Earth, the amount of light we see on it changes. Which of the following describes an increasing amount of light we see on the Moon?
waxing B. waning
C. lunar D. solar

23. 22. The diagram below shows the relative positions of Earth, the moon, and the sun. The moon is shown at four possible positions around Earth.
Which position of the moon could result in a solar eclipse?
2 B. 3 C. 4 D. Both 2 and 4

24. 23. Which solar system event does the diagram below show?
A. Waxing Moon B. New Moon C. Lunar eclipse D. Solar eclipse

25. 24. Solar eclipses happen about once every 18 months
24. Solar eclipses happen about once every 18 months. Lunar eclipses happen about every 6 months. What is the primary reason lunar eclipses don’t happen every month?
A. the Earth’s tilt on its axis keeps it from blocking the moon’s light every month
B. as the Moon orbits the Earth, the amount of light on the Moon we see from Earth changes
C. as the Moon orbits the Earth, its tilted orbit keeps it from passing through the Earth’s shadow each month
D. as the Moon orbits the Earth, its angled orbit keeps it from passing through the Sun’s shadow each month

26. 25. Tides are the periodic raising and lowering of water levels in the oceans and other large bodies of water. Which of the following best explains what causes this.
A. the gravitational force of the Moon
pulls on the oceans
B. the revolution of the Earth causes the
oceans to rise and fall
C. the rotation of the earth causes the
D. all of these are correct

27. 26. The diagrams below show the alignment of the sun, the moon, and Earth. Which diagram shows an alignment in which spring tides take place?
A B C D

28. 27. Which of the following is the reason why space exploration beyond the Moon is done without humans?
A. The distance to far away objects would take too long of time
B. The technology has not been invented to travel those distances
C. Space exploration is best done by robots and machines
D. All of these are correct