Part I: Multiple Choice Questions. There are 31 multiple choice questions worth 2 points each. Choose the best answer and record it on the scan sheet. 1. The molecule that contributes most to the greenhouse effect on Earth is A. methane. B. ozone. C. carbon dioxide. D. water. 2. Which of the following statements about retrograde motion is INCORRECT? A. in the heliocentric model of the Universe, retrograde motion occurs when one planet overtakes another in its orbit around the Sun. B. in the geocentric model of the Universe, epicycles were invented to explain retrograde motion. C. retrograde motion is the occasional westward drift of a planet against the background stars. D. retrograde motion occurs when a planet occasionally rises in the west and sets in the east. 3. The geocentric world model is characterized by A. placing the earth in orbit around the sun. B. placing the sun at the center of the universe. C. placing the earth at the center of the universe. D. a flat earth. 4. The seasons of the Earth result from A. the tilt of the Earth's rotation axis B. the Earth being farther from the Sun in winter because of its elliptical orbit C. the varying speed of the Earth in its orbit D. the precession of the Earth's rotation axis 5. Suppose you are an astronaut taking a space walk to fix your spacecraft with a hammer. Your life-line breaks and the jets on your backpack are out of fuel. How would you return to your craft safely (without the help of someone else)? A. Throw the hammer in disgust at the spacecraft B. There is absolutely nothing you can do so kiss your ship goodbye C. Throw the hammer in disgust away from the spacecraft D. Fling your arms around in circles E. Apply harsh language towards the spacecraft 6. The ecliptic is A. the Sun's path across the celestial sphere B. the path across the celestial sphere followed by comets C. the line that divides the Earth into daytime and nighttime D. a circle approximately 23.5 degrees across centered on Polaris E. the line on the celestial sphere directly above the Earth's Tropic of Cancer 7. Which of the following is NOT one of Newton's Laws of Motion? A. All objects fall at the same rate irrespective of mass. B. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. C. F = ma. D. An object in motion remains in motion unless acted on by an outside force. 8. The sun casts no shadow A. on the spring equinox at the latitude of the tropics. B. only at the equator. C. on the summer solsctice at the latitude of the tropics. D. every day at noon. 9. Which of these assumptions is NOT part of the scientific method? A. There exists an objective reality. B. Reality is limited by our perceptions. C. The laws of nature are universal. D. Reality is governed by the laws of nature. 10. The phase of the moon today is A. full. B. waxing gibbous. C. waning crescent. D. first quarter. 11. The molecule that does NOT contribute to the greenhouse effect on Earth is A. methane. B. carbon dioxide. C. nitrogen. D. water. 12. The sun stays below the horizon all winter for observers A. above the arctic circle. B. this situation never happens. C. exactly at the equator. D. in the tropics. 13. Copernicus' model of the heavens destroyed many of the concepts of the heavens held by the ancient Greeks. However, one feature that his model retained was that A. the Earth is at the center of the Universe. B. the Sun controls all motions of the planets. C. epicycles were used to explain retrograde motion. D. all celestial orbits are circles. 14. The giant pendulum demonstration done in class was to illustrate A. the conservation of mass. B. that the instructor better duck before the pendulum returns! C. the conservation of energy. D. the conservation of angular momentum. 15. Mercury and Venus are called inferior planets because A. they are terrestrial planets like Mars. B. they never stray far from the sun on the sky. C. they are small and insignificant. D. they are insufferably hot. 16. The Moon has many more craters than Earth because A. it shielded Earth from collisions. B. asteroids cannot penetrate Earth's atmosphere. C. Earth's are all beneath the ocean. D. it has no erosion or geological activity to erase craters. 17. According to Newton's laws of motion, the Moon remains in orbit around the Earth because A. the Earth's magnetic field holds it there B. the Sun's gravity balances the Earth's gravity C. the Moon's velocity balances the Earth's velocity D. Earth's gravity pulls the Moon toward the Earth E. the original motion of the Moon was circular 18. Why do we think the climate of Mars has changed? A. The atmosphere is currently rich in methane. B. Old river beds exist, but no water flows there today. C. Fossil trees found by the Viking spacecraft show it was once hot and wet. D. Its mean density is between that of Earth and the Jovian planets. 19. The principle reason that the terrestrial planets have different geology is A. rotation rate. B. distance from the Sun. C. thickness of the atmosphere. D. planetary mass. 20. The tablecloth pull demonstration done in class was to illustrate A. the conservation of mass. B. how escape velocity depends on the mass of an object. C. the concept of inertia. D. that physics is hazardous. 21. The sidereal day is A. the time it takes earth to spin once about its axis. B. the international standard for the average length of a day. C. the portion of the day due to the earth's orbital motion. D. the time between one sunrise and the next. 22. The ocean tides raised by the Sun and the Moon on the Earth reinforce each other when A. the phase of the Moon is first or third quarter. B. the Earth is closest to the Sun. C. the Moon is closest to the Earth. D. the phase of the Moon is new or full. 23. The greenhouse effect occurs because A. Visible radiation is blocked by the atmosphere. B. Ultraviolet radiation is blocked by the atmosphere. C. Ultraviolet radiation is blocked by the ozone layer. D. Infrared radiation is blocked by the atmosphere. 24. You find yourself driving south on Route 1 on the winter solstice. The sun is directly ahead of you. Consequently, A. there will be a full moon that day. B. you are out early, shortly after sunrise. C. this situation is not possible. D. the time is about noon. 25. A solar eclipse can occur A. when Venus is at inferior conjunction. B. when Venus is in its crescent phase. C. when the Moon's phase is new. D. when the Moon's phase is full. 26. Compared to its neighboring planets, Mercury, Venus, and Mars, the surface of the Earth is relatively young. This youthful appearance results from A. the Earth being the most recently formed of these planets. B. the Earth having the largest Moon of all of these planets. C. tectonic activity still shaping the surface of the Earth. D. the fact that few major impacts ever occur on the Earth. E. the Earth is furthest from the Sun. 27. Planets are spherical while asteroids are irregularly shaped because A. asteroids can not be irregular in shape. B. gravity dominates over material strength in planets. C. material strength dominates over gravity in planets. D. gravity dominates over material strength in asteroids. 28. The escape velocity is A. the terminal velocity acquired by an object in free fall. B. the speed needed to launch a satellite into orbit. C. the speed at which a planet will orbit in a circle. D. the speed required to completely escape the gravitational pull of an object. 29. Which observation of Galileo's was NOT relevant to distinguishing between the Ptolemaic and Copernican world models? A. The moons of Jupiter. B. Mountains and plains on the Moon. C. Stars in the Milky Way. D. The phases of Venus. 30. We see the same pattern on the moon every night because A. the moon has craters, mountains, and maria. B. the phase of the moon depends on the illumination of the sun. C. the earth's atmosphere make it look bigger near the horizon. D. the moon's spin and orbit are tidally locked. 31. The "runaway greenhouse effect" occurred on which planet? A. Mercury B. Earth C. Venus D. Mars 1. D. 2. D. 3. C. 4. A. 5. C. 6. A. 7. A. 8. C. 9. B. 10. C. 11. C. 12. A. 13. D. 14. C. 15. B. 16. D. 17. D. 18. B. 19. D. 20. C. 21. A. 22. D. 23. D. 24. D. 25. C. 26. C. 27. B. 28. D. 29. C. 30. D. 31. C.