Astro 110 - The Solar System » Fall 2019 » Quiz

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Question #1
Newton concluded that some force had to act on the moon because
A.   a force is needed to keep the moon from coming to a stop.
B.   the moon moved at a constant velocity.
C.   All of these.
D.   a force is needed to pull the moon outward.
E.   a force is needed to pull the moon away from straight-line motion.
Question #2
Which of the following would cause the force on the Moon by the Earth to increase by the largest amount?
A.   double the mass of the Moon.
B.   None of the changes listed could cause the force to increase.
C.   move the moon two times closer to Earth.
D.   All of the changes listed would cause the same increase in the force.
E.   double the mass of Earth.
Question #3
If the distance between the Earth and Sun were cut in half, the gravitational force between these two objects would:
A.   increase by 4
B.   increase by 2
C.   decrease by 2
D.   decrease by 4
Question #4
What force holds planets in their orbits?
A.   Air resistance
B.   Friction
C.   Gravity
D.   Electromagnetic
Question #5
Astronauts orbiting Earth in the space shuttle feel weightless in space because:
A.   they are farther away from the Earth
B.   they are in constant free fall around the Earth
C.   they eat less food while in orbit
D.   the added gravitational pull of the Moon balances the Earth’s gravitational pull
Question #6
Newton’s first law states that objects in motion:
A.   stay in motion
B.   experience an unbalanced force
C.   eventually come to rest
D.   experience a nonzero acceleration
Question #7
Gravity holds planets in orbit.
A.   FALSE
B.   TRUE
Question #8
Who wrote the equation for the law of gravitation?
A.   Kepler
B.   Galileo
C.   Newton
D.   Brahe
E.   Copernicus
Question #9
What was the most important contribution of Newton to the development of astronomy?
A.   Newton showed that the astronomical phenomena can be explained using only basic physics and mathematics.
B.   Newton showed that planetary orbits are ellipses, with each planet moving fastest when closest to the Sun.
C.   Newton invented the telescope.
D.   Newton was the first to observe the sky through a telescope.

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