The Galaxies and the Universe
Practice Test
1.
The redshift of quasars measures __________.
a.
their shape
b.
their age of formation
c.
their distance from Earth
d.
their intensity
2.
Which galaxy shape is not a part of Hubble's classification system?
a.
spiral
b.
irregular
c.
spherical
d.
elliptical
3.
Why do variable stars pulsate in brightness?
a.
movement at a fixed rate
b.
expansion and contraction of their outer layers
c.
gain in mass
d.
constant contraction
4.
What was the first galaxy to be discovered outside of Earth's galaxy?
a.
the Local Group
b.
the Sagittarius Galaxy
c.
the Andromeda Galaxy
d.
the Virgo
5.
What are the oldest-known objects in the Milky Way?
a.
black holes
b.
active galactic nuclei
c.
dwarf ellipticals
d.
globular clusters
6.
What is located at the center of the Milky Way?
a.
a supermassive black hole
b.
a supernova
c.
gas clouds
d.
gamma rays
7.
What theory does cosmic background radiation support?
a.
the Big Bang theory
b.
the inflationary universe model
c.
the steady-state theory
d.
the theory of evolution
8.
The smallest galaxies are called __________ and the largest are called __________.
a.
dwarf ellipticals, giant ellipticals
b.
dwarf ellipticals, giant spirals
c.
irregular, ellipticals
d.
dwarf spirals, giant ellipticals
9.
What is the name of the cluster that the Milky Way belongs to?
a.
the Super Group
b.
the Local Group
c.
the Virgo Group
d.
the Spiral Group
10.
Galaxies are organized into large groups called __________.
a.
variable galaxies
b.
superclusters
c.
solar systems
d.
super galaxies
11.
The study of cosmology is concerned with __________.
a.
all of the above
b.
the evolution of the universe
c.
the origin of the universe
d.
the nature of the universe
12.
What theory suggests that the universe does not change with time?
a.
the theory of plate tectonics
b.
the steady-state theory
c.
the Big Bang theory
d.
the inflationary universe model
13.
In the Big Bang theory, what balances the momentum of the expansion of the universe?
a.
the momentum of the galaxies
b.
the critical density of the universe
c.
the inward force of gravity
d.
the outward force of gravity
14.
Is the rate of the universe expansion speeding up or slowing down?
a.
It has always been slowing down.
b.
It has always been speeding up.
c.
It was slowing down, but now it is speeding up.
d.
It was speeding up, but now it is slowing down.
15.
How many stars are in the disk of the Milky Way?
a.
100,000
b.
the same number that you can see with your eyes on a clear night
c.
1 million
d.
100 billion
