Name:

 The Universe 

Choose the best possible answers

1) Our Sun is just one of many millions of stars in a group of stars called a:

 

a) universe

b) black hole
c) galaxy
d) solar system
e) constellation

2) The stars in a galaxy are often millions of times further away from each other than the planets in the solar system

 

a) True
b) False

3) The universe as a whole is made up of at least a:

a) billion galaxies

b) million galaxies
c) billion stars
d) million stars
e) million constellations

4) Galaxies are often millions of times closer together than the stars within a galaxy

 

a) True
b) False

5) Stars including the Sun form when:

 

a) enough rock from space is pulled together by gravitational attraction

b) enough rock from space is pulled together by magnetism
c) enough dust and gas from space is pulled together by gravitational attraction
d) enough dust and gas from space is pulled together by magnetism
e) red giants go supernova

6) During the formation of stars smaller masses may also form and be attracted by a larger mass to become planets

a) True
b) False

7) Individual stars including the Sun:

   

a) stay the same for ever
b) do not stay the same forever
c) are the same size as planets
d) are the same size as moons

8) Stars are very massive

 

a) so that the force of magnetism which tends to draw together the matter from which they are made is very weak

b) so that the force of gravity which tends to draw together the matter from which they are made is very weak
c) so that the force of magnetism which tends to draw together the matter from which they are made is very strong
d) so that the force of gravity which tends to draw together the matter from which they are made is very strong

9) The very high temperatures create forces which tend to make stars

  

a) refract

b) contract
c) expand
d) crush
e) dissolve

10) During the main stable period of a star - which may last for billions of years

 

a) the gravity force contracting the star is balanced by the thermal force expanding the star

b) the gravity force contracting the star is greater than the thermal force expanding the star
c) the gravity force contracting the star is less than the thermal force expanding the star
d) the magnetic force contracting the star is balanced by the thermal force expanding the star
e) the magnetic force contracting the star is greater than the thermal force expanding the star

11) The Sun is at an unbalanced stage of its life.

a) True
b) False

12) When a star like the Sun runs out of fuel it may then:

 

a) contract to become a white dwarf

b) contract to become a black hole
c) expand to become a white dwarf
d) expand to become a red dwarf
e) expand to become a red giant

13) At a later point in its history a star like the Sun:

a) contracts under its own gravity to become a white dwarf

b) contracts under its own gravity to become a white giant
c) contracts under its own gravity to become a black hole
d) expands under its own gravity to become a white dwarf
e) expands under its own gravity to become a black hole

14) The matter from which a white dwarf is made may be millions of times _____ than any matter on Earth

a) cooler

b) denser
c) lighter
d) faster
e) bigger

15) If a red giant is massive enough it may eventually rapidly:

a) expand and then explode
b) contract and then disappear
c) contract and then explode
d) expand and then disappear

16) The rapid expansion and then explosion of a red giant is called a:

a) neutron star

b) white dwarf
c) pulsar
d) black hole
e) supernova

17) A supernova:

a) is a small galaxy
b) throws dust and gas into space
c) is a small star
d) is an exploded planet

18) After a supernova there often remains:

a) a very light neutron star
b) a very dense white dwarf
c) a very dense neutron star
d) a very light white dwarf

19) During a star's lifetime nuclei of lighter elements (mainly hydrogen and helium) gradually:

a) join to produce nuclei of heavier element – called fusion

b) join to produce nuclei of heavier element – called fission
c) split to produce nuclei of heavier element – called fusion
d) split to produce nuclei of heavier element – called fission

20) These nuclear fusion reactions:

 

a) release the corona which is consumed by stars

b) release the corona which is radiated by stars
c) release the energy which is consumed by stars
d) release the energy which is radiated by stars

21) Nuclei of the heaviest elements are present in the Sun, and atoms of these elements are present in the:

a) outer planets of the solar system
b) inner planets of the solar system

22) The evidence suggests that the solar system was formed from the material produced when earlier stars exploded:

 

a) True
b) False

23) Theories of the origin of the Universe have to take into account: that light from other galaxies is:

 

a) shifted to the yellow end of the spectrum

b) shifted to the violet end of the spectrum
c) shifted to the red end of the spectrum
d) shifted to the green end of the spectrum

24) Theories of the origin of the Universe have to take into account:

 

a) that the closer galaxies are - the bigger this 'red-shift'

b) that the further away galaxies are - the bigger this 'red-shift'
c) that the further away galaxies are - the smaller this 'red-shift'
d) that the further away galaxies are - the bigger this 'violet-shift'

25) The current way of explaining “red-shift” is:

 

a) that other galaxies are moving towards us very slowly

b) that other galaxies are moving away from us very slowly
c) that other galaxies are moving towards us very quickly
d) that other galaxies are moving away from us very quickly

26) In addition a current way of explaining “red-shift” is:

 

a) that the further away from us a galaxy is - the faster it is moving away from us

b) that the further away from us a galaxy is - the slower it is moving away from us
c) that the closer to us a galaxy is - the faster it is moving away from us
d) that all galaxies are moving away at the same speeds

27) This suggests that the whole Universe is expanding and that it might have started billions of years ago from one place with a huge explosion ('big bang')

a) True
b) False

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