Astronomy Test Review

Front

What are electromagnetic (EM) waves?

Back

Electromagnetic waves are waves of energy that travel through space at the speed of light, consisting of oscillating electric and magnetic fields. They include radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays.

Front

Which EM wave has a lower frequency than X-Ray and shorter wavelengths than Infrared?

Back

Ultraviolet (UV) waves.

Front

What is red shifting in astronomy?

Back

Red shifting is the phenomenon where light from distant galaxies is shifted towards the red end of the spectrum, indicating that the galaxies are moving away from us, which supports the theory of the expanding universe.

Front

True or False: We have telescopes that can study EM wavelengths the human eye cannot see.

Back

True.

Front

What direction do you go on an HR diagram to find the dimmest stars?

Back

Down.

Front

What element is found in all main sequence stars, which make up 90% of those in the universe?

Back

Hydrogen.

Front

What is the Big Bang theory?

Back

The Big Bang theory is the leading explanation for the origin of the universe, proposing that it began as a singularity approximately 13.8 billion years ago and has been expanding ever since.

Front

What is the electromagnetic spectrum?

Back

The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all types of EM radiation, ordered by wavelength or frequency, including radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays.

Front

What is a light year?

Back

A light year is the distance that light travels in one year, approximately 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion kilometers), used to measure astronomical distances.

Front

What is a main sequence star?

Back

A main sequence star is a star that is in the stable phase of its life cycle, where it fuses hydrogen into helium in its core, including our Sun.