MCQ Flashcards
7 cards from real ASP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 MCQ flashcards as text
What is dark matter?
Answer: Matter composed of undetected, non-luminous particles that interacts gravitationally
Dark matter is an undetected form of matter inferred from gravitational effects (galaxy rotation curves, lensing) that does not emit or absorb electromagnetic radiation.
What is the defining characteristic of a Type Ia supernova that makes it useful as a standard candle?
Answer: It results from a white dwarf reaching the Chandrasekhar limit, giving uniform peak luminosity
Type Ia supernovae occur when a white dwarf reaches ~1.4 solar masses and explodes; their consistent peak luminosity allows astronomers to measure cosmic distances.
What is the angular resolution of a telescope primarily limited by?
Answer: Diffraction due to the finite aperture of the telescope
Diffraction sets the theoretical minimum angular separation a telescope can resolve, with larger apertures producing sharper images (smaller Airy disks).
Which phenomenon provides evidence that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate?
Answer: Observations of distant Type Ia supernovae appearing fainter than expected
In 1998, studies of distant Type Ia supernovae found them dimmer (farther) than expected, revealing that cosmic expansion is accelerating — attributed to dark energy.
What is the Roche limit?
Answer: The minimum distance at which tidal forces from a planet will disrupt a satellite held together by gravity alone
The Roche limit is the critical distance from a massive body inside which tidal forces overcome the self-gravity of an orbiting fluid or loosely bound satellite, tearing it apart.
What is the primary method used to detect exoplanets in the transit method?
Answer: Detecting the dimming of a star as a planet passes in front of it
The transit method detects periodic dips in a star's brightness caused by a planet crossing (transiting) the star's disk, blocking a fraction of its light.
What is the Local Group in astronomy?
Answer: The collection of galaxies including the Milky Way, Andromeda, and about 80 smaller galaxies
The Local Group is the gravitationally bound collection of ~80 galaxies dominated by the Milky Way and Andromeda (M31), spanning roughly 10 million light-years.