By the late 1600s, science and technology in China fell behind that of Europe. Many historians believe that this happened because the Chinese never learned how to do experiments. |
a culture of secrecy discouraged broad collaborative efforts. |
The path that led to modern science emerged from ancient civilizations in which part of the world? – China |
the Mediterranean and the Middle East |
How did Eratosthenes estimate the size of the earth in 240 B.C.? – by observing the duration of a solar eclipse |
by comparing the maximum altitude of the Sun in two cities at different latitudes |
Which of the following statements about scientific models is true? – A model can be used to explain and predict real phenomena. |
A model can be used to explain and predict real phenomena. |
When did Ptolemy live? – about 100 years ago |
about 2000 years ago |
How did the Ptolemaic model explain the apparent retrograde motion of the planets? – It varied the motion of the celestial sphere so that it sometimes moved backward. |
It held that the planets moved along small circles that moved on larger circles around the earth. |
Where was the Sun in Ptolemy’s model of the universe? – at the outer edge, beyond Saturn’s orbit |
between the orbits of Venus and Mars |
During the Dark Ages in Europe, the scientific work of the ancient Greeks was preserved and further developed primarily by scholars in – Greece. |
Baghdad. |
He developed a system for predicting planetary positions that remained in use for some 1,500 years. – Copernicus |
Ptolemy |
He was the first to prove that comets lie beyond the earth’s atmosphere. – Copernicus |
Tycho Brahe |
He discovered that Jupiter has moons. – Kepler |
Galileo |
He discovered what we now call Newton’s first law of motion. Copernicus |
Galileo |
When did Copernicus live? – about 1000 years ago |
about 500 years ago |
Which of the following was not observed by Galileo? – stellar parallax |
stellar parallax |
When we see Venus in its full phase, what phase would the earth be in as seen by a hypothetical Venetian? – waning crescent |
full |
Which of the following is not one of, nor follows directly from, Kepler’s laws? – More distant planets move at slower speeds. |
The force of attraction between any two objects decreases with the square of the distance between their centers. |
From Kepler’s third law, a hypothetical planet that is twice as far from the Sun as the earth should have a period of – 1/2 Earth year. |
more than 2 Earth years. |
From Kepler’s third law, an asteroid with an orbital period of 8 years lies at an average distance from the Sun equal to – 2 astronomical units. |
4 astronomical units. |
All the following statements are true. Which one follows directly from Kepler’s third law? – Venus is more massive than Mercury. |
Venus orbits the Sun at a slower average speed than Mercury. |
What do scientists mean by verifiable observations? – observations that can be interpreted in only one way |
statements that anyone can, in principle, verify for himself or herself |
What is meant by a hypothesis? – an explanation for a phenomenon that makes a prediction |
an explanation for a phenomenon that makes a prediction |
What is meant by Occam’s Razor? – the shaving implement of a medieval scholar |
the idea that scientists should prefer the simpler of two models that agree equally well with observations |
The ancient goal of astrology was to – make a more accurate model of the universe. |
predict human events. |
The astrology practiced by those who cast predictive horoscopes can be tested by – polling people to find out what percentage believe their horoscopes to be accurate. |
comparing how often the predictions come true to what would be expected by pure chance. |
ASTR 1401 Chapter 3
Share This
Unfinished tasks keep piling up?
Let us complete them for you. Quickly and professionally.
Check Price