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
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
4) Galaxies are often millions of times closer together than the stars within a galaxy
5) Stars including the Sun form when:
a) enough rock from space is pulled together by gravitational attraction
6) During the formation of stars smaller masses may also form and be attracted by a larger mass to become planets
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
9) The very high temperatures create forces which tend to make stars
a) refract
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
11) The Sun is at an unbalanced stage of its life.
12) When a star like the Sun runs out of fuel it may then:
a) contract to become a white dwarf
13) At a later point in its history a star like the Sun:
a) contracts under its own gravity to become a white dwarf
14) The matter from which a white dwarf is made may be millions of times _____ than any matter on Earth
a) cooler
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
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
20) These nuclear fusion reactions:
a) release the corona which is consumed 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:
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
24) Theories of the origin of the Universe have to take into account:
a) that the closer galaxies are - the bigger this 'red-shift'
25) The current way of explaining “red-shift” is:
a) that other galaxies are moving towards us very slowly
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
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')
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