1 Chapter 1 – What is astronomy?
OpenStax Astronomy Chapter 1: Science and the Universe
Astronomy
I. What is ?
A. of the Universe
B. Understand the Universe and work
C. Understand the Universe is
The Universe
II. What is ?
A. things we , now and in future
B. All – ordinary stuff and mystery stuff
C. All – including “light”
1. contained in atoms, planets, stars, galaxies
III.
A. We live on a small planet:
B. Orbiting a medium-sized star in:
C. In a galaxy of 100 billion stars:
D. In a group of about 60 galaxies:
E. Just one of at least 100 billion galaxies arranged in superclusters like:
F. In a that is about 13.7 billion years old and mostly space
The Speed of Light
IV. Speed of
A. 300,000 km/second or miles/hour
B. Universe’s speed, but a
speed
C. travels faster than light
1. Light takes to get from place to place.
D. : distance light travels in one year
1. 1 light-year = 9.5 x 1012 (trillion) km = 5.9 x 1012 miles
2. Always see stars and galaxies as were in the
E. Light travel time from : 8.3 light-min = 150 million km = 93 million miles
1. Neptune is 60 times farther away than the Sun
2. Closest stars are light years away.
3. Light we see from the nearest spiral galaxy, Andromeda, is
years old!
A light-year is measured in units of:
A. Time
B. Speed
C. Mass
D. Distance
If an event were to take place on the Sun, how long would it take for the light to reach us?
A. 1 second
B. 8 minutes
C. 8 hours
D. 1 day
The Scientific Method
V.
A. : a testable idea that can explain an observation
B. : Designed to ideas, not prove
1. Tests can support hypothesis, but never prove
C. Must be able to
1. Ideas can be challenged or changed
D. : a hypothesis which tests have
1. Widely accepted, but an undisputed fact
2. Its predictions must be correct
E. : theories that have become
very well tested and are of importance.
The scientific method is a process by which scientists:
A. prove theories to be known facts
B. gain confidence in theories by failing to prove them wrong
C. show all theories to be wrong
D. test the ideas of Aristotle
VI. Principle
A. On a scale, the universe is the
everywhere
1. Our view from is not special
– The workings of nature are the same here as elsewhere.
2. Can learn about objects by studying
objects
– Distant ones are the same as close ones
3. and obey same laws everywhere
– Gravity the same on earth as in space
B. Continually validated by
Which of the following would be a scientific way of viewing nature?
A. All ideas are equally valuable and should be equally respected.
B. Well-established ideas don’t need to be checked or tested.
C. Observations of nature inform us about the value of our ideas.
Astrology is not a science like Astronomy. Assuming the statements below are true, which of these helps to show why Astrology is not a scientific way of thinking?
A. Astrologers cannot agree on ways of rejecting ideas.
B. Astrological “energies” are not predictable.
C. The Earth is viewed as having a special and unique place in the universe.
D. All the above.
Tutorial Activity – Introduction
1. Tell me a little about yourself. You may want to answer some of the following: What name would you like me to call you? What are some of your interests or hobbies? What are you studying in college?
2. What do you value the most in life?
3. Is there anything you are excited or worried about in taking this course or anything you want me to know?
