Discovery of Scientific Laws and Exploration of Earth

Steven Dutch, Natural and Applied Sciences,University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
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About how old is the Universe?
1. 100 billion years
2. 15 Billion years
3. 5 Billion years
4. 1 Billion years
On the Cosmic Calendar (Age of the Universe compressed into a year) about when did the Earth form?
1. February
2. June
3. September
4. December
On the Cosmic Calendar (Age of the Universe compressed into a year) about when did the dinosaurs die out?
1. February
2. June
3. September
4. December
On the Cosmic Calendar (Age of the Universe compressed into a year) where does human history plot?
1. November 1
2. December 1
3. December 25
4. December 31
What did Eratosthenes Do?
1. Map the Constellations
2. Find the distance to the Moon
3. Discover the concept of Atoms
4. Measure the Size of the Earth
5. Devise a theory of Planetary Motion
6. Propose that the Earth goes around the Sun
What does a light year measure?
1. Distance
2. Brightness
3. Time
4. Speed
Sagan uses this ancient institution as a symbol throughout Cosmos:
1. Library at Alexandria
2. Colosseum at Rome
3. Pyramids
4. Temple at Jerusalem
5. Parthenon at Athens
Arrange in order of size (smallest to largest)
1. Galaxy
2. Planet
3. Distance Between Galaxies
4. Star
5. Solar System
How did Eratosthenes determine the size of the earth?
1. comparing lengths of shadows at different locations
2. collecting accounts from sailors
3. observing an eclipse of the Moon
4. observing the annual motion of the Sun
A light year is:
1. The time it takes light to cross our galaxy
2. The age of the Universe compressed into a single year for visualization purposes
3. The distance light travels in a year
4. The amount of light the sun emits in a year
Ancient Greek astronomer who first proposed that the Earth goes around the Sun
1. Eratosthenes
2. Thales
3. Anaximander
4. Aristarchus
5. Democritus
In the partnership between Kepler and Tycho, what did Kepler contribute?
1. Mathematical expertise
2. Church connections
3. Financial backing
4. Good instruments
5. Access to a fine library
In the partnership between Kepler and Tycho, what did Tycho contribute?
1. Mathematical expertise
2. High-quality observational data
3. Good telescopes
4. Access to a fine library
5. Got Kepler a title in the nobility
What crime was Kepler's mother charged with?
1. Prostitution
2. Drug dealing
3. Conspiracy
4. Treason
5. Witchcraft
According to Kepler's First Law, a planet's orbit is ------- with the sun ---------
1. Circular .... At the center
2. Elliptical ....... At the center
3. Circular ...... Not at the Center
4. Elliptical ....... At one focus
According to Kepler's Second Law, a line between the planet and the sun:
1. Sweeps out equal areas in equal times
2. Stays constant in length
3. Changes length at a steady rate
4. Sweeps out equal angles in equal times
Kepler's Third Law relates what two quantities:
1. Diameter and mass of a planet
2. Diameter of a planet and distance from the sun
3. Distance and period of a planet
4. Distance and diameter of a planet
The drive to improve planetary predictions in the Renaissance was impelled by the need to fix the date of:
1. Easter
2. Christmas
3. New Years
4. Pentecost
He's most famous for inventing the telescope and proposing that the Earth goes around the Sun, but he didn't originate either one:
1. Nicolaus Copernicus
2. Tycho Brahe
3. Johannes Kepler
4. Galileo Galilei
Kepler originally believed the spacing of the planetary orbits was dictated by:
1. gravity.
2. the Sun.
3. astrology
4. the five perfect solids
In the next five questions, match the people and their attributes. More than one answer may be correct.
Kepler
1. Developed theory of gravity
2. Popularizer of science
3. First proposed Earth circles the sun
4. Invented calculus
5. Playboy with a gold nose
6. Spent part of his life as a refugee
7. Polish cleric
8. Problems with the Inquisition
9. Had the best observational data
Galileo
1. Developed theory of gravity
2. Popularizer of science
3. First proposed Earth circles the sun
4. Invented calculus
5. Playboy with a gold nose
6. Spent part of his life as a refugee
7. Polish cleric
8. Problems with the Inquisition
9. Had the best observational data
Copernicus
1. Developed theory of gravity
2. Popularizer of science
3. First proposed Earth circles the sun
4. Invented calculus
5. Playboy with a gold nose
6. Spent part of his life as a refugee
7. Polish cleric
8. Problems with the Inquisition
9. Had the best observational data
Tycho
1. Developed theory of gravity
2. Popularizer of science
3. First proposed Earth circles the sun
4. Invented calculus
5. Playboy with a gold nose
6. Spent part of his life as a refugee
7. Polish cleric
8. Problems with the Inquisition
9. Had the best observational data
Newton
1. Developed theory of gravity
2. Popularizer of science
3. First proposed Earth circles the sun
4. Invented calculus
5. Playboy with a gold nose
6. Spent part of his life as a refugee
7. Polish cleric
8. Problems with the Inquisition
9. Had the best observational data

Early voyages around the world were primarily for:
1. Discovering new colonies
2. Exploration and scientific discovery
3. Supplying remote settlements
4. Piracy and harassing enemy powers
A major scientific work was inspired when this instrument failed to work as expected:
1. Telescope
2. Compass
3. Chronometer (Clock)
4. Sextant
5. Matching
In the two questions below, pick the attributes that apply. More than one answer may be correct.
Latitude

Longitude

The British survey of this country was one of the 19th century's largest scientific projects:
1. Canada
2. India
3. Egypt
4. Australia
That survey was motivated mostly by:
1. Desire for scientific understanding
2. Resolving disputes between property owners
3. Establishing military and political control
4. Curiosity over what was the highest mountain in the world
In the 1700's and 1800's, Britain and France engaged in a scientific rivalry that revolved around:
1. Finding the distance to the Sun
2. Determining the exact shape of the earth
3. Finding the highest mountain
4. Exploring the sea floor
The great 19th-century British survey did all of these except:
1. Found the deepest spot in the oceans
2. Found the highest mountain in the world
3. Found evidence that the earth's crust is thicker under mountain ranges
4. Established British control over a large addition to its empire.
Compasses don't always point due north because:
1. the magnetic poles are not at the geographic poles
2. solar disturbances affect compasses
3. metal in ships causes compasses to be in error
4. compass needles lose their magnetism
Why finding the exact shape of the earth was such a keen scientific rivalry in the 1700's
1. It was a measure of national scientific and military power
2. It led to improved navigation
3. It led to the ability to predict magnetic variation
4. It led to improved map projections
The Great Trigonometrical Survey led to the discovery of Mount Everest but it was also:
1. a means of consolidating British control of India.
2. the first accurate determination of the size of the Earth.
3. the most extensive oceanographic expedition in history.
4. the first detailed mapping of any country.

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Created 6 February 2001, Last Update 6 February 2001

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