Scientific Contributions QUIZ

APA CITATION FOR THE QUESTIONS Question 1 Kepler's second law, which states that as a planet moves around its orbit it sweeps out equal areas in equal times, means that: Select one: a. a planet travels faster when it is nearer to the Sun and slower when it is farther from the Sun. b. a planet's period does not depend on the eccentricity of its orbit. c. planets that are farther from the Sun move at slower average speeds than planets that are closer to the Sun. d. the period of a planet does not depend on its mass. Question 2 Although Newton's three laws of motion are among the most well-known of his scientific contributions, he contributed numerous other important ideas, as well. Select one of these ideas, describe it in your own words, and explain how it pertains to astronomy. Question 3 Copernicus's heliocentric model explains that: Select one: a. the Moon and stars orbit Earth. b. planetary orbits are elliptical in shape. c. all planets lie between the Sun and Earth. d. the stars look like they have moved in the sky because the Earth rotates. Question 4 In this essay, present Newton's three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation in your own words. Explain the significance of each law and provide examples of how this law can be witnessed in a) everyday life and b) astronomy. NOTE: This is an extended essay question worth 40 points. Your response should be formatted as a multi-paragraph essay with attention to essay structure, grammar mechanics, and APA formatting. Please include an introduction, a conclusion, and 3-4 body paragraphs. Include in-text citations and references. At least two of your references should come from this lesson. Question 5 Greek astronomers made several important contributions to astronomy. Select the two contributions that you feel were most interesting and/or important. Describe each contribution and explain why it was particularly significant. Answer in your own words in 1-2 paragraphs. Question 6 Identify and describe at least two challenges that astronomers faced during the Copernican Revolution. How did these scientists address and overcome those challenges? Answer in your own words in ~1 paragraph. Question 7 Select one of Newton's three laws of motion. Describe the law in your own words. Then explain how this law pertains to motions of objects in our Solar System. Be specific. Answer in your own words in ~1 paragraph. Question 8 Compare and contrast the heliocentric and geocentric models of the Solar System. What are some of the similarities between these models? What are some of the differences? Why was the geocentric model accepted for so long? Answer in your own words in 1-2 paragraphs. Question 9 Aristotle and other Greek astronomers proposed that the Earth is round. Describe the data/observations they collected and used to support this assertion. What tools did these scientists use to acquire their data/observations? What tools are available to modern astronomers that early Greek astronomers like Aristotle didn't have access to? Answer in your own words in 1-2 paragraphs. Question 10 What was the impact of Newton's ideas on the science of astronomy? Answer in your own words in ~1 paragraph. Question 11 Describe 2-3 of Tycho's most important contributions to the field of astronomy. Why was his work so important? Answer in your own words in ~1 paragraph. Question 12 Changing the orbit of a spacecraft by firing thrusters is an example of: Select one: a. Newton's first law of motion. b. the universal law of gravitation. c. Newton's third law of motion. d. Newton's second law of motion. Question 13 Galileo found that the rotation period of the Sun was approximately how long? Select one: a. three months b. a month c. a year d. a week Question 14 Compare Galileo's approach to astronomy to that of Kepler and Copernicus. How and why did his approach differ? Answer in your own words in ~1 paragraph. Question 15 Briefly describe Kepler's first law and explain why it was philosophically important at the time he developed it. (Consider what was widely believed to be true about orbits prior to Kepler and why people held so firmly to that idea.) Answer in your own words in a few sentences. Question 16 Kepler's third law states that p2= a3, where p is the orbital period (measured in years) and a is the semimajor axis (measured in astronomical units). In a few sentences, explain how astronomers can use this formula to determine a distance (which, on its own, is very hard to measure). Answer in your own words. Question 17 What did Galileo observe when viewing the Sun through his telescope? How did these observations help support the heliocentric model? Answer in your own words in a few sentences.