Light and Telescopes

How is visible light different from radio waves?
1. visible light travels at a slower speed than radio waves
2. radio waves travel at a slower speed than visible light
3. radio waves have longer wavelengths than visible light
4. visible light is less energetic than radio waves
Which form of electromagnetic radiation below DOES NOT penetrate very far through our atmosphere?
1. X-rays
2. Radio waves
3. Visible Light
4. Infrared
What color is found between red and yellow in the visible spectrum?
1. orange
2. green
3. blue
4. indigo
What color is found between blue and yellow in the visible spectrum?
1. orange
2. green
3. red
4. indigo
What color is found between blue and violet in the visible spectrum?
1. orange
2. green
3. yellow
4. indigo
What color is found between green and indigo in the visible spectrum?
1. orange
2. green
3. blue
4. red
Electromagnetic radiation is usually described as traveling as a wave. Which visible color has the longest wavelength?
1. red
2. yellow
3. violet
4. green
Electromagnetic radiation is usually described as traveling as a wave. Which visible color has the shortest wavelength?
1. red
2. yellow
3. violet
4. green
What type of electromagnetic radiation has just slightly too long a wavelength to be visible?
1. infrared
2. gamma ray
3. radio
4. ultraviolet
What type of electromagnetic radiation has just slightly too short a wavelength to be visible?
1. infrared
2. gamma ray
3. radio
4. ultraviolet
Telescopes can be used to magnify an image and to gather light from a faint image. Which of these two uses would be most important to an astronomer studying the stars?
1. magnify the size of an image
2. gather light from a faint object
Telescopes can be used to magnify an image and to gather light from a faint image. Which of these two uses would be most important to an astronomer studying Mars?
1. magnify the size of an image
2. gather light from a faint object
What atmospheric gas is responsible for limiting the amount of ultraviolet and X-ray radiation that reaches the earth's surface?
1. nitrogen
2. ozone
3. argon
4. water vapor
What atmospheric gas is responsible for limiting the amount of infrared radiation that reaches the earth's surface?
1. nitrogen
2. ozone
3. argon
4. water vapor
Why are most infrared observatories located on high mountains?
1. to be closer to the stars and planets
2. to keep the highly dangerous instruments away from people
3. to get above most of the water in the atmosphere
4. you can't fool me, most infrared observatories are not located on high mountains
A veering (bending) of light rays when they enter a piece of glass is called
1. reflection
2. refraction
3. aberration
4. cassegraining
Which of the following consists of electromagnetic waves with the shortest wavelength?
1. a beam of red light
2. a radio broadcast of last Saturday's football game
3. a beam of blue light
4. the x-rays in your dentist's office
Which of the following consists of electromagnetic waves with the longest wavelength?
1. a beam of red light
2. a radio broadcast of last Saturday's football game
3. a beam of blue light
4. the x-rays in your dentist's office
Where would be the best place to locate a telescope for observing gamma rays from celestial objects?
1. near the ocean
2. on a mountain top in the desert
3. near a hospital
4. on a space station
Most of the radiation from space is blocked by this. It also limits earth-based telescopes' resolution.
1. atmosphere
2. skylab
3. oceans
4. empty space
This kind of radiation includes gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, and radio waves.
1. electromagnetic
2. beta
3. alpha
4. visible
A small lens used in both refracting and reflecting telescopes.
1. eyepiece
2. objective
3. mirror
4. prism
Blue-jean blue.
1. indigo
2. cyan
3. magenta
4. yellow
Radiation that is just a bit too long to be visible.
1. infrared
2. ultraviolet
3. radio
4. x-rays
A transparent material that brings light to a focus.
1. lens
2. mirror
3. prism
4. diffraction grating
The larger of the lenses used in a refracting telescope.
1. objective
2. eyepiece
3. prism
4. mirror
A three dimensional parabola. A mirror of this shape can focus parallel light to point.
1. paraboloid
2. spherical
3. oblate spheroid
4. cube
A _____ telescope has a mirror as its major element.
1. reflecting
2. refracting
3. complex
4. electron
A _____ telescope has a lens as its major element.
1. reflecting
2. refracting
3. complex
4. electron
The bending of light as it passes from one material into another.
1. refraction
2. reflection
3. resolution
4. reverberation
The ability of an optical device to distinguish fine detail in an image.
1. refraction
2. reflection
3. resolution
4. reverberation
The colors of the visible spectrum.
1. ROYGBIV
2. COSDEMP
3. MVEMJSUNP
4. OBAFGKM
An astronomer's description of the steadiness of the Earth's atmosphere.
1. seeing
2. transparency
3. resolution
4. brightness
The range of electromagnetic radiation from gamma-rays through radio waves.
1. spectrum
2. prism
3. wavelength
4. magnification
An astronomer's description of how clear the sky is.
1. seeing
2. transparency
3. resolution
4. brightness
Radiation that has a wavelength that is just a little too short to be visible.
1. infrared
2. ultraviolet
3. x-rays
4. radio
The distance between one crest of a wave to the next.
1. wavelength
2. amplitude
3. frequency
4. period

Light and Telescopes

Multiple-choice exercise