NATS 101 Introduction to Global Change, Section 16
Sample Quiz 1 solutions

Use these questions to test your understanding of material convered in readings and lectures through 8/28/2007.

NATS-101 Introduction to Global Change- Pretend Quiz 1  __SAMPLE____________  _SOLUTIONS_____________

                                                                                                First Name                   Family Name

FOR MULTIPLE CHOICE, SELECT THE SINGLE BEST ANSWER AMONG CHOICES, AND PLACE LETTER OF BEST ANSWER IN BLANK

TO LEFT OF QUESTION NUMBER. (Quiz 1 will be based on lectures and readings from 8/21 through 8/28)

  B   1. Evidence for the Big Bang event comes from         .

    A. the very very small size of atoms                C. the extensive oceans on planet Earth

    B. distance and speed of galaxies                    D. the moons found around many planets  

_5_2.  You can earn up to _____ extra credit points toward your final course grade.

    A. 3                 B. 5                  C. 10                D. 15

_A_3. The universe is made up of galaxies, and                           .

    A. galaxies are made up of stars                      C. our solar system is made up of galaxies

    B. galaxies are made up of planets                  D. our planet is at the center of the universe               

   A  4. 42He represents        .

    A. helium with 2 neutrons & 2 protons                        C. hydrogen with 4 neutrons and 2 protons

    B. helium with 4 neutrons & 2 protons                        D. helium with 4 protons and 2 neutrons                    

   B  5. Terrestrial radiation has its peak in (1)____, whereas solar radiation has its peak in (2)________.

    A. 1-x-ray radiation; 2-infrared radiation                                 C. 1-visible; 2-infrared

    B. 1-infrared; 2-visible                                                            D. 1-infrared; 2-ultraviolet     

   E  6. The most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere is             .

    A. krypton       B. argon           C. oxygen        D. carbon dioxide        E. nitrogen       F. hydrogen

   A  7. Chemical reactions involve (1)        and are relatively low energy compared to nuclear reactions that involve (2)        .

    A. 1-electrons                          2-neutrons & protons                           C. 1-electrons & protons          2-neutrons

    B. 1-neutrons & protons          2-electrons                                           D. 1-neutrons                           2-electrons & protons                       

_A_8. Most of the mass (matter) in our solar system is               .

    A. in the sun                                        C. in the Earth's core

    B. in the planets                                   D. in Jupiter                

                                                           
_C_9. Amazing as it may sound, you can pass this course with a final grade of ________%.

    A. 45.5                        B. 50.5                         C. 55.5

   C  10.          is an example of an important greenhouse gas.

    A. nitrogen                   B. oxygen                    C. water vapor                         D. argon
 

   B  11. The layer of the atmosphere in which we live is the           .

    A. asthenosphere         B. troposphere             C. mesosphere                         D. stratosphere 

_D_12. Infrared electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of 1.23 x 10-4 meters would be _______ in expanded general notation.

    A. 1,234m                   B. 0.01234m                C. 12,300m                  D. 0.000123m             E. –12,300m
                                  

_D_13. The temperature at "absolute zero", would have the value of zero on the          scale.

    A. Celsius                    C. Richter        E. A & D

    B. Fahrenheit               D. Kelvin         F. all of the above
 

_B_14. The Doppler effect results in which of the following observations when distant galaxies are viewed?

    A. atoms          B. red shift       C. Big Bang     D. fusion         E. molecules               
 
15. If our sun is only producing He by fusion reactions, why does Earth contain all the elements of the Periodic Table? 

Our sun is a "young" star, only about 4.6 billion years old, and the fusion  reactions taking place in its interior are not currently forming elements  beyond helium (He, p=2). The nebula from which our solar system formed therefore must have already been composed of all the elements of the Periodic Table. All those elements would have been formed earlier in stellar (star)  processes (up to iron (Fe, p=26) by fusion and the rest of the elements by neutron flux in supernova) during the period between the Big Bang 13-15 billion years ago and the formation of our solar system.

16. What is a nebula? 

A nebula is a rotating ball of dust thought to be the precursor to the formation of stars and planets in solar systems. 

17. Earth's temperature is about 300K and the temperature of the surface of the sun is 6000K.  How much more energy would a body with the temperature of the sun radiate compared to a similar-size body at Earth's temperature? (show work) 

Using the Stefan-Boltzmann Law, we can form the ratio of the radiative flux from the Sun to that of Earth:

Fsun        =         s*Tsun4
Fearth             s*Tearth4

with s=Stefan Boltzmann constant.  For the ratio, the variable "s" cancels out.  Then the flux ratio is the ratio of the solar to earth temperatures, taken to the fourth power.  Using the suggested values for these temperatures, Fsun/Fearth = (6000/300)4 = 204 = 160,000.  The radiative flux from the Sun is about 160,000 times greater than the radiative flux from the Earth!

18. State Wien's Displacement Law in your own words. 

The characteristic  wavelength at which the maximum radiation is emitted from a black body is  inversely proportional to the temperature of the black body.

19. State the Stefan-Boltzmann Law in your own words. 

The radiation flux from a black body is proprtional to its temperature taken to the fourth power.

20. How does the "greenhouse effect" work in the Earth-Atmosphere system?  About how much warmer is the Earth's surface than it would be with no atmosphere? 

The atmosphere is largely transparent to  solar radiation mostly arriving in the visible wavelengths; but greenhouse gases absorb  the mainly infrared energy re-radiated by Earth.  This keeps  the Earth's surface warmer than it would be without an atmosphere by about 50 degrees Celsius.

Syllabus questions

True/False:

_F_21. Four of 6 quiz grades will be thrown out, and only your 2 highest will count toward final grade.
_T_22. With a valid excuse and advance notice, it may be possible to make up an exam.
_T_23. The final exam will only be given on Tuesday, Dec 11, 11am to 1pm, ILC 140.
_T_24. You will lose credit when you do not turn in homework (and other assignments) by the specified deadline.
_T_25. Assignment submitted by e-mail attachment will not be accepted, unless specifically requested.
_T_26. Your cell-phone must turned off during class.
_F_27. The final exam will be in Room 653 of Old Main.
_T_28. If a quiz is given at the beginning of class, unless announced otherwise, there will be a lecture that follows.
_F_29. You are encouraged to bring a lunch or a snack to eat in class because we meet from 12:30p-1:45p.
_T_30. The Instructor’s office hours will be held at the OSCR Underground Office 1, in the ILC.

Fill In the Blank:
31. You must send an e-mail to Jenn by Friday, August 24, 5pm   to get full credit for being added to the class listserv.
32. You can earn up to __5___ extra credit points toward your final grade.


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