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LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
Astronomy 202


Date of last modification:
16/12/2010
Readiness Quiz Questions before Midterm #1:
  1. What are the 5 characteristics of life?
  2. What properties make the surface of a planet good for life?
  3. What was the most important invention in astronomy since the telescope?
  4. What important astrophysical time scale can we estimate from the slope of a Hubble diagram?
  5. Where are all elements heavier than hydrogen/helium made?
  6. How are the elements distributed in space?
  7. Can first generation stars have planets?
  8. What is the smallest piece of an element, compound, light?
  9. What photon has more energy associated with it, a microwave photon or a UV photon?
  10. What element is the centerpiece of many, if not most, molecules found in space?
  11. How do we generate photons?
  12. What makes a molecular cloud a good place for molecules?


Readiness Quiz Questions before Midterm #2:
  1. What is the name for the theory of planet formation?
  2. What was the analog from class for how planets are formed?
  3. Why are there terrestrial planets in the inner solar system and jovian planets in the outer solar system?
  4. What techniques are used to detect extra-solar planets?
  5. Explain one of the methods used to detect extra-solar planets.
  6. What generates the Earth's magnetosphere?
  7. What are: Van Allen belts, ionoshpere, Aurora phenomenon?
  8. List the three type of seismic waves
  9. What type(s) of seismic wave(s) go(es) through solid & liquid?
  10. Where does the Earth's atmosphere come from?