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The Universe Standardized Test Prep
The Universe
Preview• Understanding Concepts • Reading Skills• Interpreting Graphics
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts
1. Inside a star’s core, hydrogen nuclei fuse to
form deuterons, which consist of one proton
and one neutron. When deuterons fuse with hydrogen nuclei, what do they form?
A. plasma
B. hydrogen atoms
C. hydrogen nuclei
D. helium nuclei
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts
1. Inside a star’s core, hydrogen nuclei fuse to
form deuterons, which consist of one proton
and one neutron. When deuterons fuse with hydrogen nuclei, what do they form?
A. plasma
B. hydrogen atoms
C. hydrogen nuclei
D. helium nuclei
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
2. The hottest stars appear to be which color?
F. blue
G. green
H. red
I. yellow
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
2. The hottest stars appear to be which color?
F. blue
G. green
H. red
I. yellow
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
3. What is the final stage in the life cycle of most
stars in our galaxy?
A. red giant
B. white dwarf
C. nebula
D. supernova
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
3. What is the final stage in the life cycle of most
stars in our galaxy?
A. red giant
B. white dwarf
C. nebula
D. supernova
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
4. What objects are thought to be the most distant
objects in the universe?
F. spiral galaxies
G. elliptical galaxies
H. quasars
I. nebulas
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
4. What objects are thought to be the most distant
objects in the universe?
F. spiral galaxies
G. elliptical galaxies
H. quasars
I. nebulas
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
5. About how long does it take light from the sun
to reach Earth?
A. 8 seconds
B. 8 minutes
C. 8 days
D. 8 years
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
5. About how long does it take light from the sun
to reach Earth?
A. 8 seconds
B. 8 minutes
C. 8 days
D. 8 years
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
6. Why is the light from distant galaxies almost
always shifted toward the red end of the
spectrum?
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
6. Why is the light from distant galaxies almost
always shifted toward the red end of the
spectrum?
Answer: They are moving away from us
(Doppler effect.)
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
7. What is the name for the process in which
atoms combine to form larger atoms, and
where does it take place?
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
7. What is the name for the process in which
atoms combine to form larger atoms, and
where does it take place?
Answer: Fusion, inside of stars
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
8. If the Milky Way galaxy has a spiral shape, why
do we see it as a streak across the sky?
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Understanding Concepts, continued
8. If the Milky Way galaxy has a spiral shape, why
do we see it as a streak across the sky?
Answer: We are inside the Milky Way and can only
see a side view.
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Reading SkillsAFTER THE BANG
Astronomers and physicists generally agree that the universe began about 13 billion to 15 billion years ago in the big bang. For some time after the big bang occurred, the universe was much hotter and denser than it is today. In fact, it was so hot and dense that there were no individual atoms; instead, subatomic particles, including protons, neutrons, and photons (particles of pure energy) made a dense fluid called plasma. Every time that a proton and an electron combined, drawn together by their opposite charges, a photon collided with them and ripped them apart again.
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills, continuedAFTER THE BANG, continued
After a few hundred thousand years, the average temperature of the plasma was low enough that the protons could hold onto their electrons to form neutral atoms, and photons could escape without being absorbed.
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills, continued9. Why couldn’t stable atoms form before the
cooling of the superheated plasma?
F. Protons and electrons were moving too
fast to combine.
G. Before the plasma cooled, subatomic particles
carried no charge and therefore were not attracted to one another.
H. Colliding with photons caused immediate
destruction of any atom that formed.
I. Cosmic background radiation prevented
the atoms from forming.
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills, continued9. Why couldn’t stable atoms form before the
cooling of the superheated plasma?
F. Protons and electrons were moving too
fast to combine.
G. Before the plasma cooled, subatomic particles
carried no charge and therefore were not attracted to one another.
H. Colliding with photons caused immediate
destruction of any atom that formed.
I. Cosmic background radiation prevented
the atoms from forming.
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills, continued10. Telescopes show images based on the photons
they receive, in the form of light, radio waves,
or other radiation. They show us events of the
past, because photons take time to travel to us
from those events. Why would it be difficult for
telescopes to observe events that took place
before the cooling of the superheated plasma?
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Reading Skills, continued10. Telescopes show images based on the photons
they receive, in the form of light, radio waves,
or other radiation. They show us events of the
past, because photons take time to travel to us
from those events. Why would it be difficult for
telescopes to observe events that took place
before the cooling of the superheated plasma?
Answer: No photons escaped.
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting GraphicsThe following chart shows the fusion reactions in a large-mass star,which create elements that are heavier than those found in stars likethe sun. Use this diagram to answer questions 11 and 12.
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
11. Which element fuses to become oxygen?
A. carbon
B. neon
C. silicon
D. iron
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
11. Which element fuses to become oxygen?
A. carbon
B. neon
C. silicon
D. iron
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
12. Do the elements that are produced by fusion get heavier or lighter as they get closer to the
center of the large-mass star? Why?
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
12. Do the elements that are produced by fusion get heavier or lighter as they get closer to the
center of the large-mass star? Why?
Answer: Heavier; the pressure of gravity.
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continuedAstronomers have determined that black holes, with masses from afew million to a billion times greater than the mass of our sun, reside inthe centers of nearby galaxies. The graphic shows the relationshipbetween the mass of black holes and the size of the bulge of stars at thecenter of these galaxies. Use the graphic to answer questions 13 and 14.
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
13. How does the mass of the black hole at the center of a galaxy relate to the mass of the bulge
of stars that surround the black hole?
F. The two masses are always equal.
G The two masses are directly proportional.
H. The two masses are inversely proportional.
I. The two masses are unrelated to one another.
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
13. How does the mass of the black hole at the center of a galaxy relate to the mass of the bulge
of stars that surround the black hole?
F. The two masses are always equal.
G The two masses are directly proportional.
H. The two masses are inversely proportional.
I. The two masses are unrelated to one another.
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
14. Why would a black hole be surrounded by a bulge of stars?
The Universe Standardized Test Prep
Interpreting Graphics, continued
14. Why would a black hole be surrounded by a bulge of stars?
Answer: The gravitational pull of the black hole’s enormous mass causes stars to move toward it.