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Please submit your answers to each of the questions below. Do not submit the que
Please submit your answers to each of the questions below. Do not submit the questions. To receive full
credit, show your work rather than just giving an answer. If you are having trouble with a problem, read it
again carefully (it may even help to read it aloud.) Think about what you already know about topics in the
question. You are also welcome to consult with the professor during office hours.
Submission Instructions
In Person Students: Turn in your homework papers in class on the day they are due. Typed or hand
written submissions are fine, but please make sure your writing is clear.
On line Students: All homework is submitted electronically via Canvas.sfsu.edu Homework
assignments should be typed and formatted as a .PDF file. {Also, please double check the file you
submit to make sure it is the correct file.}
Questions
The Size & Scope of the Universe (Ch. 1)
1. The following important terms will be used throughout the course. First, write down what the term
means to you or how you’ve heard it before. Then look up the words in a dictonary or online and note
any differences. (Common terms sometimes have different meanings in a scientific context.)
A.) Planet
B.) Star
C.) Solar System
D.) Galaxy
E.) Universe.
2. The speed of light is 300,000,000 meters per second (m/s).
A.) Express this number in kilometers per second (km/s).
B.) Use a conversion factor (1 km = 0.6 miles) to find how many miles light moves in one second.
3. What is special about the star Polaris, and its position in space? How can it be used?
4. What is the ecliptic?
5. Describe in your own words what must happen for you to witness a total solar eclipse. Can this
happen at any phase of the Moon?
6. Suppose you had a young niece or nephew who asked “Why do we have seasons?” Explain how you
would answer in one paragraph. (Optioal: Include a diagram).
7. What is the astronomical origin of these common units of time, from the calendar? That is, what
happens, astronomically, within each time period?
A.) Year
B.) Day
C.) Month
Getting Experience with Very Large Numbers
8. How many seconds are there in 1 year? To calculate this, start with what you know about a second or a
year, and expand on that. Show your work. Express your answer in scientific notation. (NOTE:
Remember this number, you’ll be use it again.)
9. Why do we on Earth see the Moon go through phases over a typical month?
10. What is your ‘astronomy connection’? Describe either a moment in your life when you took note of an
astronomical event (eg. a sunset, a moonrise, a shooting star, etc.) or an activity you have done that has
some connection to astronomy.
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