Test 1, 2014 October 22<br>
Astronomy 123</br>
Fall 2014<br>
<p>
Material: Topic 1 
Topic 2 (as far get in Topic 2) 
<p>
<a href="astr123_x1.pdf">Old Test</a>
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INTRODUCTION<p>
<ul>
<li>Cosmology: What is the definition of cosmology? Is cosmology science?
<li>Contrast Universe and universe. Why does the fact
that we have observations of only 1 universe hinder theory? What is meant by
<i>multiverse</i>?
<li>What makes a <i>model</i> scientific? Contrast science and philosophy.
Is cosmology a science or is it philosophy? Defend your position.
<li>Basic Observations of cosmology (which drive the Big Bang Theory):
<ul><li>The Universe is expanding as implied by Hubble's Law
(24.3). Who initially discovered Hubble's Law?  .
What is the <i>naive</i> interpretation
of Hubble's Law? What is the Principle of Mediocrity and how does it 
contribute to our
interpretation of Hubble's Law? What is the current interpreration 
accepted by most astronomers for Hubble's Law? What is 
the redshift z? What is meant
by redshift? How are redshifts of galaxies determined?
<li>Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR), What is it? 
What are we observing when we see the
CMBR? What are the properties of the CMBR? (26.7) (What is its temperature?
Are there deviations from the mean temperature of the CMBR, if so, what are
they and how are they interpreted?) What is horizon problem?
<li>Chemical composition of the normal matter in the 
Universe is roughly 90 % hydrogen and ~ 10 %
helium (everyting else heavier than helium is referred to as a <i>metal</i>
and makes-up only a small part of the Universe). How is the  
chemical composition of the Universe used as a piece of evidence 
which strongly supports the 
Big Bang theory. 
<li>What is the
make-up of the overall Universe? What is dark matter? What is normal matter?
What is dark energy? 
What fraction of the Universe is normal matter?
</ul>
Cosmological Principles:<ul>
<li>What is the Principle of Mediocrity? 
<li>What is the Copernican Revolution? What is the significance of  
annual trigonometric parallax for the Copernican Revolution?(pp 27-28).
Explain how Hubble's 
Law may be explained through uniform expansion of the Universe.
<li>Are we at the Center of the Galaxy? Describe how Herschel and 
Kapteyn, and Shapley (23.2) attempted to find our location in the Galaxy 
and the size of the Galaxy. What did Herschel, Kapteyn, and Shapley conclude
about the location of the Sun in the Milky Way galaxy? Who was correct? 
Why did the ones who were in error reach their erroneous conclussions (talk
about dust, what is dust?)? What 
is the location of the Sun and the true shape of the Milky Way galaxy?
<li>Cosmological Principle (26.1), what is it? What is meant by 
the terms homogeneity
and isotropy? (The Universe is clearly not bland and uniform on all 
scales, so why can homogeneity and isotropy of the Universe be useful 
assumptions?) 
In the Cosmological Principle is the Universe allowed to evolve in time? Could
it be unchanging in time under the Cosmological Principle? What is a nice
example that our Universe is homogeneous and isotropic?
<li>Perfect Cosmological Principle, what is it? It is not currently used by
astronomers when they model the Universe. What are some reasons why
the Perfect Cosmological Principle is not in favor? What is the Cosmological
Constant? Why did Einstern propose the Cosmological Constant? 
Why did Einstein withdraw his 
suggestion of a Cosmological Constant? 
<li>Anthropic Principle, What is the Anthropic Principle? 
Does Jim like the Anthropic Principle? Why does
Jim like (or dislike) the Anthropic Principle?
</ul>
<li>Describe the <i>Big Bang Theory</i>.
Upon what observations is the Big Bang Theory based? Is the Big Bang on 
firm observational footing?
 /ul>
<p><hr><p>

World Views of the Universe
Observations and the Fate of the Universe
Old tests:
<p>
<a href="http://pages.uoregon.edu/~imamura/123cs/exams/astr123_x1.pdf">Test 1</a>, 
<a href="http://pages.uoregon.edu/~imamura/123cs/exams/astr123_x2_fall2011.pdf">Test 2</a><p>
<p><hr><p>
Models for the Universe
<ul>
<li>Olbers's Paradox concerns the darkness of the night sky. Explain the
nature of the paradox, that is, state the assumptions used, and outline the
argument which leads to the paradox. How could the Big Bang theory
lead to a resolution of Olbers's paradox. (Be explicit in terms of how
the paradox is resolved--on a broader note, in general, how does resolve any
paradox?)
<li>Lemaitre and Friedman first solved Einstein's equations to determine
the structure of the Universe. Lemaitre is referred to as the <i>Father of the
Big Bang</i>. 
What assumption underlies Friedman's models for the Universe?
List the types of Friedman models for the Universe. Describe each solution
geometrically. 
<li>In terms of their shapes (spacetime structures), describe each of
Friedman's models for the Universe. 
In what type of Friedman universe are we thought to live? Which universe
is a closed universe (and what does this mean)? Which universe is an open
universe (and what does this mean)?
<li>How can we distinguish open, closed, and flat universes? Describe the tests
and the results of the tests described in class. Describe the behavior of 
parallel lines, triangles in the different Friedman models. What astronomical
objects have been used to perform these tests?
</ul>
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