Exercise #1 1: Astronomy Ranking Task: Phases of the Moon Description: The figure below shows a top view of the Sun, Earth, and five different positions (A - E) of the Moon during one orbit of Earth. Note that the distances shown for the Sun to Earth and for Earth to the Moon are not drawn to scale. A. Ranking Instructions: Rank (from greatest to least) the amount of the Moon s entire surface that is illuminated by sunlight for the five positions (A-E) shown. Ranking Order: Greatest 1 2 3 4 5 Least Or, the amount of the entire surface of the Moon illuminated by sunlight is the same at all the positions. (indicate with check mark). B. Ranking Instructions: Rank (from greatest to least) the amount of the Moon s illuminated surface that is visible from Earth at each of the five positions (A E) shown. Ranking Order: Greatest 1 2 3 4 5 Least Or, the amount of the Moon s illuminated surface visible from Earth is the same in all positions. (indicate with check mark). 1
Exercise #2 2: Astronomy Ranking Task: Phases of the Moon Description: Shown below are five different phases of the Moon (A E) as seen by an observer in the northern hemisphere. A B C D E A. Ranking Instructions: Beginning with the waxing gibbous phase of the Moon, rank the moon phases shown below in the order that the observer would see them over the next four weeks. Ranking Order: First phase following waxing gibbous phase 1 2 3 4 5 Last phase seen. Or, all of these phases would be visible at the same time. (indicate with check mark). 2
Exercise #1 APPENDIX 3. Astronomy Ranking Task: Luminosity of Stars Description: Imagine you are comparing the five electric hot plates (A E) of different sizes and temperatures. The temperature of each hot plate is indicated by a shade of gray such that the lighter the shade of gray, the higher the temperature of the hot plate. A B C A. Ranking instructions: Rank the surface area (from largest to smallest) of the hotplates. Ranking Order: Largest 1 2 3 4 5 Smallest Or, all the hotplates have the same surface area. (indicate with a check mark) B. Ranking instructions: Rank the temperature (from hottest to coldest) of the hotplates. Ranking Order: Hottest 1 2 3 4 5 Coldest Or, all the hotplates have the same temperature (indicate with a check mark) C. Ranking instructions: Rank the total energy output or luminosity (from greatest to least) of the hotplates. Ranking Order: Greatest 1 2 3 4 5 Least Or, all the hotplates have the same energy output or luminosity. (indicate with a check mark) D E 3
Exercise #2 APPENDIX 4. Astronomy Ranking Task: Luminosity of Stars Description: Consider the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram shown below which relates the luminosity (in solar units) to the temperature for four stars (A - D). A. Ranking instructions: Rank the temperature of the stars (A D) from hottest to coldest. Ranking Order: Hottest 1 2 3 4 Coldest Or, all the stars have the same temperature. (indicate with a check mark) B. Ranking instructions: Rank the luminosity of the stars (A D) from greatest (brightest) to least (dimmest). Ranking Order: Greatest 1 2 3 4 Least Or, all the stars have the same luminosity. (indicate with a check mark) C. Ranking instructions: Rank the surface area of the stars (A D) from largest to smallest. Ranking Order: Largest 1 2 3 4 Smallest Or, all the stars have the same surface area. (indicate with a check mark) 4
5. Astronomy Ranking Task: Luminosity of Stars Exercise #3 Description: The temperature and surface area for six stars (A - F) are given in the table below. The temperature of each star is also indicated by a shade of gray such that the lighter the shade of gray, the higher the temperature of the star. Star A B C D E F Surface Area 1 1 2 2 2 4 Temperature 1000 K 2000 K 2000 K 3000 K 1000 K 2000 K Ranking instructions: Rank the luminosity of the stars (A F) from greatest (brightest) to least (dimmest). Ranking Order: Greatest 1 2 3 4 5 6 Least Or, all the stars have the same luminosity. (indicate with a check mark) 5
6. Astronomy Ranking Task: Scale of the Universe Description: Consider the images of six different astronomical objects (A-F) below. A. The Moon B. The Sun C. Spiral Galaxy F. The Solar System D. Neutron Star E. Nebula A. Ranking Instructions: Rank the objects in terms of size from smallest to largest. Assume that objects are a typical size for that type of object. Ranking Order: Smallest 1 2 3 4 5 6 Largest Or, all the objects are the same size. (indicate with a check mark) B. Ranking Instructions: Rank the objects in terms of mass from least to most. Assume that objects are a typical mass for that type of object. Ranking Order: Least 1 2 3 4 5 6 Most Or, all the objects are the same mass. (indicate with a check mark) 6
7. Astronomy Ranking Task: Stellar Evolution & Look-Back Time Description: Imagine that the four stars listed below all became Main Sequence (MS) stars at exactly the same time 10 billion years ago but in different locations of the universe. A. Cosmo Star is an O spectral class star with a MS lifetime of 3 million years. Its life will eventually end as a SN type II and become a black hole. Cosmo Star is located in a galaxy 10 billion light years (ly) from Earth. B. Ollie Star is a K spectral class star with a MS lifetime of 30 billion years. Its life will eventually end as a slowly cooling white dwarf. Ollie Star is located in the MW at a distance of 10,000 ly from Earth. C. Sullivan Star is an F spectral class star that is part of a binary star system. It has a MS lifetime of 5 billion years. Its life will eventually end in a SN type I that completely destroys Sullivan Star. Sullivan Star is located in a galaxy 6 billion ly from Earth. D. Sliver Star is a B spectral class star with a MS lifetime of 20 million years. Its life will eventually end as a SN type II and become a neutron star. Sliver is located in our Milky Way Galaxy at a distance of 40,000 ly from Earth. (Sketch below if this is helpful) A. Ranking Instructions Rank the stars (from first to last) based on when an observer on Earth would see their final end states. Ranking Order: First 1 2 3 4 Last Or, all the stars would appear in their final state at the same time. (indicate with a check mark) 7