Science General · Geography

Astronomy and Celestial Phenomena

1,839 Questions

This section provides practice questions on astronomy and celestial phenomena, focusing on eclipses, planetary movements, and tides. These concepts are commonly tested in general science sections of various competitive exams. Use this hub to practice questions related to the Earth, Moon, and solar system dynamics.

Solar and lunar eclipsesEquinoxes and solsticesPlanetary movementsOcean tidesCoriolis effectMeteor showers

Astronomy and Celestial Phenomena Questions

Multiple choice geography environmental changes elements of weather and climate : temperature process of heat transfer in the atmosphere environmental regions (zones)

The sun's energy is dissipated and scattered before it reaches the ______.

  1. mars

  2. pluto

  3. moon

  4. earth
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Earth,

Once the sun's energy reaches earth, it is intercepted first by the atmosphere. A small part of the sun's energy is directly absorbed, particularly by certain gases such as ozone and water vapor. Some of the sun's energy is reflected back to space by clouds and the earth's surface.

Multiple choice geography environmental changes elements of weather and climate : temperature process of heat transfer in the atmosphere environmental regions (zones)

What factors are responsible for Insolation variation?

  1. The angle of inclination of the suns rays

  2. The length of the day

  3. The transparency of the atmosphere

  4. all of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The conditions of the atmosphere as well as the seasons affect the actual amount of insolation received at a place on the earth. Following are the factors which are responsible for variation in insolation:-

  1. Angle of inclination of the sun rays
  2. Length of the day
  3. Transparency of the atmosphere
  4. Solar constant
  5. Distance between the earth and the sun

Multiple choice biology weather, climate and adaptation of animals to different climates climate and weather weather, climate and adaptations of animals to climate atmosphere and its components

In the Northern Hemisphere, this day has the fewest hours of daylight:

  1. Summer solstice

  2. Winter solstice

  3. Vernal equinox

  4. Autumnal equinox
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere occurs when the North Pole is tilted furthest away from the Sun, resulting in the shortest day of the year.

Multiple choice evs - ii our earth and our solar system solar system and sun planets and stars introduction to solar system planets sunita's experience in space space exploration

How did planets and other objects in the solar system form?

  1. After the Sun formed, it threw off hot pieces that spun and cooled.

  2. The Sun captured objects that formed in other places in the galaxy.

  3. Two stars collided, and the broken pieces went into orbit around the Sun.

  4. Material in a disc formed large clumps as the Sun fanned in the centre of the disc.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
The planets in our solar system are believed to have formed from the same spinning disc of dust that formed the Sun. This disc, called the solar nebula, was composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, but also had other elements in smaller proportions. The nebula had a certain amount of angular momentum orbiting the forming Sun. Particles in the spinning disc began to clump together as gravity attracted them to each other.
Multiple choice evs - ii our earth and our solar system solar system and sun planets and stars introduction to solar system planets sunita's experience in space space exploration

Reflection of the sunlight from the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere causes

  1. days and nights

  2. tides

  3. eclipses

  4. twilight
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Twilight is seen because the earth's atmosphere, some light scatters through small particles in the atmosphere- so, there is still some light n the sky even after the sun  has gone down.


Multiple choice botany environmental factors soil-nature climate factors abiotic components

If the average temperature of the sun increased, the wavelength of peak solar emission would:

  1. Shift to a shorter wavelength

  2. Shift to a longer wavelength

  3. Remain the same

  4. Impossible to tell from given information
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

According to Wien's Displacement Law, the wavelength of peak emission is inversely proportional to the temperature. If the temperature increases, the peak wavelength shifts to a shorter value.

Multiple choice botany environmental factors soil-nature climate factors abiotic components

At the North Pole the sun will rise above the horizon on _________ and set below the horizon on __________

  1. June 22; September 23

  2. September 23; December 22

  3. March 21; September 23

  4. June 22; December 22
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

At the North Pole, the Sun rises at the spring equinox (March 21) and sets at the autumnal equinox (September 23), resulting in six months of daylight followed by six months of darkness.

Multiple choice physics effects of light scattering of light and its applications some natural phenomena of light natural phenomena explained by scattering

The sun appears red at the time of sun-rise and sun-set. This is because:

  1. red colour is least scattered

  2. red colour is most scattered

  3. the sun is red in colour

  4. our eyes can sense only red colour
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Among the constituent colours of white light, red has the longest wavelength and hence least frequency. As a result, red is least scattered among all colours. So, red colour reaches our eyes while all other colours scatter away during sun-rise and sun-set.

Multiple choice physics effects of light scattering of light and its applications some natural phenomena of light natural phenomena explained by scattering

Why does sun appear reddish at sunrise and sunset?

  1. Near the horizon it passes through thick layers of atmosphere having larger particles

  2. Sunlight travels longer distance at sunrise and sunset

  3. Both A and B

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Near the horizon sunlight passes through thicker layers of air having larger particles that scatter light of longer wavelength such as the red end of the spectrum. Also it travels larger distance at horizon before reaching the earth. However, light from the Sun overhead travels relatively shorter distance. At noon, the Sun appears white as only a little of the blue color is scattered whereas, near the horizon, most of the light of shorter wavelength at the blue end of the spectrum are scattered away by the small particles of the atmosphere. Therefore, the light that reaches our eyes is of longer wavelength which gives rise to the reddish appearance of the Sun.

Multiple choice physics effects of light scattering of light and its applications some natural phenomena of light natural phenomena explained by scattering

Which one of the following statements is correct?

  1. The planets twinkle at night due to atmospheric refraction of light

  2. The stars appear higher in the sky than they actually are, due to scattering of light

  3. The blue colour of sky is due to scattering of light

  4. The rainbow is produced by the reflection of white sunlight by water drops in the atmosphere.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

C. The blue colour of sky is due to scattering of light   = correct statement

The blue colour of sky is due to the scattering of light by small particles of the atmosphere (air molecules) when the light is incident on particles whose size is smaller than the wavelength of light, it is scattered.

According to Rayleigh law, the intensity of scattered light is inversely proportional to the fourth power of wavelength.


Option C is correct answer.

Multiple choice physics effects of light scattering of light and its applications some natural phenomena of light natural phenomena explained by scattering

At sunrise or sunset, the sun appears to be reddish white. This is because :

  1. The sun is colder at sunrise or at sunset

  2. Diffraction sends red rays to the earth at these times

  3. Refraction causes this phenomenon

  4. Scattering due to dust particles and air molecules causes the phenomenon

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

During sunset and sunrise, the rays have to travel a larger part of the atmosphere because they are very close to the horizon. Therefore, light other than red is mostly scattered away. Most of the red light, which is the least scattered, enters our eyes. Hence, the sun appear red..

Multiple choice physics effects of light scattering of light and its applications some natural phenomena of light natural phenomena explained by scattering

Rising and setting sun appears to be reddish because:

  1. The sun is colder at sunrise or at sunset

  2. Diffraction sends red rays to the earth at these times

  3. Refraction is responsible for it

  4. Scattering due to dust particles and air molecules is responsible for it
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

According to Rayleigh's law of scattering, amount of scattering $\alpha \frac {1}{\lambda^4}$.
Red having maximum wavelength straight to the observer.
Most of the scattered light goes towards the sky, so the sky appears blue.