Astronomy 102

Background Survey Ð September 2, 2003

 

Class of _________________                                                            Major __________________

 

Please indicate your proficiency in several mathematical areas by indicating whether you are Uncomfortable, Content, Comfortable, and Expert in each of the following areas:

 

 

1.     Arithmetic

c   Uncomfortable

c   Content

c   Comfortable

c   Expert

 

 

 

 

 

2.     Units and unit conversion

c   Uncomfortable

c   Content

c   Comfortable

c   Expert

 

 

 

 

 

3.     Scientific number notation

c   Uncomfortable

c   Content

c   Comfortable

c   Expert

 

 

 

 

 

4.     Algebra

c   Uncomfortable

c   Content

c   Comfortable

c   Expert

 

 

 

 

 

5.     Geometry

c   Uncomfortable

c   Content

c   Comfortable

c   Expert

 

 

 

 

 

6.     Reading and drawing graphs

c   Uncomfortable

c   Content

c   Comfortable

c   Expert

 

 

 

 

 

7.     Trigonometry

c   Uncomfortable

c   Content

c   Comfortable

c   Expert

 

 

 

Consider the following 4 statements.  For each statement, indicate whether you consider the statement (1) an accepted scientific fact, (2) possibly true but unverified, (3) false but couched in scientific-sounding terms, or (4) nonsense.

 

 

1.     One could travel to the nearest stars faster than light, or travel backwards through time, by taking shortcuts through hyperspace.

c   An accepted scientific fact

c   Possibly true but unverified

c   False but couched in scientific-sounding terms

c   Nonsense

 

 

2.     The Universe began with an explosion, setting all of its contents into an outward expansion that persists to this day.

c   An accepted scientific fact

c   Possibly true but unverified

c   False but couched in scientific-sounding terms

c   Nonsense

 

 

3.     There are canals on Mars, we believe. Where there are canals, there is water; where there is water, there is oxygen; where there is oxygen, we can breathe.

c   An accepted scientific fact

c   Possibly true but unverified

c   False but couched in scientific-sounding terms

c   Nonsense

 

 

4.     One's destiny is determined by the relative positions in the sky of the stars, planets, Sun and Moon at the moment of one's birth.

c   An accepted scientific fact

c   Possibly true but unverified

c   False but couched in scientific-sounding terms

c   Nonsense