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In Quest of the Universe 6th edition


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Table of Contents

  • Chapter 1: The Quest Ahead
    • 1.1: The View from Earth
    • 1.2: The Celestial Sphere
    • 1.3: The Sun's Motion Across the Sky
    • 1.4: The Moon's Phases
    • 1.5: Lunar Eclipses
    • 1.6: Solar Eclipses
    • 1.7: Observations of Planetary Motion
    • 1.8: Rotations
    • 1.9: Units of Distance in Astronomy
    • 1.10: The Scale of the Universe
    • 1.11: Astronomy Today
    • 1: Questions to Ponder
    • 1: Calculations

  • Chapter 2: From and Earth-Centered to a Sun-Centered System
    • 2.1: Science and Its Ways of Knowing
    • 2.2: From and Earth-Centered to a Sun-Centered System
    • 2.3: The Greek Geocentric Model
    • 2.4: Aristarchus' Heliocentric Model
    • 2.5: The Marriage of Aristotle and Christianity
    • 2.6: Nicolaus Copernicus and the Heliocentric Model
    • 2.7: Comparing the Two Models
    • 2.8: Tycho Brahe: The Importance of Accurate Observations
    • 2.9: Johannes Kepler and the Laws of Planetary Motion
    • 2.10: Kepler's Contribution
    • 2: Questions to Ponder
    • 2: Calculations

  • Chapter 3: Gravity and the Rise of Modern Astronomy
    • 3.1: Galileo Galilei and the Telescope
    • 3.2: Isaac Newton's Grand Synthesis
    • 3.3: Motion in a Circle
    • 3.4: The Law of Universal Gravitation
    • 3.5: Newton's Laws and Kepler's Laws
    • 3.6: Orbits and the Center of Mass
    • 3.7: Beyond Newton
    • 3.8: General Theory of Relativity
    • 3.9: Gravitation and Einstein
    • 3: Questions to Ponder
    • 3: Calculations

  • Chapter 4: Light and Electromagnetic Spectrum
    • 4.1: The Kelvin Temperature Scale
    • 4.2: The Wave Nature of Light
    • 4.3: The Electromagnetic Spectrum
    • 4.4: The Colors of Planets and Stars
    • 4.5: Types of Spectra
    • 4.6: The Bohr Model of the Atom
    • 4.7: The Doppler Effect
    • 4.8: The Inverse Square Law of Radiation
    • 4: Questions to Ponder
    • 4: Calculations

  • Chapter 5: Telescopes: Windows to the Universe
    • 5.1: Refraction and Image Formation
    • 5.2: The Refracting Telescope
    • 5.3: The Powers of a Telescope
    • 5.4: The Reflecting Telescope
    • 5.5: Radio Telescopes
    • 5.6: Interferometry
    • 5.7: Detecting Other Electromagnetic Radiation
    • 5: Questions to Ponder
    • 5: Calculations

  • Chapter 6: The Earth-Moon System
    • 6.1: Measuring the Moon's Distance and Size
    • 6.2: The Tides
    • 6.3: Earth
    • 6.4: The Moon's Surface
    • 6.5: Theories of the Origin of the Moon
    • 6.6: The History of the Moon
    • 6: Questions to Ponder
    • 6: Calculations

  • Chapter 7: Planetary Overview
    • 7.1: Sizes and Distances in the Solar System
    • 7.2: Measuring Mass and Average Density
    • 7.3: Planetary Motions
    • 7.4: Classifying the Planets
    • 7.5: Planetary Atmospheres
    • 7.6: The Formation of the Solar System
    • 7.7: Planetary Systems around Other Stars
    • 7: Questions to Ponder
    • 7: Calculations

  • Chapter 8: The Terrestrial Planets
    • 8.1: Mercury
    • 8.2: Venus
    • 8.3: Mars
    • 8.4: Why Explore?
    • 8: Questions to Ponder
    • 8: Calculations

  • Chapter 9: The Jovian Planets
    • 9.1: Jupiter
    • 9.2: Saturn
    • 9.3: Uranus
    • 9.4: Neptune
    • 9: Questions to Ponder
    • 9: Calculations

  • Chapter 10: Dwarf Planets and Solar System Debris
    • 10.1: Pluto
    • 10.2: Solar System Debris
    • 10.3: Asteroids
    • 10.4: Comets
    • 10.5: The Oort Cloud and the Kuiper Belt
    • 10.6: Meteors and Meteor Showers
    • 10.7: Meteorites and Craters
    • 10.8: The Importance of the Solar System Debris
    • 10: Questions to Ponder
    • 10: Calculations

  • Chapter 11: The Sun
    • 11.1: Solar Properties
    • 11.2: Solar Energy
    • 11.3: The Sun's Interior
    • 11.4: Helioseismology
    • 11.5: The Solar Atmosphere
    • 11.6: Sunspots and the Solar Activity Cycle
    • 11: Questions to Ponder
    • 11: Calculations

  • Chapter 12: Measuring the Properties of Stars
    • 12.1: Stellar Luminosity
    • 12.2: Measuring Distances to the Stars
    • 12.3: Motions of Stars
    • 12.4: Spectral Types
    • 12.5: Multiple Star Systems
    • 12.6: Stellar Masses and Sizes from Binary Star Data
    • 12.7: The Mass-Luminosity Relationship
    • 12.8: Cepheid Variables as Distance Indicators
    • 12: Questions to Ponder
    • 12: Calculations

  • Chapter 13: Interstellar Matter and Star Formation
    • 13.1: The Interstellar Medium
    • 13.2: A Brief Woodland Visit
    • 13.3: Star Birth
    • 13: Questions to Ponder
    • 13: Calculations

  • Chapter 14: The Lives and Deaths of Low-Mass Stars
    • 14.1: Brown Dwarfs
    • 14.2: Stellar Maturity
    • 14.3: Star Death
    • 14.4: Very Low Mass Stars (< 0.4M)
    • 14.5: Beyond the Very Low Mass Stars: The Red Giant Stage
    • 14.6: Moderately Low Mass Stars (0.4-4M)
    • 14.7: White Dwarfs
    • 14.8: Type I Supernovae
    • 14: Questions to Ponder
    • 14: Calculations

  • Chapter 15: The Deaths of Massive Stars
    • 15.1: Moderately Massive and Very Massive Stars (>4M)
    • 15.2: Type II Supernovae
    • 15.3: SN1987A
    • 15.4: Neutron Stars
    • 15.5: The Light house Model of Neutron Stars/Pulsars
    • 15.6: Moderately Massive Stars - Conclusion
    • 15.7: General Relativity
    • 15.8: The Fate of Very Massive Stars
    • 15.9: Our Relatives - The Stars
    • 15: Questions to Ponder
    • 15: Calculations

  • Chapter 16: The Milky Way Galaxy
    • 16.1: Our Galaxy
    • 16.2: Components of the Galaxy
    • 16.3: The Spiral Arms
    • 16.4: Spiral Arm Theories
    • 16.5: The Galactic Nucleus
    • 16.6: The Evolution of the Galaxy
    • 16: Questions to Ponder
    • 16: Calculations

  • Chapter 17: A Diversity of Galaxies
    • 17.1: The Hubble Classification
    • 17.2: Measuring Galaxies
    • 17.3: The Masses of Galaxies
    • 17.4: The Origin of Galactic Types
    • 17.5: Active Galaxies
    • 17.6: The Nature of Active Galactic Nuclei
    • 17: Questions to Ponder
    • 17: Calculations

  • Chapter 18: Cosmology: The Nature of the Universe
    • 18.1: The Search for Centers and Edges
    • 18.2: The Expanding Universe
    • 18.3: Cosmological Assumptions
    • 18.4: The Big Bang
    • 18.5: The Future: Will Expansion Stop?
    • 18.6: The Inflationary Universe
    • 18.7: The Grand Scale Structure of the Universe
    • 18: Questions to Ponder
    • 18: Calculations

  • Chapter 19: The Quest for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
    • 19.1: Radio Searches and SETI
    • 19.2: Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence
    • 19.3: Letters to Extraterrestrials
    • 19.4: The Origin of Life
    • 19.5: The Drake Equation
    • 19.6: Where is Everybody?
    • 19: Questions to Ponder
    • 19: Calculations

Questions Available within WebAssign

Most questions from this textbook are available in WebAssign. The online questions are identical to the textbook questions except for minor wording changes necessary for Web use. Whenever possible, variables, numbers, or words have been randomized so that each student receives a unique version of the question. This list is updated nightly.

Question Group Key

C
 Calculations
Q
 Questions to Ponder


Question Availability Color Key

BLACK questions are available now
BOLD ORANGE questions are under development


Group Quantity Questions
Chapter 1: The Quest Ahead
C 11 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011
Q 18 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013 014 015 016 017 018
Chapter 2: From and Earth-Centered to a Sun-Centered System
C 10 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011
Q 25 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013 014 015 016 017 018 019 020 021 022 023 024 025
Chapter 3: Gravity and the Rise of Modern Astronomy
C 6 001 002 003 004 005 006
Q 13 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013
Chapter 4: Light and Electromagnetic Spectrum
C 12 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012
Q 14 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013 014
Chapter 5: Telescopes: Windows to the Universe
C 6 001 002 003 004 005 006
Q 12 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012
Chapter 6: The Earth-Moon System
C 6 001 002 003 004 005 006
Q 8 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008
Chapter 7: Planetary Overview
C 6 001 002 003 004 005 006
Q 11 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011
Chapter 8: The Terrestrial Planets
C 6 001 002 003 004 005 006
Q 11 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011
Chapter 9: The Jovian Planets
C 8 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008
Q 14 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013 014
Chapter 10: Dwarf Planets and Solar System Debris
C 7 001 002 003 004 005 006 007
Q 13 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013
Chapter 11: The Sun
C 5 001 002 003 004 005
Q 15 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013 014 015
Chapter 12: Measuring the Properties of Stars
C 10 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010
Q 15 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013 014 015
Chapter 13: Interstellar Matter and Star Formation
C 4 001 002 003 004
Q 10 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010
Chapter 14: The Lives and Deaths of Low-Mass Stars
C 5 001 002 003 004 005
Q 14 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013 014
Chapter 15: The Deaths of Massive Stars
C 6 001 002 003 004 005 006
Q 10 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010
Chapter 16: The Milky Way Galaxy
C 4 001 002 003 004
Q 11 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011
Chapter 17: A Diversity of Galaxies
C 8 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008
Q 9 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009
Chapter 18: Cosmology: The Nature of the Universe
C 3 001 002 003
Q 12 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012
Chapter 19: The Quest for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
C 4 001 002 003 004
Q 4 001 002 003 004
Total 366  
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