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ClassAction Questions List
Over 500 think-pair-share (peer instruction) questions for astronomy. Many questions are permutable and incorporate animations and images.
ClassAction
Introductory Concepts
- Scale
- Increasing Distance
- Scientific Notation
- Calculation in Scientific Notation
- Special Units
- Dimensional Analysis
- Light-Travel Time
- Look-Back Time
- Spin Lookback Time
- Graph: Circumference
- Earth Rotations
- Precision/Accuracy
- Common Densities
- Density and Volume
- Trash Density
- Density of Combined Object
- Properties of Density
- Temperature Scales
Coordinates and Motions
- Daylight
- Diurnal Warmup
- Incorrect Sun Animation
- Best Day
- Change to Earth Seasons
- Seasons Contributor(s)
- No Orbital Tilt
- Tropics and Tilt
- Terrestrial Coordinates 1
- Terrestrial Coordinates 2
- RA-Dec Locations
- Date of Sun on the Ecliptic
- Sun on the Ecliptic
- Sun at the Zenith
- Sun's Rays
- Sun Movement
- Sun at Zenith Frequency
- Effects of Tilt
- Meaning of Tropics
- Percent of Stars Visible
- Az-Alt Locations
- Azimuth and Altitude
- Boat Azimuth
- Altitude of the Pole
- Declination Ranges
- Meridional Altitude for the Sun
- Meridional Altitude for Stars
- Star Trails
- Star Trails Images
- Star Paths: Declination Given
- Star Paths: Latitude Given
- Flat Map Dates
- Sun Rise/Set After Equinox
- Sun Shadow
- Seasons at the Union
- Sun at the Zenith
- Sun Paths 1
- Sun Paths 2
- Flat Map Hours
- North Point and Zenith
- Average Daylight
- Location Identification
- Antipodes
- Rise and Set of Stars
- Seasons on Uranus
- Missing Day
- Antipodal Algorithm
- Passive Solar Heating
- Sun Glare
Lunar Cycles
- Sun and Full Moon
- Limb of the Moon
- Identify Phase from Picture
- Phases of a Tree Trunk
- Identify Lunar Position from Phase
- Phases of the Ecliptic
- Phases, Eclipses and Tides
- Phase Evolution
- Time Intervals Between Phases
- Rising/Meridian/Setting Times
- Lunar Periods
- Types of Lunar Eclipses
- Frequency of Eclipses
- Synchronous Rotation
- Horizon Diagram: Identify Phase
- Horizon Diagram: Identify Time
- Location of the Moon
- Altitude of the Moon
- Earthrise on the Moon
- Location of the Crescent Moon
- Earth's Speed Changes
- Earth Phases
- Phases Visible
- Length of Night
- Moon's Plane is Perpendicular
- Phases from the North Pole
- Tides in the Future
Renaissance Astronomy
- Realistic Animation?
- Eccentricity of Shapes
- Kepler's 2nd Law
- Table: Kepler's 3rd Law
- Synodic/Sidereal Periods 1
- Mars Elongation
- Elongation Values
- Elongation Terminology
- Phases of Venus - Copernican
- Phases of Venus - Ptolemaic
- Perihelion/Aphelion Distance
- Applying Newton's Laws 1
- Gravity Fundamentals
- Gravity Direction
- Animations of Orbits
- Gravity Formula
- Gravity Calculations 1
- Gravity Calculations 2
- Gravity Calculations 3
- Gravity Calculations 4
- Earth Force vs. Sun Force
- Spaceship to the Moon
- Satellite Orbits
- Forces and Motion
- Graph: Orbital Velocities
- Graph: Kepler's 3rd Law
- Graph: Synodic Periods
- Synodic/Sidereal Periods 2
- Orbital Parameters (Sedna)
- Spider on a Clock
- Goat in a Field
- Kepler's 2nd and 3rd Laws
- Constructing An Ellipse
- Planetary Motion
- Orbital Velocity Formula
- Semi-Minor Axis
- Venusian Elongation
- Orbit of Asteroid 1991VG
- Direction of Rainfall
- Applying Newton's Laws 2
Light & Spectra
- Potassium Flares
- Space Lasers
- Properties of Waves
- Sizes of Wavelengths
- EM Spectrum Parameters
- Number Line: EM Spectrum
- Photon Speeds
- Electron Transitions
- Permitted Electron Orbits #1
- Permitted Electron Orbits #2
- H Energy Level Transitions
- Ranking Electron Transitions
- Misc Doppler Shift
- Hydrogen Doppler Shift
- Racetrack Radar
- Spaceship Doppler Shifts
- Blackbody Curve Units
- Blackbody Curve Laws
- Blackbody Curve Colors
- Blackbody Curve Temperatures
- Distant Star Light
- Flux Fraction 1
- Flux Fraction 2
- Inverse Square Flux
- Spectrum Analogies
- Spectra Perspective 1
- Spectra Perspective 2
- Spectroscopic Arithmetic
- Types of Spectra Venn Diagram
- Properties Table
- Observing in Different EM Bands
- Graph: EM Spectrum
- Graph: Siren Frequency
- Table: Blackbody Descriptions
- Moving Hydrogen Clouds
- Atmospheric Windows
- Experimental Chamber
- Sirius Images
- Heating a Horseshoe
- Pulsating Star
- Wave Parameters
- Discharge Tube Spectrum
- Deductions from H-alpha Wavelength
- Absorption Lines and Color
Sun and Solar Energy
- Thermal Transport
- H, He Abundance Over Time
- Outcome of Fusion
- Cause of Sunspots
- Rotation of Sunspots
- Sun's Blackbody Curves
- Sunspot Rotation
- Sun Changes Over Time
- Nature of Photosphere
- Energy Transport Mechanisms
- Nuclear Reaction Photon
- Granulation
- Spectra
- Pressure vs. Depth
- Tire Check
- Binding Energy
- Corona Ionization
- Solar Wind Particles
- Solar Properties Plots
- Deflection of Charged Particles #1
- Deflection of Charged Particles #2
Stellar Properties
- Apparent Magnitudes from Image
- Apparent Magnitude and Brightness
- Brightness and Energy of Stars
- Estimating Absolute Magnitude
- Estimating Apparent Magnitude
- Magnitude and Distance
- Distance Modulus
- Speed Trap
- Motion Units
- Proper Motion from Image
- Table: Stellar Velocities
- Tangential Velocity
- Ranking Stellar Motions
- Proper Motion of Barnard's Star
- Types of Motion
- Thirty Closest Stars
- Collision Course
- Eta Carinae Magnitude Change
- Components of Space Velocity
- Algol in the Past
- Magnitude of Sirius B
Stellar Properties 2
- Temperature and Color
- L-R-T Relation With HR Diagram
- L-R-T Relation
- Stellar Luminosity Comparisons
- Luminosity Table
- Luminosity Formula
- HR Diagram #1
- Stellar Parameters
- Conceptual HR Diagram
- HR Groups
- Perspectives
- Parallax and Distance
- Errors in Spectroscopic Parallax
- Spectral Type Temperature Ranking
- Spectral Type Number Line
- Line Strength 1
- Line Strength 2
- Common Stars
- Number of Visible Stars
- Sun's Relative Luminosity
- Parsec Size
- Table: Parallax Data
- Property Ranges
- Parallax from Jupiter
Binary and Variable Stars
- Practical Center of Mass
- CM Definition
- Binary Center of Mass
- Mass-Luminosity Relation
- Optical Double Car
- Binary Types
- Binary Kepler's 3rd Law
- Binary Systems 1
- Binary Systems2
- Binary Star Properties
- Eclipsing Variables
- Light Curve Shape
- Eclipsing Binary Light Curves 1
- Eclipsing Binary Light Curves 2
- Light Curve Locations
- Spectroscopic Binaries
- CCD Counts
- Clock Phases
- Differential Magnitudes
- Magnitude vs. Time
- Strobe
- Period From Data
- Telescope Search
- Cepheid Flow Chart
- Distance to Cepheids
- Radial Velocity Curve Amplitude
- Stars of Albireo
- Sketching Curves
Stellar Evolution
- HR Evolutionary Track
- HR Motion
- HR Movement
- Core Stages 1
- Core Stages 2
- Sun Stages
- High Mass Star
- Main Sequence Lifetimes
- Carbon Stars
- Giant Abundance
- Cluster Turnoff Points
- Relative Sizes
- Planetary Nebula Metals
- Planetary Nebula Spectra
- Planetary Nebula Lifetime
- Pulsars
- Pulsar Period Plot
- Schwarzschild Radius
- Black Hole Plots
- Spaghettification
- Supernova Venn Diagram
- Coulomb Barrier
- Mass Transfer
- Most Massive Nuclei
- Lifetimes from Table
- White Dwarf Radii
- Cool White Dwarfs
- Massive Star Concept Map
- Size from Light Variations
- Fast Neutron Stars
- Binary Star End States
- Supernova Danger
Milky Way Galaxy
- Rotation Curve Meaning
- Rotation Curves
- Disk and Halo Characteristics
- Orbits of Stars in Halo and Disk
- Blackhole Star Orbit
- Galactic Doppler Shift
- Mass-Velocity-Radius Relation
- Globular Cluster Distribution
- Change in Metals
- Cepheid Flow Chart
- Halo Stars Metallicity
- Metallicity
- Appearance
- Distance to Cepheids
- Metallicity Analogy
- Dwarf Galaxy Discovery
- Campfire Stories
Galaxies
- Galaxy Components
- Hubble Tuning Fork
- Galaxy Characteristics
- Elliptical Galaxy Calculations
- Spiral Galaxy Classification
- Protogalactic Cloud
- Galaxy Colors
- Galaxy Collisions
- Galaxies in Clusters
- Stars in Galactic Collisions
- Possible Merger Outcomes
- Galaxy Abundances
- Quasar Logic
- Star Formation Rates
- Spiral Arms
- Globular Cluster Distances
- Merger Characteristics
- Ratio of Spirals and Ellipticals
Cosmology
- Centerless Expansion Models
- Hubble Constant Statements
- Effects of Expansion
- Hubble's Law
- Hubble Constant 1
- Hubble Constant 2
- Universe Age from the Hubble Diagram
- Units of the Hubble Constant
- Expansion Rate
- Local Group
- Hubble Diagram Uncertainties
- Cosmological Principle
- Expansion Properties
- The Universe from a Distant Galaxy
- Universe Changes
- Future of the Universe
- Composition of the Universe
Solar System Characteristics
- Solar Nebula Composition 1
- Solar Nebula Composition 2
- Formation Temperatures
- Planet Formation Temperature
- Planet Densities
- Differentiation Effects on Density
- Density Changes Over Time
- Planet Characteristics
- Orbits of Planets
- Terrestrial and Jovian Planets
- Cratering Rate
- Half-Life 1
- Half-Life 2
- Classification of Planets
- Mass vs. Distance Graph
- Frost Line
- Formation Sequence Order
- Solar Nebula Changes
- Formation Theory Evidence
- Rotation And Revolution Directions
- Accretion Theories
- Cleared Neighborhood Statistic
ExtraSolar Planets
- ESP Orbit Animation
- Fireflies
- Overview
- Types of Evidence
- Doppler Sign Convention
- ESP Doppler Shift
- Radial Velocity Curve
- Amp and Period
- Radial Velocity Curve Shift
- Spectral Line Shifts
- Radial Velocity Characteristics
- RV Changes 1
- RV Results
- Transit Detection
- Planets Affecting the Sun
- Kepler Space Telescope
- Pulse Arrival Intervals
- Pulsar Movements
- Inclination 90 degrees
- Density Determination
- Detection Methods Venn Diagram
- Kepler Transit Detection
- a_vs_e
- RV Changes 2
- Massive Stars
- Detection Confirmation
- Transit Times
- Eccentricity
Terrestrial Planets
- Craters and Surface Age 1
- Craters and Surface Age 2
- Heat of Formation Analogy
- Light Intensity
- Earth's Early Atmosphere
- Length of Mercury Night
- Mercury's Scarps
- Atmosphere Plot
- Planets of Rock and Ice
- Synchronized Rotation
- Radar and Planet Distance
- Venus Rotation
- Incomplete Concept Map
- Moon Altimeter
- Magnetic Fields and Atmospheres
Jovian Planets
- Jovian Transit
- Galileo's Observations
- Jupiter Formation
- Jovian Density
- Magnetic Fields
- Helium Rain
- Jovian Oblateness
- Jupiter Rotation
- Galilean Moon Orbits
- Tidal Heating
- Europa's Oceans
- Titan Altimeter Readings
- Jovian Moons
- Jovian Alignments
- Saturn Seasons
- Ring Occultation
- Saturn Ring Gaps
- Roemer Observations
- Stellar Occultations
- Shepherd Moons
- Enceladus
- Different worlds
Solar System Debris
- Characterisitics of Debris
- Comet and Asteroid Orbits
- Debris Classification
- Debris Orbits
- Proper Motion
- Meteors vs. Meteorites
- Sources of Meteors and Meteorites
- Meteor Shower Location
- Meteor Shower Paths
- Terrestrial Impacts
- Asteroid Families
- Asteroid Resonances
- Asteroid Albdeo
- Occultation Conclusions
- Pluto Stability
- KBO Characteristics
- Chiron
- Graph: Distribution of Comets
- Comet Trajectory
- Comet Spectra
- Asteroid Density
- Tidally Locked
- KBO Resonances
- Vesta
- Asteroid Impact Probabilities
- Sedna's Orbit
- Figure Eight