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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Aristotle declared that a body in rest tended to do what?

2. When was Claudius Ptolemy born?

3. What ancient people thought of the sky as a canopy supported by the mountains, according to the author in Chapter 1: "The Dome of Heaven"?

4. What is a device with a special eyepiece to measure the size of a planet as seen through a telescope?

5. The Royal Society was established in what year?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where did the pursuit of science evolve after the rise of Christianity, according to the author in Chapter 2: "Raising (and Lowering) the Roof"?

2. What scholars and astronomers influenced the theories of Copernicus, according to the author in Chapter 4: "The Sun Worshipers"?

3. What discoveries did Galileo make in his studies of the cosmos, according to the author in Chapter 5: "The World in Retrograde"?

4. How did the rise of Christianity impact the sciences according to the author in Chapter 2: "Raising (and Lowering) the Roof"?

5. When did Newton develop his theory of gravity, according to the author in Chapter 6: "Newton's Reach"? What was his first law?

6. What aspects of the cosmos confused ancient astronomers, according to the author in Chapter 1: "The Dome of Heaven"?

7. What had remained a major problem for explorers at sea as described by the author in Chapter 7: "A Plumb Line to the Sun"?

8. What were the practical reasons for ancient civilizations to focus on the cosmos, as described by the author in Chapter 1: "The Dome of Heaven"?

9. What sparked the reawakening of interest in the cosmos, according to the author in Chapter 3: "The Discovery of the Earth"?

10. How did Newton demolish Arisotle's dual universe according to the author in Chapter 6: "Newton's Reach"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the life and work of Nicolaus Copernicus. When and where was Copernicus born? Where did Copernicus study? What ancient astronomers influenced him? What advancements did Copernicus make to science? How did he impact history?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss the discovery of nebulae, Immanuel Kant, and Johann Lambert. What are the three classes of nebulae and when were they defined as such? Who were the primary influences to each of these individuals? How did these historical thinkers differ in their ideas? How were they similar?

Essay Topic 3

Define, analyze and discuss micrometry, triangulation, and Euclidean geometry. When were micrometry and triangulation developed? By whom? How were these methods used to determine distance? Who was Euclid and when did he live?

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