Reading the Dips: Light Curve Analysis Quiz

  • 9th Grade
Reviewed by Editorial Team
The ProProfs editorial team is comprised of experienced subject matter experts. They've collectively created over 10,000 quizzes and lessons, serving over 100 million users. Our team includes in-house content moderators and subject matter experts, as well as a global network of rigorously trained contributors. All adhere to our comprehensive editorial guidelines, ensuring the delivery of high-quality content.
Learn about Our Editorial Process
| By Thames
T
Thames
Community Contributor
Quizzes Created: 8518 | Total Attempts: 9,614,381
| Questions: 20 | Updated: Feb 20, 2026
Please wait...
Question 1 / 21
🏆 Rank #--
0 %
0/100
Score 0/100

1. What is the primary purpose of a light curve in astronomy?

Explanation

If a light curve is a graph that plots light intensity against time, then the data points allow us to see how the brightness of a celestial object fluctuates.

Submit
Please wait...
About This Quiz
Reading The Dips: Light Curve Analysis Quiz - Quiz

Reading the "heartbeat" of a star. A graph of a star's light over time tells a story of orbiting planets and passing shadows. This light curve analysis quiz challenges you to decode the shapes and patterns in astronomical data.

2.

What first name or nickname would you like us to use?

You may optionally provide this to label your report, leaderboard, or certificate.

2. Light curve analysis is a key method used by scientists to discover planets orbiting other stars.

Explanation

If scientists monitor the brightness of distant stars and see regular, repeating dips, then they can use light curve analysis to confirm the presence of an exoplanet.

Submit

3. What does a "dip" in a light curve typically represent during a planetary transit?

Explanation

If a planet passes between Earth and its host star, and if that planet blocks a portion of the star's light, then the observed brightness will decrease, creating a dip in the data.

Submit

4. Graphs that show the brightness of a star over a specific period of time are known as transit light curves.

Explanation

If the term refers to the specific visual data recorded when a planet moves across a star, then the correct phrase is transit light curves.

Submit

5. Which of the following features can be identified through light curve analysis?

Explanation

If the graph shows when dips happen and how deep they are, then we can calculate the time between orbits (period) and the physical size (depth), though distance from Earth requires different measurements.

Submit

6. If one dip in a light curve is deeper than another, what can you conclude about the planet?

Explanation

If the depth of a dip is determined by how much surface area of the star is blocked, and if a larger planet blocks more surface area than a smaller one, then a deeper dip indicates a larger planet.

Submit

7. The term brightness dips explained refers to the star physically dimming its energy output.

Explanation

If the dip is caused by a planet blocking light from reaching our telescopes, then the star's actual energy output hasn't changed; the decrease is only an "apparent" change due to the transit.

Submit

8. What does the "periodicity" of dips in a light curve tell astronomers?

Explanation

If the dips in a light curve occur at regular, repeating intervals, then that interval represents the time it takes for the planet to complete one full orbit around its star.

Submit

9. Visual charts used to identify new worlds are often called planet detection graphs.

Explanation

If astronomers use specialized scatter plots to look for signs of new exoplanets, then those visualizations are known as planet detection graphs.

Submit

10. What non-planetary events might cause dips in a light curve?

Explanation

If any opaque object or dark feature blocks starlight or if the telescope malfunctions, then the light curve will show a dip that could be mistaken for a planet.

Submit

11. Why is the "bottom" of a dip in transit light curves often flat or slightly curved?

Explanation

If a planet takes time to move from one side of the star to the other, and if it stays completely within the star's disk for a while, then the brightness will remain at its lowest point, creating a flat bottom.

Submit

12. The duration (width) of a dip can help scientists determine how fast a planet is moving in its orbit.

Explanation

If a planet is moving faster, it will spend less time in front of the star; if it spends less time there, the dip on the light curve will be narrower (shorter duration).

Submit

13. When reading astronomy data on a light curve, the x-axis (horizontal) represents ________.

Explanation

If a light curve tracks changes as they occur over minutes, hours, or days, then the horizontal axis must represent the passage of time.

Submit

14. What would a light curve look like if a star had two different planets transiting it?

Explanation

If each planet has a unique size and orbital speed, then each will create its own unique dip in the light curve, resulting in multiple, overlapping patterns.

Submit

15. What skills are important when reading astronomy data in the form of light curves?

Explanation

If the goal is to find a planet, then an observer must be able to see repeating dips, measure their size, calculate the timing, and ignore random data spikes that aren't caused by a planet.

Submit

16. A U-shaped dip in a light curve happens because stars are often dimmer at their edges than in their centers.

Explanation

If "limb darkening" causes a star to look brighter in the middle than at the edges, then the amount of light blocked will change as the planet moves across different parts of the star, creating a U-shape.

Submit

17. The y-axis (vertical) on a light curve typically shows the ________ of the star.

Explanation

If the purpose of the graph is to show how much light we receive, then the vertical axis must represent brightness (or flux).

Submit

18. If you know the size of the star and the depth of the dip, what can you calculate?

Explanation

If the dip represents a ratio of the planet's area to the star's area, and if the star's size is already known, then the math allows us to solve for the planet's radius.

Submit

19. Why is "noise" a problem in light curve analysis?

Explanation

If electronic interference or stellar activity creates random zig-zags in the data, then those fluctuations can mask the tiny signal of a small planet or create "false positives" that look like transits.

Submit

20. When brightness dips explained by planetary transits are found, what is the next step for astronomers?

Explanation

If light curves only provide a candidate planet, and if other things can cause dips, then scientists must use a second detection method (like measuring the star's wobble) to confirm the planet's mass and existence.

Submit
×
Saved
Thank you for your feedback!
View My Results
Cancel
  • All
    All (20)
  • Unanswered
    Unanswered ()
  • Answered
    Answered ()
What is the primary purpose of a light curve in astronomy?
Light curve analysis is a key method used by scientists to discover...
What does a "dip" in a light curve typically represent during a...
Graphs that show the brightness of a star over a specific period of...
Which of the following features can be identified through light curve...
If one dip in a light curve is deeper than another, what can you...
The term brightness dips explained refers to the star physically...
What does the "periodicity" of dips in a light curve tell astronomers?
Visual charts used to identify new worlds are often called planet...
What non-planetary events might cause dips in a light curve?
Why is the "bottom" of a dip in transit light curves often flat or...
The duration (width) of a dip can help scientists determine how fast a...
When reading astronomy data on a light curve, the x-axis (horizontal)...
What would a light curve look like if a star had two different planets...
What skills are important when reading astronomy data in the form of...
A U-shaped dip in a light curve happens because stars are often dimmer...
The y-axis (vertical) on a light curve typically shows the ________ of...
If you know the size of the star and the depth of the dip, what can...
Why is "noise" a problem in light curve analysis?
When brightness dips explained by planetary transits are found, what...
play-Mute sad happy unanswered_answer up-hover down-hover success oval cancel Check box square blue
Alert!