20141024

Astronomy current events question: audience vote on Pluto as a planet

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2014
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)
David A. Aguilar, Christine Pulliam, "Is Pluto a Planet? The Votes Are In," (September 22, 2014)
http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/2014-25
After presentations from three planetary scientists at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, __________ audience members voted on a definition for Pluto being a planet.
(A) NASA.
(B) International Astronomical Union.
(C) general public.
(D) preschool and kindergarten.
(E) Nobel Prize winner.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186
(A) : 4 students
(B) : 12 students
(C) : 22 students
(D) : 1 student
(E) : 0 students

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