20100408

Astronomy current events question: primitive supermassive black holes

Astronomy 210L, Spring Semester 2010
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!)
Astronomy.com editors, "Astronomers Discover Most Primitive Supermassive Black Holes Known," March 18, 2010
http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=9678
University of Arizona researchers have announced the discovery of two supermassive black holes, which are thought to be the most primitive known because of their:
(A) lack of dust.
(B) low masses.
(C) sharp edges.
(D) extreme blackness.
(E) monstrous size.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 48 students
(B) : 1 student
(C) : 4 students
(D) : 1 student
(E) : 8 students

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