REGENTS EARTH SCIENCE Name

Doppler Effect & Red-Shift Worksheet

Date Period
Activity 1: Answer the following questions based on the passage and diagram.

The light waves of a star go through a similar shift. If the star is coming closer, the light waves are compressed
(pushed) together. This makes light waves move toward the blue spectrum. If a star is moving away, the light
waves get stretched apart. This makes the light waves move toward the red spectrum. This is called the red
shift. When the light waves of stars in surrounding galaxies are examined, we notice that they are giving off
long waves, which means they are in the red spectrum. Red Spectrum light waves are longer waves.

1) What side of the picture would show a star moving toward Earth?
A) Side A B) Side B

2) What side of the picture would show a star moving away from Earth?
A) Side A B) Side B

3) Which side of the picture shows the Red Shift?

A) Side A B) Side B

Activity 2: Answer the following questions using the Electromagnetic Spectrum table in the
ESRT Page 14 and your knowledge of Earth Science.
4) Which type of radiation has the shortest wavelength?
A) microwaves B) visible light C) ultraviolet D) infrared

5) Which visible radiation has the shortest wavelength?

A) red B) blue C) green D) yellow

6) Which form of electromagnetic radiation can be shorter than ultraviolet, but longer than gamma rays?
A) ultraviolet B) X rays C) Microwaves D) infrared

7) The Big Bang Theory, describing the creation of the universe, is most directly supported by the
A) apparent shape of star constellations C) presence of craters on Earth's Moon
B) red shift of light from distant galaxies D) presence of volcanoes on Earth
8) When viewed from Earth, the light from very distant galaxies shows a red shift. This is evidence that these
distant galaxies are
A) moving away from Earth C) moving toward Earth
B) revolving around the Milky Way D) revolving around the Sun

9) The diagram below shows the spectral lines for an element.

Which diagram best represents the spectral lines of this element when its light is observed coming from a
star that is moving away from Earth?

10) Which graph best represents the relative wavelengths of the different forms of electromagnetic energy?

11) Which type of electromagnetic energy has the longest wavelength?

A) ultraviolet radiation C) radio wave radiation
B) x-ray radiation D) infrared radiation

12) State one piece of evidence used by scientists to support the theory that the Big Bang event occurred.