Question 1

What did the Mars rover Opportunity discover on Mars that relates to questions about the existence of water on Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)  The rover found sedimentary rocks that contained minerals that could only have formed by precipitation from water. 
B)  The rover found liquid water emerging from a spring, freezing to ice. 
C)  The rover found ice in the soil. 
D)  The rover found no evidence of water ever having been on Mars. 
A)  The rover found sedimentary rocks that contained minerals that could only have formed by precipitation from water. 
B)  The rover found liquid water emerging from a spring, freezing to ice. 
C)  The rover found ice in the soil. 
D)  The rover found no evidence of water ever having been on Mars.

Question 2

___________is the major gas in the atmosphere of Venus.

Accepted Answer

A)  Carbon dioxide 
B)  Sulfur 
C)  Nitrogen 
D)  Water vapor 
A)  Carbon dioxide 
B)  Sulfur 
C)  Nitrogen 
D)  Water vapor

Question 3

We know the age of the lunar highlands from ___________.

Accepted Answer

A)  dating of Earth rocks, and correlating to lunar events 
B)  dating of lunar rocks collected by Apollo missions 
C)  age estimates from cratering rates 
D)  dating of lunar maria basalts collected by Apollo astronauts, and then calculated back in time by relative chronology 
A)  dating of Earth rocks, and correlating to lunar events 
B)  dating of lunar rocks collected by Apollo missions 
C)  age estimates from cratering rates 
D)  dating of lunar maria basalts collected by Apollo astronauts, and then calculated back in time by relative chronology

Question 4

Which of the following is not a Jovian planet?

Accepted Answer

A)  Saturn 
B)  Neptune 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  Pluto 
A)  Saturn 
B)  Neptune 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  Pluto

Question 5

The polar caps on ___________ are thought to be mainly water ice with a thin layer of carbon dioxide in the cold season.

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth 
B)  Mars 
C)  Mercury 
D)  Venus 
A)  Earth 
B)  Mars 
C)  Mercury 
D)  Venus

Question 6

The___________ explains how our solar system probably formed from a giant cloud of gases and dispersed solid particles.

Accepted Answer

A)  planetary compression theory 
B)  nebular hypothesis 
C)  protogalactic theory 
D)  extrastellar solar hypothesis 
A)  planetary compression theory 
B)  nebular hypothesis 
C)  protogalactic theory 
D)  extrastellar solar hypothesis

Question 7

The very large, lava- covered areas of the Moon are called ___________.

Accepted Answer

A)  maria 
B)  craters 
C)  regolith 
D)  highlands 
A)  maria 
B)  craters 
C)  regolith 
D)  highlands

Question 8

___________has atmospheric pressures at its surface that are roughly comparable to those at Earth's surface.

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter's moon Io 
B)  Neptune's moon Cassini 
C)  Saturn's moon Titan 
D)  Uranus's moon Miranda 
A)  Jupiter's moon Io 
B)  Neptune's moon Cassini 
C)  Saturn's moon Titan 
D)  Uranus's moon Miranda

Question 9

Which one of the following is not found on Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)  extinct volcanoes 
B)  sand dunes 
C)  polar ice caps 
D)  H2O- rich atmosphere 
A)  extinct volcanoes 
B)  sand dunes 
C)  polar ice caps 
D)  H2O- rich atmosphere

Question 10

What is a popular theory for the difference in atmospheres of the Jovian planets versus terrestrial planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  High temperatures and solar wind in the inner planets allowed most of the volatiles to be driven off the terrestrial planets, but not the Jovian planets. 
B)  The Jovian planets trapped most of the comets which carried the gases. 
C)  The Jovian planets are just bigger, so they trap more gases. 
D)  The terrestrial planets are too cold to retain anything but heavy gases. 
A)  High temperatures and solar wind in the inner planets allowed most of the volatiles to be driven off the terrestrial planets, but not the Jovian planets. 
B)  The Jovian planets trapped most of the comets which carried the gases. 
C)  The Jovian planets are just bigger, so they trap more gases. 
D)  The terrestrial planets are too cold to retain anything but heavy gases.

Question 11

Consider the following diagram of a comet's orbit:   What is illustrated about comets here?

Accepted Answer

A)  Ionized cometary gases being pushed away from the coma by the pressure of the solar wind of charged particles coming from the sun emitted by the Sun. 
B)  The part of the comet where comets are most concentrated is in the part of the comet farthest from the sun. 
C)  Comets are like planets and revolve in regular orbitals around a single star. 
D)  Comets are hotter than the Sun which is why they have such a different appearance from the Sun. 
A)  Ionized cometary gases being pushed away from the coma by the pressure of the solar wind of charged particles coming from the sun emitted by the Sun. 
B)  The part of the comet where comets are most concentrated is in the part of the comet farthest from the sun. 
C)  Comets are like planets and revolve in regular orbitals around a single star. 
D)  Comets are hotter than the Sun which is why they have such a different appearance from the Sun.

Question 12

Examine the words and/or phrases below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option that does not fit the pattern.

Accepted Answer

A)  Saturn 
B)  Jupiter 
C)  Mercury 
D)  Uranus 
A)  Saturn 
B)  Jupiter 
C)  Mercury 
D)  Uranus

Question 13

___________, a moon orbiting Jupiter, has an unusually smooth, uncratered, ice- covered surface.

Accepted Answer

A)  Europa 
B)  Titan 
C)  Miranda 
D)  Phobos 
A)  Europa 
B)  Titan 
C)  Miranda 
D)  Phobos

Question 14

What is the most abundant element in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn?

Accepted Answer

A)  helium 
B)  hydrogen 
C)  nitrogen 
D)  ammonia 
A)  helium 
B)  hydrogen 
C)  nitrogen 
D)  ammonia

Question 15

Several of the moons of Saturn, Uranus and Neptune display evidence of volcanic activity. What is the most common type of volcano on these moons?

Accepted Answer

A)  ice volcanos 
B)  pyroclastic eruptions of rhyolitic silicate material 
C)  basalt shield volcanos 
D)  sulfur volcanos 
A)  ice volcanos 
B)  pyroclastic eruptions of rhyolitic silicate material 
C)  basalt shield volcanos 
D)  sulfur volcanos

Question 16

Saturn is famous for its rings. Which of the following Jovian planets does not have rings?

Accepted Answer

A)  Neptune 
B)  Uranus 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  None, all of the Jovian planets have rings 
A)  Neptune 
B)  Uranus 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  None, all of the Jovian planets have rings

Question 17

Compare Earth's surface processes to the surface processes on Saturn's moon Titan.

Accepted Answer

Because both planets have liquids that r

Question 18

Compared to Earth's atmosphere, the atmosphere of Mars has surface pressures that are ___________.

Accepted Answer

A)  0.1 times those on Earth; major gases are water vapor and carbon dioxide 
B)  1.5 times those on Earth; main gases are methane and nitrogen 
C)  one- half those on Earth; main gases are methane and nitrogen 
D)  3 times those on Earth; major gases are water vapor and carbon dioxide 
A)  0.1 times those on Earth; major gases are water vapor and carbon dioxide 
B)  1.5 times those on Earth; main gases are methane and nitrogen 
C)  one- half those on Earth; main gases are methane and nitrogen 
D)  3 times those on Earth; major gases are water vapor and carbon dioxide

Question 19

___________is the principal gas in the Venusian atmosphere and also a minor component of the atmospheres of Earth and Mars.

Accepted Answer

A)  Carbon dioxide 
B)  Nitrogen 
C)  Methane 
D)  Ozone 
A)  Carbon dioxide 
B)  Nitrogen 
C)  Methane 
D)  Ozone

Question 20

___________meteorites are thought to be analogous in composition to Earth's core.

Accepted Answer

A)  Stony 
B)  Iron 
C)  Calcareous 
D)  Ammonical 
A)  Stony 
B)  Iron 
C)  Calcareous 
D)  Ammonical

Exam 22: Touring Our Solar System

What did the Mars rover Opportunity discover on Mars that relates to questions about the existence of water on Mars?

___________is the major gas in the atmosphere of Venus.

We know the age of the lunar highlands from ___________.

Which of the following is not a Jovian planet?

The polar caps on ___________ are thought to be mainly water ice with a thin layer of carbon dioxide in the cold season.

The___________ explains how our solar system probably formed from a giant cloud of gases and dispersed solid particles.

The very large, lava- covered areas of the Moon are called ___________.

___________has atmospheric pressures at its surface that are roughly comparable to those at Earth's surface.

Which one of the following is not found on Mars?

What is a popular theory for the difference in atmospheres of the Jovian planets versus terrestrial planets?

Consider the following diagram of a comet's orbit: What is illustrated about comets here?

Examine the words and/or phrases below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option that does not fit the pattern.

___________, a moon orbiting Jupiter, has an unusually smooth, uncratered, ice- covered surface.

What is the most abundant element in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn?

Several of the moons of Saturn, Uranus and Neptune display evidence of volcanic activity. What is the most common type of volcano on these moons?

Saturn is famous for its rings. Which of the following Jovian planets does not have rings?

Compare Earth's surface processes to the surface processes on Saturn's moon Titan.

Compared to Earth's atmosphere, the atmosphere of Mars has surface pressures that are ___________.

___________is the principal gas in the Venusian atmosphere and also a minor component of the atmospheres of Earth and Mars.

___________meteorites are thought to be analogous in composition to Earth's core.

Introduction to Earth Science

Matter and Minerals

Rocks: Materials of the Solid Earth

Plate Tectonics: a Scientific Revolution Unfolds

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Volcanoes and Other Igneous Activity

Crustal Deformation and Mountain Building

Weathering, Soil, and Mass Movement

Running Water and Groundwater

Glaciers, Deserts, and Wind

Geologic Time

Earths Evolution Through Geologic Time

The Ocean Floor

Ocean Water and Ocean Life

The Dynamic Ocean

The Atmosphere: Composition, Structure, and Temperature

Moisture, Clouds, and Precipitation

Air Pressure and Wind

Weather Patterns and Severe Storms

World Climates and Global Climate Change

Origins of Modern Astronomy

Light, Telescopes, and the Sun

Beyond Our Solar System

Filters