Question 1

Which internal energy source produces heat by converting gravitational potential energy into thermal energy?

Accepted Answer

A) accretion 
B) differentiation 
C) radioactivity 
D) both A and B 
E) all of the above 
A) accretion 
B) differentiation 
C) radioactivity 
D) both A and B 
E) all of the above

Question 2

Earth is the only terrestrial planet to have experienced tectonic stresses and volcanic activity.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Mars' atmosphere is mostly carbon- dioxide. Why does it not experience a runaway greenhouse effect like Venus?

Accepted Answer

A) It is protected by its magnetic field. 
B) Its atmosphere is too thin. 
C) It does not have enough additional water to magnify the warming. 
A) It is protected by its magnetic field. 
B) Its atmosphere is too thin. 
C) It does not have enough additional water to magnify the warming.

Question 4

How have we been able to construct detailed maps of surface features on Venus?

Accepted Answer

A) by studying Venus from Earth with powerful telescopes 
B) by using radar from spacecraft that were sent to orbit Venus 
C) by making computer models of geological processes on Venus 
D) by landing spacecraft on the surface for close- up study 
E) by studying Venus with powerful telescopes on spacecraft that were sent to orbit Venus 
A) by studying Venus from Earth with powerful telescopes 
B) by using radar from spacecraft that were sent to orbit Venus 
C) by making computer models of geological processes on Venus 
D) by landing spacecraft on the surface for close- up study 
E) by studying Venus with powerful telescopes on spacecraft that were sent to orbit Venus

Question 5

The CO₂ concentration of the atmosphere has increased by about _ since 1750.

Accepted Answer

A) 250% 
B) 2)5 % 
C) 25% 
D) None. It has decreased. 
A) 250% 
B) 2)5 % 
C) 25% 
D) None. It has decreased.

Question 6

Sim- Planet: Make the difference between the night and day temperatures larger.

Accepted Answer

A) Increase the tilt of the planet's rotation axis. 
B) Move the planet closer to the Sun. 
C) Increase the greenhouse gas content of the planet's atmosphere. 
D) Make the planet rotate more slowly. 
A) Increase the tilt of the planet's rotation axis. 
B) Move the planet closer to the Sun. 
C) Increase the greenhouse gas content of the planet's atmosphere. 
D) Make the planet rotate more slowly.

Question 7

Why does Earth have the strongest magnetic field among the terrestrial worlds?

Accepted Answer

A) It is the most volcanically active world. 
B) It rotates much faster than any other terrestrial world. 
C) It is the only one that has both a partially molten metallic core and reasonably rapid rotation. 
D) It is the only one that has a metallic core. 
E) It is by far the largest terrestrial world. 
A) It is the most volcanically active world. 
B) It rotates much faster than any other terrestrial world. 
C) It is the only one that has both a partially molten metallic core and reasonably rapid rotation. 
D) It is the only one that has a metallic core. 
E) It is by far the largest terrestrial world.

Question 8

What are greenhouse gases?

Accepted Answer

A) gases that absorb ultraviolet light 
B) gases that absorb infrared light 
C) gases that transmit visible light 
D) gases that transmit infrared light 
E) gases that absorb visible light 
A) gases that absorb ultraviolet light 
B) gases that absorb infrared light 
C) gases that transmit visible light 
D) gases that transmit infrared light 
E) gases that absorb visible light

Question 9

In the context of plate tectonics, what is a subduction zone?

Accepted Answer

A) a place where two plates are slipping sideways against one another 
B) a place where two plates are pulling apart 
C) a place where two continental plates are colliding 
D) a place where a seafloor plate is sliding under a continental plate 
A) a place where two plates are slipping sideways against one another 
B) a place where two plates are pulling apart 
C) a place where two continental plates are colliding 
D) a place where a seafloor plate is sliding under a continental plate

Question 10

Sunsets are red because

Accepted Answer

A) sunlight must pass through more atmosphere, and this scatters more light at red wavelengths than bluer wavelengths. 
B) the cooler atmosphere in the evening absorbs more blue light. 
C) sunlight must pass through more atmosphere, and this scatters even more light at bluer wavelengths, transmitting mostly red light. 
D) the Sun emits more red light when it's setting. 
E) none of the above 
A) sunlight must pass through more atmosphere, and this scatters more light at red wavelengths than bluer wavelengths. 
B) the cooler atmosphere in the evening absorbs more blue light. 
C) sunlight must pass through more atmosphere, and this scatters even more light at bluer wavelengths, transmitting mostly red light. 
D) the Sun emits more red light when it's setting. 
E) none of the above

Question 11

Which of the following describes erosion?

Accepted Answer

A) the excavation of bowl- shaped depressions by asteroids or comets striking a planet's surface 
B) the eruption of molten rock from a planet's interior to its surface 
C) the disruption of a planet's surface by internal stresses 
D) the wearing down or building up of geological features by wind, water, ice, and other phenomena of planetary weather 
A) the excavation of bowl- shaped depressions by asteroids or comets striking a planet's surface 
B) the eruption of molten rock from a planet's interior to its surface 
C) the disruption of a planet's surface by internal stresses 
D) the wearing down or building up of geological features by wind, water, ice, and other phenomena of planetary weather

Question 12

Why does the burning of fossil fuels increase the greenhouse effect on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) Burning fuel warms the planet. 
B) Burning depletes the amount of ozone, thereby warming the planet. 
C) Burning releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 
D) Burning produces infrared light, which is then trapped by existing greenhouse gases. 
E) All of the above are true. 
A) Burning fuel warms the planet. 
B) Burning depletes the amount of ozone, thereby warming the planet. 
C) Burning releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 
D) Burning produces infrared light, which is then trapped by existing greenhouse gases. 
E) All of the above are true.

Question 13

Earth has been gradually warming over the past few decades. Based on a great deal of evidence, scientists believe that this warming is caused by .

Accepted Answer

A) the human release of chemicals called CFCs into the stratosphere 
B) the fact that our politicians spout a lot of hot air 
C) human activities that are increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere 
D) the increase in forest fires during recent years 
A) the human release of chemicals called CFCs into the stratosphere 
B) the fact that our politicians spout a lot of hot air 
C) human activities that are increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere 
D) the increase in forest fires during recent years

Question 14

Earth is the only planet in the solar system known to have plate tectonics.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

What type of stresses broke Earth's lithosphere into plates?

Accepted Answer

A) volcanism, which produced heavy volcanoes that bent and cracked the lithosphere 
B) impacts of asteroids and planetesimals 
C) cooling and contracting of the planet's interior, which caused the mantle and lithosphere to be compressed 
D) internal temperature changes that caused the crust to expand and stretch 
E) the circulation of convection cells in the mantle, which dragged against the lithosphere 
A) volcanism, which produced heavy volcanoes that bent and cracked the lithosphere 
B) impacts of asteroids and planetesimals 
C) cooling and contracting of the planet's interior, which caused the mantle and lithosphere to be compressed 
D) internal temperature changes that caused the crust to expand and stretch 
E) the circulation of convection cells in the mantle, which dragged against the lithosphere

Question 16

What observational evidence supports the idea that Mercury once shrank by some 20 kilometers in radius?

Accepted Answer

A) Mercury's unusually high density 
B) the characteristics of the Caloris Basin 
C) the presence of many impact craters 
D) the presence of many long, tall cliffs 
A) Mercury's unusually high density 
B) the characteristics of the Caloris Basin 
C) the presence of many impact craters 
D) the presence of many long, tall cliffs

Question 17

Briefly describe at least three likely consequences of continued human burning of fossil fuels adding to Earth's greenhouse effect.

Accepted Answer

Many possible answers: increas

Question 18

In the inner solar system, the largest surface features (such as volcanoes or valleys)are found on the largest planets.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Smaller worlds generally have thinner lithospheres.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Suppose we had a device that allowed us to see Earth's interior. If we looked at a typical region of the mantle, what would we see happening?

Accepted Answer

A) Not much-on human time scales, the mantle looks like solid rock. 
B) dense metals falling downward while low- density rock rises upward 
C) a rapid, up and down churning of the material in the mantle 
D) hot molten rock rising upward throughout the mantle and cool, solid rock falling downward 
A) Not much-on human time scales, the mantle looks like solid rock. 
B) dense metals falling downward while low- density rock rises upward 
C) a rapid, up and down churning of the material in the mantle 
D) hot molten rock rising upward throughout the mantle and cool, solid rock falling downward

Which internal energy source produces heat by converting gravitational potential energy into thermal energy?

Earth is the only terrestrial planet to have experienced tectonic stresses and volcanic activity.

Mars' atmosphere is mostly carbon- dioxide. Why does it not experience a runaway greenhouse effect like Venus?

How have we been able to construct detailed maps of surface features on Venus?

The CO₂ concentration of the atmosphere has increased by about _ since 1750.

Sim- Planet: Make the difference between the night and day temperatures larger.

Why does Earth have the strongest magnetic field among the terrestrial worlds?

What are greenhouse gases?

In the context of plate tectonics, what is a subduction zone?

Sunsets are red because

Which of the following describes erosion?

Why does the burning of fossil fuels increase the greenhouse effect on Earth?

Earth has been gradually warming over the past few decades. Based on a great deal of evidence, scientists believe that this warming is caused by .

Earth is the only planet in the solar system known to have plate tectonics.

What type of stresses broke Earth's lithosphere into plates?

What observational evidence supports the idea that Mercury once shrank by some 20 kilometers in radius?

Briefly describe at least three likely consequences of continued human burning of fossil fuels adding to Earth's greenhouse effect.

In the inner solar system, the largest surface features (such as volcanoes or valleys)are found on the largest planets.

Smaller worlds generally have thinner lithospheres.

Suppose we had a device that allowed us to see Earth's interior. If we looked at a typical region of the mantle, what would we see happening?

A Modern View of the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of the Solar System

Jovian Planet System

Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Other Planetary Systems: the New Science of Distant Worlds

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

A Universe of Galaxies

The Birth of the Universe

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe

Life in the Universe

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Exam 7: Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

Which internal energy source produces heat by converting gravitational potential energy into thermal energy?

Earth is the only terrestrial planet to have experienced tectonic stresses and volcanic activity.

Mars' atmosphere is mostly carbon- dioxide. Why does it not experience a runaway greenhouse effect like Venus?

How have we been able to construct detailed maps of surface features on Venus?

The CO₂ concentration of the atmosphere has increased by about _ since 1750.

Sim- Planet: Make the difference between the night and day temperatures larger.

Why does Earth have the strongest magnetic field among the terrestrial worlds?

What are greenhouse gases?

In the context of plate tectonics, what is a subduction zone?

Sunsets are red because

Which of the following describes erosion?

Why does the burning of fossil fuels increase the greenhouse effect on Earth?

Earth has been gradually warming over the past few decades. Based on a great deal of evidence, scientists believe that this warming is caused by .

Earth is the only planet in the solar system known to have plate tectonics.

What type of stresses broke Earth's lithosphere into plates?

What observational evidence supports the idea that Mercury once shrank by some 20 kilometers in radius?

Briefly describe at least three likely consequences of continued human burning of fossil fuels adding to Earth's greenhouse effect.

In the inner solar system, the largest surface features (such as volcanoes or valleys)are found on the largest planets.

Smaller worlds generally have thinner lithospheres.

Suppose we had a device that allowed us to see Earth's interior. If we looked at a typical region of the mantle, what would we see happening?

A Modern View of the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of the Solar System

Jovian Planet System

Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Other Planetary Systems: the New Science of Distant Worlds

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

A Universe of Galaxies

The Birth of the Universe

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe

Life in the Universe

Filters