Question 1

A distinct area of unusually jumbled, hilly terrain has been found on Mercury. How is this terrain believed to have been formed?

Accepted Answer

A)  by an intense shower of meteoroids near the end of the heavy bombardment era 
B)  by upwelling of magma while Mercury was still hot enough for its mantle to be tectonically active 
C)  by the impact of a large comet 
D)  by seismic waves generated by the Caloris impact 
A)  by an intense shower of meteoroids near the end of the heavy bombardment era 
B)  by upwelling of magma while Mercury was still hot enough for its mantle to be tectonically active 
C)  by the impact of a large comet 
D)  by seismic waves generated by the Caloris impact

Question 2

If one was watching the sunrise on Mercury when Mercury was near perihelion, what would they see?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Sun would rise slowly, gradually speed up over a period of a few days, then slow down again. 
B)  The Sun would rise, cross the sky, and set again, all in a few days, then spend the rest of Mercury's "year" below the horizon. 
C)  The Sun would rise, stop, turn back toward the east, stop, and then continue westward. 
D)  The Sun would rise, slowly come to a standstill, then start rising again. 
A)  The Sun would rise slowly, gradually speed up over a period of a few days, then slow down again. 
B)  The Sun would rise, cross the sky, and set again, all in a few days, then spend the rest of Mercury's "year" below the horizon. 
C)  The Sun would rise, stop, turn back toward the east, stop, and then continue westward. 
D)  The Sun would rise, slowly come to a standstill, then start rising again.

Question 3

"This planet has a solid, cratered surface, which is alternately very hot and very cold, and it has no permanent atmosphere." Which of the planets fits this description?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 4

What is a Martian dust devil?

Accepted Answer

A)  a line of sand dunes marking the edge of an ancient tectonic plate 
B)  the name given to one of the humanlike forms imaged on Mars in the 1970s 
C)  a natural whirlwind on the planet's surface 
D)  the name given to a possible fossil found in a dust-filled meteorite from Mars 
A)  a line of sand dunes marking the edge of an ancient tectonic plate 
B)  the name given to one of the humanlike forms imaged on Mars in the 1970s 
C)  a natural whirlwind on the planet's surface 
D)  the name given to a possible fossil found in a dust-filled meteorite from Mars

Question 5

Mercury appears from spacecraft photographs to resemble the Moon in its surface features but with one important difference,

Accepted Answer

A)  the presence of extensive plains between craters, in contrast to the surface of the Moon. 
B)  the presence of retrograde direction of spin compared to most other planets and moons. 
C)  evidence of active volcanoes on Mercury. 
D)  the presence of clouds and a measurable and significant atmosphere on Mercury. 
A)  the presence of extensive plains between craters, in contrast to the surface of the Moon. 
B)  the presence of retrograde direction of spin compared to most other planets and moons. 
C)  evidence of active volcanoes on Mercury. 
D)  the presence of clouds and a measurable and significant atmosphere on Mercury.

Question 6

The source of the water found in the form of ice near Mercury's north and south poles is

Accepted Answer

A)  comet impacts. 
B)  unknown at the present time. 
C)  rainfall early in Mercury's history, when the planet had a dense atmosphere. 
D)  a former global ocean, now almost entirely evaporated and lost to space. 
A)  comet impacts. 
B)  unknown at the present time. 
C)  rainfall early in Mercury's history, when the planet had a dense atmosphere. 
D)  a former global ocean, now almost entirely evaporated and lost to space.

Question 7

Which of these conditions would NOT be in a weather report from Mars, in view of the present atmospheric conditions on the planet?

Accepted Answer

A)  dry and windy with blowing and drifting dust 
B)  dry-ice snow 
C)  clear and cold 
D)  rain tapering to intermittent showers by noon 
A)  dry and windy with blowing and drifting dust 
B)  dry-ice snow 
C)  clear and cold 
D)  rain tapering to intermittent showers by noon

Question 8

Phobos and Deimos are moons of which planet?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter 
B)  Venus 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Mars 
A)  Jupiter 
B)  Venus 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Mars

Question 9

Approximately how many times in 1 Earth year does Mercury go completely around the Sun, as viewed from the distant stars?

Accepted Answer

A)  4 times 
B)  3 times 
C)  Twice 
D)  Once 
A)  4 times 
B)  3 times 
C)  Twice 
D)  Once

Question 10

Mars has a period and direction of rotation that are

Accepted Answer

A)  a little longer than 24 hours and in the same direction as Earth. 
B)  687 days (1 Martian year) because Mars always turns the same face toward the Sun. 
C)  just less than 10 hours and in the same direction as Earth. 
D)  about 240 days and in the opposite direction as Earth (retrograde rotation). 
A)  a little longer than 24 hours and in the same direction as Earth. 
B)  687 days (1 Martian year) because Mars always turns the same face toward the Sun. 
C)  just less than 10 hours and in the same direction as Earth. 
D)  about 240 days and in the opposite direction as Earth (retrograde rotation).

Question 11

What significant evidence is there for the idea that large quantities of water once flowed on the planet Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)  network of relatively straight canals linking polar and equatorial regions 
B)  clouds and frost that formed above and around the Viking spacecraft 
C)  frozen, dust-covered lakes inside ancient craters 
D)  winding channels resembling riverbeds carved into Mars's surface 
A)  network of relatively straight canals linking polar and equatorial regions 
B)  clouds and frost that formed above and around the Viking spacecraft 
C)  frozen, dust-covered lakes inside ancient craters 
D)  winding channels resembling riverbeds carved into Mars's surface

Question 12

"This planet has a large iron core, a heavily cratered surface, and no atmosphere." Which planet in Earth' solar system fits this description?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 13

The length of a solar "day" (time between successive sunrises) on Venus is about

Accepted Answer

A)  117 days. 
B)  88 days. 
C)  243 days. 
D)  224 days. 
A)  117 days. 
B)  88 days. 
C)  243 days. 
D)  224 days.

Question 14

Why did the Soviet spacecraft survive for only a few minutes on the Venusian surface?

Accepted Answer

A)  It landed in very rugged terrain and was not able to land upright, and it became damaged when it toppled over. 
B)  It landed very fast because there was insufficient atmosphere to slow down its descent. 
C)  It was attacked and destroyed by native inhabitants, but the space agency is not telling the world. 
D)  The conditions of extreme pressure, corrosive atmosphere, and high temperatures severely damaged it. 
A)  It landed in very rugged terrain and was not able to land upright, and it became damaged when it toppled over. 
B)  It landed very fast because there was insufficient atmosphere to slow down its descent. 
C)  It was attacked and destroyed by native inhabitants, but the space agency is not telling the world. 
D)  The conditions of extreme pressure, corrosive atmosphere, and high temperatures severely damaged it.

Question 15

Consider two planets, identical except that one has an atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide and the other has no atmosphere, both at the same distance from their star. What will be true in comparing these planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  The planet with the atmosphere will have a higher surface temperature. 
B)  The planet with the atmosphere will only gain energy from the star, while the other will only reflect energy. 
C)  The planet with the atmosphere will have the lower albedo. 
D)  The planet with the atmosphere will give out more radiant energy than it receives from its star. 
A)  The planet with the atmosphere will have a higher surface temperature. 
B)  The planet with the atmosphere will only gain energy from the star, while the other will only reflect energy. 
C)  The planet with the atmosphere will have the lower albedo. 
D)  The planet with the atmosphere will give out more radiant energy than it receives from its star.

Question 16

An atmosphere containing a significant amount of oxygen is found around which terrestrial planet or planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars 
B)  Mercury and Earth 
C)  Mercury, Earth, and Mars 
D)  only Earth 
A)  Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars 
B)  Mercury and Earth 
C)  Mercury, Earth, and Mars 
D)  only Earth

Question 17

When were most of the existing lava plains formed on the surface of Mercury?

Accepted Answer

A)  never-there is no evidence of lava flows on the surface of Mercury 
B)  when Mercury was first formed, about 4.5 billion years ago 
C)  near the end of the era of heavy bombardment, about 3.8 billion years ago 
D)  when the crust wrinkled to form the scarps 
A)  never-there is no evidence of lava flows on the surface of Mercury 
B)  when Mercury was first formed, about 4.5 billion years ago 
C)  near the end of the era of heavy bombardment, about 3.8 billion years ago 
D)  when the crust wrinkled to form the scarps

Question 18

Water was once much more abundant on Venus than it is now. Where did this ancient water go?

Accepted Answer

A)  It evaporated into space. 
B)  It is locked up in rocks on the surface. 
C)  It is in underground reservoirs. 
D)  It forms the cloud layers. 
A)  It evaporated into space. 
B)  It is locked up in rocks on the surface. 
C)  It is in underground reservoirs. 
D)  It forms the cloud layers.

Question 19

Mars experiences similar seasonal changes to those on Earth because

Accepted Answer

A)  it has about the same shape of elliptical orbit as Earth, which produces similar changes in solar radiation intensity as the planet orbits the Sun. 
B)  its spin axis is tilted at about the same angle to its orbital plane as is Earth's axis. 
C)  the length of its day is very close to the length of an Earth day. 
D)  the length of its year is very close to that of Earth. 
A)  it has about the same shape of elliptical orbit as Earth, which produces similar changes in solar radiation intensity as the planet orbits the Sun. 
B)  its spin axis is tilted at about the same angle to its orbital plane as is Earth's axis. 
C)  the length of its day is very close to the length of an Earth day. 
D)  the length of its year is very close to that of Earth.

Question 20

What is the main reason that the greenhouse effect has been much more effective in raising the surface temperature on Venus than in raising the surface temperature on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  The solar wind, the major cause of heating in the greenhouse effect, is far more intense at Venus's distance from the Sun, and Venus has no magnetic field to deflect this solar wind. 
B)  Carbon dioxide, which traps heat from the planet's surface, is the major component in the very dense Venusian atmosphere, while it is only a minor constituent of Earth's. 
C)  The oceans on Earth have acted as a thermostat in absorbing much of the heat that would otherwise have raised Earth's temperature significantly. 
D)  The surface of Venus is much more effective than the surface of Earth in absorbing solar visible and UV radiation. 
A)  The solar wind, the major cause of heating in the greenhouse effect, is far more intense at Venus's distance from the Sun, and Venus has no magnetic field to deflect this solar wind. 
B)  Carbon dioxide, which traps heat from the planet's surface, is the major component in the very dense Venusian atmosphere, while it is only a minor constituent of Earth's. 
C)  The oceans on Earth have acted as a thermostat in absorbing much of the heat that would otherwise have raised Earth's temperature significantly. 
D)  The surface of Venus is much more effective than the surface of Earth in absorbing solar visible and UV radiation.

A distinct area of unusually jumbled, hilly terrain has been found on Mercury. How is this terrain believed to have been formed?

If one was watching the sunrise on Mercury when Mercury was near perihelion, what would they see?

"This planet has a solid, cratered surface, which is alternately very hot and very cold, and it has no permanent atmosphere." Which of the planets fits this description?

What is a Martian dust devil?

Mercury appears from spacecraft photographs to resemble the Moon in its surface features but with one important difference,

The source of the water found in the form of ice near Mercury's north and south poles is

Which of these conditions would NOT be in a weather report from Mars, in view of the present atmospheric conditions on the planet?

Phobos and Deimos are moons of which planet?

Approximately how many times in 1 Earth year does Mercury go completely around the Sun, as viewed from the distant stars?

Mars has a period and direction of rotation that are

What significant evidence is there for the idea that large quantities of water once flowed on the planet Mars?

"This planet has a large iron core, a heavily cratered surface, and no atmosphere." Which planet in Earth' solar system fits this description?

The length of a solar "day" (time between successive sunrises) on Venus is about

Why did the Soviet spacecraft survive for only a few minutes on the Venusian surface?

Consider two planets, identical except that one has an atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide and the other has no atmosphere, both at the same distance from their star. What will be true in comparing these planets?

An atmosphere containing a significant amount of oxygen is found around which terrestrial planet or planets?

When were most of the existing lava plains formed on the surface of Mercury?

Water was once much more abundant on Venus than it is now. Where did this ancient water go?

Mars experiences similar seasonal changes to those on Earth because

What is the main reason that the greenhouse effect has been much more effective in raising the surface temperature on Venus than in raising the surface temperature on Earth?

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Atomic Physics and Spectra

Exoplanets and the Formation of Planetary Systems

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Moon

The Outer Planets

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes: Matters of Gravity

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters

Exam 8: The Other Terrestrial Planets

A distinct area of unusually jumbled, hilly terrain has been found on Mercury. How is this terrain believed to have been formed?

If one was watching the sunrise on Mercury when Mercury was near perihelion, what would they see?

"This planet has a solid, cratered surface, which is alternately very hot and very cold, and it has no permanent atmosphere." Which of the planets fits this description?

What is a Martian dust devil?

Mercury appears from spacecraft photographs to resemble the Moon in its surface features but with one important difference,

The source of the water found in the form of ice near Mercury's north and south poles is

Which of these conditions would NOT be in a weather report from Mars, in view of the present atmospheric conditions on the planet?

Phobos and Deimos are moons of which planet?

Approximately how many times in 1 Earth year does Mercury go completely around the Sun, as viewed from the distant stars?

Mars has a period and direction of rotation that are

What significant evidence is there for the idea that large quantities of water once flowed on the planet Mars?

"This planet has a large iron core, a heavily cratered surface, and no atmosphere." Which planet in Earth' solar system fits this description?

The length of a solar "day" (time between successive sunrises) on Venus is about

Why did the Soviet spacecraft survive for only a few minutes on the Venusian surface?

Consider two planets, identical except that one has an atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide and the other has no atmosphere, both at the same distance from their star. What will be true in comparing these planets?

An atmosphere containing a significant amount of oxygen is found around which terrestrial planet or planets?

When were most of the existing lava plains formed on the surface of Mercury?

Water was once much more abundant on Venus than it is now. Where did this ancient water go?

Mars experiences similar seasonal changes to those on Earth because

What is the main reason that the greenhouse effect has been much more effective in raising the surface temperature on Venus than in raising the surface temperature on Earth?

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Atomic Physics and Spectra

Exoplanets and the Formation of Planetary Systems

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Moon

The Outer Planets

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes: Matters of Gravity

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters