Question 1

The so-called "canals" that Schiaparelli and Lowell reported seeing on the surface of Mars were actually

Accepted Answer

A)  the remnants of the walls of ancient craters that have been eroded by winds and dust over Mars's history. 
B)  river valleys caused by massive floods early in Mars's history. 
C)  lines of volcanoes along faults in the Martian surface. 
D)  optical illusions. 
A)  the remnants of the walls of ancient craters that have been eroded by winds and dust over Mars's history. 
B)  river valleys caused by massive floods early in Mars's history. 
C)  lines of volcanoes along faults in the Martian surface. 
D)  optical illusions.

Question 2

One chemical element that plays a major role in the coloring and chemistry of the Venusian atmosphere and clouds, and is suspected of coming from volcanic eruptions, is

Accepted Answer

A)  nitrogen (as gas), nitric oxide, and nitric acid droplets. 
B)  chlorine (as gas), hydrogen chloride, and hydrochloric acid droplets. 
C)  iron (as red dust), iron oxides, and iron sulfides. 
D)  sulfur (as dust), sulfur dioxide, and sulfuric acid droplets. 
A)  nitrogen (as gas), nitric oxide, and nitric acid droplets. 
B)  chlorine (as gas), hydrogen chloride, and hydrochloric acid droplets. 
C)  iron (as red dust), iron oxides, and iron sulfides. 
D)  sulfur (as dust), sulfur dioxide, and sulfuric acid droplets.

Question 3

Which of these statements BEST characterizes the surface of the planet Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)  The surface of Mars is continuously resurfaced by ongoing volcanic activity; consequently, there are almost no visible impact craters. 
B)  All the big volcanoes are in the northern hemisphere of Mars, and most of the craters are in the southern hemisphere. 
C)  Eighty percent of the surface of Mars is rolling plains, with a number of major volcanoes and only two continent-sized uplands. 
D)  On Mars there are several moving lithospheric plates rimmed by long mountain chains, deep subduction trenches, and several large rift valleys. 
A)  The surface of Mars is continuously resurfaced by ongoing volcanic activity; consequently, there are almost no visible impact craters. 
B)  All the big volcanoes are in the northern hemisphere of Mars, and most of the craters are in the southern hemisphere. 
C)  Eighty percent of the surface of Mars is rolling plains, with a number of major volcanoes and only two continent-sized uplands. 
D)  On Mars there are several moving lithospheric plates rimmed by long mountain chains, deep subduction trenches, and several large rift valleys.

Question 4

Why is Mercury difficult to observe from Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury remains close to the Sun in its orbit and is seen in a dark sky only at sunrise or sunset, close to the horizon. 
B)  Mercury orbits the Sun very rapidly and moves across the sky very quickly. 
C)  The orbit of Mercury is very elliptical and tilted at a large angle to the ecliptic, and any position on this orbit is visible only at midnight when Mercury is low in the sky. 
D)  Mercury is a very small object that orbits a long way from the Sun, thereby reflecting little light back to Earth. 
A)  Mercury remains close to the Sun in its orbit and is seen in a dark sky only at sunrise or sunset, close to the horizon. 
B)  Mercury orbits the Sun very rapidly and moves across the sky very quickly. 
C)  The orbit of Mercury is very elliptical and tilted at a large angle to the ecliptic, and any position on this orbit is visible only at midnight when Mercury is low in the sky. 
D)  Mercury is a very small object that orbits a long way from the Sun, thereby reflecting little light back to Earth.

Question 5

The huge impact of an object that produced the circular Caloris Basin and its ring of mountains on Mercury also produced

Accepted Answer

A)  a very localized region of magnetic field, the only magnetic field possessed by Mercury. 
B)  melting of permafrost, causing massive floods that produced deep valleys on Mercury's surface. 
C)  a pattern of jumbled terrain diametrically opposite the basin, caused by the focused seismic waves from the original impact. 
D)  a very thick, dusty atmosphere that still obscures the planet's surface. 
A)  a very localized region of magnetic field, the only magnetic field possessed by Mercury. 
B)  melting of permafrost, causing massive floods that produced deep valleys on Mercury's surface. 
C)  a pattern of jumbled terrain diametrically opposite the basin, caused by the focused seismic waves from the original impact. 
D)  a very thick, dusty atmosphere that still obscures the planet's surface.

Question 6

Venus has

Accepted Answer

A)  a very powerful magnetic field. 
B)  no permanent magnetic field at all. 
C)  a weak magnetic field, about 1/100 of Earth's field strength. 
D)  a magnetic field about the strength of that of Earth. 
A)  a very powerful magnetic field. 
B)  no permanent magnetic field at all. 
C)  a weak magnetic field, about 1/100 of Earth's field strength. 
D)  a magnetic field about the strength of that of Earth.

Question 7

Which of these properties do the terrestrial planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, have in common?

Accepted Answer

A)  The terrestrial planets all orbit the Sun in a year or less. 
B)  The terrestrial planets all have solid surfaces. 
C)  The terrestrial planets are all cloud-covered. 
D)  The terrestrial planets all have very dense atmospheres. 
A)  The terrestrial planets all orbit the Sun in a year or less. 
B)  The terrestrial planets all have solid surfaces. 
C)  The terrestrial planets are all cloud-covered. 
D)  The terrestrial planets all have very dense atmospheres.

Question 8

How do astronomers know that the Caloris Basin on Mercury was formed late in the period of intense bombardment?

Accepted Answer

A)  Radioactive dating of rock samples has fixed the date of formation. 
B)  The basin contains very few craters. 
C)  The surface of the basin is much darker than the rest of the planet, suggesting that the surface had not yet been churned over by meteoric impacts. 
D)  Mountain ranges in the basin are very high because they have not had time to suffer significant erosion. 
A)  Radioactive dating of rock samples has fixed the date of formation. 
B)  The basin contains very few craters. 
C)  The surface of the basin is much darker than the rest of the planet, suggesting that the surface had not yet been churned over by meteoric impacts. 
D)  Mountain ranges in the basin are very high because they have not had time to suffer significant erosion.

Question 9

When were the two moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, discovered?

Accepted Answer

A)  1746 
B)  1610 
C)  1877 
D)  1930 
A)  1746 
B)  1610 
C)  1877 
D)  1930

Question 10

The clouds in the atmosphere of Venus consist primarily of

Accepted Answer

A)  dust particles. 
B)  droplets of carbon dioxide. 
C)  water. 
D)  droplets of sulfuric acid. 
A)  dust particles. 
B)  droplets of carbon dioxide. 
C)  water. 
D)  droplets of sulfuric acid.

Question 11

Which of these craters are the youngest?

Accepted Answer

A)  oldest craters on Mercury 
B)  oldest craters on Venus 
C)  oldest craters on the Moon 
D)  oldest craters on Mars 
A)  oldest craters on Mercury 
B)  oldest craters on Venus 
C)  oldest craters on the Moon 
D)  oldest craters on Mars

Question 12

The BEST estimate for the time of production of most craters on both Mercury and the Moon is

Accepted Answer

A)  relatively recently, about 4 billion years after planet formation. 
B)  in the first 800 million years after planet formation. 
C)  about halfway through their lives, or about 2.3 billion years after planet formation. 
D)  at a relatively constant rate throughout their lives, up to and including the present day. 
A)  relatively recently, about 4 billion years after planet formation. 
B)  in the first 800 million years after planet formation. 
C)  about halfway through their lives, or about 2.3 billion years after planet formation. 
D)  at a relatively constant rate throughout their lives, up to and including the present day.

Question 13

The lower atmosphere of Venus near the surface can be described as

Accepted Answer

A)  clear. 
B)  foggy. 
C)  very dusty. 
D)  absent (Venus has almost no atmosphere!). 
A)  clear. 
B)  foggy. 
C)  very dusty. 
D)  absent (Venus has almost no atmosphere!).

Question 14

The overall geography of Mars can BEST be summarized as

Accepted Answer

A)  moving lithospheric plates whose motions have produced long folded mountain chains, deep subduction trenches, and several large rift valleys. 
B)  mostly rolling plains, with several volcanoes on top of two continent-sized uplands. 
C)  smooth plains where continuous resurfacing by ongoing volcanic activity has hidden older impact craters and other details. 
D)  major volcanoes in the northern hemisphere and extensively cratered plains in the southern hemisphere, separated by one major valley system. 
A)  moving lithospheric plates whose motions have produced long folded mountain chains, deep subduction trenches, and several large rift valleys. 
B)  mostly rolling plains, with several volcanoes on top of two continent-sized uplands. 
C)  smooth plains where continuous resurfacing by ongoing volcanic activity has hidden older impact craters and other details. 
D)  major volcanoes in the northern hemisphere and extensively cratered plains in the southern hemisphere, separated by one major valley system.

Question 15

Tectonic plate activity is believed to have been present on Mars billions of years ago. Which of these is NOT consistent with such plate activity on the early Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)  a stronger magnetic field 
B)  a more molten interior 
C)  more giant volcanoes like Olympus Mons 
D)  more long chains of volcanoes 
A)  a stronger magnetic field 
B)  a more molten interior 
C)  more giant volcanoes like Olympus Mons 
D)  more long chains of volcanoes

Question 16

How many times does Mercury rotate with respect to the Sun in one sidereal orbital period?

Accepted Answer

A)  many times because Mercury rotates rapidly 
B)  once 
C)  1 $1 / 2$ times 
D)  twice 
A)  many times because Mercury rotates rapidly 
B)  once 
C)  1 $1 / 2$ times 
D)  twice

Question 17

If one characterizes the age of a surface by the age of the oldest feature that has been dated there, then the ages of these surfaces are, from youngest to oldest,

Accepted Answer

A)  Venus, Mars, and the Moon. 
B)  Earth, Mars, and the Moon. 
C)  Earth, the Moon, and Mars. 
D)  Mars, the Moon, and Earth. 
A)  Venus, Mars, and the Moon. 
B)  Earth, Mars, and the Moon. 
C)  Earth, the Moon, and Mars. 
D)  Mars, the Moon, and Earth.

Question 18

Why have astronomers come to believe that large bodies of liquid water, if they exist on Mars, must be deep beneath the surface?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Martian magnetic field appears to be generated by large bodies of water (containing dissolved minerals to make them electrical conductors) moving deep within the planet. 
B)  No signs of liquid water, past or present, have been found on the surface. 
C)  The surface of Mars does not buckle under the weight of its northern polar cap and is thus much thicker than previously thought. 
D)  The low water content of the basalt near Mars's large volcanoes suggests a deficit of water immediately below the surface. 
A)  The Martian magnetic field appears to be generated by large bodies of water (containing dissolved minerals to make them electrical conductors) moving deep within the planet. 
B)  No signs of liquid water, past or present, have been found on the surface. 
C)  The surface of Mars does not buckle under the weight of its northern polar cap and is thus much thicker than previously thought. 
D)  The low water content of the basalt near Mars's large volcanoes suggests a deficit of water immediately below the surface.

Question 19

The average age of the surface of Venus has been determined primarily from

Accepted Answer

A)  the number of impact craters per unit area of surface. 
B)  the amount of weathering of lava flows imaged by the Magellan radar mapper. 
C)  soil analysis by Russian landers. 
D)  radio-isotope analysis of rocks brought back from Venus by space probes. 
A)  the number of impact craters per unit area of surface. 
B)  the amount of weathering of lava flows imaged by the Magellan radar mapper. 
C)  soil analysis by Russian landers. 
D)  radio-isotope analysis of rocks brought back from Venus by space probes.

Question 20

A caldera is a

Accepted Answer

A)  crater formed by collapse at the summit of a volcano. 
B)  valley formed by the separation of two crustal plates. 
C)  long, sinuous valley carved by the flow of molten rock. 
D)  depression formed by the impact of an asteroid on a planetary surface. 
A)  crater formed by collapse at the summit of a volcano. 
B)  valley formed by the separation of two crustal plates. 
C)  long, sinuous valley carved by the flow of molten rock. 
D)  depression formed by the impact of an asteroid on a planetary surface.

The so-called "canals" that Schiaparelli and Lowell reported seeing on the surface of Mars were actually

One chemical element that plays a major role in the coloring and chemistry of the Venusian atmosphere and clouds, and is suspected of coming from volcanic eruptions, is

Which of these statements BEST characterizes the surface of the planet Mars?

Why is Mercury difficult to observe from Earth?

The huge impact of an object that produced the circular Caloris Basin and its ring of mountains on Mercury also produced

Venus has

Which of these properties do the terrestrial planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, have in common?

How do astronomers know that the Caloris Basin on Mercury was formed late in the period of intense bombardment?

When were the two moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, discovered?

The clouds in the atmosphere of Venus consist primarily of

Which of these craters are the youngest?

The BEST estimate for the time of production of most craters on both Mercury and the Moon is

The lower atmosphere of Venus near the surface can be described as

The overall geography of Mars can BEST be summarized as

Tectonic plate activity is believed to have been present on Mars billions of years ago. Which of these is NOT consistent with such plate activity on the early Mars?

How many times does Mercury rotate with respect to the Sun in one sidereal orbital period?

If one characterizes the age of a surface by the age of the oldest feature that has been dated there, then the ages of these surfaces are, from youngest to oldest,

Why have astronomers come to believe that large bodies of liquid water, if they exist on Mars, must be deep beneath the surface?

The average age of the surface of Venus has been determined primarily from

A caldera is a

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

The so-called "canals" that Schiaparelli and Lowell reported seeing on the surface of Mars were actually

One chemical element that plays a major role in the coloring and chemistry of the Venusian atmosphere and clouds, and is suspected of coming from volcanic eruptions, is

Which of these statements BEST characterizes the surface of the planet Mars?

Why is Mercury difficult to observe from Earth?

The huge impact of an object that produced the circular Caloris Basin and its ring of mountains on Mercury also produced

Venus has

Which of these properties do the terrestrial planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, have in common?

How do astronomers know that the Caloris Basin on Mercury was formed late in the period of intense bombardment?

When were the two moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, discovered?

The clouds in the atmosphere of Venus consist primarily of

Which of these craters are the youngest?

The BEST estimate for the time of production of most craters on both Mercury and the Moon is

The lower atmosphere of Venus near the surface can be described as

The overall geography of Mars can BEST be summarized as

Tectonic plate activity is believed to have been present on Mars billions of years ago. Which of these is NOT consistent with such plate activity on the early Mars?

How many times does Mercury rotate with respect to the Sun in one sidereal orbital period?

If one characterizes the age of a surface by the age of the oldest feature that has been dated there, then the ages of these surfaces are, from youngest to oldest,

Why have astronomers come to believe that large bodies of liquid water, if they exist on Mars, must be deep beneath the surface?

The average age of the surface of Venus has been determined primarily from

A caldera is a

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