Question 1

Rounded pebbles have been found on Mars.What does this finding suggest?

Accepted Answer

Rounded pebbles indi

Question 2

If you obtained a sample of a meteorite and determined the abundances of uranium (238U) and lead (207Pb) in it, and found that for every 1 uranium atom there were 15 lead atoms, what would be the age of this rock? Note that this form of uranium decays to this form of lead with a half-life of 700 million years.For simplicity, you can assume that there were no lead atoms of this specific isotope in the rock when it originally formed.

Accepted Answer

A)  1.4 billion years 
B)  2.8 billion years 
C)  4.0 billion years 
D)  10.5 billion years 
E)  3.6 billion years 
A)  1.4 billion years 
B)  2.8 billion years 
C)  4.0 billion years 
D)  10.5 billion years 
E)  3.6 billion years

Question 3

Space rocks less than 100 m in diameter, when they burn up in the atmosphere, are called

Accepted Answer

A)  meteorites. 
B)  meteoroids. 
C)  meteors. 
D)  asteroids. 
E)  comets. 
A)  meteorites. 
B)  meteoroids. 
C)  meteors. 
D)  asteroids. 
E)  comets.

Question 4

Which planet would you expect to have a larger molten core: a planet of Earth's size or a planet that had half the radius of Earth? Explain why.

Accepted Answer

Because a planet's interior is kept molt

Question 5

Explain and relate the terms radioisotope, parent element, daughter product, and half-life.

Accepted Answer

A radioisotope is an unstable isotope of

Question 6

Based on the age of the light- and dark-colored regions of the Moon and the number of craters observed in these regions, we know that impacts in the inner Solar System

Accepted Answer

A)  rapidly decreased approximately 1 billion years ago. 
B)  rapidly decreased approximately 3 billion years ago. 
C)  were very rare in the last 4.6 billion years. 
D)  occurred at approximately a constant rate throughout most of the age of the Solar System. 
E)  never occur anymore. 
A)  rapidly decreased approximately 1 billion years ago. 
B)  rapidly decreased approximately 3 billion years ago. 
C)  were very rare in the last 4.6 billion years. 
D)  occurred at approximately a constant rate throughout most of the age of the Solar System. 
E)  never occur anymore.

Question 7

Describe one example of tectonic disruption on Mercury, Venus, and Mars, respectively, and explain how they formed.

Accepted Answer

Mercury has evidence of faults due to th

Question 8

How has the radioactive heating of Earth varied from when it was first formed 4.6 billion years ago?

Accepted Answer

Radioactivity in the rocks on Earth (or

Question 9

What is one major difference between the volcanoes on Venus and Mars and the volcanoes on Earth? What might explain this difference?

Accepted Answer

Venus and Mars have many more shield vol

Question 10

The smallest number of craters per square meter are found on the surface of

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury. 
B)  Mars. 
C)  Venus. 
D)  Earth. 
E)  the Moon. 
A)  Mercury. 
B)  Mars. 
C)  Venus. 
D)  Earth. 
E)  the Moon.

Question 11

Mars, Venus, and Earth are much less heavily cratered than Mercury and the Moon.This is explained by the fact that

Accepted Answer

A)  the rate of cratering in the early Solar System was strongly dependent on location. 
B)  Mars, Venus, and Earth have thicker atmospheres. 
C)  Earth and Venus were shielded from impacts by the Moon, and Mars was protected by the asteroid belt. 
D)  Mars, Venus, and Earth were geologically active for a longer period of time than Mercury and the Moon. 
E)  Mars, Venus, and Earth are much larger in size than Mercury and the Moon. 
A)  the rate of cratering in the early Solar System was strongly dependent on location. 
B)  Mars, Venus, and Earth have thicker atmospheres. 
C)  Earth and Venus were shielded from impacts by the Moon, and Mars was protected by the asteroid belt. 
D)  Mars, Venus, and Earth were geologically active for a longer period of time than Mercury and the Moon. 
E)  Mars, Venus, and Earth are much larger in size than Mercury and the Moon.

Question 12

The large feature spanning the surface of Mars shown in the figure below is ________ and probably was created by ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  an impact crater; an asteroid or comet 
B)  a dry riverbed; flowing water 
C)  a canyon; a rapid cooling of the crust 
D)  a canyon; flowing water 
E)  a highway; an extinct civilization 
A)  an impact crater; an asteroid or comet 
B)  a dry riverbed; flowing water 
C)  a canyon; a rapid cooling of the crust 
D)  a canyon; flowing water 
E)  a highway; an extinct civilization

Question 13

Which layer in the figure below represents Earth's mantle?

Accepted Answer

A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D 
E)  none of these 
A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D 
E)  none of these

Question 14

Venus' slow retrograde (backward) rotation is most likely due to

Accepted Answer

A)  the decay of radioisotopes on the surface. 
B)  tidal forces from the Sun. 
C)  extreme volcanic activity. 
D)  an impact with a giant object. 
E)  magnetic field interactions. 
A)  the decay of radioisotopes on the surface. 
B)  tidal forces from the Sun. 
C)  extreme volcanic activity. 
D)  an impact with a giant object. 
E)  magnetic field interactions.

Question 15

Consider an external solar system in which there are three terrestrial planets.All are located far from other objects, so tidal forces aren't significant.If planet A has a radius of 1 Earth
Radius, planet B has a radius of 2 Earth radii, and planet C has a radius of 3 Earth radii, which
Planet has the highest chance of having at least a partially liquid core and a detectable
Magnetic field?

Accepted Answer

A)  planet A 
B)  planet B 
C)  planet C 
D)  They all have the same likelihood of having a liquid core. 
E)  None of these planets should have a liquid core because they all should have completely solidified. 
A)  planet A 
B)  planet B 
C)  planet C 
D)  They all have the same likelihood of having a liquid core. 
E)  None of these planets should have a liquid core because they all should have completely solidified.

Question 16

The North American Plate and the Pacific Plate are sliding past one another at a rate of approximately 3 cm/yr.San Francisco, which is located on the edge of the North American Plate, is sliding southward toward Los Angeles, which is located on the Pacific Plate.If the cities are currently separated by a distance of 600 km, how many years will it take for the two cities to meet?

Accepted Answer

A)  3 million years 
B)  300,000 years 
C)  20 million years 
D)  20,000 years 
E)  600 years 
A)  3 million years 
B)  300,000 years 
C)  20 million years 
D)  20,000 years 
E)  600 years

Question 17

What will eventually happen to Earth when radioactive decays in its interior cease?

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth's core will solidify. 
B)  Continental drift will cease. 
C)  Earthquakes will cease. 
D)  The strength of Earth's magnetic field will decrease. 
E)  All of these will occur. 
A)  Earth's core will solidify. 
B)  Continental drift will cease. 
C)  Earthquakes will cease. 
D)  The strength of Earth's magnetic field will decrease. 
E)  All of these will occur.

Question 18

If you start with 16 atoms of a parent radioisotope, after how many half-lives will only one atom of the parent remain, on average?

Accepted Answer

A)  2 
B)  4 
C)  8 
D)  15 
E)  16 
A)  2 
B)  4 
C)  8 
D)  15 
E)  16

Question 19

The feature shown in the image below is a(n) ________, the largest one of its kind in the Solar System, and is located on the planet ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  impact crater; Mercury 
B)  mountain; Venus 
C)  mountain; Earth 
D)  volcano; Mars 
E)  impact crater; the Moon 
A)  impact crater; Mercury 
B)  mountain; Venus 
C)  mountain; Earth 
D)  volcano; Mars 
E)  impact crater; the Moon

Question 20

The largest volcanic mountains in the Solar System are found on

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury. 
B)  Venus. 
C)  Earth. 
D)  Mars. 
E)  the Moon. 
A)  Mercury. 
B)  Venus. 
C)  Earth. 
D)  Mars. 
E)  the Moon.

Exam 8: The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

Rounded pebbles have been found on Mars.What does this finding suggest?

Space rocks less than 100 m in diameter, when they burn up in the atmosphere, are called

Which planet would you expect to have a larger molten core: a planet of Earth's size or a planet that had half the radius of Earth? Explain why.

Explain and relate the terms radioisotope, parent element, daughter product, and half-life.

Based on the age of the light- and dark-colored regions of the Moon and the number of craters observed in these regions, we know that impacts in the inner Solar System

Describe one example of tectonic disruption on Mercury, Venus, and Mars, respectively, and explain how they formed.

How has the radioactive heating of Earth varied from when it was first formed 4.6 billion years ago?

What is one major difference between the volcanoes on Venus and Mars and the volcanoes on Earth? What might explain this difference?

The smallest number of craters per square meter are found on the surface of

Mars, Venus, and Earth are much less heavily cratered than Mercury and the Moon.This is explained by the fact that

The large feature spanning the surface of Mars shown in the figure below is ________ and probably was created by ________.

Which layer in the figure below represents Earth's mantle?

Venus' slow retrograde (backward) rotation is most likely due to

What will eventually happen to Earth when radioactive decays in its interior cease?

If you start with 16 atoms of a parent radioisotope, after how many half-lives will only one atom of the parent remain, on average?

The feature shown in the image below is a(n) ________, the largest one of its kind in the Solar System, and is located on the planet ________.

The largest volcanic mountains in the Solar System are found on

Thinking Like an Astronomer

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth and the Moon

Motion of Astronomical Bodies

Gravity and Orbits

Light

The Tools of the Astronomer

The Formation of Planetary Systems

Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

Worlds of Gas and Liquidthe Giant Planets

Planetary Moons and Rings

Dwarf Planets and Small Solar System Bodies

Taking the Measure of Stars

Our Starthe Sun

The Interstellar Medium and Star Formation

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

Relativity and Black Holes

Galaxies

The Milky Waya Normal Spiral Galaxy

The Expanding Universe

Cosmology

Large-Scale Structure in the Universe

Life

Filters

The large feature spanning the surface of Mars shown in the figure below is and probably was created by .

The feature shown in the image below is a(n) , the largest one of its kind in the Solar System, and is located on the planet .