Question 1

The core,mantle,and crust of a planet are defined by differences in their

Accepted Answer

A) geological activity. 
B) temperature. 
C) strength. 
D) composition. 
E) color. 
A) geological activity. 
B) temperature. 
C) strength. 
D) composition. 
E) color. D

Question 2

Explain how we can estimate the geological age of a planetary surface from its number of impact craters.

Accepted Answer

Even though impacts still occur today,the vast majority of craters formed during the bombardment period that ended around 3.8 billion years ago.A surface region that is still saturated with craters must have remained essentially undisturbed for the last 3.8 billion years.In contrast,a surface region that has few craters indicates that the original craters must have been somehow "erased" since then.

Question 3

In general,which things below are affected by a magnetic field?

Accepted Answer

A) charged particles or magnetized materials (such as iron) 
B) rocks of all types 
C) iron-bearing minerals only 
D) bases and liquids 
A) charged particles or magnetized materials (such as iron) 
B) rocks of all types 
C) iron-bearing minerals only 
D) bases and liquids A

Question 4

Spacecraft have landed on all the terrestrial worlds except

Accepted Answer

A) Mercury. 
B) Venus. 
C) Moon. 
D) Mars. 
E) Spacecraft have landed on all of the terrestrial worlds. 
A) Mercury. 
B) Venus. 
C) Moon. 
D) Mars. 
E) Spacecraft have landed on all of the terrestrial worlds.

Question 5

Why is continental crust lower in density than seafloor crust?

Accepted Answer

A) Continental crust is made from remelted seafloor crust and therefore only the lower-density material rises to form it. 
B) Continental crust is made from volcanic rock called basalt,which is lower in density than what the seafloor crust is made from. 
C) Continental crust is made of rock,while seafloor crust has more metals. 
D) Seafloor crust is more compact due to the weight of the oceans,but it is made of the same material as the continental crust. 
E) Continental crust is actually denser than seafloor crust. 
A) Continental crust is made from remelted seafloor crust and therefore only the lower-density material rises to form it. 
B) Continental crust is made from volcanic rock called basalt,which is lower in density than what the seafloor crust is made from. 
C) Continental crust is made of rock,while seafloor crust has more metals. 
D) Seafloor crust is more compact due to the weight of the oceans,but it is made of the same material as the continental crust. 
E) Continental crust is actually denser than seafloor crust.

Question 6

In the inner solar system,the largest surface features are found on the largest planets.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Shallow-sloped shield volcanoes are made from lava that

Accepted Answer

A) is as runny as liquid water. 
B) has a medium viscosity. 
C) has a high viscosity. 
D) can have any viscosity. 
A) is as runny as liquid water. 
B) has a medium viscosity. 
C) has a high viscosity. 
D) can have any viscosity.

Question 8

From center to surface,which of the following correctly lists the interior layers of a terrestrial world?

Accepted Answer

A) mantle,core,crust 
B) mantle,crust,core 
C) core,mantle,crust 
D) core,crust,lithosphere 
A) mantle,core,crust 
B) mantle,crust,core 
C) core,mantle,crust 
D) core,crust,lithosphere

Question 9

Which of the following worlds have the thinnest lithospheres?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 10

Based on all we know about the terrestrial worlds,what single factor appears to play the most important role in a terrestrial planet's geological destiny?

Accepted Answer

A) its composition 
B) its distance from the Sun 
C) whether or not it has liquid water 
D) its size 
A) its composition 
B) its distance from the Sun 
C) whether or not it has liquid water 
D) its size

Question 11

The cores of the terrestrial worlds are made mostly of metal because

Accepted Answer

A) the terrestrial worlds as a whole are made mostly of metal. 
B) metals sunk to the centers a long time ago when the interiors were molten throughout. 
C) the core contained lots of radioactive elements that decayed into metals. 
D) over billions of years,convection gradually brought dense metals downward to the core. 
A) the terrestrial worlds as a whole are made mostly of metal. 
B) metals sunk to the centers a long time ago when the interiors were molten throughout. 
C) the core contained lots of radioactive elements that decayed into metals. 
D) over billions of years,convection gradually brought dense metals downward to the core.

Question 12

Describe the three sources of internal heat of the terrestrial planets?

Accepted Answer

Accretion is heat generated by the agglo

Question 13

Much of the land on the west coast of North America began as volcanic islands in the Pacific.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Which internal energy source is the most important in continuing to heat the terrestrial planets today?

Accepted Answer

A) accretion 
B) differentiation 
C) radioactivity 
D) tidal heating 
E) all of the above 
A) accretion 
B) differentiation 
C) radioactivity 
D) tidal heating 
E) all of the above

Question 15

Olympus Mons is

Accepted Answer

A) a huge shield volcano on Mars. 
B) a huge stratovolcano on Venus. 
C) a large lava plain on the Moon. 
D) a great canyon on Mars. 
A) a huge shield volcano on Mars. 
B) a huge stratovolcano on Venus. 
C) a large lava plain on the Moon. 
D) a great canyon on Mars.

Question 16

Briefly explain why Mercury,Venus,and the Moon do not have significant erosion.Relate erosional activity to the four planetary formation properties.

Accepted Answer

Mercury has a negligible atmosphere from

Question 17

Spacecraft have landed on all of the terrestrial worlds.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 19

Erosion is the most important geological process on Venus.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the geological histories of the Moon and Mercury?

Accepted Answer

A) Impact cratering is the only major geological process that has affected their surfaces. 
B) All four geological processes were important in their early histories,but only impact cratering still reshapes their surfaces today. 
C) Impact cratering shaped these worlds early in their histories.Then,during the past few million years,they were reshaped by episodes of volcanism and tectonics. 
D) Early in their histories,they suffered many impacts and experienced some volcanism and tectonics,but they now have little geological activity at all. 
A) Impact cratering is the only major geological process that has affected their surfaces. 
B) All four geological processes were important in their early histories,but only impact cratering still reshapes their surfaces today. 
C) Impact cratering shaped these worlds early in their histories.Then,during the past few million years,they were reshaped by episodes of volcanism and tectonics. 
D) Early in their histories,they suffered many impacts and experienced some volcanism and tectonics,but they now have little geological activity at all.

Exam 9: Planetary Geology: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds

The core,mantle,and crust of a planet are defined by differences in their

Explain how we can estimate the geological age of a planetary surface from its number of impact craters.

In general,which things below are affected by a magnetic field?

Spacecraft have landed on all the terrestrial worlds except

Why is continental crust lower in density than seafloor crust?

In the inner solar system,the largest surface features are found on the largest planets.

Shallow-sloped shield volcanoes are made from lava that

From center to surface,which of the following correctly lists the interior layers of a terrestrial world?

Which of the following worlds have the thinnest lithospheres?

Based on all we know about the terrestrial worlds,what single factor appears to play the most important role in a terrestrial planet's geological destiny?

The cores of the terrestrial worlds are made mostly of metal because

Describe the three sources of internal heat of the terrestrial planets?

Much of the land on the west coast of North America began as volcanic islands in the Pacific.

Which internal energy source is the most important in continuing to heat the terrestrial planets today?

Olympus Mons is

Briefly explain why Mercury,Venus,and the Moon do not have significant erosion.Relate erosional activity to the four planetary formation properties.

Spacecraft have landed on all of the terrestrial worlds.

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

Erosion is the most important geological process on Venus.

Which of the following best describes the geological histories of the Moon and Mercury?

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 and Matter: Reading Messages from the Cosmos

Telescopes: Portals of Discovery

Our Planetary System

Formation of the Solar System

Planetary Atmospheres: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet Systems

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 Birth

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The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

Galaxies and the Foundations of Modern Cosmology

Galaxy Evolution

The Birth of the Universe

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

Life in the Universe

Celestial Timekeeping and Navigation

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