Exam 10: Planetary Atmospheres: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds

Use the following choices to answer the atmosphere composition questions: -Which best describes the composition of the atmosphere of Mars?

Talk about vertigo! You've been dropped at the edge of a cliff,looking down for what seems to be miles! There's only one way to go from here: up! But it's going to be quite a climb,requiring all of the mountaineering skills you've ever heard of.The atmosphere here is very thin even at the mean surface level of this place;at altitude you'll never get a lungful.No matter,though;you could not breathe this atmosphere anyway,since it contains no oxygen;it's mostly carbon dioxide.You climb and climb;this mountain must be three times the height of Everest,and much broader at its base! There are clouds around you,and you can find water ice as well.When you try to melt it,however,it does not turn to liquid (it vaporizes to gas).Oh well,just keep climbing.But what will you do when you get to the top?

Why do we think that Venus has so much more atmospheric gas than Earth?

Where is most of the water on Mars?

Which of the following general statements about light and Earth's atmosphere is not true?

Suppose that Earth's ice caps melted,but everything else about the Earth's surface and atmosphere stayed the same.What would happen to Earth's average surface temperature?

Which of the following general statements about Earth's atmosphere is not true?

Which of the following statements about Earth's troposphere is not generally true?

How is the atmosphere of a planet affected by the rotation rate?

Earth's stratosphere is heated primarily by which process?

Process of Science: Are participants in the current controversy regarding global warming following the scientific method? Defend your answer.

What is the exosphere?

Which planet experiences the greatest change between its actual day temperature and actual night temperature?

How is it possible that the Moon might have some water ice today?

Geological evidence points to a history of extended ice ages in Earth's history.How did Earth recover from this snowball phase?

It's cold! You are sitting on what appears to be an ice-covered world (water ice).The Sun is low on the horizon and circles the horizon about once every 24 hours.Despite the low Sun,you can almost "feel" the skin cancers appearing on your exposed face (because there is little ozone to protect you).Despite these discomforts,you are pleased to find that the air is quite satisfactory;oxygen seems plentiful,and you are able to breathe even without the life-support belt.

Venus may have started with an ocean's worth of water.Where is its water now?

Which of the following correctly describes the meaning of albedo?

How might Mars's weakened magnetic field have allowed for major changes in its climate?

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