Question 1

Why does Mars have more extreme seasons than Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) because it is farther from the Sun 
B) because it has a larger axis tilt 
C) because it has a much more eccentric orbit 
D) because it has more carbon dioxide in its atmosphere 
E) all of the above 
A) because it is farther from the Sun 
B) because it has a larger axis tilt 
C) because it has a much more eccentric orbit 
D) because it has more carbon dioxide in its atmosphere 
E) all of the above

Question 2

Which of the following planets has the least substantial atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 3

Which of the following gases absorbs ultraviolet light best?

Accepted Answer

A) carbon dioxide 
B) nitrogen 
C) oxygen 
D) hydrogen 
E) ozone 
A) carbon dioxide 
B) nitrogen 
C) oxygen 
D) hydrogen 
E) ozone

Question 4

The thermosphere is warm because it

Accepted Answer

A) absorbs X-rays. 
B) absorbs infrared light. 
C) absorbs visible light. 
D) contains greenhouse gases. 
E) absorbs ultraviolet light. 
A) absorbs X-rays. 
B) absorbs infrared light. 
C) absorbs visible light. 
D) contains greenhouse gases. 
E) absorbs ultraviolet light.

Question 5

Use these processes for the following questions.
-Which process is the primary source of the atmospheric gases on Venus?

Accepted Answer

A) outgassing from volcanoes 
B) evaporation and vaporization 
C) bombardment 
D) thermal escape 
E) chemical reactions with surface material 
A) outgassing from volcanoes 
B) evaporation and vaporization 
C) bombardment 
D) thermal escape 
E) chemical reactions with surface material

Question 6

Deuterium is more abundant on Venus than elsewhere in the solar system.What do we think this fact tells us about Venus?

Accepted Answer

A) It was formed in a part of the solar nebula where deuterium condensed easily. 
B) It was formed in a part of the solar nebula where deuterium was surprisingly abundant. 
C) It once had huge amounts of water in its atmosphere. 
D) It once had an atmosphere made mostly of hydrogen. 
E) Its volcanoes outgassed primarily carbon dioxide and deuterium,but little water. 
A) It was formed in a part of the solar nebula where deuterium condensed easily. 
B) It was formed in a part of the solar nebula where deuterium was surprisingly abundant. 
C) It once had huge amounts of water in its atmosphere. 
D) It once had an atmosphere made mostly of hydrogen. 
E) Its volcanoes outgassed primarily carbon dioxide and deuterium,but little water.

Question 7

Convection occurs in the troposphere but not in the stratosphere because

Accepted Answer

A) the troposphere is warmer than the stratosphere. 
B) the troposphere is cooler than the stratosphere. 
C) lower altitudes of the troposphere are warmer than higher altitudes,unlike in the stratosphere. 
D) higher altitudes of the troposphere are warmer than lower altitudes,unlike in the stratosphere. 
E) the troposphere contains fewer greenhouse gases than the stratosphere. 
A) the troposphere is warmer than the stratosphere. 
B) the troposphere is cooler than the stratosphere. 
C) lower altitudes of the troposphere are warmer than higher altitudes,unlike in the stratosphere. 
D) higher altitudes of the troposphere are warmer than lower altitudes,unlike in the stratosphere. 
E) the troposphere contains fewer greenhouse gases than the stratosphere.

Question 8

Process of Science: If there is a particularly cold winter in Minnesota one year,does this mean that global warming is wrong,or has ended?

Accepted Answer

No.Global warming is the term for the lo

Question 9

What is the main reason mountaintops are so cold?

Accepted Answer

A) The air is thinner at higher altitudes. 
B) Mountaintops are above much of the greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. 
C) The winds are stronger at higher altitudes. 
D) There is more water vapor at higher altitudes,causing there to be more snow. 
E) All of the above are true. 
A) The air is thinner at higher altitudes. 
B) Mountaintops are above much of the greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. 
C) The winds are stronger at higher altitudes. 
D) There is more water vapor at higher altitudes,causing there to be more snow. 
E) All of the above are true.

Question 10

Which planet(s)have an atmosphere that consists mostly of carbon dioxide?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 11

Earth's atmosphere contains only small amounts of carbon dioxide because

Accepted Answer

A) Earth's volcanoes did not outgas as much carbon dioxide as those on Venus and Mars. 
B) most of the carbon dioxide was lost during the age of bombardment. 
C) chemical reactions with other gases destroyed the carbon dioxide and replaced it with the nitrogen that is in the atmosphere now. 
D) carbon dioxide dissolves in water,and most of it is now contained in the oceans and carbonate rocks. 
E) Earth doesn't have as strong a greenhouse effect as is present on Venus. 
A) Earth's volcanoes did not outgas as much carbon dioxide as those on Venus and Mars. 
B) most of the carbon dioxide was lost during the age of bombardment. 
C) chemical reactions with other gases destroyed the carbon dioxide and replaced it with the nitrogen that is in the atmosphere now. 
D) carbon dioxide dissolves in water,and most of it is now contained in the oceans and carbonate rocks. 
E) Earth doesn't have as strong a greenhouse effect as is present on Venus.

Question 12

What makes us think that Mars must once have had an atmosphere that was warmer and had higher surface pressure?

Accepted Answer

A) We think it for purely theoretical reasons,based on calculations showing that the Sun has brightened with time. 
B) The atmosphere is too cold and thin for abundant liquid water today,yet we see evidence of large areas of flowing water in the past. 
C) The presence of inactive volcanoes on Mars tells us that there must once have been a lot of outgassing,and hence a thicker atmosphere. 
D) The fact that parts of Mars have a lot of craters tells us that Mars must once have been much warmer. 
A) We think it for purely theoretical reasons,based on calculations showing that the Sun has brightened with time. 
B) The atmosphere is too cold and thin for abundant liquid water today,yet we see evidence of large areas of flowing water in the past. 
C) The presence of inactive volcanoes on Mars tells us that there must once have been a lot of outgassing,and hence a thicker atmosphere. 
D) The fact that parts of Mars have a lot of craters tells us that Mars must once have been much warmer.

Question 13

Suppose we represent Earth with a basketball.On this scale,most of the air in Earth's atmosphere would fit in a layer that is

Accepted Answer

A) about the thickness of a sheet of paper. 
B) about an inch thick. 
C) about 6 inches thick. 
D) about a half-inch thick. 
A) about the thickness of a sheet of paper. 
B) about an inch thick. 
C) about 6 inches thick. 
D) about a half-inch thick.

Question 14

Which of the following correctly lists the layers of Earth's atmosphere from the ground upward?

Accepted Answer

A) troposphere,stratosphere,thermosphere,exosphere 
B) thermosphere,stratosphere,troposphere,exosphere 
C) exosphere,stratosphere,thermosphere,troposphere 
D) troposphere,thermosphere,stratosphere,exosphere 
A) troposphere,stratosphere,thermosphere,exosphere 
B) thermosphere,stratosphere,troposphere,exosphere 
C) exosphere,stratosphere,thermosphere,troposphere 
D) troposphere,thermosphere,stratosphere,exosphere

Question 15

The sky is blue because molecules scatter blue light more effectively than red light.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Briefly describe the three factors that would determine planetary temperatures in the absence of greenhouse gases.

Accepted Answer

In the absence of greenhouse gases,the f

Question 17

What is a magnetosphere? What are charged particle belts?

Accepted Answer

A magnetosphere is a protective field su

Question 18

Which of the following is not a product of outgassing?

Accepted Answer

A) water 
B) nitrogen 
C) oxygen 
D) carbon dioxide 
E) sulfur dioxide 
A) water 
B) nitrogen 
C) oxygen 
D) carbon dioxide 
E) sulfur dioxide

Question 19

Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas?

Accepted Answer

A) carbon dioxide (CO₂) 
B) methane (CH₄) 
C) oxygen (O₂) 
D) water vapor (H₂O) 
A) carbon dioxide (CO₂) 
B) methane (CH₄) 
C) oxygen (O₂) 
D) water vapor (H₂O)

Question 20

All the following statements about Mars are true.Which one might have led to a significant loss of atmospheric gas to space?

Accepted Answer

A) The axis tilt of Mars is thought to change significantly with time. 
B) Mars lost any global magnetic field that it may once have had. 
C) Outgassed water molecules are split apart,and the oxygen then reacts chemically with surface rock on Mars. 
D) Mars probably once had a much higher density of greenhouse gases in its atmosphere than it does today. 
A) The axis tilt of Mars is thought to change significantly with time. 
B) Mars lost any global magnetic field that it may once have had. 
C) Outgassed water molecules are split apart,and the oxygen then reacts chemically with surface rock on Mars. 
D) Mars probably once had a much higher density of greenhouse gases in its atmosphere than it does today.

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

Why does Mars have more extreme seasons than Earth?

Which of the following planets has the least substantial atmosphere?

Which of the following gases absorbs ultraviolet light best?

The thermosphere is warm because it

Use these processes for the following questions. -Which process is the primary source of the atmospheric gases on Venus?

Deuterium is more abundant on Venus than elsewhere in the solar system.What do we think this fact tells us about Venus?

Convection occurs in the troposphere but not in the stratosphere because

Process of Science: If there is a particularly cold winter in Minnesota one year,does this mean that global warming is wrong,or has ended?

What is the main reason mountaintops are so cold?

Which planet(s)have an atmosphere that consists mostly of carbon dioxide?

Earth's atmosphere contains only small amounts of carbon dioxide because

What makes us think that Mars must once have had an atmosphere that was warmer and had higher surface pressure?

Suppose we represent Earth with a basketball.On this scale,most of the air in Earth's atmosphere would fit in a layer that is

Which of the following correctly lists the layers of Earth's atmosphere from the ground upward?

The sky is blue because molecules scatter blue light more effectively than red light.

Briefly describe the three factors that would determine planetary temperatures in the absence of greenhouse gases.

What is a magnetosphere? What are charged particle belts?

Which of the following is not a product of outgassing?

Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas?

All the following statements about Mars are true.Which one might have led to a significant loss of atmospheric gas to space?

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 Geology: 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

Star Stuff

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

Space and Time

Spacetime and Gravity

Building Blocks of the Universe

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