Question 1

Comets are asteroids that have gradually gathered water.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

Why would astronomers have difficulty spotting a large incoming asteroid headed for Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) It remains in a fixed position in the sky as it comes in directly, so astronomers cannot see its trajectory. 
B) It comes in so fast that they do not have time to see it. 
C) It is dark before becoming heated in Earth's atmosphere. 
D) It is not an important topic to monitor for most astronomers. 
E) It is simply too big to seem as if it is moving. 
A) It remains in a fixed position in the sky as it comes in directly, so astronomers cannot see its trajectory. 
B) It comes in so fast that they do not have time to see it. 
C) It is dark before becoming heated in Earth's atmosphere. 
D) It is not an important topic to monitor for most astronomers. 
E) It is simply too big to seem as if it is moving.

Question 3

How is the tail of a comet oriented? (Which way does it point?)

Accepted Answer

A) It points away from the sun. 
B) It points toward the sun due to gravitational attraction. 
C) It points back from the direction of travel. 
D) It points in the direction of its afterburner. 
E) It oriented randomly in space. 
A) It points away from the sun. 
B) It points toward the sun due to gravitational attraction. 
C) It points back from the direction of travel. 
D) It points in the direction of its afterburner. 
E) It oriented randomly in space.

Question 4

The Chicxulub crater is thought to be evidence of the meteor impact associated with the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Most asteroids originate from an asteroid belt orbiting the sun between which two planets?

Accepted Answer

A) Venus and Earth 
B) Earth and Mars 
C) Jupiter and Saturn 
D) Mercury and Venus 
E) Mars and Jupiter 
A) Venus and Earth 
B) Earth and Mars 
C) Jupiter and Saturn 
D) Mercury and Venus 
E) Mars and Jupiter

Question 6

What are comets made of?

Accepted Answer

A) high-magnesium and -iron rocks 
B) ice 
C) ice and some rock 
D) nickel-iron 
E) close-packed hydrogen 
A) high-magnesium and -iron rocks 
B) ice 
C) ice and some rock 
D) nickel-iron 
E) close-packed hydrogen

Question 7

An anomalous amount of _______________ is found in the boundary clay of the 65 million-year-old K-T event.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An anomalous amount of _______________ is found...

Question 8

What is Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary clay, and where did it form? Describe the conditions under which it formed, and what it looks like.

Accepted Answer

Although the impact site itself is the b

Question 9

A large portion of the _______________ layer, which protects us from the sun's ultraviolet rays, would   likely be destroyed by a moderate asteroid impact on Earth.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A large portion of the _______________ layer,...

Question 10

Asteroids are more abundant than meteoroids.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Iron meteorites make up 20% of all meteorites.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

On average, how often does a six-meter diameter asteroid collide with Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) once a year 
B) once every five years 
C) once every ten years 
D) once every fifty years 
E) once every century 
A) once a year 
B) once every five years 
C) once every ten years 
D) once every fifty years 
E) once every century

Question 13

In January, 2002, an object 0.3 km across passed within 800,000 km of Earth, only roughly twice the distance to the moon.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

A meteorite's coating is very different from its interior.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

The giant Manicouagan crater of the eastern Canada is one of the largest impact craters observable on the surface of the Earth, appearing as a striking ring of _______________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The giant Manicouagan crater of the eastern...

Question 16

Comets originate from the _____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Comets originate from the _____....

Question 17

Describe characteristics of an impact crater.

Accepted Answer

One might imagine that an asteroid strik

Question 18

Meteor Crater, in Arizona, is approximately 100,000 years old.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

What is the average diameter of the head of a comet?

Accepted Answer

A) 1-2 km 
B) less than 15 km 
C) 50 km 
D) 500 km 
E) 2,500 km 
A) 1-2 km 
B) less than 15 km 
C) 50 km 
D) 500 km 
E) 2,500 km

Question 20

Because meteorites travel faster than the speed of sound, we cannot hear them until they are relatively close.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Comets are asteroids that have gradually gathered water.

Why would astronomers have difficulty spotting a large incoming asteroid headed for Earth?

How is the tail of a comet oriented? (Which way does it point?)

The Chicxulub crater is thought to be evidence of the meteor impact associated with the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Most asteroids originate from an asteroid belt orbiting the sun between which two planets?

What are comets made of?

An anomalous amount of _______________ is found in the boundary clay of the 65 million-year-old K-T event.

What is Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary clay, and where did it form? Describe the conditions under which it formed, and what it looks like.

A large portion of the _______________ layer, which protects us from the sun's ultraviolet rays, would likely be destroyed by a moderate asteroid impact on Earth.

Asteroids are more abundant than meteoroids.

Iron meteorites make up 20% of all meteorites.

On average, how often does a six-meter diameter asteroid collide with Earth?

In January, 2002, an object 0.3 km across passed within 800,000 km of Earth, only roughly twice the distance to the moon.

A meteorite's coating is very different from its interior.

The giant Manicouagan crater of the eastern Canada is one of the largest impact craters observable on the surface of the Earth, appearing as a striking ring of _______________.

Comets originate from the _____.

Describe characteristics of an impact crater.

Meteor Crater, in Arizona, is approximately 100,000 years old.

What is the average diameter of the head of a comet?

Because meteorites travel faster than the speed of sound, we cannot hear them until they are relatively close.

Natural Hazards and Disasters

Plate Tectonics and Physical Hazards

Earthquakes and Their Causes

Earthquake Predictions Forecasts and Mitigation

Tsunami

Volcanoes Tectonic Environments and Eruptions

Volcanoes Hazards and Mitigation

Landslides and Other Downslope Movements

Sinkholes Land Subsidence and Swelling Soils

Weather Thunderstorms and Tornadoes

Climate Change Processes and History

Climate Change Impacts and Mitigation

Streams and Flood Processes

Floods and Human Interactions

Waves Beaches and Coastal Erosion

Hurricanes and nor Easters

Wildfires

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Exam 18: Asteroid and Comet Impacts

Comets are asteroids that have gradually gathered water.

Why would astronomers have difficulty spotting a large incoming asteroid headed for Earth?

How is the tail of a comet oriented? (Which way does it point?)

The Chicxulub crater is thought to be evidence of the meteor impact associated with the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Most asteroids originate from an asteroid belt orbiting the sun between which two planets?

What are comets made of?

An anomalous amount of _______________ is found in the boundary clay of the 65 million-year-old K-T event.

What is Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary clay, and where did it form? Describe the conditions under which it formed, and what it looks like.

A large portion of the _______________ layer, which protects us from the sun's ultraviolet rays, would likely be destroyed by a moderate asteroid impact on Earth.

Asteroids are more abundant than meteoroids.

Iron meteorites make up 20% of all meteorites.

On average, how often does a six-meter diameter asteroid collide with Earth?

In January, 2002, an object 0.3 km across passed within 800,000 km of Earth, only roughly twice the distance to the moon.

A meteorite's coating is very different from its interior.

The giant Manicouagan crater of the eastern Canada is one of the largest impact craters observable on the surface of the Earth, appearing as a striking ring of _______________.

Comets originate from the _____.

Describe characteristics of an impact crater.

Meteor Crater, in Arizona, is approximately 100,000 years old.

What is the average diameter of the head of a comet?

Because meteorites travel faster than the speed of sound, we cannot hear them until they are relatively close.

Natural Hazards and Disasters

Plate Tectonics and Physical Hazards

Earthquakes and Their Causes

Earthquake Predictions Forecasts and Mitigation

Tsunami

Volcanoes Tectonic Environments and Eruptions

Volcanoes Hazards and Mitigation

Landslides and Other Downslope Movements

Sinkholes Land Subsidence and Swelling Soils

Weather Thunderstorms and Tornadoes

Climate Change Processes and History

Climate Change Impacts and Mitigation

Streams and Flood Processes

Floods and Human Interactions

Waves Beaches and Coastal Erosion

Hurricanes and nor Easters

Wildfires

Filters