Question 1

The rate of heat loss of a planet is proportional to its _______________, thus the smaller the world, the faster it is for heat to escape.

Accepted Answer

surface area

Question 2

Because of the _______________, atoms in Mercury's atmosphere just bounce around and eventually disappear into space.

Accepted Answer

low escape velocity

Question 3

The lunar maria are ancient _______________ that have apparently covered older, cratered lowlands.

Accepted Answer

lava flows

Question 4

The Moon's crust is thicker on the side facing Earth.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Which hypothesis suggested that the Moon formed elsewhere and was later caught by Earth's gravity?

Accepted Answer

A)  fission hypothesis 
B)  fusion hypothesis 
C)  large-impact hypothesis 
D)  capture hypothesis 
E)  condensation hypothesis 
A)  fission hypothesis 
B)  fusion hypothesis 
C)  large-impact hypothesis 
D)  capture hypothesis 
E)  condensation hypothesis

Question 6

Most of the craters on the Moon are relatively young.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Briefly compare and contrast the characteristics of the Moon and Mercury.

Accepted Answer

The Moon and Mercury are similar in a nu

Question 8

The Apollo spacecraft had a(n) _______________  tacked on the front of the command module.

Accepted Answer

lunar land

Question 9

Because of Mercury's lower gravity, ejecta from a meteorite covers much of its surface.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

What was the purpose of the LCROSS mission?

Accepted Answer

A)  To determine if lava still flowed beneath the crust 
B)  To generate an altitude map of the Moon's surface 
C)  To photograph geological features of the Moon 
D)  To photograph geological features of the moon 
E)  To determine if there is water ice buried in soil of the Moon's south pole 
A)  To determine if lava still flowed beneath the crust 
B)  To generate an altitude map of the Moon's surface 
C)  To photograph geological features of the Moon 
D)  To photograph geological features of the moon 
E)  To determine if there is water ice buried in soil of the Moon's south pole

Question 11

Which best describes Mercury's plains?

Accepted Answer

A)  heavily impacted with craters and large rays 
B)  solidified lava flows that are a uniform gray color 
C)  a geologically active surface of molten lava 
D)  solidified lava flows rich in dark basalts 
E)  a rich layer of soil containing iron and silicate 
A)  heavily impacted with craters and large rays 
B)  solidified lava flows that are a uniform gray color 
C)  a geologically active surface of molten lava 
D)  solidified lava flows rich in dark basalts 
E)  a rich layer of soil containing iron and silicate

Question 12

Which characteristic is NOT shared by the Moon and Mercury?

Accepted Answer

A)  heavily cratered surface 
B)  negligible atmosphere 
C)  rotations altered by tides 
D)  dense metallic core 
E)  geologically inactive 
A)  heavily cratered surface 
B)  negligible atmosphere 
C)  rotations altered by tides 
D)  dense metallic core 
E)  geologically inactive

Question 13

What is the largest impact crater on Mercury?

Accepted Answer

A)  Caloris Basin 
B)  Aitken Basin 
C)  Mare Crisium 
D)  Mare Imbrium 
E)  Mare Tranquillitatis 
A)  Caloris Basin 
B)  Aitken Basin 
C)  Mare Crisium 
D)  Mare Imbrium 
E)  Mare Tranquillitatis

Question 14

What formed the lunar maria?

Accepted Answer

A)  ancient lava flows 
B)  Earth-moon collision 
C)  volcanic eruptions 
D)  erosion 
E)  tectonic plate movement 
A)  ancient lava flows 
B)  Earth-moon collision 
C)  volcanic eruptions 
D)  erosion 
E)  tectonic plate movement

Question 15

What is the Moon's gravity?

Accepted Answer

A)  There is no gravity on the Moon. 
B)  1/3 of Earth's gravity 
C)  1/2 of Earth's gravity 
D)  1/6 of Earth's gravity 
E)  The Moon's gravity is the same as that of Earth. 
A)  There is no gravity on the Moon. 
B)  1/3 of Earth's gravity 
C)  1/2 of Earth's gravity 
D)  1/6 of Earth's gravity 
E)  The Moon's gravity is the same as that of Earth.

Question 16

Will the Moon's surface change over time? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

No. On the Moon, with no atmosphere and

Question 17

What may have caused Mercury to have a large metallic core and a relatively thin crust?

Accepted Answer

A)  a large impact 
B)  tidal coupling with the Sun 
C)  solar wind clearing the nebula 
D)  a slow orbital period 
E)  a long period of flooding 
A)  a large impact 
B)  tidal coupling with the Sun 
C)  solar wind clearing the nebula 
D)  a slow orbital period 
E)  a long period of flooding

Question 18

Mercury completes one orbit around the Sun in 8 days.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

What does "maria" mean?

Accepted Answer

A)  plateaus 
B)  ponds 
C)  rivers 
D)  Rivers 
E)  seas 
A)  plateaus 
B)  ponds 
C)  rivers 
D)  Rivers 
E)  seas

Question 20

Which is the oldest geological feature of Mercury?

Accepted Answer

A)  smooth plains 
B)  jumbled terrain 
C)  intercrater plains 
D)  lobate scarps 
E)  rilles 
A)  smooth plains 
B)  jumbled terrain 
C)  intercrater plains 
D)  lobate scarps 
E)  rilles

Exam 21: The Moon and Mercury

The rate of heat loss of a planet is proportional to its _______________, thus the smaller the world, the faster it is for heat to escape.

Because of the _______________, atoms in Mercury's atmosphere just bounce around and eventually disappear into space.

The lunar maria are ancient _______________ that have apparently covered older, cratered lowlands.

The Moon's crust is thicker on the side facing Earth.

Which hypothesis suggested that the Moon formed elsewhere and was later caught by Earth's gravity?

Most of the craters on the Moon are relatively young.

Briefly compare and contrast the characteristics of the Moon and Mercury.

The Apollo spacecraft had a(n) _______________ tacked on the front of the command module.

Because of Mercury's lower gravity, ejecta from a meteorite covers much of its surface.

What was the purpose of the LCROSS mission?

Which best describes Mercury's plains?

Which characteristic is NOT shared by the Moon and Mercury?

What is the largest impact crater on Mercury?

What formed the lunar maria?

What is the Moon's gravity?

Will the Moon's surface change over time? Why or why not?

What may have caused Mercury to have a large metallic core and a relatively thin crust?

Mercury completes one orbit around the Sun in 8 days.

What does "maria" mean?

Which is the oldest geological feature of Mercury?

Here and Now

A Users Guide to the Sky

Moon Phases and Eclipses

Origins of Modern Astronomy

Gravity

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The Sun

The Family of Stars

The Interstellar Medium

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The Milky Way Galaxy

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Supermassive Black Holes and Active Galaxies

Modern Cosmology

Origin of the Solar System and Extrasolar Planets

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