Question 1

The Caloris Basin on Mercury covers a large region of the planet, but few smaller craters have formed on top of it. From this we conclude that

Accepted Answer

A)  erosion destroyed the smaller craters that formed on the basin. 
B)  Mercury's atmosphere prevented smaller objects from hitting the surface. 
C)  only very large impactors hit Mercury's surface in the past. 
D)  the Caloris Basin formed toward the end of the solar system's period of heavy bombardment. 
E)  the Caloris Basin was formed by a volcano. 
A)  erosion destroyed the smaller craters that formed on the basin. 
B)  Mercury's atmosphere prevented smaller objects from hitting the surface. 
C)  only very large impactors hit Mercury's surface in the past. 
D)  the Caloris Basin formed toward the end of the solar system's period of heavy bombardment. 
E)  the Caloris Basin was formed by a volcano.

Question 2

Volcanism is more likely on a planet that

Accepted Answer

A)  is closer to the Sun. 
B)  is struck often by meteors and solar system debris. 
C)  has high internal temperatures. 
D)  doesn't have an atmosphere or oceans. 
A)  is closer to the Sun. 
B)  is struck often by meteors and solar system debris. 
C)  has high internal temperatures. 
D)  doesn't have an atmosphere or oceans.

Question 3

Which of the following describes erosion?

Accepted Answer

A)  the excavation of bowl-shaped depressions by asteroids or comets striking a planet's surface 
B)  the eruption of molten rock from a planet's interior to its surface 
C)  the disruption of a planet's surface by internal stresses 
D)  the wearing down or building up of geological features by wind, water, ice, and other phenomena of planetary weather 
A)  the excavation of bowl-shaped depressions by asteroids or comets striking a planet's surface 
B)  the eruption of molten rock from a planet's interior to its surface 
C)  the disruption of a planet's surface by internal stresses 
D)  the wearing down or building up of geological features by wind, water, ice, and other phenomena of planetary weather

Question 4

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

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

A)  Early in their histories, they suffered many impacts and experienced some volcanism and tectonics, but they now have little geological activity at all. 
B)  Impact cratering is the only major geological process that has affected their surfaces. 
C)  All four geological processes were important in their early histories, but only impact cratering still reshapes their surfaces today. 
D)  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. 
A)  Early in their histories, they suffered many impacts and experienced some volcanism and tectonics, but they now have little geological activity at all. 
B)  Impact cratering is the only major geological process that has affected their surfaces. 
C)  All four geological processes were important in their early histories, but only impact cratering still reshapes their surfaces today. 
D)  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.

Question 6

Why does Earth have an ultraviolet-absorbing stratosphere, while Venus and Mars do not?

Accepted Answer

Life and oxygen also explain the presenc

Question 7

Which of the following does not have a major effect in shaping planetary surfaces?

Accepted Answer

A)  impact cratering 
B)  volcanism 
C)  tectonics 
D)  erosion 
E)  magnetism 
A)  impact cratering 
B)  volcanism 
C)  tectonics 
D)  erosion 
E)  magnetism

Question 8

How large is an impact crater compared to the size of the impactor?

Accepted Answer

A)  the same size 
B)  10-20 percent larger 
C)  10 times larger 
D)  100 times larger 
E)  1,000 times larger 
A)  the same size 
B)  10-20 percent larger 
C)  10 times larger 
D)  100 times larger 
E)  1,000 times larger

Question 9

Which two factors are most important to the existence of plate tectonics on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mantle convection and a thin lithosphere 
B)  Oxygen in the atmosphere and mantle convection 
C)  The existence of life and oxygen in the atmosphere 
D)  Earth's liquid outer core and solid inner core 
A)  Mantle convection and a thin lithosphere 
B)  Oxygen in the atmosphere and mantle convection 
C)  The existence of life and oxygen in the atmosphere 
D)  Earth's liquid outer core and solid inner core

Question 10

Which in its gaseous form is not a greenhouse gas?

Accepted Answer

A)  Water 
B)  Carbon dioxide 
C)  Methane 
D)  Molecular nitrogen 
A)  Water 
B)  Carbon dioxide 
C)  Methane 
D)  Molecular nitrogen

Question 11

What do we mean when we say that the terrestrial worlds underwent differentiation?

Accepted Answer

A)  When their interiors were molten, denser materials sank toward their centers and lighter materials rose toward their surfaces. 
B)  The five terrestrial worlds all started similarly but ended up looking quite different. 
C)  Their surfaces show a variety of different geological features resulting from different geological processes. 
D)  They lost interior heat to outer space. 
A)  When their interiors were molten, denser materials sank toward their centers and lighter materials rose toward their surfaces. 
B)  The five terrestrial worlds all started similarly but ended up looking quite different. 
C)  Their surfaces show a variety of different geological features resulting from different geological processes. 
D)  They lost interior heat to outer space.

Question 12

Which of the following is not a product of outgassing?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 13

Evidence for Life: Imagine that recent advances in technology have allowed the discovery of several very low mass (much less than the mass of Jupiter) planets around nearby, Sun-like stars. Assume all that is known about these planets is their mass, their size, and the characteristics of their orbits (ie semi-major axis and eccentricity). You are asked to speculate on whether or not life (similar to that on Earth) might exist on these planets. How would you answer this question? You are then asked what new observations we might make to help settle this question. How would you respond?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Evidence for Life: Imagine that recent advances...

Question 14

The three principal sources of the internal heat of terrestrial planets are

Accepted Answer

A)  conduction, differentiation, and accretion. 
B)  accretion, differentiation, and radioactivity. 
C)  accretion, differentiation, and eruption. 
D)  convection, differentiation, and eruption. 
E)  conduction, convection, and eruption. 
A)  conduction, differentiation, and accretion. 
B)  accretion, differentiation, and radioactivity. 
C)  accretion, differentiation, and eruption. 
D)  convection, differentiation, and eruption. 
E)  conduction, convection, and eruption.

Question 15

A terrestrial world's lithosphere is ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  a layer of relatively strong, rigid rock, encompassing the crust and part of the mantle 
B)  a thin layer of rock that lies between the mantle and crust 
C)  the interior region in which the planet's magnetic field is generated 
D)  a layer of hot, molten rock encompassing the core and part of the mantle 
A)  a layer of relatively strong, rigid rock, encompassing the crust and part of the mantle 
B)  a thin layer of rock that lies between the mantle and crust 
C)  the interior region in which the planet's magnetic field is generated 
D)  a layer of hot, molten rock encompassing the core and part of the mantle

Question 16

Which of the following best describes convection?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is the process by which rocks sink in water. 
B)  It is the process in which warm material expands and rises while cool material contracts and falls. 
C)  It is the process in which warm material gets even warmer and cool material gets even cooler. 
D)  It is the process in which a liquid separates according to density, such as oil and water separating in a jar. 
E)  It is the process in which bubbles of gas move upward through a liquid. 
A)  It is the process by which rocks sink in water. 
B)  It is the process in which warm material expands and rises while cool material contracts and falls. 
C)  It is the process in which warm material gets even warmer and cool material gets even cooler. 
D)  It is the process in which a liquid separates according to density, such as oil and water separating in a jar. 
E)  It is the process in which bubbles of gas move upward through a liquid.

Question 17

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)  Mars lost any global magnetic field that it may once have had. 
B)  The axis tilt of Mars is thought to change significantly with time. 
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)  Mars lost any global magnetic field that it may once have had. 
B)  The axis tilt of Mars is thought to change significantly with time. 
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.

Question 18

Under what circumstances can differentiation occur in a planet?

Accepted Answer

A)  The planet must have a rocky surface. 
B)  The planet must be made of both metal and rock. 
C)  The planet must have an atmosphere. 
D)  The planet must be geologically active, that is, have volcanoes, planetquakes, and erosion from weather. 
E)  The planet must have a molten interior. 
A)  The planet must have a rocky surface. 
B)  The planet must be made of both metal and rock. 
C)  The planet must have an atmosphere. 
D)  The planet must be geologically active, that is, have volcanoes, planetquakes, and erosion from weather. 
E)  The planet must have a molten interior.

Question 19

Which of the following is not an example of tectonics?

Accepted Answer

A)  The gradual disappearance of a crater rim as a result of wind and rain 
B)  The formation of a cliff when the lithosphere shrinks 
C)  The slow movement of Earth's lithospheric plates 
D)  The stretching of the crust by underlying mantle convection 
A)  The gradual disappearance of a crater rim as a result of wind and rain 
B)  The formation of a cliff when the lithosphere shrinks 
C)  The slow movement of Earth's lithospheric plates 
D)  The stretching of the crust by underlying mantle convection

Question 20

The rise of life on the planet Earth some 4 billion years ago was made possible, in part, by the plentiful oxygen in Earth's early atmosphere.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

The Caloris Basin on Mercury covers a large region of the planet, but few smaller craters have formed on top of it. From this we conclude that

Volcanism is more likely on a planet that

Which of the following describes erosion?

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?

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

Why does Earth have an ultraviolet-absorbing stratosphere, while Venus and Mars do not?

Which of the following does not have a major effect in shaping planetary surfaces?

How large is an impact crater compared to the size of the impactor?

Which two factors are most important to the existence of plate tectonics on Earth?

Which in its gaseous form is not a greenhouse gas?

What do we mean when we say that the terrestrial worlds underwent differentiation?

Which of the following is not a product of outgassing?

The three principal sources of the internal heat of terrestrial planets are

A terrestrial world's lithosphere is ________.

Which of the following best describes convection?

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

Under what circumstances can differentiation occur in a planet?

Which of the following is not an example of tectonics?

The rise of life on the planet Earth some 4 billion years ago was made possible, in part, by the plentiful oxygen in Earth's early atmosphere.

Our Place in the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of Planetary Systems: Our Solar System and Beyond

Jovian Planet Systems

Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

Galaxies and the Foundation of Modern Cosmology

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

The Beginning of Time

Life in the Universe

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Exam 7: Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds

The Caloris Basin on Mercury covers a large region of the planet, but few smaller craters have formed on top of it. From this we conclude that

Volcanism is more likely on a planet that

Which of the following describes erosion?

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?

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

Why does Earth have an ultraviolet-absorbing stratosphere, while Venus and Mars do not?

Which of the following does not have a major effect in shaping planetary surfaces?

How large is an impact crater compared to the size of the impactor?

Which two factors are most important to the existence of plate tectonics on Earth?

Which in its gaseous form is not a greenhouse gas?

What do we mean when we say that the terrestrial worlds underwent differentiation?

Which of the following is not a product of outgassing?

The three principal sources of the internal heat of terrestrial planets are

A terrestrial world's lithosphere is ________.

Which of the following best describes convection?

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

Under what circumstances can differentiation occur in a planet?

Which of the following is not an example of tectonics?

The rise of life on the planet Earth some 4 billion years ago was made possible, in part, by the plentiful oxygen in Earth's early atmosphere.

Our Place in the Universe

Discovering the Universe for Yourself

The Science of Astronomy

Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Light: the Cosmic Messenger

Formation of Planetary Systems: Our Solar System and Beyond

Jovian Planet Systems

Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Stuff

Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

Galaxies and the Foundation of Modern Cosmology

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

The Beginning of Time

Life in the Universe

Filters