Question 1

In what ways is Earth different from the other terrestrial planets?

Accepted Answer

A)  Its lithosphere is broken into plates that move around. 
B)  It has oxygen in its atmosphere. 
C)  Most of its surface is covered with liquid water. 
D)  Life can be found almost everywhere. 
E)  All of the above are true. 
A)  Its lithosphere is broken into plates that move around. 
B)  It has oxygen in its atmosphere. 
C)  Most of its surface is covered with liquid water. 
D)  Life can be found almost everywhere. 
E)  All of the above are true.

Question 2

Why does the Moon have a layer of "powdery soil" on its surface?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is the result of countless tiny impacts by small particles striking the Moon. 
B)  Recent, large impacts shattered lunar rock to make this soil. 
C)  It is made by the same processes that make powdery sand on Earth. 
D)  It exists because the Moon accreted from powdery material after a giant impact blasted the Earth. 
A)  It is the result of countless tiny impacts by small particles striking the Moon. 
B)  Recent, large impacts shattered lunar rock to make this soil. 
C)  It is made by the same processes that make powdery sand on Earth. 
D)  It exists because the Moon accreted from powdery material after a giant impact blasted the Earth.

Question 3

Which internal energy source produces heat by converting gravitational potential energy into thermal energy?

Accepted Answer

A)  accretion 
B)  differentiation 
C)  radioactivity 
D)  both A and B 
E)  all of the above 
A)  accretion 
B)  differentiation 
C)  radioactivity 
D)  both A and B 
E)  all of the above

Question 4

There are no auroras on Venus because it

Accepted Answer

A)  lacks atmospheric oxygen. 
B)  is too hot. 
C)  lacks a strong magnetic field. 
D)  lacks strong winds. 
A)  lacks atmospheric oxygen. 
B)  is too hot. 
C)  lacks a strong magnetic field. 
D)  lacks strong winds.

Question 5

What is the main visual difference between the lunar maria and the rest of the lunar surface? What are the implications of this observation?

Accepted Answer

The lunar maria are generally smooth com

Question 6

Rank the five terrestrial worlds in order of size from smallest to largest:

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Mars. 
B)  Mercury, Moon, Venus, Earth, Mars. 
C)  Moon, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars. 
D)  Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth. 
E)  Mercury, Moon, Mars, Earth, Venus. 
A)  Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Mars. 
B)  Mercury, Moon, Venus, Earth, Mars. 
C)  Moon, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars. 
D)  Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth. 
E)  Mercury, Moon, Mars, Earth, Venus.

Question 7

All of the following statements are true. Which one provides strong observational support for the claim that greenhouse gases make a planet warmer than it would be otherwise?

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth is the only planet with an ozone layer in its atmosphere. 
B)  Earth has a higher average temperature than Mars. 
C)  Mercury is much hotter than the Moon. 
D)  Venus has a higher average temperature than Mercury. 
A)  Earth is the only planet with an ozone layer in its atmosphere. 
B)  Earth has a higher average temperature than Mars. 
C)  Mercury is much hotter than the Moon. 
D)  Venus has a higher average temperature than Mercury.

Question 8

Which of the following describes tectonics?

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 9

The terrestrial planet cores contain mostly metal because

Accepted Answer

A)  the entire planets are made mostly of metal. 
B)  metals condensed first in the solar nebula and the rocks then accreted around them. 
C)  metals sank to the center during a time when the interiors were molten throughout. 
D)  radioactivity created metals in the core from the decay of uranium. 
E)  convection carried the metals to the core. 
A)  the entire planets are made mostly of metal. 
B)  metals condensed first in the solar nebula and the rocks then accreted around them. 
C)  metals sank to the center during a time when the interiors were molten throughout. 
D)  radioactivity created metals in the core from the decay of uranium. 
E)  convection carried the metals to the core.

Question 10

Many scientists suspect that Venus has a stronger and thicker lithosphere than Earth. If this is true, which of the following could explain it?

Accepted Answer

A)  The high surface temperature that has "baked out" all the liquid water from Venus's crust and mantle 
B)  The smaller size of Venus, which has allowed it to lose much more internal heat than Earth 
C)  The slow rotation of Venus 
D)  The apparent lack of plate tectonics on Venus 
A)  The high surface temperature that has "baked out" all the liquid water from Venus's crust and mantle 
B)  The smaller size of Venus, which has allowed it to lose much more internal heat than Earth 
C)  The slow rotation of Venus 
D)  The apparent lack of plate tectonics on Venus

Question 11

What is a magnetosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)  A region of space around a planet in which the planet's magnetic field can trap charged particles 
B)  The layer of a planet in which its magnetic field is generated 
C)  The uppermost layer of any planetary atmosphere 
D)  The region in a planet's atmosphere in which auroras occur 
A)  A region of space around a planet in which the planet's magnetic field can trap charged particles 
B)  The layer of a planet in which its magnetic field is generated 
C)  The uppermost layer of any planetary atmosphere 
D)  The region in a planet's atmosphere in which auroras occur

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Which of the following worlds has the most substantial atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury 
B)  Venus 
C)  the Moon 
D)  Mars 
E)  Earth 
A)  Mercury 
B)  Venus 
C)  the Moon 
D)  Mars 
E)  Earth

Question 14

Suppose Mars had turned out to be significantly smaller than its current size, say about the size of our Moon. How would this have affected the number of geological features due to each of the four major geological processes?

Accepted Answer

If Mars were smaller, it would have unde

Question 15

What is the importance of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) cycle?

Accepted Answer

A)  It regulates the carbon dioxide concentration of our atmosphere, keeping temperatures moderate. 
B)  It makes the growth of continents possible. 
C)  It allows for an ultraviolet-absorbing stratosphere. 
D)  It will prevent us from suffering any consequences from global warming. 
A)  It regulates the carbon dioxide concentration of our atmosphere, keeping temperatures moderate. 
B)  It makes the growth of continents possible. 
C)  It allows for an ultraviolet-absorbing stratosphere. 
D)  It will prevent us from suffering any consequences from global warming.

Question 16

In general, which things below are affected by a magnetic field?

Accepted Answer

A)  Charged particles or magnetized materials (such as iron) 
B)  Rocks of all types 
C)  Iron-bearing minerals only 
D)  Gases and liquids 
A)  Charged particles or magnetized materials (such as iron) 
B)  Rocks of all types 
C)  Iron-bearing minerals only 
D)  Gases and liquids

Question 17

From center to surface, which of the following correctly lists the interior layers of a terrestrial world?

Accepted Answer

A)  Core, mantle, crust 
B)  Mantle, core, crust 
C)  Mantle, crust, core 
D)  Core, crust, lithosphere 
A)  Core, mantle, crust 
B)  Mantle, core, crust 
C)  Mantle, crust, core 
D)  Core, crust, lithosphere

Question 18

Why is Mars red?

Accepted Answer

A)  Chemical reactions between surface rock and atmospheric oxygen literally rusted the surface. 
B)  Martian volcanoes released a much redder lava than volcanoes on Earth. 
C)  The red color of Mars is a result of the scattering of light in the Martian sky. 
D)  The red color is caused by water ice chemically bound in surface rock. 
A)  Chemical reactions between surface rock and atmospheric oxygen literally rusted the surface. 
B)  Martian volcanoes released a much redder lava than volcanoes on Earth. 
C)  The red color of Mars is a result of the scattering of light in the Martian sky. 
D)  The red color is caused by water ice chemically bound in surface rock.

Question 19

The relatively few craters that we see within the lunar maria

Accepted Answer

A)  were formed by impacts that occurred before those that formed most of the craters in the lunar highlands. 
B)  were formed by impacts that occurred after those that formed most of the craters in the lunar highlands. 
C)  Were created by the same large impactor that led to the formation of the maria. 
D)  are volcanic in origin, rather than from impacts. 
E)  are sinkholes that formed when sections of the maria collapsed. 
A)  were formed by impacts that occurred before those that formed most of the craters in the lunar highlands. 
B)  were formed by impacts that occurred after those that formed most of the craters in the lunar highlands. 
C)  Were created by the same large impactor that led to the formation of the maria. 
D)  are volcanic in origin, rather than from impacts. 
E)  are sinkholes that formed when sections of the maria collapsed.

Question 20

What observational evidence supports the idea that Mercury once shrank by some 20 kilometers in radius?

Accepted Answer

A)  The presence of many long, tall cliffs 
B)  The presence of many impact craters 
C)  The characteristics of the Caloris Basin 
D)  Mercury's unusually high density 
A)  The presence of many long, tall cliffs 
B)  The presence of many impact craters 
C)  The characteristics of the Caloris Basin 
D)  Mercury's unusually high density

In what ways is Earth different from the other terrestrial planets?

Why does the Moon have a layer of "powdery soil" on its surface?

Which internal energy source produces heat by converting gravitational potential energy into thermal energy?

There are no auroras on Venus because it

What is the main visual difference between the lunar maria and the rest of the lunar surface? What are the implications of this observation?

Rank the five terrestrial worlds in order of size from smallest to largest:

All of the following statements are true. Which one provides strong observational support for the claim that greenhouse gases make a planet warmer than it would be otherwise?

Which of the following describes tectonics?

The terrestrial planet cores contain mostly metal because

Many scientists suspect that Venus has a stronger and thicker lithosphere than Earth. If this is true, which of the following could explain it?

What is a magnetosphere?

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

Which of the following worlds has the most substantial atmosphere?

Suppose Mars had turned out to be significantly smaller than its current size, say about the size of our Moon. How would this have affected the number of geological features due to each of the four major geological processes?

What is the importance of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) cycle?

In general, which things below are affected by a magnetic field?

From center to surface, which of the following correctly lists the interior layers of a terrestrial world?

Why is Mars red?

The relatively few craters that we see within the lunar maria

What observational evidence supports the idea that Mercury once shrank by some 20 kilometers in radius?

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

In what ways is Earth different from the other terrestrial planets?

Why does the Moon have a layer of "powdery soil" on its surface?

Which internal energy source produces heat by converting gravitational potential energy into thermal energy?

There are no auroras on Venus because it

What is the main visual difference between the lunar maria and the rest of the lunar surface? What are the implications of this observation?

Rank the five terrestrial worlds in order of size from smallest to largest:

All of the following statements are true. Which one provides strong observational support for the claim that greenhouse gases make a planet warmer than it would be otherwise?

Which of the following describes tectonics?

The terrestrial planet cores contain mostly metal because

Many scientists suspect that Venus has a stronger and thicker lithosphere than Earth. If this is true, which of the following could explain it?

What is a magnetosphere?

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

Which of the following worlds has the most substantial atmosphere?

Suppose Mars had turned out to be significantly smaller than its current size, say about the size of our Moon. How would this have affected the number of geological features due to each of the four major geological processes?

What is the importance of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) cycle?

In general, which things below are affected by a magnetic field?

From center to surface, which of the following correctly lists the interior layers of a terrestrial world?

Why is Mars red?

The relatively few craters that we see within the lunar maria

What observational evidence supports the idea that Mercury once shrank by some 20 kilometers in radius?

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