Question 1

Which of the following is not true concerning the view from a Moon base that can be seen from Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) Earth is always in view at approximately the same position in the sky. 
B) The Sun is not always in the sky. 
C) Earth shows all the phases of crescent, quarter, gibbous, and full in a period of 1 month. 
D) Earth rises, sets, and moves across the lunar sky. 
A) Earth is always in view at approximately the same position in the sky. 
B) The Sun is not always in the sky. 
C) Earth shows all the phases of crescent, quarter, gibbous, and full in a period of 1 month. 
D) Earth rises, sets, and moves across the lunar sky.

Question 2

The Moon has:

Accepted Answer

A) a global magnetic field that deflects the solar wind, but is not strong enough to trap high-energy charged particles. 
B) no global magnetic field, although weak magnetism in lunar rocks does show that a magnetic field existed earlier in the Moon's history. 
C) no detectable magnetism of any kind, either global or in individual rocks. 
D) a very weak global field that is not strong enough to deflect the solar wind before it hits the lunar surface. 
A) a global magnetic field that deflects the solar wind, but is not strong enough to trap high-energy charged particles. 
B) no global magnetic field, although weak magnetism in lunar rocks does show that a magnetic field existed earlier in the Moon's history. 
C) no detectable magnetism of any kind, either global or in individual rocks. 
D) a very weak global field that is not strong enough to deflect the solar wind before it hits the lunar surface.

Question 3

What factor is now thought to have played a major role in such diverse events as the formation of the Moon, the tilting of Earth's spin axis, and even the extinction of the dinosaurs?

Accepted Answer

A) passage of the solar system through gigantic gas clouds in space 
B) sudden change in the orbital path of Earth 
C) major volcanic eruptions on Earth 
D) collisions between asteroid-like bodies and Earth 
A) passage of the solar system through gigantic gas clouds in space 
B) sudden change in the orbital path of Earth 
C) major volcanic eruptions on Earth 
D) collisions between asteroid-like bodies and Earth

Question 4

How many countries have soft landed spacecraft on the Moon and returned lunar samples to Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) one-the Soviet Union 
B) To avoid the possibility of contaminating Earth, no country has brought lunar samples to Earth. 
C) one-the United States 
D) two-the United States and the Soviet Union 
A) one-the Soviet Union 
B) To avoid the possibility of contaminating Earth, no country has brought lunar samples to Earth. 
C) one-the United States 
D) two-the United States and the Soviet Union

Question 5

Which was the first country to send a space probe past the Moon?

Accepted Answer

A) China 
B) France 
C) Soviet Union 
D) United States 
A) China 
B) France 
C) Soviet Union 
D) United States

Question 6

The type of rock making up the lunar highlands is:

Accepted Answer

A) old, low-density rocks-anorthosite. 
B) young volcanic rocks-basalt. 
C) deposited rocks-limestone. 
D) volcanic rocks transformed by subsequent heat and pressure-granite. 
A) old, low-density rocks-anorthosite. 
B) young volcanic rocks-basalt. 
C) deposited rocks-limestone. 
D) volcanic rocks transformed by subsequent heat and pressure-granite.

Question 7

The lunar maria are composed of which of the following rock types?

Accepted Answer

A) basalt 
B) limestone 
C) anorthosite 
D) granite 
A) basalt 
B) limestone 
C) anorthosite 
D) granite

Question 8

What is the current state of plate tectonics on the Moon?

Accepted Answer

A) Just in the process of beginning; the rilles (or sinuous valleys) are the first signs of continental rifting. 
B) Very active, this causes mountain uplift around the edges of several lunar maria. 
C) Dying out; only the lunar maria show signs of tectonic movement today. 
D) Absent; the Moon is a geologically dead world. 
A) Just in the process of beginning; the rilles (or sinuous valleys) are the first signs of continental rifting. 
B) Very active, this causes mountain uplift around the edges of several lunar maria. 
C) Dying out; only the lunar maria show signs of tectonic movement today. 
D) Absent; the Moon is a geologically dead world.

Question 9

Most of the craters on the Moon were formed by:

Accepted Answer

A) slumping of the surface following the outflow of lava from below the region. 
B) bombardment by interplanetary meteoritic material. 
C) wind and water erosion of mountains and hills in the distant past. 
D) volcanic action; the craters are the old calderas of volcanoes. 
A) slumping of the surface following the outflow of lava from below the region. 
B) bombardment by interplanetary meteoritic material. 
C) wind and water erosion of mountains and hills in the distant past. 
D) volcanic action; the craters are the old calderas of volcanoes.

Question 10

The Moon has:

Accepted Answer

A) an atmosphere of CO2, but no evidence of water. 
B) a lot of evidence for an atmosphere and the presence of liquid water (e.g., wind erosion and winding river valleys). 
C) no measurable atmosphere or liquid water. 
D) no measurable atmosphere, but plenty of groundwater. 
A) an atmosphere of CO2, but no evidence of water. 
B) a lot of evidence for an atmosphere and the presence of liquid water (e.g., wind erosion and winding river valleys). 
C) no measurable atmosphere or liquid water. 
D) no measurable atmosphere, but plenty of groundwater.

Question 11

The texture of the surface of the Moon may be described as:

Accepted Answer

A) eroded basalt held together by subsurface ice (permafrost). 
B) hard bedrock almost everywhere, because there is very little erosion on the Moon. 
C) regolith (pulverized rock) in and near craters but hard bedrock everywhere else. 
D) regolith (pulverized rock) covering the entire lunar surface. 
A) eroded basalt held together by subsurface ice (permafrost). 
B) hard bedrock almost everywhere, because there is very little erosion on the Moon. 
C) regolith (pulverized rock) in and near craters but hard bedrock everywhere else. 
D) regolith (pulverized rock) covering the entire lunar surface.

Question 12

The best method for estimating the age of the surface of a celestial body with a solid surface such as a terrestrial planet or a moon (other than bringing rock samples back to Earth) is based on the idea that:

Accepted Answer

A) volcanic activity occurs at a known rate, so the fewer volcanoes observed, the younger the surface. 
B) planets and other bodies are subject to impacts from space at a known rate, so the fewer the number of craters, the younger the surface. 
C) lithospheric plates form at a known rate, so the more plates observed, the older the surface. 
D) craters are weathered at a known rate, so the more eroded the craters, the older the surface. 
A) volcanic activity occurs at a known rate, so the fewer volcanoes observed, the younger the surface. 
B) planets and other bodies are subject to impacts from space at a known rate, so the fewer the number of craters, the younger the surface. 
C) lithospheric plates form at a known rate, so the more plates observed, the older the surface. 
D) craters are weathered at a known rate, so the more eroded the craters, the older the surface.

Question 13

Maria on the Moon exist:

Accepted Answer

A) uniformly all over the surface of the Moon. 
B) only in a zone around the equator. 
C) only in the north and south polar regions. 
D) only on Earth-facing side of the Moon. 
A) uniformly all over the surface of the Moon. 
B) only in a zone around the equator. 
C) only in the north and south polar regions. 
D) only on Earth-facing side of the Moon.

Question 14

The major features on the near side of the Moon were named:

Accepted Answer

A) in prehistoric times. 
B) by the ancient Greeks. 
C) in the seventeenth century. 
D) in the twentieth century. 
A) in prehistoric times. 
B) by the ancient Greeks. 
C) in the seventeenth century. 
D) in the twentieth century.

Question 15

How many impact craters are there on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) fewer than 200, all less than a few hundred million years old 
B) only one very recent crater, about 25,000 years old, found in Arizona 
C) thousands, their times of formation extending from present times to more than 3 billion years ago 
D) about 20, the oldest of which became Chesapeake Bay and resulted in the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago 
A) fewer than 200, all less than a few hundred million years old 
B) only one very recent crater, about 25,000 years old, found in Arizona 
C) thousands, their times of formation extending from present times to more than 3 billion years ago 
D) about 20, the oldest of which became Chesapeake Bay and resulted in the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago

Question 16

Suppose you lived on the rim of the lunar crater Copernicus, which is visible from Earth. How often would Earth set below your horizon?

Accepted Answer

A) once every 24 hours 
B) once every 27.5 days 
C) once every 29.5 days 
D) never 
A) once every 24 hours 
B) once every 27.5 days 
C) once every 29.5 days 
D) never

Question 17

What are the most common shapes of lunar craters and why?

Accepted Answer

A) round, because the shock wave from the impact that produced them spread out uniformly in all directions 
B) random shapes, because mantle convection has deformed the surface and distorted the craters since their production by impacts of meteoroids 
C) all shapes from round to long and thin, depending on the angle at which the projectile hit the surface 
D) round, because most of the craters were produced by volcanic explosions that formed calderas, not by meteoroid impacts 
A) round, because the shock wave from the impact that produced them spread out uniformly in all directions 
B) random shapes, because mantle convection has deformed the surface and distorted the craters since their production by impacts of meteoroids 
C) all shapes from round to long and thin, depending on the angle at which the projectile hit the surface 
D) round, because most of the craters were produced by volcanic explosions that formed calderas, not by meteoroid impacts

Question 18

Is there any correlation between the color of the Moon's surface material and the elevation at which it is found?

Accepted Answer

A) No, colors of surface material are mixed at all elevations. 
B) Yes, darker materials are generally found at higher elevations. 
C) Yes, darker materials are generally found at lower elevations. 
D) No, the Moon's surface material is all the same color. 
A) No, colors of surface material are mixed at all elevations. 
B) Yes, darker materials are generally found at higher elevations. 
C) Yes, darker materials are generally found at lower elevations. 
D) No, the Moon's surface material is all the same color.

Question 19

Between 1966 and 1968, just prior to the manned Apollo series, five robotic spacecraft of the Surveyor series made soft landings on the lunar surface. The main purpose of these missions was to:

Accepted Answer

A) test the lunar atmosphere to see if it was breathable. 
B) test the intensity of cosmic radiation to see if this radiation would threaten astronauts. 
C) test the solidity of the lunar surface to see if it would support a spacecraft. 
D) mark a series of landing zones for the Apollo missions. 
A) test the lunar atmosphere to see if it was breathable. 
B) test the intensity of cosmic radiation to see if this radiation would threaten astronauts. 
C) test the solidity of the lunar surface to see if it would support a spacecraft. 
D) mark a series of landing zones for the Apollo missions.

Question 20

Which spacecraft were the first to make soft landings on the Moon?

Accepted Answer

A) Apollo 
B) Surveyor 
C) Luna 
D) Ranger 
A) Apollo 
B) Surveyor 
C) Luna 
D) Ranger

Exam 10: Our Barren Moon

Which of the following is not true concerning the view from a Moon base that can be seen from Earth?

The Moon has:

What factor is now thought to have played a major role in such diverse events as the formation of the Moon, the tilting of Earth's spin axis, and even the extinction of the dinosaurs?

How many countries have soft landed spacecraft on the Moon and returned lunar samples to Earth?

Which was the first country to send a space probe past the Moon?

The type of rock making up the lunar highlands is:

The lunar maria are composed of which of the following rock types?

What is the current state of plate tectonics on the Moon?

Most of the craters on the Moon were formed by:

The Moon has:

The texture of the surface of the Moon may be described as:

The best method for estimating the age of the surface of a celestial body with a solid surface such as a terrestrial planet or a moon (other than bringing rock samples back to Earth) is based on the idea that:

Maria on the Moon exist:

The major features on the near side of the Moon were named:

How many impact craters are there on Earth?

Suppose you lived on the rim of the lunar crater Copernicus, which is visible from Earth. How often would Earth set below your horizon?

What are the most common shapes of lunar craters and why?

Is there any correlation between the color of the Moon's surface material and the elevation at which it is found?

Between 1966 and 1968, just prior to the manned Apollo series, five robotic spacecraft of the Surveyor series made soft landings on the lunar surface. The main purpose of these missions was to:

Which spacecraft were the first to make soft landings on the Moon?

Astronomy and the Universe

Knowing the Heavens

Eclipses and the Motion of the Moon

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

The Nature of Light

Optics and Telescopes

Comparative Planetology I: Our Solar System

Comparative Planetology II: the Origin of Our Solar System

The Living Earth

Mercury, Venus, and Mars: Terrestrial, yet Unique

Jupiter and Saturn: Lords of the Planets

Jupiter and Saturns Satellites of Fire and Ice

Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and the Kuiper Belt: Remote Worlds

Asteroids, Comets, and Impacts

Our Star, the Sun

The Nature of the Stars

The Birth of Stars

Stellar Evolution: on and After the Main Sequence

Stellar Evolution: The Death of Stars

Stellar Remnants: Neutron Stars and Black Holes

Our Galaxy

Galaxies

Quasars and Active Galaxies

Cosmology: The Origin and Evolution of the Universe

Exploring the Early Universe

The Search for Extraterrestrial Life

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