Question 1

Why is the Moon's rotation period equal to its orbital period?

Accepted Answer

This is tidal locking.The tides raised on the Moon by Earth exert a drag that slows its rotation.

Question 2

"Snowball Earth" phases of geologic history were most likely caused by a(n):

Accepted Answer

A)  decrease in the Sun's luminosity. 
B)  reduced concentration of atmospheric methane. 
C)  increased solar wind. 
D)  increase in volcanism. 
A)  decrease in the Sun's luminosity. 
B)  reduced concentration of atmospheric methane. 
C)  increased solar wind. 
D)  increase in volcanism. B

Question 3

A meteor contains fifteen times as much argon-40 as potassium-40.If the half-life of potassium-40 is 1.25 billion years,how long ago did the meteor form?

Accepted Answer

A)  2.5 billion years 
B)  3.75 billion years 
C)  5 billion years 
D)  6.25 billion years 
A)  2.5 billion years 
B)  3.75 billion years 
C)  5 billion years 
D)  6.25 billion years C

Question 4

The ultimate power source of plate tectonics comes from:

Accepted Answer

A)  volcanoes. 
B)  radioactive decays. 
C)  convection. 
D)  friction. 
A)  volcanoes. 
B)  radioactive decays. 
C)  convection. 
D)  friction.

Question 5

Why did Earth lose its primary atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

The early Earth was hot,while

Question 6

What does the lack of a large-scale lunar magnetic field imply about the Moon's interior?

Accepted Answer

It does not have lar

Question 7

Which of the following sequences correctly characterizes the composition of Earth's layers,from its center to its surface?

Accepted Answer

A)  solid iron, molten iron, solid nickel, granite 
B)  silicate rocks, molten iron, silicate rocks 
C)  molten iron, silicate rocks, granite 
D)  solid iron, molten iron, silicate rocks 
A)  solid iron, molten iron, solid nickel, granite 
B)  silicate rocks, molten iron, silicate rocks 
C)  molten iron, silicate rocks, granite 
D)  solid iron, molten iron, silicate rocks

Question 8

What kind of tides occur during a lunar eclipse? How do they compare to the average amplitude of tides averaged over a month?

Accepted Answer

Spring tides occur d

Question 9

Which of the following is essential for a magnetic dynamo?

Accepted Answer

A)  flows of charged particles 
B)  a solid bar magnet 
C)  rapid variations in the rotation rate 
D)  conduction 
A)  flows of charged particles 
B)  a solid bar magnet 
C)  rapid variations in the rotation rate 
D)  conduction

Question 10

The figure below shows the layers of Earth's atmosphere,along with their temperature profiles labeled 1-4 from bottom to top.Name each of these layers,from Earth's surface upward.

Accepted Answer

1: troposphere,2: st

Question 11

How would the surface of Earth change if its deep interior had no radioactive elements?

Accepted Answer

A)  There would be no plate tectonics. 
B)  It would be more hospitable to life. 
C)  It would have deeper oceans. 
D)  There would be no significant change. 
A)  There would be no plate tectonics. 
B)  It would be more hospitable to life. 
C)  It would have deeper oceans. 
D)  There would be no significant change.

Question 12

The lack of potassium in lunar rocks supported the impact hypothesis because:

Accepted Answer

A)  potassium is rare on asteroids. 
B)  it indicates the rocks were once at very high temperature. 
C)  potassium only exists in Earth's core. 
D)  any pre-existing potassium on the moon would have decayed during impact. 
A)  potassium is rare on asteroids. 
B)  it indicates the rocks were once at very high temperature. 
C)  potassium only exists in Earth's core. 
D)  any pre-existing potassium on the moon would have decayed during impact.

Question 13

What is responsible for heating the stratosphere? What about the ionosphere?

Accepted Answer

The stratosphere is heated by

Question 14

Imagine that an earthquake occurs above a massive pool of molten lava.How would this pool affect the propagation of seismic waves?

Accepted Answer

It would block S-wav

Question 15

Which moon in the Solar System has the largest mass relative to the planet it orbits?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter-Ganymede 
B)  Saturn-Titan 
C)  Earth-Moon 
D)  Neptune-Triton 
A)  Jupiter-Ganymede 
B)  Saturn-Titan 
C)  Earth-Moon 
D)  Neptune-Triton

Question 16

An atomic nucleus that transforms from one element to another has undergone:

Accepted Answer

A)  ionization. 
B)  radioactive decay. 
C)  excitation. 
D)  scattering. 
A)  ionization. 
B)  radioactive decay. 
C)  excitation. 
D)  scattering.

Question 17

Without an atmosphere,Earth's surface temperature would be below the freezing point of water.What is responsible for the heating that allows liquid oceans to form?

Accepted Answer

The greenh

Question 18

The layer of Earth shown in the figure below is called the:

Accepted Answer

A)  mantle. 
B)  inner core. 
C)  outer core. 
D)  subduction zone. 
A)  mantle. 
B)  inner core. 
C)  outer core. 
D)  subduction zone.

Question 19

Tides are caused by:

Accepted Answer

A)  the centrifugal force of Earth's rotation. 
B)  surface gravity variations in the oceans. 
C)  the differential gravity of the Moon. 
D)  the differential gravity of the Moon and Sun. 
A)  the centrifugal force of Earth's rotation. 
B)  surface gravity variations in the oceans. 
C)  the differential gravity of the Moon. 
D)  the differential gravity of the Moon and Sun.

Question 20

Suppose that a major earthquake occurs in southern California.A seismograph on the opposite side of Earth would see:

Accepted Answer

A)  no signature. 
B)  P-waves but not S-waves. 
C)  P-waves but not S-waves 
D)  both P-waves and S-waves. 
A)  no signature. 
B)  P-waves but not S-waves. 
C)  P-waves but not S-waves 
D)  both P-waves and S-waves.

Why is the Moon's rotation period equal to its orbital period?

"Snowball Earth" phases of geologic history were most likely caused by a(n):

A meteor contains fifteen times as much argon-40 as potassium-40.If the half-life of potassium-40 is 1.25 billion years,how long ago did the meteor form?

The ultimate power source of plate tectonics comes from:

Why did Earth lose its primary atmosphere?

What does the lack of a large-scale lunar magnetic field imply about the Moon's interior?

Which of the following sequences correctly characterizes the composition of Earth's layers,from its center to its surface?

What kind of tides occur during a lunar eclipse? How do they compare to the average amplitude of tides averaged over a month?

Which of the following is essential for a magnetic dynamo?

The figure below shows the layers of Earth's atmosphere,along with their temperature profiles labeled 1-4 from bottom to top.Name each of these layers,from Earth's surface upward.

How would the surface of Earth change if its deep interior had no radioactive elements?

The lack of potassium in lunar rocks supported the impact hypothesis because:

What is responsible for heating the stratosphere? What about the ionosphere?

Imagine that an earthquake occurs above a massive pool of molten lava.How would this pool affect the propagation of seismic waves?

Which moon in the Solar System has the largest mass relative to the planet it orbits?

An atomic nucleus that transforms from one element to another has undergone:

Without an atmosphere,Earth's surface temperature would be below the freezing point of water.What is responsible for the heating that allows liquid oceans to form?

The layer of Earth shown in the figure below is called the:

Tides are caused by:

Suppose that a major earthquake occurs in southern California.A seismograph on the opposite side of Earth would see:

Getting Started: Science, astronomy, and Being Human

A Universe Made, a Universe Discovered

A Universe of Universal Laws

A Universe of Universal Laws

The Architecture and Birth of Planetary Systems

Sibling Worlds: Mercury, Venus, and Mars

Gas, ice, and Stone: the Outer Planets

Life and the Search for Habitable Worlds

The Sun As a Star

Measuring the Stars: the Main Sequence and Its Meaning

Nursery of the Stars: the Interstellar Medium and Star Formation

To the Graveyard of Stars: the End Points of Stellar Evolution

Down the Rabbit Hole: Relativity and Black Holes

Our City of Stars: the Milky Way

A Universe of Galaxies

The Cosmic Web: the Large-Scale Structure of the Universe

Cosmology

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Exam 6: Home Base: Earth and Moon

Why is the Moon's rotation period equal to its orbital period?

"Snowball Earth" phases of geologic history were most likely caused by a(n):

A meteor contains fifteen times as much argon-40 as potassium-40.If the half-life of potassium-40 is 1.25 billion years,how long ago did the meteor form?

The ultimate power source of plate tectonics comes from:

Why did Earth lose its primary atmosphere?

What does the lack of a large-scale lunar magnetic field imply about the Moon's interior?

Which of the following sequences correctly characterizes the composition of Earth's layers,from its center to its surface?

What kind of tides occur during a lunar eclipse? How do they compare to the average amplitude of tides averaged over a month?

Which of the following is essential for a magnetic dynamo?

The figure below shows the layers of Earth's atmosphere,along with their temperature profiles labeled 1-4 from bottom to top.Name each of these layers,from Earth's surface upward.

How would the surface of Earth change if its deep interior had no radioactive elements?

The lack of potassium in lunar rocks supported the impact hypothesis because:

What is responsible for heating the stratosphere? What about the ionosphere?

Imagine that an earthquake occurs above a massive pool of molten lava.How would this pool affect the propagation of seismic waves?

Which moon in the Solar System has the largest mass relative to the planet it orbits?

An atomic nucleus that transforms from one element to another has undergone:

Without an atmosphere,Earth's surface temperature would be below the freezing point of water.What is responsible for the heating that allows liquid oceans to form?

The layer of Earth shown in the figure below is called the:

Tides are caused by:

Suppose that a major earthquake occurs in southern California.A seismograph on the opposite side of Earth would see:

Getting Started: Science, astronomy, and Being Human

A Universe Made, a Universe Discovered

A Universe of Universal Laws

A Universe of Universal Laws

The Architecture and Birth of Planetary Systems

Sibling Worlds: Mercury, Venus, and Mars

Gas, ice, and Stone: the Outer Planets

Life and the Search for Habitable Worlds

The Sun As a Star

Measuring the Stars: the Main Sequence and Its Meaning

Nursery of the Stars: the Interstellar Medium and Star Formation

To the Graveyard of Stars: the End Points of Stellar Evolution

Down the Rabbit Hole: Relativity and Black Holes

Our City of Stars: the Milky Way

A Universe of Galaxies

The Cosmic Web: the Large-Scale Structure of the Universe

Cosmology

Filters