Question 1

The polar caps of Mars are primarily composed of solid:

Accepted Answer

A)  CO2. 
B)  water ice. 
C)  methane. 
D)  salt. 
A)  CO2. 
B)  water ice. 
C)  methane. 
D)  salt.

Question 2

During the first 500 million years of its existence,Mars most closely resembled:

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth. 
B)  the Moon. 
C)  Mercury. 
D)  Venus. 
A)  Earth. 
B)  the Moon. 
C)  Mercury. 
D)  Venus.

Question 3

Where is water ice most prominently found on present-day Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)  throughout the surface rocks 
B)  underneath the northern polar cap 
C)  underneath both polar caps 
D)  nowhere; Mars is now dry 
A)  throughout the surface rocks 
B)  underneath the northern polar cap 
C)  underneath both polar caps 
D)  nowhere; Mars is now dry

Question 4

The primary source of greenhouse gases on Venus is:

Accepted Answer

A)  chemical reactions in the cloud layers. 
B)  asteroid and comet impacts. 
C)  volcanism. 
D)  evaporation. 
A)  chemical reactions in the cloud layers. 
B)  asteroid and comet impacts. 
C)  volcanism. 
D)  evaporation.

Question 5

The iron cores of terrestrial planets were formed:

Accepted Answer

A)  during the earliest phase of planetary formation. 
B)  once the planets had cooled significantly. 
C)  during massive magma flooding events. 
D)  by planetesimals from the outer Solar System. 
A)  during the earliest phase of planetary formation. 
B)  once the planets had cooled significantly. 
C)  during massive magma flooding events. 
D)  by planetesimals from the outer Solar System.

Question 6

What is responsible for heating Venus's atmosphere to 730 K?

Accepted Answer

Carbon dioxide in th

Question 7

If some of the carbon dioxide in Venus's atmosphere were trapped by ground rocks,the planet would:

Accepted Answer

A)  decrease in volcanic activity. 
B)  cool down. 
C)  become more blue. 
D)  become more magnetized. 
A)  decrease in volcanic activity. 
B)  cool down. 
C)  become more blue. 
D)  become more magnetized.

Question 8

The origin of Mars's moons is:

Accepted Answer

A)  capture of nearby asteroids. 
B)  ejecta from giant impacts. 
C)  fragmentation of a larger body. 
D)  currently an area of active investigation. 
A)  capture of nearby asteroids. 
B)  ejecta from giant impacts. 
C)  fragmentation of a larger body. 
D)  currently an area of active investigation.

Question 9

Mercury's long day-night cycle is a result of:

Accepted Answer

A)  its position near the center of the Solar System. 
B)  tides. 
C)  its eccentric orbit. 
D)  all of the above. 
A)  its position near the center of the Solar System. 
B)  tides. 
C)  its eccentric orbit. 
D)  all of the above.

Question 10

Mars's interior has been studied through all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A)  seismology. 
B)  rotational measurements. 
C)  magnetic fields. 
D)  density measurements. 
A)  seismology. 
B)  rotational measurements. 
C)  magnetic fields. 
D)  density measurements.

Question 11

Mercury's magnetic field is produced by:

Accepted Answer

A)  a dynamo. 
B)  the solar wind. 
C)  atmospheric motions. 
D)  fossil magnetism. 
A)  a dynamo. 
B)  the solar wind. 
C)  atmospheric motions. 
D)  fossil magnetism.

Question 12

Nearly half of Mercury's volume is composed of:

Accepted Answer

A)  solid iron. 
B)  basalt. 
C)  molten magma. 
D)  molten iron. 
A)  solid iron. 
B)  basalt. 
C)  molten magma. 
D)  molten iron.

Question 13

Why does Mercury lack a substantial atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

It has a small mass,and so a l

Question 14

On Mars,convection is most directly responsible for:

Accepted Answer

A)  seasons. 
B)  crustal faulting. 
C)  weather. 
D)  magnetic fields. 
A)  seasons. 
B)  crustal faulting. 
C)  weather. 
D)  magnetic fields.

Question 15

The principal component of Venus's atmosphere is:

Accepted Answer

A)  carbon dioxide. 
B)  sulfuric acid. 
C)  water vapor. 
D)  nitrogen. 
A)  carbon dioxide. 
B)  sulfuric acid. 
C)  water vapor. 
D)  nitrogen.

Question 16

A planet's equilibrium surface temperature does NOT depend upon which of the following factors?

Accepted Answer

A)  the planet's radius 
B)  the Sun's temperature 
C)  the planet's albedo 
D)  the planet's distance from the Sun 
A)  the planet's radius 
B)  the Sun's temperature 
C)  the planet's albedo 
D)  the planet's distance from the Sun

Question 17

An exoplanet has a surface area nine times larger than Earth.All other factors being equal,how would the exoplanet's cooling time compare to Earth's?

Accepted Answer

A)  nine times shorter 
B)  three times shorter 
C)  three times longer 
D)  nine times longer 
A)  nine times shorter 
B)  three times shorter 
C)  three times longer 
D)  nine times longer

Question 18

How has Venus's high temperature affected its geology?

Accepted Answer

Because the surface is so hot,

Question 19

Two planets orbit a distant star.If the planets have identical compositions,the one that cools fastest would have the:

Accepted Answer

A)  largest orbital semimajor axis. 
B)  smallest orbital semimajor axis. 
C)  largest planetary radius. 
D)  smallest planetary radius. 
A)  largest orbital semimajor axis. 
B)  smallest orbital semimajor axis. 
C)  largest planetary radius. 
D)  smallest planetary radius.

Question 20

What two reasons are most important in explaining the different atmospheric compositions of Earth and Mars?

Accepted Answer

The lack of biologic activity

The polar caps of Mars are primarily composed of solid:

During the first 500 million years of its existence,Mars most closely resembled:

Where is water ice most prominently found on present-day Mars?

The primary source of greenhouse gases on Venus is:

The iron cores of terrestrial planets were formed:

What is responsible for heating Venus's atmosphere to 730 K?

If some of the carbon dioxide in Venus's atmosphere were trapped by ground rocks,the planet would:

The origin of Mars's moons is:

Mercury's long day-night cycle is a result of:

Mars's interior has been studied through all of the following EXCEPT:

Mercury's magnetic field is produced by:

Nearly half of Mercury's volume is composed of:

Why does Mercury lack a substantial atmosphere?

On Mars,convection is most directly responsible for:

The principal component of Venus's atmosphere is:

A planet's equilibrium surface temperature does NOT depend upon which of the following factors?

An exoplanet has a surface area nine times larger than Earth.All other factors being equal,how would the exoplanet's cooling time compare to Earth's?

How has Venus's high temperature affected its geology?

Two planets orbit a distant star.If the planets have identical compositions,the one that cools fastest would have the:

What two reasons are most important in explaining the different atmospheric compositions of Earth and Mars?

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

Home Base: Earth and Moon

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

Exam 7: Sibling Worlds: Mercury, Venus, and Mars

The polar caps of Mars are primarily composed of solid:

During the first 500 million years of its existence,Mars most closely resembled:

Where is water ice most prominently found on present-day Mars?

The primary source of greenhouse gases on Venus is:

The iron cores of terrestrial planets were formed:

What is responsible for heating Venus's atmosphere to 730 K?

If some of the carbon dioxide in Venus's atmosphere were trapped by ground rocks,the planet would:

The origin of Mars's moons is:

Mercury's long day-night cycle is a result of:

Mars's interior has been studied through all of the following EXCEPT:

Mercury's magnetic field is produced by:

Nearly half of Mercury's volume is composed of:

Why does Mercury lack a substantial atmosphere?

On Mars,convection is most directly responsible for:

The principal component of Venus's atmosphere is:

A planet's equilibrium surface temperature does NOT depend upon which of the following factors?

An exoplanet has a surface area nine times larger than Earth.All other factors being equal,how would the exoplanet's cooling time compare to Earth's?

How has Venus's high temperature affected its geology?

Two planets orbit a distant star.If the planets have identical compositions,the one that cools fastest would have the:

What two reasons are most important in explaining the different atmospheric compositions of Earth and Mars?

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

Home Base: Earth and Moon

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