Question 1

If a radioactive element has a half-life of 10,000 years,what fraction of it is left in a rock after 40,000 years?

Accepted Answer

A)  one-half 
B)  one-fourth 
C)  one-eighth 
D)  one-sixteenth 
A)  one-half 
B)  one-fourth 
C)  one-eighth 
D)  one-sixteenth

Question 2

Plate tectonics is NOT responsible for the formation of:

Accepted Answer

A)  mountain ranges. 
B)  canyons. 
C)  volcanoes. 
D)  ocean trenches. 
A)  mountain ranges. 
B)  canyons. 
C)  volcanoes. 
D)  ocean trenches.

Question 3

The source or sources of the internal heat of Earth are:

Accepted Answer

A)  tidal stress. 
B)  radioactive decay. 
C)  leftover heat of planetary formation. 
D)  all of the above 
A)  tidal stress. 
B)  radioactive decay. 
C)  leftover heat of planetary formation. 
D)  all of the above

Question 4

Describe one form of tectonic disruption on Mercury,Venus,and Mars,respectively,and how these disruptions formed.

Accepted Answer

Mercury has evidence of faults due to th

Question 5

What is the best explanation for the heating of Earth's interior today?

Accepted Answer

A)  the tidal effects of the Moon 
B)  seismic waves that traverse Earth's core 
C)  decay of radioactive elements 
D)  convective motions in the mantle 
A)  the tidal effects of the Moon 
B)  seismic waves that traverse Earth's core 
C)  decay of radioactive elements 
D)  convective motions in the mantle

Question 6

Which of the following has the biggest effect on the tidal distortion of the Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  the rotation of Earth 
B)  the size of Earth relative to its distance from the Sun and Moon 
C)  the mass of Earth relative to the mass of the Sun and Moon 
D)  the orbit of Earth 
A)  the rotation of Earth 
B)  the size of Earth relative to its distance from the Sun and Moon 
C)  the mass of Earth relative to the mass of the Sun and Moon 
D)  the orbit of Earth

Question 7

If you obtained a sample of rock from Venus and determined the abundances of ²³⁸U and ²⁰⁷Pb in it,and found that for every one uranium atom there were three lead atoms,then what would the age of this rock be? Note that ²³⁸U decays to ²⁰⁷Pb with a half-life of 700 million years.Assume that there was no ²⁰⁷Pb in the rock when it originally formed.

Accepted Answer

A)  1.4 billion years 
B)  2.8 billion years 
C)  230 million years 
D)  4.5 billion years 
A)  1.4 billion years 
B)  2.8 billion years 
C)  230 million years 
D)  4.5 billion years

Question 8

Earth's innermost core is solid,not liquid,because:

Accepted Answer

A)  the core temperature is too low to melt iron. 
B)  differentiation caused all of the heavy, solid material to sink to the bottom while Earth was forming. 
C)  all the liquid has moved up into the mantle via convection. 
D)  the pressure is too high for a liquid state. 
A)  the core temperature is too low to melt iron. 
B)  differentiation caused all of the heavy, solid material to sink to the bottom while Earth was forming. 
C)  all the liquid has moved up into the mantle via convection. 
D)  the pressure is too high for a liquid state.

Question 9

Tidal distortion of the Earth is due to:

Accepted Answer

A)  the rotation of the Earth. 
B)  the size of the Earth relative to its distance from the Sun and Moon. 
C)  the mass of the Earth relative to the mass of the Sun and Moon. 
D)  the orbit of the Earth. 
A)  the rotation of the Earth. 
B)  the size of the Earth relative to its distance from the Sun and Moon. 
C)  the mass of the Earth relative to the mass of the Sun and Moon. 
D)  the orbit of the Earth.

Question 10

How do we know that Earth's magnetic field has flipped its polarity many times in the past?

Accepted Answer

Because the direction of Earth's magneti

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT a factor that helps explain Earth's lack of craters compared to the Moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  wind erosion 
B)  larger atmosphere 
C)  higher-density interior 
D)  liquid water on the surface 
A)  wind erosion 
B)  larger atmosphere 
C)  higher-density interior 
D)  liquid water on the surface

Question 12

What would be the significance of finding water on other planets?

Accepted Answer

Water is necessary for life.The existenc

Question 13

Based on the number of impact craters observed per square meter on their surfaces,place these terrestrial planets in order of youngest to oldest surface:

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth, Venus, Mercury 
B)  Venus, Earth, Mercury 
C)  Mercury, Venus, Earth 
D)  Earth, Mercury, Venus 
A)  Earth, Venus, Mercury 
B)  Venus, Earth, Mercury 
C)  Mercury, Venus, Earth 
D)  Earth, Mercury, Venus

Question 14

How does the radioactive heating of Earth vary from when it was first formed 4.6 billion years ago until today?

Accepted Answer

Radioactivity in the rocks on Earth (or

Question 15

Based on the assumption that a liquid conducting core and rapid rotation are both required for a magnetic field to operate,which terrestrial planets would you expect to have magnetic fields?

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth only 
B)  Earth, Venus, and Mars only 
C)  Earth and Mars only 
D)  Earth and Mercury only 
A)  Earth only 
B)  Earth, Venus, and Mars only 
C)  Earth and Mars only 
D)  Earth and Mercury only

Question 16

Label the geological processes that create the features in the images below.

Accepted Answer

Top left: impact cra

Question 17

If you obtained a sample of martian rock,determined the abundances of ²³⁸U and ²⁰⁷Pb in it,and found that for every one uranium atom there were seven lead atoms,then what would the age of this rock be? Note that ²³⁸U decays to ²⁰⁷Pb with a half-life of 700 million years.Assume that there was no ²⁰⁷Pb in the rock when it originally formed.

Accepted Answer

The ratio of the original amount of uran

Question 18

What type of wave is depicted in the figure below?

Accepted Answer

A)  longitudinal 
B)  transverse 
A)  longitudinal 
B)  transverse

Question 19

The image below is of a crater on Mars.What evidence does it show about Mars?

Accepted Answer

Impact cra

Question 20

Younger impact craters tend to be:

Accepted Answer

A)  larger than older craters. 
B)  smaller than older craters. 
C)  found on the oldest part of a planet's surface. 
D)  superimposed on top of older craters. 
A)  larger than older craters. 
B)  smaller than older craters. 
C)  found on the oldest part of a planet's surface. 
D)  superimposed on top of older craters.

If a radioactive element has a half-life of 10,000 years,what fraction of it is left in a rock after 40,000 years?

Plate tectonics is NOT responsible for the formation of:

The source or sources of the internal heat of Earth are:

Describe one form of tectonic disruption on Mercury,Venus,and Mars,respectively,and how these disruptions formed.

What is the best explanation for the heating of Earth's interior today?

Which of the following has the biggest effect on the tidal distortion of the Earth?

Earth's innermost core is solid,not liquid,because:

Tidal distortion of the Earth is due to:

How do we know that Earth's magnetic field has flipped its polarity many times in the past?

Which of the following is NOT a factor that helps explain Earth's lack of craters compared to the Moon?

What would be the significance of finding water on other planets?

Based on the number of impact craters observed per square meter on their surfaces,place these terrestrial planets in order of youngest to oldest surface:

How does the radioactive heating of Earth vary from when it was first formed 4.6 billion years ago until today?

Based on the assumption that a liquid conducting core and rapid rotation are both required for a magnetic field to operate,which terrestrial planets would you expect to have magnetic fields?

Label the geological processes that create the features in the images below.

What type of wave is depicted in the figure below?

The image below is of a crater on Mars.What evidence does it show about Mars?

Younger impact craters tend to be:

Thinking Like an Astronomer

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth and the Moon

Laws of Motion

Light and Telescopes

The Formation of Stars and Planets

Atmospheres of Venus, earth, and Mars

The Giant Planets

Small Bodies of the Solar System

Measuring the Stars

Our Star: the Sun

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

Measuring Galaxies

Our Galaxy: the Milky Way

The Evolution of the Universe

Formation of Structure

Life in the Universe

Filters

Exam 6: Terrestrial Worlds in the Inner Solar System

If a radioactive element has a half-life of 10,000 years,what fraction of it is left in a rock after 40,000 years?

Plate tectonics is NOT responsible for the formation of:

The source or sources of the internal heat of Earth are:

Describe one form of tectonic disruption on Mercury,Venus,and Mars,respectively,and how these disruptions formed.

What is the best explanation for the heating of Earth's interior today?

Which of the following has the biggest effect on the tidal distortion of the Earth?

Earth's innermost core is solid,not liquid,because:

Tidal distortion of the Earth is due to:

How do we know that Earth's magnetic field has flipped its polarity many times in the past?

Which of the following is NOT a factor that helps explain Earth's lack of craters compared to the Moon?

What would be the significance of finding water on other planets?

Based on the number of impact craters observed per square meter on their surfaces,place these terrestrial planets in order of youngest to oldest surface:

How does the radioactive heating of Earth vary from when it was first formed 4.6 billion years ago until today?

Based on the assumption that a liquid conducting core and rapid rotation are both required for a magnetic field to operate,which terrestrial planets would you expect to have magnetic fields?

Label the geological processes that create the features in the images below.

What type of wave is depicted in the figure below?

The image below is of a crater on Mars.What evidence does it show about Mars?

Younger impact craters tend to be:

Thinking Like an Astronomer

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth and the Moon

Laws of Motion

Light and Telescopes

The Formation of Stars and Planets

Atmospheres of Venus, earth, and Mars

The Giant Planets

Small Bodies of the Solar System

Measuring the Stars

Our Star: the Sun

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

Measuring Galaxies

Our Galaxy: the Milky Way

The Evolution of the Universe

Formation of Structure

Life in the Universe

Filters