Question 1

Based solely on mass,which of the following terrestrial planets would you expect to retain a secondary atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 2

On Mars,water would exist in what forms (solid,liquid,or gas)? How does this vary with the seasons on Mars? Why are the seasonal variations on Mars different between the northern and southern hemispheres?

Accepted Answer

Any water on Mars would either be in the

Question 3

________ in our atmosphere is a direct consequence of the emergence of life.

Accepted Answer

A)  Carbon dioxide 
B)  Water vapor 
C)  Nitrogen 
D)  Oxygen 
A)  Carbon dioxide 
B)  Water vapor 
C)  Nitrogen 
D)  Oxygen

Question 4

The different colors of light observed during auroras are due to:

Accepted Answer

A)  solar wind particles of different energy interacting with the ozone layer. 
B)  solar wind particles heating atmospheric gases to different temperatures. 
C)  radioactive decay of solar wind particles. 
D)  de-excitation of different atmospheric gases excited by solar wind particles. 
A)  solar wind particles of different energy interacting with the ozone layer. 
B)  solar wind particles heating atmospheric gases to different temperatures. 
C)  radioactive decay of solar wind particles. 
D)  de-excitation of different atmospheric gases excited by solar wind particles.

Question 5

Earth has roughly ________ times more atmospheric pressure than Mars and ________ times less than Venus.

Accepted Answer

A)  10; 100 
B)  100; 100 
C)  10; 10 
D)  100; 10 
A)  10; 100 
B)  100; 100 
C)  10; 10 
D)  100; 10

Question 6

Without the ozone layer,life on Earth would be in danger from increased levels of ________ radiation.

Accepted Answer

A)  ultraviolet 
B)  X-ray 
C)  gamma ray 
D)  infrared 
A)  ultraviolet 
B)  X-ray 
C)  gamma ray 
D)  infrared

Question 7

The greenhouse effect raises Earth's surface temperature by roughly:

Accepted Answer

A)  3.5 K. 
B)  35 K. 
C)  350 K. 
D)  3500 K. 
A)  3.5 K. 
B)  35 K. 
C)  350 K. 
D)  3500 K.

Question 8

If it were not for the greenhouse effect on Earth,

Accepted Answer

A)  there would be no liquid water. 
B)  life as we know it would not have developed. 
C)  it would be much colder. 
D)  all of the above 
A)  there would be no liquid water. 
B)  life as we know it would not have developed. 
C)  it would be much colder. 
D)  all of the above

Question 9

Which of the following contributes most to the large difference in the average daytime and nighttime temperatures on the Moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  the lack of a hydrosphere 
B)  the lack of a magnetosphere 
C)  the lack of an atmosphere 
D)  the lack of geological activity 
A)  the lack of a hydrosphere 
B)  the lack of a magnetosphere 
C)  the lack of an atmosphere 
D)  the lack of geological activity

Question 10

The main greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of the terrestrial planets are:

Accepted Answer

A)  oxygen and nitrogen. 
B)  methane and ozone. 
C)  carbon dioxide and water vapor. 
D)  hydrogen and helium. 
A)  oxygen and nitrogen. 
B)  methane and ozone. 
C)  carbon dioxide and water vapor. 
D)  hydrogen and helium.

Question 11

Why did the terrestrial planets lose their primary atmospheres?

Accepted Answer

A)  Their low gravities couldn't hold them. 
B)  The solar wind blew them away. 
C)  Their high surface temperatures made them chemically react with rock. 
D)  The centrifugal force from their fast rotation rates made them fly off. 
A)  Their low gravities couldn't hold them. 
B)  The solar wind blew them away. 
C)  Their high surface temperatures made them chemically react with rock. 
D)  The centrifugal force from their fast rotation rates made them fly off.

Question 12

The presence of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and water vapor in a planet's atmosphere is direct evidence of:

Accepted Answer

A)  high surface temperatures as the planet formed. 
B)  volcanic activity. 
C)  cometary impacts. 
D)  the presence of liquid water early in the planet's history. 
A)  high surface temperatures as the planet formed. 
B)  volcanic activity. 
C)  cometary impacts. 
D)  the presence of liquid water early in the planet's history.

Question 13

Which of the following does NOT contribute to more extreme seasonal variations on Mars compared to Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Its orbital eccentricity is larger. 
B)  Its spin axis is tilted more with respect to its orbital plane. 
C)  Its atmosphere is much lower in density. 
D)  All of the above contribute to martian seasons being more extreme than seasons on Earth. 
A)  Its orbital eccentricity is larger. 
B)  Its spin axis is tilted more with respect to its orbital plane. 
C)  Its atmosphere is much lower in density. 
D)  All of the above contribute to martian seasons being more extreme than seasons on Earth.

Question 14

Earth releases the energy it receives from the Sun by emitting ________ radiation.

Accepted Answer

A)  infrared 
B)  visible 
C)  ultraviolet 
D)  radio 
A)  infrared 
B)  visible 
C)  ultraviolet 
D)  radio

Question 15

Where is most of Earth's supply of carbon dioxide today?

Accepted Answer

Atmospheric CO₂ reacted with exposed min

Question 16

All weather and wind on Earth is a result of convection in the:

Accepted Answer

A)  troposphere. 
B)  stratosphere. 
C)  mesosphere. 
D)  ionosphere. 
A)  troposphere. 
B)  stratosphere. 
C)  mesosphere. 
D)  ionosphere.

Question 17

What weather or climate phenomenon is a consequence of the Coriolis effect?

Accepted Answer

A)  snow 
B)  hurricanes 
C)  rain 
D)  thunderstorms 
A)  snow 
B)  hurricanes 
C)  rain 
D)  thunderstorms

Question 18

The first atmospheres of the terrestrial planets formed from hydrogen and helium.Why? What happened to this gas?

Accepted Answer

The primary atmospheres were composed of

Question 19

It took approximately ________ years for oxygen to become a large component of Earth's atmosphere.

Accepted Answer

A)  3,000 
B)  1 million 
C)  3 billion 
D)  1 billion 
A)  3,000 
B)  1 million 
C)  3 billion 
D)  1 billion

Question 20

In the figure below,why is it so difficult to see the surface of Mars in September compared to June?

Accepted Answer

Mars experiences high winds du

Based solely on mass,which of the following terrestrial planets would you expect to retain a secondary atmosphere?

On Mars,water would exist in what forms (solid,liquid,or gas)? How does this vary with the seasons on Mars? Why are the seasonal variations on Mars different between the northern and southern hemispheres?

________ in our atmosphere is a direct consequence of the emergence of life.

The different colors of light observed during auroras are due to:

Earth has roughly times more atmospheric pressure than Mars and times less than Venus.

Without the ozone layer,life on Earth would be in danger from increased levels of ________ radiation.

The greenhouse effect raises Earth's surface temperature by roughly:

If it were not for the greenhouse effect on Earth,

Which of the following contributes most to the large difference in the average daytime and nighttime temperatures on the Moon?

The main greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of the terrestrial planets are:

Why did the terrestrial planets lose their primary atmospheres?

The presence of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and water vapor in a planet's atmosphere is direct evidence of:

Which of the following does NOT contribute to more extreme seasonal variations on Mars compared to Earth?

Earth releases the energy it receives from the Sun by emitting ________ radiation.

Where is most of Earth's supply of carbon dioxide today?

All weather and wind on Earth is a result of convection in the:

What weather or climate phenomenon is a consequence of the Coriolis effect?

The first atmospheres of the terrestrial planets formed from hydrogen and helium.Why? What happened to this gas?

It took approximately ________ years for oxygen to become a large component of Earth's atmosphere.

In the figure below,why is it so difficult to see the surface of Mars in September compared to June?

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

Terrestrial Worlds in the Inner Solar System

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 7: Atmospheres of Venus, earth, and Mars

Based solely on mass,which of the following terrestrial planets would you expect to retain a secondary atmosphere?

On Mars,water would exist in what forms (solid,liquid,or gas)? How does this vary with the seasons on Mars? Why are the seasonal variations on Mars different between the northern and southern hemispheres?

________ in our atmosphere is a direct consequence of the emergence of life.

The different colors of light observed during auroras are due to:

Earth has roughly ________ times more atmospheric pressure than Mars and ________ times less than Venus.

Without the ozone layer,life on Earth would be in danger from increased levels of ________ radiation.

The greenhouse effect raises Earth's surface temperature by roughly:

If it were not for the greenhouse effect on Earth,

Which of the following contributes most to the large difference in the average daytime and nighttime temperatures on the Moon?

The main greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of the terrestrial planets are:

Why did the terrestrial planets lose their primary atmospheres?

The presence of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and water vapor in a planet's atmosphere is direct evidence of:

Which of the following does NOT contribute to more extreme seasonal variations on Mars compared to Earth?

Earth releases the energy it receives from the Sun by emitting ________ radiation.

Where is most of Earth's supply of carbon dioxide today?

All weather and wind on Earth is a result of convection in the:

What weather or climate phenomenon is a consequence of the Coriolis effect?

The first atmospheres of the terrestrial planets formed from hydrogen and helium.Why? What happened to this gas?

It took approximately ________ years for oxygen to become a large component of Earth's atmosphere.

In the figure below,why is it so difficult to see the surface of Mars in September compared to June?

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

Terrestrial Worlds in the Inner Solar System

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

Earth has roughly times more atmospheric pressure than Mars and times less than Venus.