Question 1

The average density of the large,outer planets is:

Accepted Answer

A)  close to the density of water. 
B)  much higher than the density of Earth rocks, due to the great gravitational compression of their interiors. 
C)  very much less than the density of water because of the amount of hydrogen they contain. 
D)  close to the density of basaltic rocks on Earth. 
A)  close to the density of water. 
B)  much higher than the density of Earth rocks, due to the great gravitational compression of their interiors. 
C)  very much less than the density of water because of the amount of hydrogen they contain. 
D)  close to the density of basaltic rocks on Earth.

Question 2

Seasons on Mars last nearly twice as long as those on Earth because:

Accepted Answer

A)  Mars' tilt on its axis is nearly twice the angle of Earth's tilt. 
B)  Mars takes nearly twice as long to rotate on its axis as Earth does. 
C)  Mars takes nearly twice as long to orbit the Sun as Earth does. 
D)  Mars is nearly twice as far from the Sun as Earth is. 
A)  Mars' tilt on its axis is nearly twice the angle of Earth's tilt. 
B)  Mars takes nearly twice as long to rotate on its axis as Earth does. 
C)  Mars takes nearly twice as long to orbit the Sun as Earth does. 
D)  Mars is nearly twice as far from the Sun as Earth is.

Question 3

Maria are:

Accepted Answer

A)  ancient riverbeds, now dry. 
B)  uplifted regions surrounding large volcanoes. 
C)  heavily cratered highland regions. 
D)  ancient lava floodplains. 
A)  ancient riverbeds, now dry. 
B)  uplifted regions surrounding large volcanoes. 
C)  heavily cratered highland regions. 
D)  ancient lava floodplains.

Question 4

Tomorrow's (and most days')weather forecast for Mars is likely to be:

Accepted Answer

A)  sunny and clear (Mars has no atmosphere in which clouds can form). 
B)  sunny, possible thin, high clouds, windy. 
C)  continuous rain, possible flooding in low-lying areas. 
D)  heavy overcast, possible light acid rain and mist. 
A)  sunny and clear (Mars has no atmosphere in which clouds can form). 
B)  sunny, possible thin, high clouds, windy. 
C)  continuous rain, possible flooding in low-lying areas. 
D)  heavy overcast, possible light acid rain and mist.

Question 5

The terrestrial planet whose atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen is:

Accepted Answer

A)  Mars. 
B)  Venus. 
C)  Jupiter. 
D)  Earth. 
A)  Mars. 
B)  Venus. 
C)  Jupiter. 
D)  Earth.

Question 6

The lowest temperature in Earth's atmosphere is about:

Accepted Answer

A)  3 K. 
B)  20 K. 
C)  200 K. 
D)  273 K. 
A)  3 K. 
B)  20 K. 
C)  200 K. 
D)  273 K.

Question 7

Where are MOST of the extinct volcanoes located on Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)  along the bottom of the deep valley Valles Marineris, which was originally formed by enormous geological stresses 
B)  in the northern hemisphere 
C)  around the southern polar cap 
D)  in a line along the equator, the line of maximum tidal stress on the planet 
A)  along the bottom of the deep valley Valles Marineris, which was originally formed by enormous geological stresses 
B)  in the northern hemisphere 
C)  around the southern polar cap 
D)  in a line along the equator, the line of maximum tidal stress on the planet

Question 8

Which statement describes the dynamics of the Earth-Moon system?

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth's rotation is speeding up, whereas the Moon is moving slowly outward away from Earth. 
B)  Earth's rotation is slowing down, whereas the Moon is moving slowly outward away from Earth. 
C)  Earth's rotation is speeding up, whereas the Moon is moving slowly toward Earth. 
D)  Earth's rotation is slowing down, whereas the Moon is slowly approaching Earth by spiraling inward. 
A)  Earth's rotation is speeding up, whereas the Moon is moving slowly outward away from Earth. 
B)  Earth's rotation is slowing down, whereas the Moon is moving slowly outward away from Earth. 
C)  Earth's rotation is speeding up, whereas the Moon is moving slowly toward Earth. 
D)  Earth's rotation is slowing down, whereas the Moon is slowly approaching Earth by spiraling inward.

Question 9

Why is Mercury difficult to observe from Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury remains close to the Sun in its orbit and is seen in a dark sky only at sunrise or sunset, close to the horizon. 
B)  Mercury orbits the Sun very rapidly and moves across our sky very quickly. 
C)  The orbit of Mercury is very elliptical and tilted at a large angle to the ecliptic, and any position on this orbit is visible only at midnight when Mercury is low in the sky. 
D)  Mercury is a very small object that orbits a long way from the Sun, thereby reflecting little light back to Earth. 
A)  Mercury remains close to the Sun in its orbit and is seen in a dark sky only at sunrise or sunset, close to the horizon. 
B)  Mercury orbits the Sun very rapidly and moves across our sky very quickly. 
C)  The orbit of Mercury is very elliptical and tilted at a large angle to the ecliptic, and any position on this orbit is visible only at midnight when Mercury is low in the sky. 
D)  Mercury is a very small object that orbits a long way from the Sun, thereby reflecting little light back to Earth.

Question 10

The gas temperature in the stratosphere of Earth's atmosphere reaches a maximum at about 50 km.The cause is:

Accepted Answer

A)  the absorption of solar ultraviolet radiation by ozone (O₃). 
B)  heating by auroral activity higher in the atmosphere. 
C)  the ionization of oxygen and nitrogen by solar ultraviolet radiation. 
D)  turbulence, caused by wind and weather. 
A)  the absorption of solar ultraviolet radiation by ozone (O₃). 
B)  heating by auroral activity higher in the atmosphere. 
C)  the ionization of oxygen and nitrogen by solar ultraviolet radiation. 
D)  turbulence, caused by wind and weather.

Question 11

The San Andreas fault in California is an example of:

Accepted Answer

A)  two tectonic plates pushing directly against each other. 
B)  an upthrust due to a hot spot in Earth's mantle. 
C)  a spreading center, where two tectonic plates are being pushed away from each other. 
D)  two tectonic plates sliding past each other. 
A)  two tectonic plates pushing directly against each other. 
B)  an upthrust due to a hot spot in Earth's mantle. 
C)  a spreading center, where two tectonic plates are being pushed away from each other. 
D)  two tectonic plates sliding past each other.

Question 12

The depth from the surface of Earth to the top of its liquid core is about _____ km.

Accepted Answer

A)  2900 
B)  6400 
C)  5000 
D)  30 
A)  2900 
B)  6400 
C)  5000 
D)  30

Question 13

What is the origin of the majority of lunar craters?

Accepted Answer

A)  impacts by meteoric material 
B)  surface collapse after loss of groundwater by evaporation 
C)  volcanic explosions 
D)  impacts by space probes from Earth 
A)  impacts by meteoric material 
B)  surface collapse after loss of groundwater by evaporation 
C)  volcanic explosions 
D)  impacts by space probes from Earth

Question 14

The polar caps on Mars are MOST probably made up of:

Accepted Answer

A)  volcanic outflows of light-colored lava and dust similar to that produced by Earth-based volcanoes (such as Mount St. Helens). 
B)  sulfur dioxide and sulfur compounds. 
C)  light-colored dust, blown there by the Martian dust storms. 
D)  water and carbon dioxide ices. 
A)  volcanic outflows of light-colored lava and dust similar to that produced by Earth-based volcanoes (such as Mount St. Helens). 
B)  sulfur dioxide and sulfur compounds. 
C)  light-colored dust, blown there by the Martian dust storms. 
D)  water and carbon dioxide ices.

Question 15

How many "tidal bulges" caused by the Moon's gravity are there on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  one, on the side of Earth facing (almost) directly toward the Moon 
B)  one, on the side of Earth facing away from the Moon 
C)  two, one facing (almost) directly toward the Moon and one facing (almost) directly away from the Moon 
D)  four, one facing (almost) directly toward the Moon and the other three at 90° intervals from the first one 
A)  one, on the side of Earth facing (almost) directly toward the Moon 
B)  one, on the side of Earth facing away from the Moon 
C)  two, one facing (almost) directly toward the Moon and one facing (almost) directly away from the Moon 
D)  four, one facing (almost) directly toward the Moon and the other three at 90° intervals from the first one

Question 16

What is the diameter of Mare Imbrium,the largest lunar "sea," compared with the diameter of the Moon itself?

Accepted Answer

A)  about 1/100 the diameter of the Moon 
B)  just over 1/2 the diameter of the Moon 
C)  about 1/10 the diameter of the Moon 
D)  about 1/3 the diameter of the Moon 
A)  about 1/100 the diameter of the Moon 
B)  just over 1/2 the diameter of the Moon 
C)  about 1/10 the diameter of the Moon 
D)  about 1/3 the diameter of the Moon

Question 17

The surface of the Moon may be described as:

Accepted Answer

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

Question 18

Which planet in our solar system has the LARGEST mass?

Accepted Answer

A)  Saturn 
B)  Earth 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Jupiter 
A)  Saturn 
B)  Earth 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Jupiter

Question 19

Recent radar observations of Mercury have suggested that Mercury may:

Accepted Answer

A)  have one or more tectonic rift valleys. 
B)  have ice at its north and south poles. 
C)  have geologically recent lava flows on the side that was not photographed by Mariner 10. 
D)  not be precisely locked into its hypothesized 3-to-2 spin-orbit coupling. 
A)  have one or more tectonic rift valleys. 
B)  have ice at its north and south poles. 
C)  have geologically recent lava flows on the side that was not photographed by Mariner 10. 
D)  not be precisely locked into its hypothesized 3-to-2 spin-orbit coupling.

Question 20

Subduction on Earth is the process by which:

Accepted Answer

A)  cool surface material on Earth sinks below other material at a tectonic plate boundary. 
B)  dense material sank while lighter material rose to the surface during the early geological history of Earth. 
C)  molten lava oozes out between two tectonic plates that are spreading apart. 
D)  volcanic material emerges from the deep interior at a volcanic island such as Hawaii. 
A)  cool surface material on Earth sinks below other material at a tectonic plate boundary. 
B)  dense material sank while lighter material rose to the surface during the early geological history of Earth. 
C)  molten lava oozes out between two tectonic plates that are spreading apart. 
D)  volcanic material emerges from the deep interior at a volcanic island such as Hawaii.

The average density of the large,outer planets is:

Seasons on Mars last nearly twice as long as those on Earth because:

Maria are:

Tomorrow's (and most days')weather forecast for Mars is likely to be:

The terrestrial planet whose atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen is:

The lowest temperature in Earth's atmosphere is about:

Where are MOST of the extinct volcanoes located on Mars?

Which statement describes the dynamics of the Earth-Moon system?

Why is Mercury difficult to observe from Earth?

The gas temperature in the stratosphere of Earth's atmosphere reaches a maximum at about 50 km.The cause is:

The San Andreas fault in California is an example of:

The depth from the surface of Earth to the top of its liquid core is about _____ km.

What is the origin of the majority of lunar craters?

The polar caps on Mars are MOST probably made up of:

How many "tidal bulges" caused by the Moon's gravity are there on Earth?

What is the diameter of Mare Imbrium,the largest lunar "sea," compared with the diameter of the Moon itself?

The surface of the Moon may be described as:

Which planet in our solar system has the LARGEST mass?

Recent radar observations of Mercury have suggested that Mercury may:

Subduction on Earth is the process by which:

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Formation of the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems

Exoplanets

The Outer Planets and Their Moons

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of the Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Deaths and Remnants of Stars

The Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters

Exam 6: The Terrestrial Planets and Their Moons

The average density of the large,outer planets is:

Seasons on Mars last nearly twice as long as those on Earth because:

Maria are:

Tomorrow's (and most days')weather forecast for Mars is likely to be:

The terrestrial planet whose atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen is:

The lowest temperature in Earth's atmosphere is about:

Where are MOST of the extinct volcanoes located on Mars?

Which statement describes the dynamics of the Earth-Moon system?

Why is Mercury difficult to observe from Earth?

The gas temperature in the stratosphere of Earth's atmosphere reaches a maximum at about 50 km.The cause is:

The San Andreas fault in California is an example of:

The depth from the surface of Earth to the top of its liquid core is about _____ km.

What is the origin of the majority of lunar craters?

The polar caps on Mars are MOST probably made up of:

How many "tidal bulges" caused by the Moon's gravity are there on Earth?

What is the diameter of Mare Imbrium,the largest lunar "sea," compared with the diameter of the Moon itself?

The surface of the Moon may be described as:

Which planet in our solar system has the LARGEST mass?

Recent radar observations of Mercury have suggested that Mercury may:

Subduction on Earth is the process by which:

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Formation of the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems

Exoplanets

The Outer Planets and Their Moons

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of the Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Deaths and Remnants of Stars

The Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters