Question 1

What is the basic structure of Earth's atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)  a single layer of smoothly decreasing temperature with increasing altitude 
B)  four layers of alternating temperature profiles: temperature decreasing, then increasing, then decreasing, then increasing with altitude 
C)  a single layer of smoothly increasing temperature with increasing altitude 
D)  two layers: temperature decreasing with increasing altitude in the lower layer, then increasing with increasing altitude in the upper layer 
A)  a single layer of smoothly decreasing temperature with increasing altitude 
B)  four layers of alternating temperature profiles: temperature decreasing, then increasing, then decreasing, then increasing with altitude 
C)  a single layer of smoothly increasing temperature with increasing altitude 
D)  two layers: temperature decreasing with increasing altitude in the lower layer, then increasing with increasing altitude in the upper layer

Question 2

Many craters on the Moon are characterized by a central peak.What is the significance?

Accepted Answer

A)  The central peaks are strong evidence that lunar craters are volcanic in origin. 
B)  A central peak is characteristic of an impact crater formed by a shock wave. 
C)  The crater has dug into the lunar surface far enough to uncover an ancient mountain range. 
D)  The crater was formed by impact, but it has penetrated into the lunar surface far enough to evoke lava flow, which has produced a volcanic cone. 
A)  The central peaks are strong evidence that lunar craters are volcanic in origin. 
B)  A central peak is characteristic of an impact crater formed by a shock wave. 
C)  The crater has dug into the lunar surface far enough to uncover an ancient mountain range. 
D)  The crater was formed by impact, but it has penetrated into the lunar surface far enough to evoke lava flow, which has produced a volcanic cone.

Question 3

In its orbit around Earth,the Moon:

Accepted Answer

A)  keeps the sunlit side toward Earth. 
B)  keeps the same side toward Earth. 
C)  keeps the same side toward the Sun. 
D)  rotates once every 24 hours to keep in step with Earth. 
A)  keeps the sunlit side toward Earth. 
B)  keeps the same side toward Earth. 
C)  keeps the same side toward the Sun. 
D)  rotates once every 24 hours to keep in step with Earth.

Question 4

Which physical feature of the planet Mercury causes the deflection of solar wind particles away from its surface?

Accepted Answer

A)  the stream of ionized atoms, heated by the intense sunlight, that are emitted continuously by the planet 
B)  the dense, ionized atmosphere surrounding the planet 
C)  the magnetic field that, like Earth's, produces a magnetosphere surrounding the planet 
D)  Mercury's gravitational field 
A)  the stream of ionized atoms, heated by the intense sunlight, that are emitted continuously by the planet 
B)  the dense, ionized atmosphere surrounding the planet 
C)  the magnetic field that, like Earth's, produces a magnetosphere surrounding the planet 
D)  Mercury's gravitational field

Question 5

Which planet MOST resembles the Moon in visible surface features and atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mars 
B)  Venus 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Mercury 
A)  Mars 
B)  Venus 
C)  Uranus 
D)  Mercury

Question 6

Which unexpected chemical compound has recently been discovered on Mercury?

Accepted Answer

A)  nitrogen dioxide in Mercury's upper atmosphere 
B)  cyanide, poisonous to humans, in the troposphere 
C)  ammonia, escaping from fissures in the Caloris Basin 
D)  water ice at the north and south poles 
A)  nitrogen dioxide in Mercury's upper atmosphere 
B)  cyanide, poisonous to humans, in the troposphere 
C)  ammonia, escaping from fissures in the Caloris Basin 
D)  water ice at the north and south poles

Question 7

Which statement is NOT true of the Moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  Almost all craters on the Moon have been made by meteoroid impacts. 
B)  There are extensive lava floodplains on both the near and the far sides of the Moon. 
C)  There are large basins on the Moon that were carved out by asteroid impacts. 
D)  There are highly cratered regions on both the near and the far sides of the Moon. 
A)  Almost all craters on the Moon have been made by meteoroid impacts. 
B)  There are extensive lava floodplains on both the near and the far sides of the Moon. 
C)  There are large basins on the Moon that were carved out by asteroid impacts. 
D)  There are highly cratered regions on both the near and the far sides of the Moon.

Question 8

The BEST images of the overall topology of Venus have been produced by:

Accepted Answer

A)  imaging cameras on board two spacecraft that soft-landed on the surface of Venus. 
B)  reflection of microwave and short radio wave radiation from the surface by an orbiting spacecraft. 
C)  photography from the Hubble Space Telescope at UV wavelengths to which the Venus atmosphere and clouds are transparent. 
D)  visible wavelength images from cameras on board an orbiting spacecraft. 
A)  imaging cameras on board two spacecraft that soft-landed on the surface of Venus. 
B)  reflection of microwave and short radio wave radiation from the surface by an orbiting spacecraft. 
C)  photography from the Hubble Space Telescope at UV wavelengths to which the Venus atmosphere and clouds are transparent. 
D)  visible wavelength images from cameras on board an orbiting spacecraft.

Question 9

"This planet has a cool,solid surface,a thin carbon dioxide atmosphere,and occasional dust clouds." Which planet fits this description?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mercury 
B)  Venus 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  Mars 
A)  Mercury 
B)  Venus 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  Mars

Question 10

What is the lunar regolith?

Accepted Answer

A)  the part of the lunar surface that is not covered with lava flows 
B)  the lunar crust and mantle together 
C)  the deeper part of the lunar crust that has not been extensively cracked by impacts 
D)  the layer of fine powder covering the lunar surface 
A)  the part of the lunar surface that is not covered with lava flows 
B)  the lunar crust and mantle together 
C)  the deeper part of the lunar crust that has not been extensively cracked by impacts 
D)  the layer of fine powder covering the lunar surface

Question 11

What can stop the Moon from getting farther from Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nothing. The Moon will always drift away from Earth. 
B)  The Moon will eventually drift beyond the range of Earth's gravity. Then the gravitational force of the bulge will end as will the Moon's drift. 
C)  When Earth's rotation slows to match the motion of the Moon (synchronous rotation), the recession will end. The Moon will be directly in line with the bulge, and the bulge will no longer pull it outward. 
D)  When tidal friction slows Earth's spin to zero, conservation of angular momentum will require that the Moon spiral inward toward Earth. 
A)  Nothing. The Moon will always drift away from Earth. 
B)  The Moon will eventually drift beyond the range of Earth's gravity. Then the gravitational force of the bulge will end as will the Moon's drift. 
C)  When Earth's rotation slows to match the motion of the Moon (synchronous rotation), the recession will end. The Moon will be directly in line with the bulge, and the bulge will no longer pull it outward. 
D)  When tidal friction slows Earth's spin to zero, conservation of angular momentum will require that the Moon spiral inward toward Earth.

Question 12

Earth has buckled slightly under the weight of its northern polar cap.Mars has not similarly deformed in response to its northern polar cap.This suggests that:

Accepted Answer

A)  the crust and upper mantle must be more rigid than those of Earth. 
B)  any liquid water under the planet's surface must be very near the surface. 
C)  any life under the planet's surface must be very near the surface. 
D)  the poles must be 100% carbon dioxide ice rather than the more dense water ice. 
A)  the crust and upper mantle must be more rigid than those of Earth. 
B)  any liquid water under the planet's surface must be very near the surface. 
C)  any life under the planet's surface must be very near the surface. 
D)  the poles must be 100% carbon dioxide ice rather than the more dense water ice.

Question 13

Phobos orbits Mars in a prograde orbit with a period less than the rotational period of Mars itself.What consequence follows from this?

Accepted Answer

A)  Phobos rises in the west and sets in the east. 
B)  Phobos rises in the east and sets in the west. 
C)  Phobos is in a stationary orbit, always over the same point on Mars. 
D)  The situation described violates Kepler's third law: The farther out an orbit, the longer its period. 
A)  Phobos rises in the west and sets in the east. 
B)  Phobos rises in the east and sets in the west. 
C)  Phobos is in a stationary orbit, always over the same point on Mars. 
D)  The situation described violates Kepler's third law: The farther out an orbit, the longer its period.

Question 14

The LARGEST of the terrestrial planets is:

Accepted Answer

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

Question 15

Which statement BEST describes our current understanding of the Valles Marineris?

Accepted Answer

A)  The valley system appears to have been carved almost entirely by water flowing toward the lowlands from the geological rise near Olympus Mons. 
B)  The valley system appears to be a set of parallel subduction trenches along the boundary where the northern lowlands are colliding with the southern highlands. 
C)  The valley system appears to have formed entirely by cracking and faulting of the Martian surface, without noticeable intervention of erosion by water. 
D)  The valley system formed primarily by cracking and faulting of the Martian surface, but some valleys at the eastern end appear to have been carved by water. 
A)  The valley system appears to have been carved almost entirely by water flowing toward the lowlands from the geological rise near Olympus Mons. 
B)  The valley system appears to be a set of parallel subduction trenches along the boundary where the northern lowlands are colliding with the southern highlands. 
C)  The valley system appears to have formed entirely by cracking and faulting of the Martian surface, without noticeable intervention of erosion by water. 
D)  The valley system formed primarily by cracking and faulting of the Martian surface, but some valleys at the eastern end appear to have been carved by water.

Question 16

Which statement appears to be TRUE for Mars?

Accepted Answer

A)  Plate tectonics has had little or no effect other than perhaps in the earliest times because Mars is small and cooled more rapidly than Earth so that a thick, solid crust formed. 
B)  Plate tectonics is only just beginning and will be important in the distant future because geologic processes happen more slowly on a small planet. 
C)  The oppressive heat on Mars has kept the planet's crust thin and prevented the onset of plate tectonics. 
D)  Plate tectonics is the dominant process creating large-scale surface features such as mountain ranges and volcanoes. 
A)  Plate tectonics has had little or no effect other than perhaps in the earliest times because Mars is small and cooled more rapidly than Earth so that a thick, solid crust formed. 
B)  Plate tectonics is only just beginning and will be important in the distant future because geologic processes happen more slowly on a small planet. 
C)  The oppressive heat on Mars has kept the planet's crust thin and prevented the onset of plate tectonics. 
D)  Plate tectonics is the dominant process creating large-scale surface features such as mountain ranges and volcanoes.

Question 17

The OLDEST material found on the Moon during manned and unmanned exploration was:

Accepted Answer

A)  smooth, dark glass formed by meteoritic impact. 
B)  water ice locked into permafrost on the surface of the Moon. 
C)  anorthositic rocks from the highlands. 
D)  basalt rocks from the mare basins. 
A)  smooth, dark glass formed by meteoritic impact. 
B)  water ice locked into permafrost on the surface of the Moon. 
C)  anorthositic rocks from the highlands. 
D)  basalt rocks from the mare basins.

Question 18

How much of the entire lunar surface is covered by maria?

Accepted Answer

A)  more than half 
B)  about half 
C)  about one-sixth 
D)  only about one percent 
A)  more than half 
B)  about half 
C)  about one-sixth 
D)  only about one percent

Question 19

How were the mountain ranges on the Moon formed?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are "spreading centers," where magma from the mantle pushes through the crust and separates tectonic plates. 
B)  They were thrust up as crater walls by impacts of large asteroids. 
C)  They are wrinkles in the crust, created when the Moon cooled and shrank slightly in size. 
D)  They were pushed up by the collisions of tectonic plates on the lunar surface. 
A)  They are "spreading centers," where magma from the mantle pushes through the crust and separates tectonic plates. 
B)  They were thrust up as crater walls by impacts of large asteroids. 
C)  They are wrinkles in the crust, created when the Moon cooled and shrank slightly in size. 
D)  They were pushed up by the collisions of tectonic plates on the lunar surface.

Question 20

The impact that formed the Caloris Basin on Mercury also created intense seismic waves that disrupted the surface of Mercury on the opposite side of the planet.Which other solar system feature is known to have involved a major impact with a similar result?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mare Orientalis on the Moon 
B)  Hellas Basin on Mars 
C)  Great Rift Valley on Earth 
D)  Cleopatra Caldera on Venus 
A)  Mare Orientalis on the Moon 
B)  Hellas Basin on Mars 
C)  Great Rift Valley on Earth 
D)  Cleopatra Caldera on Venus

What is the basic structure of Earth's atmosphere?

Many craters on the Moon are characterized by a central peak.What is the significance?

In its orbit around Earth,the Moon:

Which physical feature of the planet Mercury causes the deflection of solar wind particles away from its surface?

Which planet MOST resembles the Moon in visible surface features and atmosphere?

Which unexpected chemical compound has recently been discovered on Mercury?

Which statement is NOT true of the Moon?

The BEST images of the overall topology of Venus have been produced by:

"This planet has a cool,solid surface,a thin carbon dioxide atmosphere,and occasional dust clouds." Which planet fits this description?

What is the lunar regolith?

What can stop the Moon from getting farther from Earth?

Earth has buckled slightly under the weight of its northern polar cap.Mars has not similarly deformed in response to its northern polar cap.This suggests that:

Phobos orbits Mars in a prograde orbit with a period less than the rotational period of Mars itself.What consequence follows from this?

The LARGEST of the terrestrial planets is:

Which statement BEST describes our current understanding of the Valles Marineris?

Which statement appears to be TRUE for Mars?

The OLDEST material found on the Moon during manned and unmanned exploration was:

How much of the entire lunar surface is covered by maria?

How were the mountain ranges on the Moon formed?

The impact that formed the Caloris Basin on Mercury also created intense seismic waves that disrupted the surface of Mercury on the opposite side of the planet.Which other solar system feature is known to have involved a major impact with a similar result?

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

What is the basic structure of Earth's atmosphere?

Many craters on the Moon are characterized by a central peak.What is the significance?

In its orbit around Earth,the Moon:

Which physical feature of the planet Mercury causes the deflection of solar wind particles away from its surface?

Which planet MOST resembles the Moon in visible surface features and atmosphere?

Which unexpected chemical compound has recently been discovered on Mercury?

Which statement is NOT true of the Moon?

The BEST images of the overall topology of Venus have been produced by:

"This planet has a cool,solid surface,a thin carbon dioxide atmosphere,and occasional dust clouds." Which planet fits this description?

What is the lunar regolith?

What can stop the Moon from getting farther from Earth?

Earth has buckled slightly under the weight of its northern polar cap.Mars has not similarly deformed in response to its northern polar cap.This suggests that:

Phobos orbits Mars in a prograde orbit with a period less than the rotational period of Mars itself.What consequence follows from this?

The LARGEST of the terrestrial planets is:

Which statement BEST describes our current understanding of the Valles Marineris?

Which statement appears to be TRUE for Mars?

The OLDEST material found on the Moon during manned and unmanned exploration was:

How much of the entire lunar surface is covered by maria?

How were the mountain ranges on the Moon formed?

The impact that formed the Caloris Basin on Mercury also created intense seismic waves that disrupted the surface of Mercury on the opposite side of the planet.Which other solar system feature is known to have involved a major impact with a similar result?

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