Question 1

Given the thickness and composition of Venus's atmosphere,by how much would you expect its average surface temperature to change between day and night?

Accepted Answer

A)  Almost no change at all 
B)  By tens of K (like Earth) 
C)  By hundreds of K (like Mercury) 
D)  The answer depends on where Venus is in its orbit (closer to or farther from the Sun). 
A)  Almost no change at all 
B)  By tens of K (like Earth) 
C)  By hundreds of K (like Mercury) 
D)  The answer depends on where Venus is in its orbit (closer to or farther from the Sun). A

Question 2

What would you expect the temperature of a comet to be if its distance was 100 AU from the Sun? Assume that it is very icy and reflective so that its albedo is equal to 0.6.Does it matter what the radius of the comet is?

Accepted Answer

No,it does not matter what the size of the comet is.As derived in Working It Out 7.1,the temperature of any object in the Solar System will be equal to T = 279 K × sqrt([sqrt(1 - a)]/d_AU)where a is the albedo and d_AU is the distance from the Sun measured in units of AU.Thus,the comet's temperature is T = 279 K × sqrt([sqrt(1 - 0.6)]/100)= 279 K × 0.080 = 22 K.

Question 3

The fraction of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere has always remained about the same as it is today.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 4

Examine the image below.   Auroras are:

Accepted Answer

A)  gases fluorescing in the atmosphere 
B)  the magnetosphere of Earth hitting its atmosphere 
C)  the ozone layer being destroyed 
D)  a product of the atmospheric greenhouse effect 
A)  gases fluorescing in the atmosphere 
B)  the magnetosphere of Earth hitting its atmosphere 
C)  the ozone layer being destroyed 
D)  a product of the atmospheric greenhouse effect

Question 5

Venus's atmospheric clouds are so thick that the surface of the planet is rarely seen when observing it in visible light.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

Mars experiences high winds du

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

__________ 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 9

If plant life were to die on Earth:

Accepted Answer

A)  the atmosphere would become denser 
B)  oxygen would disappear from the atmosphere 
C)  the atmosphere would become too sparse 
D)  nitrogen would disappear from the atmosphere 
A)  the atmosphere would become denser 
B)  oxygen would disappear from the atmosphere 
C)  the atmosphere would become too sparse 
D)  nitrogen would disappear from the atmosphere

Question 10

All the terrestrial planets have atmospheres as dense as or denser than Earth's.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Charged particles can easily move across magnetic field lines,but not along them.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

The nitrogen in the Earth's atmosphere came from:

Accepted Answer

A)  ammonia delivered by comet impacts 
B)  photosynthesis in algae and plants 
C)  oxidation 
D)  impacts 
A)  ammonia delivered by comet impacts 
B)  photosynthesis in algae and plants 
C)  oxidation 
D)  impacts

Question 13

Heating from __________ causes the top of the Earth's stratosphere to be warmer than the bottom.

Accepted Answer

A)  higher-energy particles in the solar wind 
B)  convection 
C)  the ozone layer absorbing UV light 
D)  charged particles trapped by magnetic fields 
A)  higher-energy particles in the solar wind 
B)  convection 
C)  the ozone layer absorbing UV light 
D)  charged particles trapped by magnetic fields

Question 14

Which of the following is the hottest part of the atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)  Troposphere 
B)  Stratosphere 
C)  Mesosphere 
D)  Thermosphere 
A)  Troposphere 
B)  Stratosphere 
C)  Mesosphere 
D)  Thermosphere

Question 15

What two factors control a planet's temperature?

Accepted Answer

A planet's distance

Question 16

The 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 17

Which molecule moves with the fastest average speed in the Earth's atmosphere in thermal equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

A)  Water (atomic mass = 18) 
B)  Carbon dioxide (atomic mass = 44) 
C)  Nitrogen (atomic mass = 28) 
D)  Oxygen (atomic mass = 32) 
A)  Water (atomic mass = 18) 
B)  Carbon dioxide (atomic mass = 44) 
C)  Nitrogen (atomic mass = 28) 
D)  Oxygen (atomic mass = 32)

Question 18

Which of the following has an atmosphere of primarily carbon dioxide?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 19

Examine the figure below.Over the past 50 years,the average temperature of the Earth has risen by approximately 1°C.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Molecules in the atmosphere moving faster than the escape speed of the planet are lost to space.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Given the thickness and composition of Venus's atmosphere,by how much would you expect its average surface temperature to change between day and night?

What would you expect the temperature of a comet to be if its distance was 100 AU from the Sun? Assume that it is very icy and reflective so that its albedo is equal to 0.6.Does it matter what the radius of the comet is?

The fraction of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere has always remained about the same as it is today.

Examine the image below. Auroras are:

Venus's atmospheric clouds are so thick that the surface of the planet is rarely seen when observing it in visible light.

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

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

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

If plant life were to die on Earth:

All the terrestrial planets have atmospheres as dense as or denser than Earth's.

Charged particles can easily move across magnetic field lines,but not along them.

The nitrogen in the Earth's atmosphere came from:

Heating from __________ causes the top of the Earth's stratosphere to be warmer than the bottom.

Which of the following is the hottest part of the atmosphere?

What two factors control a planet's temperature?

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

Which molecule moves with the fastest average speed in the Earth's atmosphere in thermal equilibrium?

Which of the following has an atmosphere of primarily carbon dioxide?

Examine the figure below.Over the past 50 years,the average temperature of the Earth has risen by approximately 1°C.

Molecules in the atmosphere moving faster than the escape speed of the planet are lost to space.

Our Place in the Universe

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

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

The Expansion of Space

The Realm of the Galaxies

Our Galaxy: The Milky Way

Modern Cosmology and the Origin of Structure

Life in the Universe

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Exam 7: Atmospheres of Venus, Earth, and Mars

Given the thickness and composition of Venus's atmosphere,by how much would you expect its average surface temperature to change between day and night?

What would you expect the temperature of a comet to be if its distance was 100 AU from the Sun? Assume that it is very icy and reflective so that its albedo is equal to 0.6.Does it matter what the radius of the comet is?

The fraction of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere has always remained about the same as it is today.

Examine the image below. Auroras are:

Venus's atmospheric clouds are so thick that the surface of the planet is rarely seen when observing it in visible light.

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

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

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

If plant life were to die on Earth:

All the terrestrial planets have atmospheres as dense as or denser than Earth's.

Charged particles can easily move across magnetic field lines,but not along them.

The nitrogen in the Earth's atmosphere came from:

Heating from __________ causes the top of the Earth's stratosphere to be warmer than the bottom.

Which of the following is the hottest part of the atmosphere?

What two factors control a planet's temperature?

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

Which molecule moves with the fastest average speed in the Earth's atmosphere in thermal equilibrium?

Which of the following has an atmosphere of primarily carbon dioxide?

Examine the figure below.Over the past 50 years,the average temperature of the Earth has risen by approximately 1°C.

Molecules in the atmosphere moving faster than the escape speed of the planet are lost to space.

Our Place in the Universe

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

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

The Expansion of Space

The Realm of the Galaxies

Our Galaxy: The Milky Way

Modern Cosmology and the Origin of Structure

Life in the Universe

Filters