Question 1

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 2

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 geologic activity 
A)  The lack of a hydrosphere 
B)  The lack of a magnetosphere 
C)  The lack of an atmosphere 
D)  The lack of geologic activity

Question 3

Label the layers of Earth's atmosphere on the figure below.

Accepted Answer

Starting at the bott

Question 4

Examine the figure below.Carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere have been rising by about 4 percent per decade due to the use of fossil fuels.If this trend continues,what could happen to Earth?

Accepted Answer

As the surface temperature increases,pol

Question 5

The major component of the air we breathe today was deposited on Earth via cometary impacts.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

The two layers of Earth's atmosphere that have temperature gradients that allow convection to occur are:

Accepted Answer

A)  the troposphere and the thermosphere 
B)  the mesosphere and the stratosphere 
C)  the thermosphere and the stratosphere 
D)  the troposphere and the mesosphere 
A)  the troposphere and the thermosphere 
B)  the mesosphere and the stratosphere 
C)  the thermosphere and the stratosphere 
D)  the troposphere and the mesosphere

Question 7

The reason that Earth is hotter than Jupiter is because the Earth is smaller than Jupiter.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

If the carbon dioxide in Earth rocks were suddenly released into its atmosphere,Earth could quite possibly undergo a runaway greenhouse effect.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

In our solar system,a planet's temperature depends primarily on its albedo and distance from the Sun.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

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 11

Which of the following processes did NOT contribute to Earth's secondary atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A)  Volcanism 
B)  Accretion 
C)  Oxidation 
D)  Impacts 
A)  Volcanism 
B)  Accretion 
C)  Oxidation 
D)  Impacts

Question 12

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 13

The shape of the Earth's magnetosphere is modified by:

Accepted Answer

A)  the Moon's tidal force 
B)  the solar wind 
C)  Earth's own gravity 
D)  asymmetries in the shape of Earth's core 
A)  the Moon's tidal force 
B)  the solar wind 
C)  Earth's own gravity 
D)  asymmetries in the shape of Earth's core

Question 14

Examine the figure below.In the Southern Hemisphere,hurricanes __________ compared to hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere due to the Coriolis effect.

Accepted Answer

A)  rotate in the opposite direction 
B)  cause more damage 
C)  move from east to west 
D)  have larger wind speeds 
A)  rotate in the opposite direction 
B)  cause more damage 
C)  move from east to west 
D)  have larger wind speeds

Question 15

In the stratosphere of the Earth's atmosphere,how does the temperature vary with altitude and what causes this variation?

Accepted Answer

Ozone in the stratosphere absorbs ultrav

Question 16

Humans cannot survive on the surface of Mars for long periods of time because:

Accepted Answer

A)  there is not enough oxygen in the atmosphere 
B)  the range in temperature between day and night is too large 
C)  the flux of ultraviolet radiation reaching the surface is too high 
D)  All of the above are valid reasons 
A)  there is not enough oxygen in the atmosphere 
B)  the range in temperature between day and night is too large 
C)  the flux of ultraviolet radiation reaching the surface is too high 
D)  All of the above are valid reasons

Question 17

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 18

If water vapor was released from Venus's surface due to tectonic activity into its upper atmosphere,what would most likely happen to it?

Accepted Answer

A)  The water vapor would relieve the greenhouse effect and decrease Venus's surface temperature. 
B)  Water droplets would condense,rain down,and form lakes on Venus's surface. 
C)  The water vapor would chemically react with carbon dioxide and form acid rain. 
D)  UV light would break apart the water molecules,and the hydrogen would be lost into space. 
A)  The water vapor would relieve the greenhouse effect and decrease Venus's surface temperature. 
B)  Water droplets would condense,rain down,and form lakes on Venus's surface. 
C)  The water vapor would chemically react with carbon dioxide and form acid rain. 
D)  UV light would break apart the water molecules,and the hydrogen would be lost into space.

Question 19

If Saturn has a semimajor axis of 10 AU and an albedo of 0.7,what is its expected temperature?

Accepted Answer

A)  130 K 
B)  65 K 
C)  35 K 
D)  170 K 
A)  130 K 
B)  65 K 
C)  35 K 
D)  170 K

Question 20

Venus rotates so rapidly that the dominant form of convection is powered by hurricanes moving east to west in its atmosphere.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

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

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

Label the layers of Earth's atmosphere on the figure below.

Examine the figure below.Carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere have been rising by about 4 percent per decade due to the use of fossil fuels.If this trend continues,what could happen to Earth?

The major component of the air we breathe today was deposited on Earth via cometary impacts.

The two layers of Earth's atmosphere that have temperature gradients that allow convection to occur are:

The reason that Earth is hotter than Jupiter is because the Earth is smaller than Jupiter.

If the carbon dioxide in Earth rocks were suddenly released into its atmosphere,Earth could quite possibly undergo a runaway greenhouse effect.

In our solar system,a planet's temperature depends primarily on its albedo and distance from the Sun.

If it were not for the greenhouse effect on Earth:

Which of the following processes did NOT contribute to Earth's 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?

The shape of the Earth's magnetosphere is modified by:

Examine the figure below.In the Southern Hemisphere,hurricanes __________ compared to hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere due to the Coriolis effect.

In the stratosphere of the Earth's atmosphere,how does the temperature vary with altitude and what causes this variation?

Humans cannot survive on the surface of Mars for long periods of time because:

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

If water vapor was released from Venus's surface due to tectonic activity into its upper atmosphere,what would most likely happen to it?

If Saturn has a semimajor axis of 10 AU and an albedo of 0.7,what is its expected temperature?

Venus rotates so rapidly that the dominant form of convection is powered by hurricanes moving east to west in its atmosphere.

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

Exam 7: Atmospheres of Venus, Earth, and Mars

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

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

Label the layers of Earth's atmosphere on the figure below.

Examine the figure below.Carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere have been rising by about 4 percent per decade due to the use of fossil fuels.If this trend continues,what could happen to Earth?

The major component of the air we breathe today was deposited on Earth via cometary impacts.

The two layers of Earth's atmosphere that have temperature gradients that allow convection to occur are:

The reason that Earth is hotter than Jupiter is because the Earth is smaller than Jupiter.

If the carbon dioxide in Earth rocks were suddenly released into its atmosphere,Earth could quite possibly undergo a runaway greenhouse effect.

In our solar system,a planet's temperature depends primarily on its albedo and distance from the Sun.

If it were not for the greenhouse effect on Earth:

Which of the following processes did NOT contribute to Earth's 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?

The shape of the Earth's magnetosphere is modified by:

Examine the figure below.In the Southern Hemisphere,hurricanes __________ compared to hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere due to the Coriolis effect.

In the stratosphere of the Earth's atmosphere,how does the temperature vary with altitude and what causes this variation?

Humans cannot survive on the surface of Mars for long periods of time because:

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

If water vapor was released from Venus's surface due to tectonic activity into its upper atmosphere,what would most likely happen to it?

If Saturn has a semimajor axis of 10 AU and an albedo of 0.7,what is its expected temperature?

Venus rotates so rapidly that the dominant form of convection is powered by hurricanes moving east to west in its atmosphere.

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

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